Satan Wants You

Nowadays, much of the public is familiar with the concept of the Satanic Panic—thanks in part to the latest season of “Stranger Things,” where Dungeons & Dragons and heavy metal music are portrayed as the embodiment of evil.

But where did this paranoia really begin? Not with the game. Not with the music. Not even with Satanism itself. It all started with “Michelle Remembers”—a memoir by psychiatrist Dr. Lawrence Pazder and his patient (and later, wife), Michelle Smith.

What began as a deeply personal story spiraled into a mass hysteria that swept across America and, eventually, the world.

This story, as implausible as it now seems, underscores the difficulty in portraying sensitive themes like satanic cults. Too often, these narratives either indulge in sensationalism or flatten into shallow critique. Striking a balance that encourages critical thought and genuine discovery is essential for any meaningful exploration.

Dr. Pazder practiced a now-discredited technique known as “recovered-memory therapy,” through which Michelle began recalling harrowing episodes from her childhood.

According to her memories, she had been abducted and subjected to ritual abuse by a Satanic cult—one her own mother allegedly joined. Yet Michelle showed no physical signs of abuse. She later claimed that the Virgin Mary appeared to her, healed her scars, and suppressed her memories.

“Michelle Remembers” became a bestseller, heavily promoted with financial and ideological backing from the Catholic Church. It effectively became a “Bible” for the Satanic Panic, sparking a wave of moral hysteria that led to widespread false accusations and numerous wrongful convictions.

In “Satan Wants You,” directors Steve J. Adams and Sean Horlor build a bold and thought-provoking narrative. Rather than outright endorsing or dismissing the events, they examine the social conditions that allowed this wave of misinformation to spread unchecked—encouraging viewers to draw their own conclusions.

The result is more than a historical exposé; it’s a powerful case study in how falsehoods, once framed as truth, can infect entire populations, especially when amplified by conspiratorial thinking.

“Satan Wants You” might have worked even better as a docu-series. The film raises tantalizing threads—like the complex relationship between Pazder and Smith, or the suspicious circumstances surrounding Pazder’s death—that beg for deeper exploration.

The story is vast, filled with unsettling details and overlooked angles. While the documentary doesn’t have the runtime to dive into all of them, it still succeeds as a gripping and disturbing portrait of one of America’s most chilling cultural episodes.

“Satan Wants You” is an essential watching—not only for its unsettling subject matter but for its broader commentary on how fear-based narratives are constructed and disseminated.

It’s a sobering reminder of the importance of skepticism and media literacy in an age when fabricated horrors can still take root in public consciousness.

In a world where fear is a powerful tool, critical thinking remains our strongest defense.