| Land of the Minotaur | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Kostas Karagiannis |
| Written by | Arthur Rowe |
| Produced by | Frixos Constantine |
| Starring | Donald Pleasence Peter Cushing |
| Music by | Brian Eno |
Production companies | Getty Pictures Corp. Poseidon Films |
| Distributed by | Cathay Films (United Kingdom) Crown International Pictures (United States) |
Release dates |
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Running time | 95 minutes |
| Countries | Greece United Kingdom United States |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $1,020,000[1] |
Land of the Minotaur (UK title: The Devil's Men) is a 1976 horror film directed by Kostas Karagiannis and written by Arthur Rowe. The film is also known as Minotaur and The Devil's Men.[2]
Land of the Minotaur is actually the name of the shorter [86 minutes] U.S. edit of the film. When seen as The Devil’s Men, it is the full 94 minute European cut.
Tourists visiting a Greek archeological site are being abducted by a strange cult, intent on providing their God - the Minotaur - with sacrifice. Irish priest Father Roche (Donald Pleasence) enlists the help of Laurie Gordon, an archaeological student, and Milo Kaye, a private detective, to find out what has happened to them.
Critical response for Land of the Minotaur has been predominantly negative. TV Guide gave the film one out of four stars, calling it "[a] distinctly silly effort".[3] HorrorNews.net found the film enjoyable in spite of its contrived plot, commending its soundtrack and chemistry between its two leads.[4]
Praising the "suffocating ambiance and dream-like atmosphere", as well as Brian Eno's electronic score, Chris Alexander argues that the film is underrated: "Make no mistake, it's a lowbrow exploitation film, but it's one that’s filtered through a very stylised art house sensibility. Don't be swayed by the negative mainstream reviews and general fanboy silence."[5] Emanuel Levy rated the film three out of five.[6]
