Screen Drafts is a popular podcast. This is a version of the screen drafts game where 4 people chose the best (ideally) 18 films that fit into a draft topic with trivia, vetoes (which eliminate a pick at that spot) and veto overrides (which keep a vetoed pick at the spot it was vetoed) thrown in to keep the game interesting. My name is Dennis. My wife, Vanessa, played and our friends Scott and Nick played as well. Scott chose the topic, films featuring Satan in a role of any size, meaning any film from Rosemary's Baby to Petey Wheatstraw were up for considerations. Everyone playing watched and/or had previously seen dozens of films fitting the topic.
Option A: picks 18,14, 9, 6 and 1 (comes with one veto)
Option B: picks 17, 13, 11, 7 and 2 (comes with two vetoes and one override)
Option C: picks 15, 12, 5 and 4 (comes with three vetoes)
Option D: picks 16, 10, 8 and 3 (comes with two vetoes and two overrides)
Trivia was need to determine who took what option. One can carry an unused veto and/or override from one game to the next. Nick was new to the game but the rest of us started with one veto and one override before trivia. Trivia was provided by our friend Rene. This was the first live trivia experience for our games. It was fun and Rene did an excellent job at it. Nick won trivia and went for C. I came in second and went for for B. Vanessa came in third and went for D. Scott was left with A. Despite all the vetoes and veto overrides, we all managed to end this game with carryover blessings.
We played over a Friday night at a local bar. The game was very collaborative and fun. There are lots of great films that were never played (Oh God You Devil, The Devil's Carnival, Angel Heart, The Undead, The Story of Mankind and Devil Incarnate all come to mind). But we all left pretty happy except maybe Vanessa with my number seven pick.
18. Day of the Beast (1995)
Scott chose this film as his first pick, citing the effects and originality. Unfortunately no one else had seen it. But no one is going to play a veto at 18. And we were all sure that it was a fine enough film.
17. The Witch (2015)
I played this here because I did not want the film too high. It only features the devil proper for a bit and I am more interested in modern interpretations than people with religious fervor from olden days. I did get some push back. It is a great film, just not a great Satan film for me. Everyone agreed the devil was a minimal presence outside of the Black Phillip of it and no veto was offered.
At 16, Vanessa attempted to play Rapture-Palooza (2013). She found Craig Robinson and the stoner characters hilarious. She liked the irreverent nature of it. Her and Nick liked the final battle and its implications. Nick liked it more than its placement and vetoed it to get it to a higher spot.
16. South Park: Bigger, Longer, & Uncut (1999)
Vanessa wanted to play the comedic side of the devil in this draft and she was successful in that. Everyone agreed that this is a very fun film that deserved a place, maybe even a higher place though no vetoes here.
15. Alleluia! The Devil's Carnival (2016)
Nick chose this citing his love of Emilie Autumn and the original way heaven and hell are on display in the film. Vanessa agreed and wanted this film a bit higher. She vetoed but I used my override because I liked the 2012 version more and hoped to see that one higher on the list.
14. The Devil and Daniel Webster (1941)
Scott played this '41 adaptation of a Stephen Vincent Benet short story. He often tried to keep things literate with his picks. He liked the wily nature of the devil in this one. Everyone agreed that this was a handsome production and a fine placement for it.
13. The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965)
I chose this film because John Wayne plays a Roman solider and does nothing to change his voice. Max Von Sydow is a perfect sad Jesus and Donald Pleasence plays a commanding devil who tries to tempt him. A biblical movie should be on a list of this sort and a four hour plus adaptation is pretty undeniable, plus I had plans for another Donald Pleasence film. No one offered a veto but maybe somebody wanted to.
12. Rosemary's Baby (1968)
Nick played Rosemary's Baby here because Satan is a quick image and not a main character. He loved the mood and energy and the gaslighting. Gaslighting on film is a thing Nick enjoys. No one had any objections with this placement.
11. Prince of Darkness (1987)
I played this because Satan is green goo. He is guarded and studied by college students. A man is killed with a bicycle. This is a highly original work of weirdness. Scott thought it was like a B side to They Live with its homeless camp followers. No one objected to this pick; maybe the placement was high but no vetoes were offered. This is a good time to mention the next draft we are gathering for is a John Carpenter draft.
10. Tenacious D and the Pick of Destiny (2006)
Vanessa stuck to her comedic picks while also celebrating Rock and Roll and the devil. She found this film charming and hilarious. Everyone else agreed it had merit and no vetoes were offered.
09. The Devil's Advocate (1997)
Scott loved the character of John Milton in this. We all cited his manipulative abilities and the decadent nature of the film. No vetoes needed for this pick or placement. It also led into a discussion of 70's heavyweights (Nicholson, Pacino and Deniro) playing the devil.
08. Rapture-Palooza (2015)
Rapture-Palooza, played by Vanessa here, made quite the leap from a veto at 16 to number 8.
07. Hunk (1987)
I would be lying it I didn't admit James Coco plays my favorite Satan in film. He is always going into the past to relive and in some cases redo atrocities. It also has my favorite depiction of Hell, a place where you still have to work and pay rent. It also includes a Faustian bargain, but the devil is more or less fair. I will always remember it as a film I saw on USA Up All Night and assumed was heavily edited only to find out it really is a PG version of a Skin-A-Max film. Vanessa was the only one who had seen it. She wanted to veto, but I also had the number two spot so didn't want to try her luck.
06. Faust (1926)
Based on the Christopher Marlowe play, this version gave Scott the silent film bug once again (after our Jekyll and Hyde draft). No one else saw this version, but we were all fine with it. Scott assured us that it fucks.
At five, Nick tried to play Bedazzled (2000). I do not think another player had seen it. I could not imagine it was better than the Dudley Moore version. And after Nick mentioned it had bad CG as its main weakness, I vetoed it because the placement just seemed too high.
05. The Imaginarium of Dr Parnassus (2009)
More drinks have been poured, and my notes are wobbly at this point. But we talked about the actors all being stand-outs, the fairness of this devil and the sad life of the doctor. This is quite a film Nick picked. And as he pointed out, a fine tribute to Heath Ledger. No vetoes played here.
04. Ready or Not (2019)
Nick had back to back picks and cited both the amazing performances and the gore as reasons to love this film. Also, the conclusion did not hold back. Everyone was more or less happy with this pick.
03. Hail Satan (2019)
Vanessa's last pick. We all love the charitable nature of the church of Satan, for instance donations to help homeless teens with hygiene kits. But we also love the trolling nature of intelligent people who do not believe in a theological Satan but use the imagery to make some amazing points about hypocrisy in the world, a fine documentary film with a good placement.
02. Haxan: Witchcraft Through the Ages (1968)
The 1922 version is a touch overlong and boring. Vanessa found this one a touch boring but loved its history and transgression. I chose this version because of the unforgettable narration by William S Burroughs. He is on the Beat Mount Rushmore. And I love him. Everyone else appreciated this film and this placement. Scott in fact assumed this top three. I must admit he got lucky because I was planning on playing The Undead (1957) at two for a good portion of the game.
01. The Ninth Gate (1999)
A bonkers, creative film that celebrates the intellect. Satan leads a jerk book detective (if you will) on quite a journey. Scott picked it but I think we were all happy with this at number one. The occult bookstore in town gave this its highest recommendation when he asked them about Satan on film. The right choice was made.
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