Movies

The Burning Hell

138 Comments

The Internet is a magical place full of amazing works of creative genius. On the other hand, it also gives us the chance to relive things like this:

The other parts are out on YouTube as well if you hate yourself enough to look for them.

138 thoughts on “The Burning Hell”

    3. Nope. I know you’ve threatened that before, but you need me, you know you do. Otherwise, you just turn cold and dusty.

        2. Oh. If that is the case than all I have to say is why yes Natalie. Of course you’re right. Yes I am wrong. No you’re not fat. I’ll get dinner ready in case you would like to eat. What’s that? Of course you’re not hungry. I’m going to go for a walk now. Be back next week. 😆

        3. HAHA… No, it’s the butt cushion’s time of the month. Not mine.

          But, no joke, HF keeps mine on his calendar… ha ha.

        4. And when HF told me he did that, I about died laughing. I said, “You know, I think its coming, because I have that sensation of needing a good rest in a mental institution.” He said, “Oh it is… It’s on my calendar”… ha ha

  4. The film and the soundtrack were badly out of sync. Is that the the fault of YouTube or of Mr. Pirkle?
    I’ve known about this movie since the ’70s, but this was the first time I had seen it. I hadn’t missed much.
    Interesting dialogue, I must say. If the KJV was good enough for ol’ Moses, hey, it must good enough for us!

  5. Why the build up music for the camel jockey? Just to see him make the camel kneel down…

    Moses quoting the KJV was proof enough for me to cling to my wide-margin Cambrige KJB, yes siree!

    At least the Grand Wizard of the KKK went down in flames for his horrible immitation of Forest Gump.

    The look of fear on the peoples faces was riviting! I was on the edge of my seat… until I finished and flushed.

    Can’t wait to get home so I can see part #2! I’m hooked! 😯

  6. Isn’t this the movie where the head of the guy riding the motorcycle goes rolling down the street? That manipulated lots of people into making a decision for Christ!

  7. I watched the whole movie and for some reason I thought is was a good movie. Kind of corney now days, but for movies of that time the special effects were pretty good. I know many here will disagree, but the message it spot on.

    1. Chad – I don’t think I can say I thought it was a good movie, but I agree with you the message was spot on.

      I get alittle confused on here sometimes (imagine that) I think what they are busting on is the “hokiness” of the production, lily white people portraying Jews, corny costumes etc, not the overall message of the movie. I could be wrong though.

      1. I really don’t see a reason to make a big deal out of the actors. Pirkle pastored in southern Mississippi and used people from there in the movie. Some people read altieror(sp?) motives into the fact they did not go out and find real Jews, thats called being PC. The truth is every Jewish person I have ever met that was born in America was as white as I am. And I am as white as you can get. All my ancestor came from England, Wales and Scandnavia.

        1. I’m struggling to understand what “the message is spot on” means Chad. Other than alot of religous looking people wagging their heads in judgment I didn’t get the message. I did notice Newton’s 3rd Law of Fundamentalism in full effect though. IF you tell a fundy preacher you don’t need Jesus, THEN you will meet a gruesome demise and go to hell.

        2. What I mean if you continue to live a life of sin and do not repent and confess your sin and accept Jesus as you Saviour, you will condemmed to a eterity in hell. Just basic biblical salvation and judgement.

  8. Thanks for the post Darrel.
    While the idea of people going to hell is unsettling. This movie is funny at so many levels. LOL.

  9. I remember this movie as a child and being excited I was deemed “of age” enough to watch it. I believe this is the one where satan has a face with all different colors on it and the guy on the motorcyle had his head cut off and went rolling down the street.

  10. I enjoyed many aspects of this:

    1. A soundtrack sounding like it was stolen from 2001: A Space Odyssey.
    2. The fact that ‘Israelites who had been wandering around a desert’ were as white as sheets.
    3. The women were dressed as nurses, and put me in mind of Florence Nightingale.
    4. Moses had borrowed a… umm… ‘St Nicholas’ wig and beard. Can I say that? Or are saints too Catholic?
    5. The prooftexting of a story about Israelites to prove the existence of Hell. Even the Israelites didn’t believe in Hell.

    I’m sure there are more things I enjoy. I’m just trying to repress them.

