The Witch Who Came from the Sea (1976)

i must have seen a different film!!

Admirable film.

Not sure how, but this is easily one of the best movies all summer. Multiple levels of funny, never takes itself seriously, super colorful, and creative.

There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.

In California, Molly (Millie Perkins ) is a deranged woman that babysits her nephews while her sister works hard sewing clothes for her clients. Molly works as waitress in a restaurant in the night shift and is the lover of the owner. She has fantasies with other handsome men. But Molly has also recollections of her childhood, when she was sexually abused by her father. Her insanity leads her to a murderous crime spree against men. "The Witch Who Came from the Sea" is a weird, amateurish and senseless B-movie with a poor combination of slasher and exploitation. The screenplay is a complete mess and the situations are absolutely strangers without explanation. The United Kingdom Department of Public Prosecutions included "The Witch Who Came from the Sea" in a list of "video nasties". In Brazil, this film was recently released on DVD with wonderful art work but low quality of image and sound. It is worthwhile watching it only to satisfy the curiosity... and then forget it. My vote is two.Title (Brazil): "A Bruxa que Veio do Mar" ("The Witch Who Came from the Sea")

A disturbed woman (Millie Perkins, best known for "Diary of Anne Frank") is haunted by memories of childhood abuse, which culminates in a murder spree.The script came from Robert Thom, who wrote it for his then-wife Millie Perkins, though much was cut before it got to shooting because it would have run over four hours. Thom was already something of a legendary writer, coming out of AIP with "Death Race 2000" and "Wild in the Streets" (among others) under his belt. Interestingly, by the time the film was released, Thom and Perkins were separate, and Perkins was dating Jack Nicholson (another AIP alumnus).Whether it was original in Thom's script or not, director Matt Cimber said "the MPAA almost had a hemorrhage when they saw this" because of the subject matter of child molestation, a taboo topic ever since Fritz Lang's "M" (1931). Cuts had to be made just to get the film an R, including blood spurts (and have unfortunately not been restored).From the opening shots, this film is reminiscent of "Night Tide" (1961). Was this intentional? Probably not, and more likely they just both have that feel because they are horror films that revolve around sailors and the sea. The actual plots share almost nothing.In retrospect, the most amazing thing about this film is that the cinematographer was Dean Cundey. At the time, he was just another cameraman, but within a few years he would be well-known as John Carpenter's go-to guy, and after that go on to bigger and better things with the likes of Steven Spielberg. Is his talent evident here?Interestingly, this film is a "video nasty" that is actually quite good, unlike many on the list. One critic viewed the film as not being a horror film but actually representing a scathing indictment of child sexual abuse as well as a study of a troubled woman's descent into madness; "a study of a woman whose sanity teeters on the edge". While this is a great sentiment, it is still a horror film -- but perhaps a horror film with a deeper meaning than the average movie.Arrow Video has gone to the ends of the earth to find the best elements possible to restore the film to glory. They also have a few special features, including an audio commentary with Dean Cundey, Matt Cimber and Millie Perkins. For some reason, it seems to have been recorded in a bathroom or echo chamber, but still fascinating just the same. In my estimation, Cundey is one of the all-time greats, and getting him on record is always wonderful.

This is a strange one, that just misses the mark because the script is somewhat scatter shot. If things regarding the delusional and irrational behavior of incest victim Millie Perkins had been more focused, the film would have benefited. As it is, the acting by Ms Perkins is convincing, and for a horror / psychological drama most of the acting is above average. The horror crowd will be disappointed, but those looking for the offbeat, will have found gold, with this twisted tale of hallucinations and mutilations. Special mention must be made of the poster art, which is outstanding. "The Witch Who Came From the Sea" is a bizarre oddity that has a limited, but devoted cult following. - MERK

Exterminate the entire male race, Molly! Carry on castrating football-players and slicing up obnoxious TV-actors, as they're all bastards anyway! Whoa... I let go of myself there for a second, but only because this film is so very convincing in its portrayal of a traumatized young woman with a deeply repressed hatred towards overpowering men, spawned by a barbarically forced incestuous relationship with her father; a typical sailor. "The Witch Who Came From The Sea" is a gritty and disturbing motion picture, and definitely NOT the sleazy exploitation garbage it's reputed to be (courtesy of the stupid BBFC and their list of banned Video Nasties). Admittedly, I too was expecting a steaming pile of exploitative 70's trash, but the tone & style of this film literally blew me away! Millie Perkins gives a staggering performance as Molly, a devoted aunt to her nephews and go-to-girl of the popular seaside bar The Boathouse. She loves telling her nephews heroic stories about their grandfather when he was out at sea with his crew but, in reality, he was a perverted child molester who continuously hit & raped her. Molly reverts to her television set to find new idols, but her dark subconscious memories eventually cause her mind to snap and she goes on a malevolent killing spree. "The Witch etc..." is a truly odd but fascinating film, lightyears ahead of its time in the psychological department and rich on shocking themes instead of gratuitous gore. The notorious castration sequence is pretty difficult to watch and the incest parts could be considered offensive, but if you exclusively focus on those elements you'll miss out on a truly insightful psychological drama! Instead of turning into a relentless & vengeful killing machine like the girl in "I Spit on your Grave", Molly is still a very vulnerable woman and won't be a single moment that you'll stop caring for her. The fantastic script of this film also puts a lot of time in the drawing of the supportive characters. Everyone in this story seems to have an interesting personal background, from the uncanny-looking tattoo artist to Molly's emotionally unstable sister and the amiable bartender Long John. The low budget didn't prevent director Matt Cimber from selecting several marvelous and atmospheric filming locations and an extra word of praise goes out to Dean Cundey for his breathtakingly beautiful cinematography. This is a film every fan of exceptional cinema should respect and add to her/his collection.