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      Abby

      1974 1h 32m Horror List
      Reviews 41% Audience Score 500+ Ratings An archaeologist (William Marshall) tries to rid a minister's (Terry Carter) wife (Carol Speed) of a spewing demon dug up in Nigeria. Read More Read Less

      Critics Reviews

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      Jas Keimig The Stranger (Seattle, WA) Abby is a good forgotten gem of a horror movie. Feb 2, 2022 Full Review Althea Fonville New Pittsburgh Courier With little variation, Abby becomes a step by step imitation of The Exorcist. Dec 13, 2021 Full Review Read all reviews

      Audience Reviews

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      Audience Member A Blaxploitation Exorcist rip-off. A pastor goes to Nigeria and accidentally unleashes an ancient malevolent spirit. Oops. His daughter-in-law back in America then starts to change from being a God-fearing, wholesome wife to becoming a possessed randy harlot. This film is such good fun. The pastor is played by William Marshall who was already known to Blaxploitation audiences as Blacula. Austin Stoker also stars who would later feature in John Carpenter's masterpiece Assault on Precinct 13 a couple of years later. But it's Carol Speed as Abby who steals the show. She seems to truly relish her role and brings some much needed spice and vigour to it. There's groovy interiors, snappy dialogue and effects that look cheap and nasty even by Exorcist rip-off standards. In fact they make Beyond The Door's FX look highly innovative by comparison. But that's all part of the fun. I love the fact that the exorcism at the film's conclusion takes place in a downtown bar. This film made loads of money at the box office but was abruptly taken out of circulation when Warner Bros. issued a lawsuit as they stated that the film ripped-off The Exorcist a bit too much. Abby's director William Girdler never denied this. The only existing prints are in very bad condition and it's rumoured that a decent print hasn't surfaced yet as possibly the lawsuit is still in place which prevents a decent DVD/Blu ray release. It's also rumoured that the lawsuit also involved all copies of the print to be confiscated by Warner Bros. so that they could destroy it. I hope this isn't true. I'd love this film to be released after being restored. In fact, I'd love a Blu ray box set containing all of Girdler's films. He deserves to be recognised as one of the leading auteurs of brilliant exploitation films. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/19/23 Full Review delysid d a pathetic attempt at filmmaking. the idea was to make a black exorcist, but it's an exceedingly modest effort. its a cut above blackenstein but doesnt come close to the great Blacula or Sugar Hill! however your options are rather limited when it comes to 70s black horror. another great one was ganja & Hess Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 05/17/20 Full Review Audience Member This movie takes me back to the Lyric theatre in Asbury Park, 1974. Great times there. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/08/23 Full Review Audience Member Equal parts campy and creepy. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/13/23 Full Review Audience Member 'Campy' best describes 'Abby'. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 01/30/23 Full Review Audience Member It's working title was The Blaxorcist, which says it all--Wild Blaxploitation Twist On The Exorcist!! Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/22/23 Full Review Read all reviews Post a rating

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      Abby

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      Movie Info

      Synopsis An archaeologist (William Marshall) tries to rid a minister's (Terry Carter) wife (Carol Speed) of a spewing demon dug up in Nigeria.
      Director
      William Girdler
      Producer
      Samuel Z. Arkoff
      Screenwriter
      William Girdler, Gordon Cornell Layne, Gordon Cornell Layne
      Genre
      Horror
      Original Language
      English
      Release Date (DVD)
      Feb 24, 2005
      Runtime
      1h 32m