Witchfinder General [DVD] [1968]

Reeves coaxed a life-time best performance from veteran actor Vincent Price (I'll leave the viewer to discover the delightful anecdote about this in the accompanying documentary), as Matthew Hopkins. No Abominably Dr Phibes here! Price keeps the hamminess in check to deliver a genuinely chilling and convincing performance. His assistant, the utterly egotistical and brutal John Stearne, is superbly played by Robert Russell. Ian Ogilvy and Hilary Dwyer are also magnificent as the young lovers, who have the misfortune to cross the path of the Witchfinder. The tender beauty of their love scene generates a huge amount of empathy with the lovers and contrasts most markedly with the horrors to come.

Some elements of very black gallows humour - the kids roasting their potatoes in the post-execution fire, and a cheeky cameo from 'old man Steptoe', were truly inspired, but Reeves brutally realistic (some would argue pessimistic) view of humanity, leads us to the inevitable jaw-droppingly stark and bleak conclusion.

The DVD presentation is generally good, although the additional scenes from the export version are of noticeably poorer picture quality with apparently no attempt having been made to digitally restore them. This is a shame, as some of the interrogation scenes and the tavern scenes with John Stearne are genuinely compelling. The audio - Dolby mono, is adequately clear, but with the occasional soupcon of distortion. The extras include the theatrical trailer, production notes and, importantly, an excellent and revealing documentary about the tragically short life of the hugely talented Michael Reeves.

If you like a movie with a feel-good ending, then don't touch this DVD with a 16-foot Civil War pike, but if you enjoy very powerful, memorable and disturbing cinema, then the masterpiece that is Witchfinder General is an indispensable purchase.

Ian Ogilvy plays a Marshal in Cromwell's army and he is in love with Sarah the ward of the local priest. Sarah warns him strange things are happening in the town. Cromwell, known for his anti-catholic sentiment, was ridding the area of Catholic priest by permitting them to be accused of Heresy. Little does he know as he rides off, pausing to give directions to two strange men, that he just directed Hopkins and his toadie to Sarah and her guardian...

The score sets a poignant tone, the acting is superb with Price in a very non-hammy performance. It is also notable for being directed by Michael Reeve (Ogilvy's friend and they made Revenge of the Blood Beast and And Now the Screaming Starts together). Reeve showed the promise of being a brilliant director, but he died after the completion of his third film.

The film is disturbing, unsettling, but a great & neglected work.