Due to the sensitivities connected with displaying such a provocative title, theater owners in small town and rural communities were offered the option of using the simple alternative, Scream.

Copyrighted in 1971 and intermittently distributed between 1971 and 1974 by exploitation producer Jerry Gross' soon-to-be-bankrupt Cinemation Industries, the sparsely exhibited feature was directed by Lee Madden.

She continues undaunted to the church kitchen, while her husband, Willis, pours coffee for the destitute men assembled for a free meal.

On their way there, the couple stops at a gas station, where the enormous cross in their pickup truck catches the eye of Billy Joe, riding by on the back of a motorcycle driven by his friend Tennessee.

Later, in court, Billy Joe swears vengeance when Judge Coogan sentences him, Tennessee, and another cohort, Izzy, to death for Willis' murder.

When the couple plans a long weekend getaway, they ask Fanny to supervise their four teenage children, Peter, Nancy, Sharon and Jimmy.

The kids spot someone in the backyard and Fanny goes outside to chase him off, finding only a stuffed dummy with a note attached that reads "vengeance", which she keeps hidden from the children.

As they flee, Fanny finds a butcher knife and, screaming in desperation, runs to confront a hooded assailant descending the stairs.

The hooded figure reveals himself to be Peter who, aided by his siblings, staged all the terrifying events to frighten Fanny into running away and freeing them to participate in their planned activities.

[2] The Creature Features Movie Guide described the film as a "low-budget job, inadequately directed by Lee Madden and leadenly scripted by Gil Lasky".

The Terror Trap was kinder, giving the film 3/4 stars and calling it "a suspenseful thriller with a nice shock ending.

"[4] Fred Beldin from Allmovie wrote, "The Night God Screamed is an effective thriller that builds a quiet tension throughout, but stumbles with a weak 'twist' ending.