Image of the Beast (film)
Encyclopedia
Image of the Beast is a 1981 film
by Russell S. Doughten
and directed by Donald M. Thompson. It is part of a series of four films popular in evangelical Christian groups, dealing with the subject of bible prophecy
. The film is an account of the rise of the antichrist
, who establishes a world government
and forces everybody to take the mark of the beast. A handful of Christians refuse to take the mark and try to survive living apart from society. In this film, the mark of the beast is depicted as a UPC bar code tied in with a world computer network
, whereas in the previous films it was depicted as a simple tattoo
.
left off. Patty Myers (played by Patty Dunning) is faced with the decision to either accept the mark of the beast or lose her head. The soldiers strap her to the guillotine, but then flee due to a sudden earthquake. Left alone, Patty first screams for help, then that she wants the mark, only to die anyway as the earthquake causes the blade to fall on its own. Nearby, a woman named Kathy (played by Susan Plumb) and David Michaels (played by William Wellman Jr.) have just escaped a government detention center during the earthquake
along with Kathy's young son Billy, and another woman named Leslie (played by Wenda Shereos).
The group evades the soldiers of the government, called UNITE (United Nations Imperium for Total Emergency). Kathy, David, and Billy become separated from Leslie (with whom David reunites later) when a UNITE soldier shoots her below the shoulder, and David leaves her lying on the ground because she appears to be dead. The trio eventually meets up with the Rev. Matthew Turner (played by Russell Doughten). By this time Rev. Turner's church
has been forced to close by the government, and he is living underground as a survivalist.
Kathy and David attempt to use their knowledge of computer
s to create a fake "mark of the beast" which will allow them to move about freely in society; David rationalizes this by saying they are not taking the real mark. Rev. Turner disagrees and does not use the fake mark himself, but remains in his hideout where he has been living off the land as a small farmer. Kathy also finds the mark morally questionable, but David convinces her that they have no choice. The fake mark allows Kathy and David to move about freely through checkpoints where guards are checking people to make sure they have the mark, but when they attempt to use it to buy groceries, the plan falls through.
Meanwhile, the Bible prophecies in the Book of Daniel
and the Book of Revelation
, as explained by the Rev. Turner, begin coming to pass. A new world leader is installed who speaks to the world through a computer-generated image broadcast on television
. Earthquakes, wildfire
s, and a nuclear war
occur. Eventually, David reunites with Leslie, and they are set up by, of all people, Sandy. Initially frustrated in her attempts to hack the mark, Kathy eventually realizes that the barcode system
itself is the source code for the mark.
Unfortunately, Kathy is discovered by Dianne, who tries to arrest her. Dianne is crushed to death by a giant locust, and while Kathy flees, she is stung. We do not know what becomes of her after that, though David later implied (in The Prodigal Planet
) that she died. Turner is also stung. Billy is arrested, and locked up with Leslie and David, then Leslie leads him to Christ before she is sent to be executed. The guards want David to convince Billy to take the mark, but after Billy tells David that Leslie led him to Christ, he instead tells Billy to close his eyes and put his faith in God. Both David and Billy are then faced with execution themselves.
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
by Russell S. Doughten
Russell S. Doughten
Russell S. Doughten Jr. is a film-maker and producer of numerous Christian short films and feature-length movies. His film work is credited under numerous variations of his name: with or without the "Jr." suffix or middle initial, and sometimes using the informal "Russ" instead of "Russell". ...
and directed by Donald M. Thompson. It is part of a series of four films popular in evangelical Christian groups, dealing with the subject of bible prophecy
Bible prophecy
Bible prophecy or biblical prophecy is the prediction of future events based on the action, function, or faculty of a prophet. Such passages are widely distributed throughout the Bible, but those most often cited are from Ezekiel, Daniel, Matthew 24, Matthew 25, and Revelation.Believers in biblical...
. The film is an account of the rise of the antichrist
Antichrist
The term or title antichrist, in Christian theology, refers to a leader who fulfills Biblical prophecies concerning an adversary of Christ, while resembling him in a deceptive manner...
, who establishes a world government
World government
World government is the notion of a single common political authority for all of humanity. Its modern conception is rooted in European history, particularly in the philosophy of ancient Greece, in the political formation of the Roman Empire, and in the subsequent struggle between secular authority,...
and forces everybody to take the mark of the beast. A handful of Christians refuse to take the mark and try to survive living apart from society. In this film, the mark of the beast is depicted as a UPC bar code tied in with a world computer network
Computer network
A computer network, often simply referred to as a network, is a collection of hardware components and computers interconnected by communication channels that allow sharing of resources and information....
, whereas in the previous films it was depicted as a simple tattoo
Tattoo
A tattoo is made by inserting indelible ink into the dermis layer of the skin to change the pigment. Tattoos on humans are a type of body modification, and tattoos on other animals are most commonly used for identification purposes...
