Product Details

• Actors: Allyson Ames, Norman Burton, Jay Della, Angus Duncan, William Martel
• Directors: Bruce Kessler
• Format: Color, DVD, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Studio: Dark Sky Films
• DVD Release Date: June 24, 2008
• Run Time: 99 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0015I2S0G
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #58,300 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

"All I touch, I corrupt."

Simon Sinestrari is a warlock. Though he lives in a storm drain and sometimes talks to trees, he's the real deal, no smoke and mirrors. Deadly serious about his craft, he despises falsehoods and misconceptions toward his witchy profession. And as for those who don t believe...

After being picked up for vagrancy, Simon spends a night in jail with Turk (George Paulsin), a young hustler with connections to powerful people in powerful places. One such character is Hercules (Gerald York), a skeptical philanthropist who hires Simon to work a party of hipsters and the well-to-do, among whom is beautiful Linda (Brenda Scott), the pill-popping daughter of the local district attorney. In-between romantic dalliances and colorful sex-magik ceremonies with Linda, Simon must contend with those who dare to challenge his magical prowess, eventually forcing him to summon dark forces of revenge and murder.

Also starring Warhol Factory regular Ultra Violet as Sarah, and an array of trippy 2001-styled special effects, Simon King of the Witches is a shining vehicle for Andrew Prine (Grizzly, The Centerfold Girls), who gives a mesmerizing performance as Simon in this hip, funny, and often bizarre countercultural cult classic by director Bruce Kessler (The Gay Deceivers).

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Fine Comedy, April 26, 2008

By	Amos Lassen (Little Rock, Arkansas) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

"Simon, King of the Witches"

A Fine Comedy

Amos Lassen

"Simon, King of the Witches" is a very funny film. It is a little witty, comic thriller with a bravura performance by Andrew Prine. Simon is a warlock and an occult magician who is very serious about his work. He tries to explain what a witch really is and no one wants to listen.
Let me tell you from the very beginning. This is not a sexually amoral cult film. Instead the movie is about Simon's involvement in attempts to put a hex on the local district attorney. What the movie is really about is how ignorant we are about the world of the spirits and about those who try to be able to contact it or control it. Simon does not seem so much a witch as a shaman. The words Satan and G-d are never mentioned in the film and the movie is related from a secular point of view. Simon is simply a trained professional who has the ability to be able to influence the nature of humans and the elements.
Simon lives in the storm drain underneath the city. He meets a hippie who takes him to a party at a rich man's house and he begins his adventures--war on the police department, love, and a really honest performance.
It seems to me that the movie is only half serious and at times seems very campy. There is a freaky feel to the entire project and the film is at times hard to follow but it is fun. There is a lot of psychedelia in the film and it reminded me of the old Haight-Asbury scene.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simon, King of the Magical Movies, August 28, 2008

By	silver elves "silver elves" (honolulu, hi.) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

While this is not a perfect movie, it is a great movie, one of the few about real magic and a real magician. It is sly, witty, and despite its failings, quite brilliant. It never fails to move and inspire us. We seldom see movies more than once but we've seen this one over a dozen times. If you love magic, you will most likely love this movie. If you love movies, you'll appreciate the innovation and creativity that went into this one. It truly is magic.
kyela,
the silver elves

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Simon Curses the Establishment--Should Curse His Poverty Too!, June 27, 2008

By	Jack Shatter (Chicago, Illinois) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

Simon, the witch of 1971 L.A., is sincere and capable, but only manages to
move his headquarters from a cubbyhole in a storm drain to a rented
basement space during this bizarre tale. Most of his focus is to bring
down a poseur (who wrote him a bum check), and the police force and D.A.
He name-drops alot of mythical beings, and conjures up a glowing-red
vortex to harm his enemies. His most entertaining attempt at hexing
involves the unclad participation of fragile and big-eyed Brenda Scott.

The occult yarn gets even stranger when Simon, like Marvel's Dr. Strange,
steps into a Magic Mirror, reeling through a "2001" inspired "psychedelic
light show," to try to save Brenda Scott from evil forces. You couldn't
say things work out too well, but Simon instructs us that "Death is only
temporary."

Andrew Prine was a wise choice for playing Simon. He reminded me of the
young Ian Anderson of "Jethro Tull" fame, in looks and insouciant manner.
Another possible model was Niall MacGinnis as conjurer Karswell in the
1957 "Night of the Demon." Prine's occult line-readings were much like
those of MacGinnis--could Simon be Karswell's long-lost American son?

"Simon" is another crazy B-movie gem from the long-ago Countercultural
Stoner Occult Hippie times!