The Witchmaker (1969)

Sadly Over-hyped

I'll tell you why so serious

It's complicated... I really like the directing, acting and writing but, there are issues with the way it's shot that I just can't deny. As much as I love the storytelling and the fantastic performance but, there are also certain scenes that didn't need to exist.

It's funny watching the elements come together in this complicated scam. On one hand, the set-up isn't quite as complex as it seems, but there's an easy sense of fun in every exchange.

Set in and around a cabin in a creepy bayou, The Witchmaker (AKA The Legend of Witch Hollow) sees a group of psychic investigators encounter Luther the Berserk (John Lodge), a murderous master of the Sabbat who seeks to induct sexy 'sensitive' Anastasia (Thordis Brandt) into his coven of witches.While this drive-in cheapie isn't a particularly great film - its basic premise is stretched rather too thin over 99 minutes, resulting in an uneven pace - it should still be of interest to avid horror fans: the remote cabin locale, foggy woods and witchy goings-on are reminiscent of both The Blair Witch Project and The Evil Dead, and the brutal slaying of innocent girls is suitably nasty (they're stripped, killed, strung upside-down and bled).The film also benefits from a bevy of shapely '60s babes, including some very sexy witches in Luther's coven. While there is no actual nudity (bare breasts are carefully obscured by objects in the foreground), there's still a fair amount of skin on show: the women of the group leave their cabin for a spot of sunbathing, the witches cavort in their underwear, and the raciest scene sees Brandt running full pelt through the woods in her panties clutching her breasts.6.5 out of 10, rounded up to 7 for the silly surprise ending.

Dr Ralph Hayes (Alvy Moore) leads a group of psychic researchers into the wilds of a Louisiana swamp. A series of murders has Hayes thinking there might be a witch operating in the swamp. One of his team, Anastasia (Thordis Brandt), is a sensitive - someone tuned to picking up psychic impulses. Hayes hopes she will be able to lead them to the witch. But the local witch, Luther the Berserk (John Lodge), has his own plans. He wants Anastasia in his coven. He starts killing off Hayes' team one-by-one. Can Hayes and Co save Anastasia and the rest of their group? The Witchmaker isn't what I'd call a good movie in the traditional sense, but it is reasonably effective and enjoyable if you're into this kind of thing. The biggest plus The Witchmaker has going for it is atmosphere. At times, the atmosphere is palatable. The isolation, the creepy swamp, the Satanic trappings, and the even the low budget look of the film - all worked on me and filled me with a real sense of unease. If there's one thing that really creeps me out, it's low-budget Satanic mumbo-jumbo. Also, I thought John Lodge was particularly effective as Luther. He uses his size to his advantage as he attacks the members of Hayes' group. It's a really frightening visage. As my rating indicates, the movie isn't perfect to me. The biggest issue I have is Alvy Moore. The problem is that as long as I've been alive, Alvy Moore has always been Hank Kimble from Green Acres. You see, not only is Green Acres on of my two or three favorite television shows, but the stammering, forgetful Kimble is my favorite character. I can't look at the man and not think of Kimble. So when, as Dr Hayes, he's trying to give some sort of scientific explanation to what's happening, it doesn't work. It sounds so silly coming out of Alvy Moore's mouth. I complimented the film's atmosphere, but unfortunately, Alvy Moore ruins whatever atmosphere the film has built up at that point. He goes off-screen, things get creepy. He comes back, not so creepy. It's too bad for The Witchmaker that Alvy Moore was so good at playing light, zany comedy.

The Satan-worshipping killer of nubile women in the Louisiana bayou sets his sights on a sexy psychic there to investigate the murders; she's a "sensitive" whose grandmother was a witch, and Luther the Berserk wants to bring her into his coven (which he pronouns "cove-in"). Second (and final) film for writer-director William O. Brown opens with a brutal murder scene (the female victim is attacked from behind, marked with a symbol, hung upside from a tree and slashed, her bright red blood dripping into a bucket). Unfortunately, Brown doesn't have anything of interest to follow up his grisly opening--it may have been enough to help get him funding, but what happened to Acts II and III? Apart from the 'spooky' music, amateurish makeup effects and awkward performances, there's not a whole helluva lot happening here. * from ****

All right.So, there is some satanic rituals going on in the bayou. Alvy Moore(from GREEN ACRES, and also one of this film's producers) and his group are investigating into this Deep South hell, and its RACE WITH THE DEVIL time.I have a somewhat trimmed version of this film, but despite this, I enjoyed WITCHMAKER emmensly. It has blood, nudity, and some pretty intense scenes. In a sense, it is what all drive-in films should be, entertaining. I'll be getting the DVD version, once they put it out. And I definitely won't be buying that wimpy BLAIR WITCH flick. WITCHMAKER is the real deal.