If Footmen Tire You, What Will Horses Do?

If Footmen Tire You, What Will Horses Do? is a 1971 Christian propaganda film directed by Ron Ormond.

If Footmen Tire You, What Will Horses Do?
Theatrical Playbill
Directed byRon Ormond
Screenplay byRon Ormond
Based onIf Footmen Tire You, What Will Horses Do?
by Estus Pirkle
Produced by
  • Estus Pirkle
  • Monnie Stanfield
Starring
  • Estus Pirkle
  • Cecil Scaife
  • Judy Creech
Cinematography
  • Ron Ormond
  • Tim Ormond
Edited by
  • Ron Ormond
  • Tim Ormond
Distributed byThe Ormond Organization
Release date
1971
Running time
52 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Background

The film is based on a sermon by Estus W. Pirkle held on January 31, 1968 at Camp Zion in Myrtle with the title "If Footmen Tire You, What Will Horses Do?". The sermon was made available by print, and Estus W. Pirkle joined with filmmaker Ron Ormond in their first collaboration, and converted the sermon into a film. The pair made a number of other films, but this first film is the team's most well-known. The film became widely distributed among churches and church camps in the 1970s.[1][2]

Summary

Based on the teachings of Estus Pirkle the film warns of the dangers facing the United States from Communist infiltrators. The film suggests that the only way to avoid such a fate is to turn to Christianity. It has attracted something of a cult following among secular fans because of its explicit depictions of torture and mass murder and the heavy-handed nature of its evangelical message. The title paraphrases Jeremiah 12:5:

If you have run with footmen and they have tired you out, Then how can you compete with horses? If you fall down in a land of peace, How will you do in the thicket of the Jordan?

The movie was sampled by the sound collage band Negativland.[3][4] Pirkle's narrative includes an imagined visit to the United States under Communism where loudspeakers in internment camps issue proclamations such as "Christianity is stupid, Communism is good, give up!" ad infinitum.[5] Negativland lifted the phrases and played them repeatedly backed by industrial music and various other sound effects into the song "Christianity Is Stupid". A more complete version of Pirkle's narrative can be heard on Negativland's Helter Stupid.

Availability

The film was restored in 2018 and made available to stream for free on filmmaker Nicolas Winding Refn's proprietary service byNWR.[6]

References
  1. Brannock, Jennifer: "Item of the Month - If Footmen Tire You, What Will Horses Do?" - University of Southern Mississippi, November 2011
  2. Stadtman, Todd: "IF FOOTMEN TIRE YOU, WHAT WILL HORSES DO?" - TELEPORT CITY festivities revels & nocturnal dalliances
  3. Buckley, Peter (2003). The Rough Guide To Rock (3 ed.). Rough Guides. p. 713. ISBN 1-84353-105-4.
  4. Eric Dregni; Mark Moran; Mark Sceurman (2006). Weird Minnesota. Sterling. p. 24. ISBN 1-4027-3908-7.
  5. Barefoot, Guy (2017). Trash Cinema: The Lure Of The Low. Columbia University Press. p. 88. ISBN 978-0-231-18037-5.
  6. "Nicolas Winding Refn launches new streaming platform byNWR.com". Little White Lies. 16 October 2017. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
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