(aka "The Conqueror Worm" )

directed by Michael Reeves
UK 1968

Not as well-known as Robin Hardy's more eccentric and complex The Wicker Man (which was also packaged and sold by its distributors as a common exploitation flick), this third film by then-24-year-old Michael Reeves (his last film before an untimely death) is nevertheless one of the best examples of the witchcraft subgenre of horror film. Starring Vincent Price as real-life witchhunter Matthew Hopkins (ca. 1619 - 1647), Witchfinder General is an intense and brutally violent film not merely for its time (which resulted in multiple cuts made at the behest of the British Board of Film Censors) but even now, retaining its power to shock much more so than gore films of the same period, as the emotional stakes here are established with beautiful economy. It is possible that Price never gave a better performance than this one, as he completely eschews camp theatrics in favor of a subduedly sinister and menacing depiction of sadistic evil masked behind a cloak of piety. Price plays Hopkins as an unmerciful reptile with a genteel manner and an appetite for torture, creating in Witchfinder General one of cinema's most frightening villains.

Paul Haynes

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Theatrical Release: August 14, 1968 - New York, New York

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DVD Review: Prism Leisure (Special Edition) - Region 0 - PAL

Comments

A satisfying package replete with numerous supplemental features, the most valuable of which is a 23-minute documentary about Michael Reeves, the young director of Witchfinder General whose early death from a drug overdose was likely an indirect consequence of postproduction meddling with Witchfinder Generation and his difficulty in finding financing for subsequent projects. Interviews with friends, acquaintances, and colleagues (including Ian Ogilvy, who stars in Witchfinder General and worked with Reeves on his two previous films) attest to the passion and intelligence of Reeves both as a filmmaker and as a citizen. Also included are trailers for this film and Reeves' previous work, The Sorcerers, and a music video for the heavy metal band Cathedral, which incorporates footage from Witchfinder. Production notes by British film critic and author Kim Newman, an image gallery of posters and advertising materials, filmographies, and nifty animated menus round out a rather complete edition that should more than appease fans of this overlooked film. While the transfer is fine, some problems arise where the source materials are concerned. Two versions of the film are included, one of which is the director's cut, which restores some footage of gore and violence that the British censors originally deemed unacceptable, and the export version, which contains some alternate takes incorporating nudity of characters that are fully clothed in the European edition. Given that the transfers are identical for both versions (the programs have the same running time, the same bitrate, and the same file size), the determining factor for which version is more palatable hinges entirely on the toplessness. The 35mm print used looks decent, with good color and contrast, though it's a bit dark and grainy at times (likely the way the film originally looked) and features moderate print damage all throughout, such as speckles and vertical lines (see capture #1). The print damage, however, was not a distraction for me. The monaural audio is acceptable, although there's at least one instance (at 56:53) where a noticeable hiss appears and lasts for ten seconds. The biggest issue is that the restored footage that had previously been censored has been lifted from what appears to be a VHS source. Disclaimers precede each version, warning of variations in picture and sound quality. While it's good to have this footage restored, the DVD's producers would have been wise to include it only on the British version, and omit it from the Export Version, as it does yield a marked difference in image quality. Otherwise, this is a fine release of a fine film. out of  - Paul Haynes

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