‘Satan’s Little Helper’ Blu-Ray Review – A Delightfully Wicked Slasher Worth Your Time

Nine-year-old Douglas Whooly (Alexander Brickel, PALINDROMES) is obsessed with the handheld video game “Satan’s Little Helper,” and annoyed that the attention of his big sister Jenna (Katheryn Winnick, TV’s VIKINGS and BIG SKY) is being distracted by her new boyfriend Alex (Stephen Graham). These two concerns collide on Halloween, when Douglas witnesses a serial killer in a devil mask (Joshua Annex) posing his victims like outdoor All Hallow’s Eve displays. Not comprehending how real the carnage is, Douglas becomes this Satan’s little helper–and that’s very bad news for Alex, for Douglas and Jenna’s mom Merrill (Amanda Plummer, PULP FICTION, Netflix’s RATCHED), and ultimately for their entire town. A different kind of Halloween horror film, SATAN’S LITTLE HELPER combines grisly killings with a mile-wide streak of savage humor. Written and directed by cult favorite Jeff Lieberman (SQUIRM, BLUE SUNSHINE, JUST BEFORE DAWN), it satirizes the way video games can seize hold of young minds, and is driven by the inability of Douglas (and others) to distinguish the Satan Man’s nasty crimes from All Hallow’s prankery. Featuring one of Plummer’s most eccentric performances, SATAN’S LITTLE HELPER has built a cult following on video and now makes its UNCUT high-definition Blu-ray debut, carrying a bagful of supplementary treats!

For thoughts on Satan’s Little Helper, please check out our discussions on The Video Attic:

[youtube https://youtu.be/f6KQXYwpn7Q?t=2486]

Video Quality

Satan’s Little Helper debuts on Blu-Ray with a really fetching 1080p presentation in 1.78:1 from a high definition master that serves the film immensely well. Outside of one reaction shot early in the film which seems to be sourced from an inferior element, there is not much of anything to complain about here. The film provides a bold and vibrant color palette which pops off the screen consistently while showing off an impressive amount of detail and clarity. Despite being fairly low budget, it never ceases to amaze with how sleek the film looks, especially in the daytime locations. The bright whites of the presentation do not show off any instances of blooming. Black levels are slightly more inconsistent with a bit of murkiness during the night scenes, but there is some depth on display. The special effects are executed well considering the limited budget they had to pull it off. Synapse Films has nailed this effort. 

Audio Quality

The Blu-Ray disc comes with a DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that satisfies the creative intent of the film. The sound design is not too ambitious, but it has some lively elements. The environmental effects are defined accurately with some unsettling sounds and ambient noises on display. The dialogue holds up perfectly, coming though clearly without being stepped on by the music or sound effects. The lightly ominous score maintains a strong fidelity and comes through the room really purposefully. This audio track is a great addition to this package. Optional English (SDH) subtitles are provided on this disc.

Special Features

• Audio Commentary: Director Jeff Lieberman provides an informative commentary track in which he discusses the shooting locations, the digital colorizing needed for certain shots, the casting of the film, the unpredictable nature of Amanda Plummer, his displeasure with the appearance of some of the child performers, the themes he wanted to tackle and much more. Lieberman is very entertaining to listen to because he is not afraid to praise his own work. 

• Vintage Behind-The-Scenes Featurette: A five-minute piece which features some vintage footage from the production with a voiceover from Lieberman giving some context to what you are seeing. There is footage from the parking lot bumper car scene, the dining room disembowelment and more. 

• The Devil and The Details – Making Satan’s Little Helper: A 33-minute documentary is provided here which features Lieberman, Mask Creator Jonathan Fuller, Makeup FX Creator Anthony Pepe, star Alexander Brickel, and cinematographer Dejan Georgevich, . In this piece, you get some insights into how this film came about, the look of Satan, the initial casting of Douglas, working with Amanda Plummer, notable scenes from the film and more. 

• Mister Satan’s Neighborhood – A Tour Of Filming Locations: A 23-minute piece with Jeff Lieberman in which he takes you through many of the shooting locations while providing some great anecdotes. 

• Promotional Trailer: A minute-and-a-half long trailer is provided here. 

Final Thoughts

Satan’s Little Helper is the type of twisted horror film which really hits the sweet spot of tone. The film is darkly funny throughout thanks to the naivete of the young lead, but the film is not afraid to get serious and disturbing when the kills become more personal. The film is paced really well and has a nice arc to the narrative which works. This may be a direct-to-video horror film, but it is more enjoyable than a lot of the studio output from this time, especially. Synapse Films has released a Blu-Ray that has a terrific A/V presentation and some great special features. If you want a wicked slasher film with a good sense of humor, give this one a shot. Recommended 

Satan’s Little Helper is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray and DVD. 

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

Disclaimer: Synapse Films 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.