‘Salvation! Have You Said Your Prayers Today?’ Blu-Ray Review – A Pitch Black Excoriation Of Televangelists

Laid-off factory worker Jerome Stample (Viggo Mortensen) enlists the aid of his sister-in-law (Dominique Davalos) to abduct and blackmail a sex-obsessed TV minister (Stephen McHattie). But when Rev. Randall meets Jerome’s true-believer wife, Rhonda (Exene Cervenka of the punk band X), he realizes she is an evangelical rock star in the making. A prophetic satire by Beth B (Two Small Bodies), Salvation! Have You Said Your Prayers Today? was produced just before the foundations of American religion were shaken by the scandals of real-life televangelists Jim Bakker and Jimmy Swaggart. Released during the MTV explosion, Salvation! is bathed in a glossy ‘80s aesthetic and is backed with songs by New Order and Cabaret Voltaire, and laced with the razor-sharp social commentary that made Beth B one of the most provocative voices of a generation.

For thoughts on Salvation! Have You Said Your Prayers Today?, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:

[youtube https://youtu.be/XVdHVOn5xZ0?si=q3Bud3nbOR7TEIU5&t=2724]

Video Quality

Salvation! Have You Said Your Prayers Today? debuts on Blu-Ray with a digital AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1 from a recent restoration, but the particulars of this are not quite clear. The new presentation provides a wonderful viewing experience that showcases the film favorably. The natural film grain of the presentation is deftly maintained and resolves consistently. The source has been cleaned up well to eradicate nearly all nicks and scratches. Clarity and detail are never lacking, and skin tones are consistent and natural with some distinct makeup providing texture in closeup. Colors are stark and vibrant with robust saturation. Black levels are pretty deep with crush never popping up as an issue within the shadows. This presentation is pretty great for a film that has been difficult to view in good quality. 

Audio Quality

The Blu-Ray disc comes with a DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that materializes this soundscape as it deserves. The music is a key element of the narrative, and it accentuates the visuals on screen quite admirably. Dialogue comes through clearly as it never succumbs to competing environmental elements. These sounds are low-key within the sonic ambitions and are rendered well. We did not notice any signs of substantial age-related wear and tear or distortion that might impact this track. This is a welcome representation of the film. There are optional English SDH subtitles provided. 

Special Features

• The Dominatrix Sleeps Tonight: A four-and-a-half-minute music video featuring Dominique Davalos is provided here which can also be found in the Sex, Power, and Money collection. 

• Interview with Beth B: A new 17-minute interview with Beth B in which she discusses the creation of this movie, the work of the performers, how she developed some of her ideas, how the film was ahead of its time, the genuine emotions in the film, and more. 

• Q&A with Beth B: A new 39-minute Q&A with Beth B moderated by Carlo McCormick in which she reflects on her time with this film including the rise of televangelism, her experiences attending a conference for research that felt very dangerous, how the views of the film have shifted over the years, the use of music in the feature, her brand of independent cinema, and more. 

• The Beth B Collection Trailer: A minute-long trailer for the films of Beth B is provided. 

Final Thoughts

Salvation! Have You Said Your Prayers Today? is another impressive narrative from Beth B, whose forward-thinking makes her an artist who is easy to appreciate now but went overlooked by a wider audience for far too long. The excoriation of televangelists for their hypocrisy and craven manipulation is conveyed well while never seeming too preachy. The tonal balance is maintained well and the performances are captivating throughout. Kino Classics has brought this one to Blu-Ray with an excellent A/V presentation and a nice selection of special features. If you are a fan of Beth B or simply appreciate an entertaining cultural critique, you should add this to the list. Recommended 

Salvation! Have You Said Your Prayers Today? is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Kino Classics has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.