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24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
It's always the quiet chills that "get" you!, June 30, 2001
Lucky me--I'm both a big fan of Joan Fontaine and Hammer Films, so "The Witches" is heaven-sent! I'd read about this movie years ago and have even caught snippets of it over the decades, but nothing prepared me for Anchor Bay's excellent DVD release! Crisp, clean, with deluxe packaging and interesting "extras," The Witches is a quality product all the way. Ms. Fontaine--whose screen persona ranged from innocent and shy (see Hitchcock's "Rebecca" and "Suspicion") to connivingly evil ("Born to Be Bad")--gives a low-key and totally convincing performance as "Gwen Mayfield," ex-missionionary teacher. Her new assignment, acting as headmistress to a private church school in quiet Heddaby (Cornish England) would seem to be an ideal move, considering her traumatic turn at the hands of African witchdoctors (shown in an exciting prologue). But what's this? There are strange "undercurrents" in Heddaby! Drownings, headless voodoo dolls, a burned-out church, and "the mangle!" Could it be? Is there actually (gasp)witchcraft afoot? Well, needless to say, with a movie called "The Witches," you can draw your own conclusions! It's interesting to see Fontaine at work--she lacks the bombast of, say, a Bette Davis or Joan Crawford. Instead, she handles her duties as Hammer horror heroine with great subtlety and panache. Watch for British film vet Kay Walsh, who practically steals the film--she's excellent! "The Witches" gets my highest recommendation!
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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Hammer classic, August 13, 1999
By A Customer
This review is from: Witches [VHS] (VHS Tape)
This film actually exceeded my expectations. Though Hammer studios put out a lot of classy horror and sci-fi films they also released some real duds. This one is scripted by screenwriter Nigel Kneale (though adapted from a novel) who also wrote the entertaining Quatermass series for Hammer, and like those films Kneale's writing lends an intelligence that is often missing in this type of movie. Joan Fontaine is also exceptional in her role and the direction by Cyril Frankel is above par. The ending may leave a little to be desired, and the witch ceremony was more funny than frightening, but don't let these minor objections deter you if you are a fan of Hammer films or the classic horror genre in general. Also of note, the Anchor Bay (distributor) tape has a beautiful pristine picture and the remastered sound is also outstanding.
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11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Joan Fontaine in a superb performance, June 13, 2001
This review is from: Witches [VHS] (VHS Tape)
A classic Hammer chiller, THE WITCHES, which is also known as THE DEVIL'S OWN, is an engrossing story of the occult set in the seeemingly harmless English countryside. Haunted by the terrors she saw in Africa, schoolteacher Gwen Mayfield (Joan Fontaine) accepts a teaching position in a local Haddaby School run by Alex Bax (Alec McCowan) and his sister Stephanie (Kay Walsh). Soon, however, as mysterious occurances start, such as a boy falling into a coma, a headless doll found impaled with pins, Gwen starts re-living her African nightmare again. Very good story, although the climactic witch-coven scene draws more laughs than gasps, with the Witch Queen looking like a cross between Edina from AB FAB and Bullwinkle the Moose. In deluxe widescreen (aspect ratio of 1.66:1), and original trailers of the film under the DEVIL'S OWN title, and paired with another Hammer film PREHISTORIC WOMEN.
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