Witchfinder General (1968) ⭐️⭐️⭐.5

A disturbing tale of evil set during the English Civil War. When Matthew Hopkins is appointed Witchfinder General by the Puritans under Cromwell, he is empowered to travel the countryside with his henchmen and collect a fee for each witch from whom he extracts a confession – a policy which is exploited to the full.

Starring: Vincent Price, Hilary Dwyer, Robert Russell, Paul Ferris, Ian Ogilvy, Rupert Davies, Tony Selby, Nick Henson

Watch On: Prime Video

Of all the horror movie villains that Vincent Price has played, this one has to be the most ruthless. It’s a far cry from his collaborations with Roger Corman and William Castle. The camp is traded for violence. I am surprised this got away with as much violence as it did, but they were able to do things in the UK that they couldn’t get away with in Hollywood. It was cool to see something that was shot on location rather than an obviously low budget set you see in some of Price’s other movies. Not that the low budget detracted from the B movies, but the environment here added to the movie’s more unsettling nature. It’s much more grounded. I remember learning about the witch trials way back in fifth grade. It’s very much a “heads I win, tails you lose” situation for the victim, and it’s very much portrayed here. It’s not my favorite Vincent Price film, but it’s a much watch for any fan of his. Just don’t go in expecting a campy good time. Maybe listen to the Rush song Witch Hunt to set the mood before starting it to get in the head space.

Ray Walton

Neurodivergent movie lover. Here to share reviews for horror and non horror movies that fall into the “Dark Cinema” category.