Documentaries are often informative and eye-opening. They pick a subject, issue, or theme and explore them in such a way that the audience is made privy to information that they likely didn’t know before. Documentaries can help change a viewer’s opinion or perception. Sometimes though, as in Scott Cummings’ Realm of Satan, they seek to be something more abstract.
Realm of Satan places members of the Church of Satan into the spotlight. However, rather than being an in-depth analysis of these people, their beliefs and practices, Cummings strives for something more avant garde. Realm of Satan is devoid of narration or an overt desire to sway audiences to, or against, the cause. Cummings forgoes all conventions of a traditional documentary narrative in favour of creating something more free-form. Instead of the usual talking heads, Realm of Satan is a series of short vignettes that offer a glimpse into the lives of members of the church.
Those with a taste for experimental movies will find Realm of Satan intoxicating.
With no narration or text to inform the viewer who the subjects are, Realm of Satan feels like watching jazz in video form. None of the people or scenes appear to connect to one another, leaving the content somewhat befuddling and bemusing. Cummings opens with a striking sequence of a goat birthing its kid, but those that follow are far more mundane. Scenarios seeing members hanging out their laundry, getting dressed, and putting make-up on, present a slice of life, but little more. The concept that members of the Church of Satan are just regular people is quickly communicated, but there’s little more true substance than that. The constant switching between subjects, lack of narration or similar, and the banality of the household chores soon becomes frustrating.
As with any other religion, the Church of Satan is fascinating. That Cummings had access to members, including past and present high priests and priestesses, and didn’t take the chance to pick their brains, is disappointing. Fact fans will have little to enjoy, which discounts most documentary viewers. However, those with a taste for experimental movies will find Realm of Satan intoxicating. Which side the viewer will land on is all subject to personal taste, making Realm of Satan a rather divisive documentary.
Realm of Satan was reviewed at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival.
Realm of Satan
Summary
A documentary that breaks from convention and tradition to deliver a rather divisive experimental portrait of worshippers merely living their lives.