    1. Ha ha.. I went back to watch it again, and you’re right!

      I wonder what thread count makes a good head covering.

  13. I watched the next video in the series. Did I really see a decapitated hippie at the end?!?!?!?!?!

    1. I think this is the only time I’ve heard and read definite articles used with “Heaven” and “Hell” in English.
      That and the unbelievably out-of-synch sound track make it seem as if this moive was dubbed into English from the original Urdu. I don’t think it was, though.

  17. I must confess that I get very uncomfortable during messages about hell or the Rapture. I always ask God to really convict me if I am not saved and then if I don’t feel any conviction, I just thank God for my salvation. To avoid any nightmares, I will watch “Anne of Green Gables” to relax my imagination.

    Titus says that Jesus spoke about Hell more than he did anything else. I thought Jesus spoke about money more than anything else. But, I guess for rich people they are the same thing.

    1. “I will watch “Anne of Green Gables” to relax my imagination.”

      I heard the Waltons or Little House on the Prairie work well, too.

      Seriously though, one of those channels had a marathon of AOGG movies on and DOG-ON if I didn’t sucked in.

        1. George gets distracted when keywords are used. Like Dobie Gillis & work, but he likes the s word apparently.

      2. “Little House on the Prairie” is depressing, someone is always dying. And if your a fundie, the thougth of Michael Landon burning in hell must be a downer.

    1. I don’t know why, but I still laugh when you do this and it also makes me want to shove you out of your chair.

      HF says that’s borderline assault. I say not of the assaultee is being silly and is asking for it. :mrgreen:

      1. AGH!!! “IF”, George, not “of”.

        Are you pissed at me today for some reason? Okay, I’m sorry I called you a horny little heathen… you oversensitive little worm.

        😉

  19. I once heard that when the first christian missionaries went to Alaska, they told the natives there about a lake of fire that burned forever and never went out. The natives asked “How can we get to this wonderful place?”

    1. I don’t know if that anecdote is true, but there are legends throughout Alaska about hidden valleys where it’s always warm and there are lots of game and fish. This is one version of Paradise.

      I recall the pastor of an all-black congregation once saying that for his church members, the idea of Hell as being eternally cold resonated better than the description of Hell as hot. I agree: If you’ve ever been very cold, with no way to get warm, you know that it’s much worse than being hot.

      1. Not necessarily in a Georgia summer, when the air conditioner’s broken. 😡 🙁 🙄

  20. I confess I only watched the first two minutes of this. I may never even get to Parts Two through Eight. I congratulate those of you who have the stamina to watch it all.

    It should be said that while heaven is referenced in the Bible, and hell or something like it is briefly mentioned, the Bible is quite vague about both places.

    OK, let the flame wars begin.

    1. Can I be your tag team partner? Universalism was one of my first heresies on my way out of the church.

    2. In my Father’s house there are many mansions, if it were not so, I would have told you. I go there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

      Jesus Christ of Nazareth

      1. My Dad used to quote that verse, and it always gave me peace.

        They quoted it at his funeral, and it gave me peace then, too.

        1. I memorized a large portion of that passage as a child, and it was always, and still is, a wonderful comfort to me too.

          Hey I can’t wait to see it!

          How wonderful to see your Dad again and throw your arms around his neck.

          Better slow down I’m about to get pentecostal up in here, but yes I can hardly wait to see my Saviour!

        2. Thank you and yes, I can’t wait to do that! I picture Dad up there just meeting everyone (he never knew a stranger) and getting to be around his parents and brother again. He and my Grandmother are talking away and solving the world’s problems up there, just like they did down here. 😉

      2. Greg: You don’t think that’s vague? I do.
        It’s possibly not even talking about the afterlife.

        2. Of course its talking about the afterlife. Both in verse 4 and verse 19, Jesus was trying to tell the disciples that He was going to be leaving the earth. They didn’t fully understand, but in the whole chapter, He was trying to give them the message that He was the Messiah, His Father was God, and that He would be resurrected and then one day, call His Beloved unto Himself.

          It was a message of love.

        3. I’m not saying your wrong, but there are many other possible interpretations.
          Your reading assumes that some of the sentences in the passage are meant figuratively (an assumption I agree with), and metaphors are always subject to multiple readings.

