Review of Witchcraft (1964) by Andrew S — 07 May 2009
When an irresponsible contractor desecrates a graveyard, a witch rises from her tomb and a centuries-old feud between two families (one good, one evil) is reignited. Witchcraft is a good, briskly-paced British horror film with crisp, noirish cinematography, assured direction, and a strong cast.
It's a fine example of the tradition of British horror films -- such as Curse of the Demon, The Devil Rides Out, and The Wicker Man -- that are built around the idea of the country's ancient religious traditions still existing in the modern era.
This sense of the land of Britain being at once ancient and modern makes these films quite different from their American counterparts; in Hollywood horror films, if the Old World is evoked at all, it is usually foreign (e.
G., Transylvania) or steeped in dubious representations of the American Indian (e.g., Poltergeist or Wolfen). Watching a movie like Witchcraft always reminds me of the extent to which modern Britain is defined by its colorful past.
This review of Witchcraft (1964) was written by Andrew S on 07 May 2009.
Witchcraft has generally received mixed reviews.
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