Directed by:
Michael ReevesCinematography:
John CoquillonComposer:
Paul FerrisCast:
Vincent Price, Ian Ogilvy, Rupert Davies, Hilary Heath, Wilfrid Brambell, Margaret Nolan, Godfrey James, Bernard Kay, Tony Selby, Hira Talfrey, Anne Tirard (more)VOD (1)
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In England during the time of Cromwell, the villainous lawyer Matthew Hopkins (Vincent Price) travels the country hunting down and torturing those he proclaims witches. Spreading violence and terror in his wake, Hopkins encounters little opposition until he persecutes the Marshall family, and young Richard Marshall (Ian Ogilvy) resolves to put an end to the witchfinder's infamy. This, the third and final film from director Michael Reeves (who died shortly after it was released), was filmed in Norfolk and Suffolk and is often considered one of the greatest British films ever made, being especially noteworthy for its use of the rural landscape. (Screenbound Pictures)
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There are comparisons between this film and our own Witchhammer all over the internet. Why not, but unfortunately for the British, Vávra's film is infinitely better. While Witchfinder General tells the same story and conveys the same horrific experience to the viewer (the absolutely impassive stares of the crowd watching the burning are sheer terror), it is not nearly as evocatively disgusting and authentic from start to finish. It's as if the filmmakers were afraid to tell the story of the witch trials "just because," so they wrapped the story in a fairly classically conceived adventure story with a romantic plot. It's certainly not bad, but I was expecting something a little different. I don't need to mention that Vincent Price (whom I would hardly recognize) is amazing.
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Photo © American International Productions
