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Did the title of this forthcoming documentary grab your attention as much as it did mine? The world premiere of Satan Wants You will happen during SXSW 2023, which takes place from March 10 to March 19 in Austin, Texas. It’s also among the 18 films featured in SXSW’s Documentary Spotlight this year.
Let’s unpack what it’s all about. It looks like it’ll be a fascinating dive into the origin story of the moral panic known as Satanic Panic, which still rears its head even these days.
Satan Wants You Synopsis
During the 1980s and ’90s, the world was gripped by the cultural hysteria known as the Satanic Panic. Ignited by Michelle Remembers, a lurid memoir by psychiatrist Larry Pazder and his patient Michelle Smith, rumors of “Satanic Ritual Abuse” spread through panic-stricken communities worldwide. Although Dr. Pazder’s methodology relied on controversial recovered-memory therapy to expose Michelle’s childhood abduction by baby-stealing satanists, the book became a bestseller and left a wave of destruction and wrongful convictions in its wake.
In the feature documentary Satan Wants You, filmmakers Sean Horlor and Steve J. Adams dive deep into the untold story of how Dr. Pazder and Michelle Smith became international sensations, supported by the Catholic Church and amplified by law enforcement and America’s Daytime TV boom. The film features shocking, never-before-heard audio recordings of the pair’s original therapy sessions and interviews with a high priestess of the Church of Satan, a Wiccan police detective, an FBI ‘Mind Hunter’ as well as the devastated families of both Michelle and Lawrence.
Satan Wants You is a compelling investigation into the roots of moral panics, cult conspiracies, and the making of contemporary legends, revealing how these events still impact and distort our reality to this day.
Satan Wants You Credits
It’s written and directed by Sean Harlor and Steve J. Adams. It’s produced by Michael Tanko Grand and Melissa James.
Running time: 89 mintues.
For More Info
Visit https://www.satanwantsyoufilm.com.
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Did you ever wonder where Satanic Panic started or what triggered it?
Courtney Mroch is a globe-trotting restless spirit who’s both possessed by wanderlust and the spirit of adventure, and obsessed with true crime, horror, the paranormal, and weird days. Perhaps it has something to do with her genes? She is related to occult royalty, after all. Marie Laveau, the famous Voodoo practitioner of New Orleans, is one of her ancestors. (Yes, really! As explained here.) That could also explain her infatuation with skeletons.
Speaking of mystical, to learn how Courtney channeled her battle with cancer to conjure up this site, check out HJ’s Origin Story.
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It does make me wonder how a child psychology case goes from a withdrawn child (or nonverbal or emotionally abused or whatever) to a full blown victim of satanic ritual abuse.
Geraldo Rivera went nuts with this and so did John Wayne Todd. Here’s the kicker. Led Zeppelin, who got hit really hard with this, not even once, mentioned Satan in a single one of their songs. I have been a professional folk rock/hard rock/metal multi-instrumentalist musician since I was 8 years old (1971), and now, I am a professional Christian rock musician. I have albums on all platforms (Spotify, iTunes, Amazon, YouTube, Pandora, etc.). I was in the thick of this nonsense, playing in the California/West Coast circuit as a teen into my 20s. I will admit there were bands that were promoting Satanism at the time. For instance, Slayer, Grim Reaper, Sacred Reich, Mercyful Fate, King Diamond, AC/DC, The Beatles (Late 60s, using subtlety and backwards masking), The Rolling Stones, The Eagles, KISS, and a few others were evil as evil could be! But for a large part, most that were being accused were completely innocent, like the aforementioned Led Zeppelin (even though Jimmy Page lived in Aleister Crowley’s house and Stairway to Heaven was written in front of the fireplace of that house … NO SATAN), Black Sabbath (never promoted Satan in general with Ozzy, and with Dio, they offered you both sides, Heaven and Hell, and gave you the choice, never promoting one or the other), Judas Priest (acid rock and partying, no Satan), Pink Floyd (acid rock, no Satan ever), Uriah Heep (pretended they were Satanic with their evil-looking album covers, but never sung about or promoted it). The Satanic Panic people were missing the mark. They were blaming the wrong bands, and missing the ones that were actually pushing Satan down the kid’s throats!
In conclusion, let’s put this into perspective. In contrast to what the Satanic Panic freaks believed (and still do), ALL music was created by God. It is the LYRICS that are created by evil-influenced humans. PERIOD. How the MUSIC itself is interpreted is up to the mind of the listener. The lyrics are a story unto themselves and in some cases simply cannot be misconstrued. When AC/DC says, “I’m on the highway to hell,” they’re being very clear about going to spend some time with Satan. When Led Zeppelin says, “And she’s buying a stairway to heaven,” that doesn’t sound like Satan is in the picture at all. It could be metaphorical. It could just be beautiful poetry without overly complicated meaning. Regardless, it is obvious that Satan is not involved in that line … or any line in that song. And the Satanic Panic freaks were against “Stairway to Heaven” throughout the entire debacle. All the “backwards masking” from that song that they tried to convince us was there, I never could make it out. It was clear as day in the Beatles songs, but not Led Zep! NEVER! They were making it all up, and it was just stupid! I’m not naïve just to go with the flow of the masses. I’m an “against the grain” kind of guy. That’s what made me a good soldier. I’m not just going to nod my head and say, “Oh, yeah, I hear it. There it is!” because everybody else does. Anyway, enough babbling. Thanks for letting me share!
Extremely good point, Priscilla!!!!
Sure, Troy. Thanks for sharing!
Michelle is definitely evil! I am so happy that this is getting some light. She is said to have murdered Lawrence Pazder after he told her that he was leaving her. He was in excellent shape at the time he was alleged to have had a heart attack. Why did she move his body and why did she ask a doctor friend to issue a death certificate? At the funeral, she was not the slightest bit upset. No tears, no emotion, she just appeared to be very nervous that Lawrence’s family members were there. She knows that we know her act is just bullshit. I just hope that one of the injured parents or caregivers of this tragedy looks to even the score.
Oh my! Now I’m even more intrigued to check this doc out to learn more about what sounds like a Dateline-worthy case! Thanks for leaving this great comment, Charlie!