Customer Reviews

Burn Witch Burn [VHS]

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3 star:		(1)
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1 star:		(3)

 

 

Fans of CITY OF THE DEAD (aka Horror Hotel) and NIGHT OF THE DEMON (aka Curse of the Demon) will want to add BURN, WITCH, BURN (aka Night of the Eagle), a sophisticated British shocker, to their collection. Elegant black and white cinematography, spooky atmosphere, and a constant nuerotic intensity, come to life through intelligently crafted performances by the acting ensemble. This movie gets better over repeated viewings and fun to share with friends who've never seen it. MGM MOD source print was excellent with a 16x9 anamorphic transfer showing detail I had never noticed before in the laserdisc. Now that MGM corrected the manufacturing defect problem, you won't be disappointed. Do YOU believe?

Although it's seldom mentioned in critical surveys of classic horror, BURN, WITCH BURN (aka Night of the Eagle) is a terrific example of how far a film can travel on mood and characterization. When a college professor learns his wife has been practicing black magic, he orders her to throw out or destory all her charms and occult items. What he doesn't count on is that other practioners of the "dark arts" won't stand idly by while one of their own is forced to give up her witchy ways.

BURN, WITCH BURN bears a favorable resemblance to Jacques Tourner's excellent Curse of the Demon / Night of the Demon: Moody black & white photography, strong performances, and a lead character who is doggedly determined to debunk the supernatural, even though he is surrounded by overwhelming evidence of its existence. This culminates in a still nail-biting supernatural attack by a giant bird (hence the otherwise rather misleading "Night of the Eagle" alternate title for the film).

MGM has recently entered the "manufactured on demand" market, making disc on DVD-R's as ordered, to keep down costs. While this may cause concern to viewers worried about quality in our High Definition World, rest assured that MGM has done a proper digital restoration with this one. While there are no extras included, this is typical of these MOD releases. Those of us who have spent years waiting or searching for favorite genre films to finally receive an "official" release understand that this may the only way in the forseeable future we will have the chance to own these films.

If you like old black & white horror films, this is a must-buy. Also recommended: City Of The Dead and Devils Of Darkness / Witchcraft.

HEY!
I ordered the MGM DVD-R copy of Burn, Witch, Burn and GUESS WHAT? I GOT THE CORRECT MOVIE ON THE DISC - and, with a good pressing too! Anamorphic wide screen and 2.0 mono dolby digital sound.

So, if you love this film as I always have - go ahead and get it while you can at amazon.com.

Despite the lurid title, "Burn, Witch, Burn" is a very scary, well-made movie. Taken from the Fritz Leiber classic, "Conjure Wife" this film version is somewhat different from the book. Janet Blair is chillingly maniacal as a modern day witch, and has so much hidden malignancy it shocks you. There are incredible special effects, especially considering the time when this movie was made. I won't spoil it for you but watch the gargoyles...carefully! Modern day witchcraft in a university setting, replete with professional rivalries, jealousies and secret, vengeful spells...if you enjoy witchcraft, excellent effects, atmospheric settings, wonderful performances and a great story, then this is for you! Filmed in black and white for an even more ominous feel...very Edgar Allen Poe. A cinematic "tarn." Enjoy!

If you liked CURSE OF THE DEMON, INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS, and THE LAST MAN ON EARTH, have I got a movie for you! Although it has never quite reached the status of these classics, 1962's BURN WITCH BURN is nearly as good a fact which can probably be traced back to the film's source material, Fritz Leiber's novel CONJURE WIFE. CONJURE WIFE took as its premise the theory that ALL women are practicing witches and all men are blissfully innocent of the fact none of their achievements is due not to their own abilities but to their wives' spells and magics. The film has narrowed down the novel's premise somewhat, although all the women in the cast appear to be playing their roles as if they weren't informed of this development. There were other serious changes made as well by the screenwriters, an important one involving the film's ending and another involving the film's true climax. One can understand both of these in view of the limitations of the times. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

Norman Taylor and his wife Tansy are newcomers at Hempnell College located somewhere in rural England. They are both relatively young, attractive people,and Norman is definitely upward bound with his sights set on the Chair of his department, a position which is being very hotly contested. All this, plus the fact that Tansy is an American, makes them outsiders in the college's tight-knit society. Norman, of course, is like all the other husbands and hasn't a clue as to what is really going on. He teaches his cultural anthropolgy course while never once noticing that young Margaret has a terrible crush on him or that her boyfriend, hostile Bill Abbott is so jealous he could s**t bricks. Tansy on the other hand, can feel the hatred and resentment in the very air around her, and she is completely convinced that someone is "working against them". But she's no fool. She knows her husband's scientific/analytical world has no place for the things in which she believes, so she thinks it best simply to leave him out of the loop and to take care of business without his knowledge.