        5. I do think it’s vague – especially if “mansions” is more accurately translated as “places” or “rooms.” However, I do beyond any doubt believe it is speaking of a real place Christ promises us after death.

        6. As I looked at this thread I was wondering what you guys were talking about. Was it the movie or heaven or hell? Maybe it was neither, maybe you were just using words to relax! Maybe this is poetry? Yes, that’s it. You are all one person writing a poem. It doesn’t matter, all will be saved.

        7. And, this is just how I interpreted it, but I think you have to look at the book of John as a whole and not chapter by chapter. So, Jesus is talking in generalizations in chapter 14, but He doesn’t actually leave them until his death and resurrection. So, if they didn’t understand it back then, they would have when He was resurrected and had the promise that He would return again.

          Think of it like if you were reading a novel and in the end, the main character goes to, say, Sicily or something. The writer wouldn’t tell you that in chapter 5. He’d have the guy talk in generalizations until the final plot unfolds.

          Now, as to the reason why Jesus did this, I believe it’s because, simply, the disciples (with the exception of Judas) would have done whatever they had to do to keep Him alive, including giving up their own lives. Jesus knew that they couldn’t get in the way of His ultimate mission.

        8. Because, remember, Simon Peter hacked off the ear of the man who came to arrest Jesus, and that was with quick decision. Imagine, if the disciples had time to stew on it for a while.

          Anyway, that’s just my belief.

        9. @New John: “ALL” will be saved???
          Could you clarify that statement please?
          You are not talking about Universalism are you?

        10. Natalie – I don’t think he was aiming for his ear either, Peter was trying to take the guy’s head off.

        12. @Don See the first two posts of this thread. If heaven and Hell are vague maybe everything else is too. (tongue in cheek)

  23. My favorite part is all the self-righteous head shaking you see from the pastor and the congregation throughout. Estus Pirkle hired Ron Ormond, a grindhouse director of exploitation flicks, to do this one. He also directed a film from this same era called “The Grim Reaper” featuring a young Jack Van Impe and Oral Roberts. It’s a little better than The Burning Hell and it has the same lead actor in it (the nice guy who sees his poor friend decapitated and comes to the Lord). Look also on the internet for another Estus Pirkle “classic”: If the Footmen Have Wearied You How Will You Contend with Horses? about the impending communist take-over of the United State.

    1. I think he should get a special Oscar just for being named Estus Pirkle. That has to be an unparalleled achievement.

  24. As I child, I was not permitted to watch TV or go to the movies. But this thing was showed to me, many, many times. Hence I built up such a neurosis regarding death, hell and am I saved or not, that it took many, many years to get over it. You see, not being used to any of this kind of thing, and believing it to be absolutely real, and not a “scary movie”, makes for one hell-of-a-ride (pun intended, 🙂 ).

  25. 😎 I love the computerized voice at the beginning with the bad grammar. “All your base are belong to us!”

      1. HAHA… I’m just waiting for him to say, “Let’s just all go down to Kentucky Fried Chicken and talk about this thing.”

  27. Wait, did we discuss this somewhere on here before, or did I just happen to play it….. WAIT, this is what Darrell and Donb123 were talking about the other day real late at night. I know because I was in bed chatting with ya’ll….

    ON THE COMPUTER, PEOPLE!!! Get your mind out of the gutter! :mrgreen:

      1. Isn’t it, though?!

        And, what kills me is that fundies don’t condone gutter thinking even when its only with your own spouse.

        But, then again, there are fundies out there who believe marital sex is ONLY for procreation.

        We’d have 1,425 children, if that were true.

        1. 😯 You go, girl!

          I just had the misfortune of reading Mark Driscoll’s Porn Again Christian, because I was curious about all the frakas over his readings of the Song of Solomon

          I love his exhortation to look at all women as if they were my sisters.

          “DUDE, eeewwwww!”

          Obviously, he had to stop looking at his wife as if she were his sister for her to become his wife. Or have I stumbled into a dark corner of the fundy world?

        2. “Or have I stumbled into a dark corner of the fundy world?”

