“Witchfinder General” (1968)
Directed by Michael Reeves, Screenplay by Tom Baker & Michael Reeves, Based on the novel Witchfinder General by Ronald Bassett, Produced by Louis M. Heyward, Philip Waddilove & Arnold Miller, Music by Paul Ferris, Cinematography John Coquillon, Edited by Howard Lanning, Starring Vincent Price, Ian Ogilvy, Rupert Davies, Wilfrid Brambell, Patrick Wymark, Robert Russell, Nicky Henson, Hilary Dwyer.
It’s 1645 and the English Civil War rages on, The country is divided into two waring factions the Royalists who support the King and the Parliamentarians who fight under Oliver Cromwell structure of law and order have collapsed leaving local magistrates to rule their districts however they see fit. Puritan lawyer Matthew Hopkins has assumed the role of Witchfinder General, He is now empowered to roam the land accompanied by his henchmen getting those accused of witchcraft to confess. Hopkins and his men use whatever means they see fit to achieve their goal. For every confession they extract Hopkins is paid a bounty. The Witchfinder General will not hesitate to send you to be executed for his financial gain.
The film opens with a scene of a condemned woman being paraded through bleak rural scenery to a gallows erected on a hill and hanged as a witch while a priest reads out passages from the bible. The director Michael Reeves is letting us know these are brutal times and this isn’t any old costume drama or a tame campy horror flick.
The film was shot on location in the countryside of Suffolk England where the story is set.
Reeves and cinematogropher John Coquillon take full advantage of the natural landscape and lighting that lends the production a feel of authenticity. There are some beautiful wide shots of characters riding horses across the landscape under massive turneresque skys while other shots are reminiscent of paintings by Constable.
Vincent Price as Matthew Hopkins probably gives one of his best ever screen performances under Reeves’s direction. Price comes across cold, calculating and vicious.
I know during my blog about Michael Reeves I was a little cheeky about Ian Ogilvy appearing in his childhood friends films but he is really good in this as the roundhead soldier Richard Marshall hell bent on revenge against Hopkins, In his romantic scenes he does come across a little Errol Flynn like at times and melodramatic but on the whole is great.
Robert Russell as Hopkin’s henchman John Stearne is wonderfully discusting and gives a Hammer-like larger performance. Some other notable performances come from Nicky Henson as Trooper Swallow roundhead sidekick of Ogilvy’s character, Hilary Heath as Sara Ogilvy’s betrothed, Wilfrid Brambell pops up in a small role and Parrick Wymark appears as a suitably slimy Oliver Cromwell.
The film is a wonderfully tight 90min and it tells a gripping and entertaining story proving this is totally possible. Something contemporary film makers need to remember.
For 1968 this film is pretty brutal. I did watch what is known as “The director’s cut” which has all the cuts made by censors reinstated. So not exactly what the moviegoers in ‘68 saw but the cuts are not extensive they just seem to trim the duration you see shots suffering and injury rather than any scenes being completely removed.
I wanted to say how much more sophisticated this film is than other offerings in the horror genre in 1968 but this is the same year as Roman Polanski’s “Rosemary’s Baby” and George A. Romero released “Night of the Living Dead” in America.
Where Hammer productions in the UK did release the campy “Dracula Has Risen from the Grave” they also unleashed “The Devil Rides Out” which is definitely flamboyant and a little kitsch but is still splendid and is one of my favourite Hammer Horror films.
“Witchfinder General” is so much more raw and brutal than anything Hammer ever made and I find it amusing that people think this is a Hammer film.
“Witchfinder General” over the years has rightly earned cult status and is now hailed as one of “The Unholy Trillogy” which is just a fun name given to the three british folk horror films made between 1968 and 1973 that have become recogniced as great works and the films that define Folk Horror as a genre for many people them being
“WItchfinder General” (1968) “The Blood on Satans Claw” (1972) & “The Wicker Man” (1973)
“The Wicker Man” enjoyed a 4K remaster and was release into cinemas in 2023 followed by a release on 4k UHD disc and Blu-ray. I treated myself to the 4k steelbook which feature some beautiful artwork.
This year “Witchfinder General” and “The Blood on Satans Claw” are both being released on 4k UHD disc care of the “88 Films” label on the 25th of March 2024.
As much as I enjoyed the film watching the extended cut on DVD I was craving a sympathetic 4k restoration while viewing.
Lastly I just wanted to mention the title card that comes up at the start of the film reads
“Mathew Hoppkins: Witchfinder General”
But was ultimately released named just “Witchfinder General”
And amusingly when the film was released in the United States and Canada is was retitled,
“The Conqueror Worm“ The Conqueror Worm is the title of a poem by american writer Edgar Allan Poe. Stateside Vincent Price had brand recognition for starring in horror films that were loosely based on works by Poe made by B movie master Rodger Corman. The film was distributed by Corman's company “American International Pictures” in america so they changed the title to help sell the movie.