Everything goes fairly well until Norman accidentally finds Tansy's stash of conjuring supplies and forces her to destroy them all in the fireplace, in effect leaving them completely defenseless against the evil that Tansy knows is out to get her beloved husband. The evil attacks almost instantly-- sometimes in small ways, sometimes in very dangerous ways. Eventually even skeptical Norman starts to get rattled by this strange string of occurrences, but by the time he does it may be too late to save himself and his self-sacrificing wife from death--or worse!

Although this film is not of quite the same high quality as CURSE OF THE DEMON it is still a classic that should be seen and enjoyed by all true genre fans. It was adapted for the screen by two of the most accomplished genre writers of their day--Richard Matheson and Charles Beaumont from Leiber's novel which is a pretty damn good read on its own The book differs enough from the film that it might still keep you guessing a bit. The screenwriting is terse and tense and somehow manages to keep what might be a silly story within the realm of possibilty. The capable direction of Sidney Hayers conveys an all important sense of reality. The locations shots are nice and we aren't at all studio bound for a change. We have beautiful views of crashing surf and appropriately ominous cemeteries when we need them. In short we have everything we need for a classic horror fim from an era that knew how to make them. Now you may NOT be bowled over by this film upon first viewing. I WAS, but then I am of the era and I saw it upon its initial release which makes a big difference. If it doesn't work for you the first time, promise me you'll watch it again. Trust me when I say that you will learn to love it!

Oh, it also has this really great openning done over a blank screen in which none other than Orson Wells exorcises any evil spirits that, having been drawn into the theater by the spells contained in the film, might be tempted to harm members of the audience. =)

This film has never had a US dvd release although it is available in Great Britain as a Region 2.

It's interesting to see the comparison of this 1962 gem with the 1957 "Curse of the Demon." While I favor "Curse" a little more, this tale of modern witchcraft still maintains it's eerie, if slowly paced, atmosphere of impending doom. Since the plot has been so expertly detailed in other reviews, I might add that the film works mainly from the intensely atmospheric camerawork and direction by Sidney Havers. Peter Wyngarde, a masculine though not particularly handsome fellow, oozes masculine domination in his well-balanced performance. Margaret Johnston as the limping professor and fellow witch, is reminiscent of young Angela Lansbury, and her delight in her evil is a joy to watch. And one can forgive Janet Blair if she did seem a little out of kilter for the leading role. Blair up to to this point had been known for more lightweight and romantic roles; her performance doesn't helm the film, but neither does it detract from it. The final scene involving the huge bird is still frightening.
I agree---it should join other classics in DVD.

Judge Tom Becker, DVD Verdict -- "Burn, Witch, Burn is an effectively creepy film that mixes psychological horror with a tale of the supernatural. While the film contains a fair share of full-on shocks, it mainly relies on the kind of subtle, suggestive horror of a Val Lewton production. Director Sidney Hayers (Circus of Horrors) eschews quick thrills and gives the story a slow build, with "clues" about what is really going on sprinkled throughout and disturbing, satisfying climax. The disc is from MGM's on demand line of DVD-Rs. It sports a decent transfer and an acceptable mono audio track. The only supplement is a trailer. As with the other on demand titles being offered by MGM and Warner Archives, it's great to have this somewhat obscure film available, but it would be even greater to have a few supplements, particularly some background on Wyngarde, whose career suffered due to some personal scandals in the '70s."

Though simplified from Fritz Leiber's great novel "Conjure Wife", this little remembered horror film of the sixties is a first-rate, highly intelligent supernatural thriller, on a par with "Curse Of The Demon", and without that film's silly looking demon. One of Richard Matheson's better screenplays, and that is high praise indeed.

The 1962 supernatural thriller "Burn Witch Burn" has such a great reputation, that when watching this flick for the first time some may well be disappointed. After viewing this film initially, my reaction was "What's all the fuss?" After repeated viewings, I now appreciate this atmospheric brood fest.

