The Touch of Satan
A murderous and decrepit old woman resides on a California walnut farm with her family. On a whim, a traveler named Jodie makes a brief side trip to the farm, where he meets and falls in love with Melissa, the proverbial farmer's daughter. Jodie and Melissa grow closer as Melissa begins to reveal the strange, dark history of her family.
Why it matters
A low-budget folk horror gem that blends rural Americana with occult dread, capturing early ’70s countercultural anxieties in a sun-bleached California setting.
- An unsettling slow burn steeped in witchcraft lore long before folk horror’s modern revival.
- Melissa’s eerie charisma anchors the film — a quietly hypnotic performance that lingers.
- Atmospheric use of the California walnut farm subverts pastoral tranquility into creeping menace.
- Not for those craving fast scares or polished effects, but a rewarding curiosity for fans of regional occult horror and forgotten cult classics.
Director
Cast
Horror DNA
Gore
0
Slow Burn
33
Psychological
0
Supernatural
80
Creature
18
Disturbing
0
Fun Factor
50
Cerebral
0
Survival
33
