To the Devil a Daughter(1976)
1976 · Peter Sykes · 95 min
An American occult novelist battles to save the soul of a young girl from a group of Satanists, led by an excommunicated priest, who plan on using her as the representative of the Devil on Earth.
Horror
5.5126 votes
TMDB score
3/5
Intensity
2/5
Gore
3/5
Stays with you
How To the Devil a Daughter scares
The story unfolds slowly, more like a mystery thriller than a straight scare machine, following an occult writer piecing together what a cult really wants with a young woman. It stays quiet and talky for long stretches, building unease through creepy rituals and a growing sense that something is very wrong, rather than jolting you with scares. Things get stranger and more unsettling as it goes, ending on a disturbing note that sticks with you more than it thrills you. It's a good pick if you like old-school occult horror with a slow, dread-heavy build rather than fast scares.
On The Horror Database's 0–5 scare profile, To the Devil a Daughter rates psychological 3/5, visceral 2/5, gore 2/5, lingering effect 3/5, and overall intensity 3/5.
- Psychological: 3 of 5
- Visceral: 2 of 5
- Gore: 2 of 5
- Lingering: 3 of 5
- Intensity: 3 of 5
Slow burn vs Jump scares: 15 of 100 — leans Slow burn
Supernatural vs Real-world: 8 of 100 — leans Supernatural
Fun-scary vs Disturbing: 65 of 100 — leans Disturbing
Intensity over runtime
Shape only — no eventsReveal pacing shapeHide pacing shapeHidden by default — shows where the tension peaks and lets up.
A slow, murky build with occasional jolts that gradually thickens into a tense, disturbing final stretch.
Intensity across the runtime, 0 to 100: 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 4, 4, 5, 4.
How scary is To the Devil a Daughter?
On The Horror Database's 0–5 intensity scale, To the Devil a Daughter rates 3/5 — solidly scary, building its fear through slow-burn dread rather than shocks. It works on both fronts, unsettling the mind while going for the body. Expect it to be moderately gory and genuinely disturbing. Some of it will follow you to bed, but it lets go within a day or so.
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