The Fiend
Led by a sinister minister, a controlling religious sect called the Brethren has taken control of widow Birdy Wemys, sending her unstable son, Kenny, into a spiraling descent into madness and murder. No woman is safe when Kenny's religious mania overpowers him and leads to a rampage of carnage and chaos!
Why it matters
A grim dive into 1970s religious hysteria, The Fiend channels the era’s distrust of cults through a grimy grindhouse lens.
- Early example of faith-fueled psychosis in horror, predating later cult classics like The Wicker Man.
- Raw, low-budget atmosphere soaked in paranoia and claustrophobia—perfect for fans of regional exploitation cinema.
- Michael Greer’s portrayal of Kenny captures the fragile line between madness and fanaticism with unsettling authenticity.
- Practical effects and gritty violence ground the film’s descent into chaos, a reminder that horror’s power often lies in bleak human breakdown rather than supernatural frills.
Director
4 horror films in catalog
Cast
Horror DNA
Gore
28
Slow Burn
33
Psychological
100
Supernatural
60
Creature
0
Disturbing
83
Fun Factor
17
Cerebral
28
Survival
33
CultSerial KillerSexual RepressionSlasher