I like the British locale of a small university, replete with ivy-covered walls, book-lined offices and shaded courtyards. I also love the sea-side cottage with yawning cliffs, abandoned graveyards and crashing waves. These sets are utilized for chief affect, and the actors earnest performances certainly give the film a respectable ambiance. A simple, if rather silly story, "Burn Witch Burn" details a young professor (Peter Wyngarde) who appears to be rising quickly within the collegiate hierarchy. We soon discover his wife is a full-fledged witch, casting spells to insure her husband's success. When the befuddled professor forces his wife to burn the unearthly trinkets, bad luck befalls them and someone, of course, has to pay. Throw into this occult mix the wife of a rival professor, boiling a few pots of her own ghostly herbs.

It's oddly, if not entertainingly, surreal to see these pseudo Donna Reeds adorned in perfect bouffants, eyes wide with anger, casting spells in order to guarantee the safety/success of their professional husbands. Margaret Johnston, as the rival witch, is especially hilarious as she waxes evil over a small voodoo doll through gritted teeth.

These are some disturbed ladies, and the men of "Burn Witch Burn" are helpless to change the growing tide of events. And that's probably what makes this unique British horror film so interesting. It's the games being played by seemingly innocent women behind closed doors. They are not powerless, but in fact, have complete control over not only their men's professional, but eventually their spiritual lives. Written by Richard Matheson and Charles Beaumont, two of the finest supernatural writers of this era (they both cut their teeth writing original "Twilight Zone" episodes), "Burn Witch Burn" is aided by some great dialogue and the crisp direction of Sidney Hayers.

How much one fears witchcraft will determine just how frightening this film is. For 1962 audiences, my guess is this film gave them the creeps. Witchcraft had really not been dealt with in a modern setting like this before. For today's audiences? Well, there's something oddly erotic about seeing frenzied Donna Reed look-a-likes weaving dark magic behind ominously closed doors.

This is without a doubt one of the classiest and creepiest horror films I know of. Based on Fritz Leiber's novel "Conjure Wife", it deals with modern day witchcraft and superstition. In an English hamlet, the American wife,Tansy (Janet Blair) of a university professor keeps voodoo talismans she acquired from a visit to the islands. She witnessed a shaman there perform magic and save her husband Norman's life. She never forgot it and procured the talismans from the shaman to protect her husband in the future. However, Norman (Peter Wyngarde) is a strict non-believer in the supernatural and when he finds the protection fetishes he burns them---much to Tansy's dismay. She becomes terrified that evil will now seek them out. Sure enough, one night something claws at their front door trying to get in. Then a female student suddenly accuses Norman of sexual misconduct and Tansy finds a voodoo doll hidden in a lamp after a card game with friends. Something bad is happening to them and Norman will not accept supernatural explanations. But he becomes increasingly uneasy as things continue to happen and when Tansy leaves to sacrifice herself to demonic forces in his place, he must confront his disbeliefs. Meanwhile, there is another faculty wife and fellow professor (Margaret Johnston) who has her own occult agenda for furthering the career of HER husband. Her role will come into play as Norman tries to save Tansy. I recommend this highly to anyone who hasn't seen it. Known in Britain as "Night of the Eagle", it at one time had a prologue spoken off screen by Orson Welles that was designed to crank up the audience to be scared silly. I love that print and wish the whole thing could make it on DVD. It's great in black & white, has excellent photography, beautiful direction by Sydney Hayers and an intelligent, literate script by Charles Beaumont and Richard Matheson. Excellent acting by the entire cast and a wonderful eerie atmosphere helps you understand Tansy's plight: her love for her husband, her strong desire to keep him safe even if it means resorting to the occult and feeling like an outsider being an American among the other British faculty wives. The supernatural is built up very well and keeps you edgy throughout. "Burn Witch Burn" rates classic status like "Curse of the Demon"----it's that level of film horror. What scares us the most is what's unseen and clawing at the door, the phone ringing and no one is there when you answer, that strange feeling of unease and dread---all of these things are beautifully played out in b&w splendor. And then there's a WOW of a climax and ending. "Burn Witch Burn" really needs to be on DVD with that wonderful prologue by Welles. This is truly a "lights out" film. Simply fantastic.