Kathy (Diane Webster) lives in an apartment in New York City with two sexy roommates. She wants to become a model but can’t seem to catch a break. She eventually strikes a deal with “The Bearer of Evil” (Fred Dennie) who in exchange for her soul, grants her wish. Predictably, everything is peachy keen for Kathy until the stranger comes to collect.
Unlike most New York nudies made around the same time, The Soul Snatcher is in color. It features Doris Wishman regulars Darlene Bennett and Dawn Bennett (no relation) in supporting roles. This was the only role for Webster, but she is quite good in the lead. Dennie, with his bald head, bushy goatee, and painted-on eyebrows is memorable too. (He likewise didn’t star in anything else.)
One of the things I liked about The Soul Snatcher was that Kathy didn’t want to be rich and famous. She just wanted to get enough modeling gigs to pay her share of the rent. There’s also a great scene where she goes around trying to get work by showing her legs off to various photographers.
Some will be annoyed by the constant narration, but I dug it as it helps the audience get inside the characters’ heads and thoroughly explain their motivations. It’s also padded with nude cheesecake photo sessions and random stripteases, which if I’m being completely honest, is a perfectly acceptable form of padding. The use of classical music in the background actually works too. Usually in these sorts of things, the needle drops are random, but in The Soul Snatcher, they almost feel organic and enhance the scene (well… in most instances).
This all might’ve made for a great hour-long softcore horror flick. At seventy minutes, it’s just way too long. The seams start to really show about forty-five minutes into the picture. It’s here where the pacing really starts to drag. Curiously enough, the film is at its dullest AFTER our heroine finds fame and fortune. I don’t know if that was a subtle bit of morality on the filmmakers’ part, or they just couldn’t sustain the momentum throughout the movie. It doesn’t help matters that the scenes of Kathy frolicking with her new boyfriend feel like you’re watching someone’s vacation videos. Still, the first act is strong, and there’s enough T & A to make it all watchable.
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