After his mother was seized by the Holy Ghost at a Pentecostal meeting, H. Richard Hall began life as a child evangelist in the backwoods and small towns of Depression-era Appalachia.

Hall was mentored by William Branham, the illiterate son of a Kentucky bootlegger who was rivaled only by Oral Roberts as the preeminent evangelist of the 1940's and 50's. By the 60's, Branham had died in a car accident, the tents had folded and business smart evangelists were moving to television.

But Brother Hall still travels the back roads of the American South. RAISE THE DEAD is a contemporary journey into the tents and storefronts of the region. It is an exploration of the land, people and milieu of a misunderstood and largely undocumented religious tradition.

"The best and most sensitive documentary on the Appalachian religion and Pentecostalism that I have ever seen in my extensive research - accurate and insightful."—Professor Harvey Cox, Harvard University Divinity School

"A moving film which captures the anguish and ecstasy of the religion of the Appalachian poor ... poignantly captures the spiritual depth and social compassion that often has been glibly caricatured by outsiders."—David E. Harrel, Breeden Eminent Scholar In The Humanities, Auburn University

"An uncritical yet revealing look at three Pentecostal ministers who subscribe to a literal interpretation of a Biblical promise... [RAISE THE DEAD] manages with considerable artistry to help the viewer experience the sense of divine presence that informs their work. ... Adds to the body of knowledge about Pentecostal history. Stunning... a gorgeous documentary testament to an often misunderstood and marginalized religious tradition."—Sharon Hatfield, Journal of Appalachian Studies

"This is one of the finest films made on Appalachian Pentecostal religion. Moreover, the informative content is presented without condescension or sensationalism. In addition, as a bonus, the troubled economic history of the Appalachian region is presented in parallel with the preacher's lives. Highly recommended from the heart of Appalachia, Morgantown, West Virginia."—MC Journal: the Journal of Academic Media Librarianship