The Astrologer (1975 horror film) should not be confused with The Astrologer (1976 film).
| The Astrologer | |
| Director: | James Glickenhaus (as Jim Glickenhaus) |
| Based On: | The Astrologer by John Cameron |
| Starring: | Bob Byrd Mark Buntzman James Glickenhaus |
| Music: | Brad Fiedel |
| Cinematography: | Francis A. Romero |
| Editing: | Victor Zimet |
| Producer: | Mark Buntzman |
| Distributor: | Republic Arts |
| Runtime: | 96 minutes |
| Country: | United States |
| Language: | English |
| Budget: | $65,000[1] |
The Astrologer (also known as Suicide Cult) is a 1975 American horror film directed by James Glickenhaus and starring Bob Byrd, Mark Buntzman, and James Glickenhaus.[2] [3]
A scientist who is investigating reports of the Second Coming of Christ ends up in conflict with a Satan-worshipping suicide cult.
The film was based on the book The Astrologer written by John Cameron, James Glickenhaus's future father-in-law.[4] Glickenhaus made a deal with Cameron for the book, wrote the screenplay.[4]
Glickenhaus says that he made the movie for about $20,000.[5] "I'd inherited some money," Glickenhaus told The New York Times, "and I took all of it and lost it making a movie called 'The Astrologer.' I'd been to film school, but film school was oriented more toward the avant-garde in those days, and I didn't really know what a master was or a cutaway or a closeup. And I had great trouble conveying ideas, except in dialogue. So 'The Astrologer,' which was about 79 minutes long, was probably 60 minutes of dialogue. I mean, it was interminable. I didn't think it was interminable then. I thought it was great and interesting and fascinating to listen to." The film took him two years to produce from start to finish.[6]
The film's soundtrack was composed by Brad Fiedel, in his debut.[7]
With no independent distributors interested in acquiring the film, Glickenhaus convinced some drive-in theaters in the South to screen it. He later recalled, "Even though it was a terrible movie, people didn't absolutely hate it. But I realized by watching them that the only parts they liked were the parts with action."[6] Glickenhaus deciding the overabundance of dialogue in The Astrologer compared to the level of action was the cause of its failure would inspire him to write The Exterminator[4] 21st Century Film Corporation eventually bought the rights to The Astrologer believing they could make it work and re-titled it The Suicide Cult in an effort to capitalize on the Jonestown massacre.[4]
The film was called an ”ultra obscure and undeniably fascinating thriller".[8] Another commentator found, ’’The irony, however, is that this debut effort by James Glickenhaus is neither a horror or science fiction film: its a pure Christploitation, aka Godploitation, romp...”[9]