English movie by way of good ol’ American International Pictures. It’s also known as Witchfinder General, but that’s not nearly as entertaining to write about. Vincent Price is Matthew Hopkins, the town Witchfinder in 1645 England. Basically he’s in charge of accusing people of witchcraft and seeing them punished. Too bad he’s also corrupt, and wont to take bribes in the form of riches or sex. Case in point being Sarah, wife of protagonist Richard. She tries to save her uncle’s life with intercourse, but Matthew is not satisfied and names her as a witch too. In order to save her, Richard has to stand up to Hopkins and his evil minions.
It was made in the late ‘60s, when horror movies were gravitating towards more gore and nudity, which this film has aplenty, from drunken half-dressed harlots to witches being hanged and poked with needles. Gore notwithstanding, the film isn’t scary at all. Not the biggest fan of period pieces (particularly circa-1600s period pieces), I was often bored. The characters are all either uninteresting or hypocritical. There also doesn’t seem to be much of a plot, and if it’s about something (besides that it’s not nice to torture people for personal gain) I have no idea what it is. On the other hand, gripes aside, it’s Vincent Price. Check it out if you’re in the mood to party like it’s 1649.
