Abby, a mild mannered preacher's wife, begins to display some pretty wild behavior. Rowdy sexual appetite, speaking in different voices, general blaspheming, you know the drill. In proper Exorcist rip-off fashion, she gets a little out of control (mostly sexually) and William-Blacula-Marshall has to save the day. I love how Abby's face contorts into this awful primordial low ridged uni-brow creature, and it seems to change slightly between scenes.
Unlike the various other rip-offs, Abby caught a lot of heat for the uncanny similarities in plot which ended in a lawsuit against AIP, which is why the film will probably never have a proper release. The blaxploitation angle really adds a dimension of absurdity that gives the film a life of it's own. Don't judge me but I've never been a huge Exorcist fan. I appreciate what it is and what it did for the horror industry and I absolutely ADORE the sequel (it's a masterpiece, really. Shut your face). The original never particularly moved me. However, the dozens of imitations that it influenced have schlock appeal and Abby is the undefeated champion of ludicrous Exorcist rip-offs. From the amazing funk score to seeing the King of Cartoons in a dashiki performing an exorcism in a sleazy dive bar, Abby is untouchable.
It may not have reached the magnitude of the Exorcist but it certainly retains a place on the annals of cult movie history and is worth it's weight in sexually explicit demon possessed African artifacts.
Day 5 of Schlocktober and I'm still somehow on schedule! I plan to do some mini-reviews in the next few days so be sure to check back!
Abby is so good! One of the many Blaxploitation/Horror movies that's really in need of a bigger audience and if possible, some sort of legitimate big release (I'm looking at you, Vinegar Syndrome).
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