Cult of the Damned (1969)
aka Angel, Angel, Down We Go
Article 5782 by Dave Sindelar
Date: 5-30-2020
Directed by Robert Thom
Featuring Jennifer Jones, Jordan Christopher, Holly Near
Country: USA
What it is: During this era, who can tell?

The overweight daughter of a rich but sleazy couple runs off with a rock star at her coming-out party. Eventually the rock star decides to meet the rest of the girl’s family. Things happen and words are said.

This is one of those late sixties/early seventies drug-addled counterculture art films; its original title was ANGEL, ANGEL, DOWN WE GO; it was renamed CULT OF THE DAMNED when it was released as a second feature to THE VAMPIRE LOVERS; no doubt the new title was to make it seem more like a horror movie. I suppose it’s some sort of commentary on the American Dream (it drops a few hints in that direction), but I’ll be honest; neither the world of the rich parents nor the one of the rock star and his cohorts look very attractive to me, which is my way of saying that I started the movie not much caring what was going to happen to anybody in the movie, and as it went one, I found myself caring even less. At any rate, I’m not sure it fully qualifies for this series; there are hints of horror around the edges, but it certainly doesn’t play like one and it’s not trying to be one. Frankly, this one isn’t my cup of tea.