.
Plot
The film picks up where A Distant ThunderA Distant Thunder (1978 film)
A Distant Thunder is a 1978 evangelical, fundamentalist Christian film by Russell S. Doughten and directed by Donald W. Thompson. The film is a sequel to the 1972 film A Thief in the Night, which portrayed the event in Christian eschatology sometimes called the Rapture...
left off. Patty Myers (played by Patty Dunning) is faced with the decision to either accept the mark of the beast or lose her head. The soldiers strap her to the guillotine, but then flee due to a sudden earthquake. Left alone, Patty first screams for help, then that she wants the mark, only to die anyway as the earthquake causes the blade to fall on its own. Nearby, a woman named Kathy (played by Susan Plumb) and David Michaels (played by William Wellman Jr.) have just escaped a government detention center during the earthquake
Earthquake
An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time...
along with Kathy's young son Billy, and another woman named Leslie (played by Wenda Shereos).
The group evades the soldiers of the government, called UNITE (United Nations Imperium for Total Emergency). Kathy, David, and Billy become separated from Leslie (with whom David reunites later) when a UNITE soldier shoots her below the shoulder, and David leaves her lying on the ground because she appears to be dead. The trio eventually meets up with the Rev. Matthew Turner (played by Russell Doughten). By this time Rev. Turner's church
Church Body
A local church is a Christian religious organization that meets in a particular location. Many are formally organized, with constitutions and by-laws, maintain offices, are served by pastors or lay leaders, and, in nations where this is permissible, often seek seek non-profit corporate status...
has been forced to close by the government, and he is living underground as a survivalist.
Kathy and David attempt to use their knowledge of computer
Computer
A computer is a programmable machine designed to sequentially and automatically carry out a sequence of arithmetic or logical operations. The particular sequence of operations can be changed readily, allowing the computer to solve more than one kind of problem...
s to create a fake "mark of the beast" which will allow them to move about freely in society; David rationalizes this by saying they are not taking the real mark. Rev. Turner disagrees and does not use the fake mark himself, but remains in his hideout where he has been living off the land as a small farmer. Kathy also finds the mark morally questionable, but David convinces her that they have no choice. The fake mark allows Kathy and David to move about freely through checkpoints where guards are checking people to make sure they have the mark, but when they attempt to use it to buy groceries, the plan falls through.
Meanwhile, the Bible prophecies in the Book of Daniel
Book of Daniel
The Book of Daniel is a book in the Hebrew Bible. The book tells of how Daniel, and his Judean companions, were inducted into Babylon during Jewish exile, and how their positions elevated in the court of Nebuchadnezzar. The court tales span events that occur during the reigns of Nebuchadnezzar,...
and the Book of Revelation
Book of Revelation
The Book of Revelation is the final book of the New Testament. The title came into usage from the first word of the book in Koine Greek: apokalupsis, meaning "unveiling" or "revelation"...
, as explained by the Rev. Turner, begin coming to pass. A new world leader is installed who speaks to the world through a computer-generated image broadcast on television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
. Earthquakes, wildfire
Wildfire
A wildfire is any uncontrolled fire in combustible vegetation that occurs in the countryside or a wilderness area. Other names such as brush fire, bushfire, forest fire, desert fire, grass fire, hill fire, squirrel fire, vegetation fire, veldfire, and wilkjjofire may be used to describe the same...
s, and a nuclear war
Nuclear warfare
Nuclear warfare, or atomic warfare, is a military conflict or political strategy in which nuclear weaponry is detonated on an opponent. Compared to conventional warfare, nuclear warfare can be vastly more destructive in range and extent of damage...
occur. Eventually, David reunites with Leslie, and they are set up by, of all people, Sandy. Initially frustrated in her attempts to hack the mark, Kathy eventually realizes that the barcode system
Barcode system
A barcode system is a network of hardware and software, consisting primarily of mobile computers, printers, handheld scanners, infrastructure, and supporting software. Barcode systems are used to automate data collection where hand recording is neither timely or cost effective...
itself is the source code for the mark.
Unfortunately, Kathy is discovered by Dianne, who tries to arrest her. Dianne is crushed to death by a giant locust, and while Kathy flees, she is stung. We do not know what becomes of her after that, though David later implied (in The Prodigal Planet
The Prodigal Planet
The Prodigal Planet is a 1983 film by Russell S. Doughten and directed by Donald W. Thompson. It is the fourth in a series of at least five films based on an evangelical interpretation of Bible prophecy and the rise of the Antichrist...
) that she died. Turner is also stung. Billy is arrested, and locked up with Leslie and David, then Leslie leads him to Christ before she is sent to be executed. The guards want David to convince Billy to take the mark, but after Billy tells David that Leslie led him to Christ, he instead tells Billy to close his eyes and put his faith in God. Both David and Billy are then faced with execution themselves.