          I don’t even want to think about it. 😉

        7. Reminds me of a Valentine quip I saw: If we were cockroaches, I’d want to have all 1,802,711 of your children. 😀

      1. I may have said this before, but my brother’s name is Pete/Peter. I always think “whoa” when I see you comment, then realize you def are NOT anyone I know.

  29. wait, how did they get stephen hawking to do the opening narration? pretty sure he’s an atheist.

  30. HAHA… No, it’s the butt cushion’s time of the month. Not mine.

    But, no joke, HF keeps mine on his calendar… ha ha.

  31. Estus Pirkle also made one of these about Heaven that is truly bizarre. It involves a singing midget. He also made “If Footmen Tire You” about how the Communists will take over America, and little boys who don’t renounce Jesus will get their heads chopped off. Youtube it.

    People who show these films to children should be reported to CPS, and I’m completely serious.

    2. Amen, I saw some movie on Satanists when I was about 9, scared the living bejebus out of me.

    3. The full title was, “”If Footmen Tire You, What Will Horsrd Do?”. which sounds more like the unexpurgated biography of Catherine The Great. 😳

  32. I’m looking forward to being scarred by this later (no audio at work). I did see in the opening seconds it’s by some church going by MFBC. I know what my first guess as to what MF stands for is.

  33. That guy’s voice sounded real familiar, but I couldn’t place it. Then it hit me. Close your eyes and listen, and imagine that same voice saying: “Hi. I’m Larry. This is my brother Darryl, this is my other brother Darryl.”

    Maybe a relative of William Sanderson?
    http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0761836/
    😛

  34. I could last only 33 seconds. Impending headache and too many flashbacks (and their guilt trips). And I had never seen this before. Kudos to those of you who were stable (?) enough to watch the whole thing. Or do you like self-flagellation? :mrgreen:

  35. Quick Q & A before I subject myself to this:

    Does it actually picture hell?
    Does it include stuff realistic enough that I won’t want to see it?

    Anyone want to tell me? I’m kind of curious to see it, but I don’t want to if it’s graphic-ish.

    1. It’s graphic in the same way a late night B horror movie would be if that helps you at all.

  37. I kept expecting Kevin Sorbo and his little side-bots to pop their heads up in front of the screen.

  38. Firstly, I love the camel’s violin solo…

    Secondly, I will never be able to understand some things about fundamentalism.

    I mean, the music at the beginning? The grammatically-incorrect robot voice and Star Wars font? Baptist Jews? What are they wanting us to feel as the viewers? I have no clue why they thought this would make people be afraid of hell. It just doesn’t add up to me.

    PS: 4:57-4:59 made me laugh out loud, sitting here alone with this laptop. I’m thinking an autotune may be in order…lulz.

    1. I TAKE IT BACK I TAKE IT BACK! I just looked up Pt.2; well-worth it. Check out the two dudes that are the “bad guys.” The acting is…interesting.

  42. I remember this move, Dad showed it at Church, they had an alternative for younger children, I brought a friend we were going to be brave and watch it but got scared and went to the children’s service.

    When I was in high school it was shown in chapel. I remember we all made fun of it for being “hokey’

    1. Sorry this was supposed to be posted under Big Gary’s comment. The retype is posted there now (but missing an “L” at the end of “SFL”

  45. Thanks a lot Darrel! After over 50 years in fundamentalism, I finally watched this film/movie (whatever). This is to Christian cinema what Plan Nine From Outer Space is to Hollywood.

    1. Yea Darrell, I noticed you didn’t use “Wine in the Morning” wouldn’t prove your point would it. 😀

  47. Back in the 1970s, the youth group of my church (Bethel Baptist, Schaumburg IL) hosted a “haunted house” in the gymnasium one Hallowe’en–unbelievable, I know. This film was shown after all the festivities. It was a bit more than my 9 or 10 year old self could take at the time. The next morning, my mother informed me that I was walking up and down the upstairs hallways, screaming. Oh the joys of growing up as a fundy child.

  48. Some of us were IN this movie (extras for the funeral scene). You think it’s hard to get over watching it? Trying BEING in it!

  49. My friend Don Green played the part of Moses in the opening scene. He is also in the pew in part #4 at 3:39

  50. OMG!! I said 20 years ago that if I NEVER heard “Lord I’m Coming Home” again it would be WAAAAAYYYY too soon!!!

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