Witchfinder General (1968)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Michael Reeves

Writers:

Tom Baker (writer)
Ronald Bassett (novel)
(more)

Release Date:

1968 (Norway)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | History | Horror

Tagline:

The Year's Most Violent Film! [UK Theatrical]

Plot:

England is torn in civil strife as the Royalists battle the Parliamentary Party for control. This conflict...

Plot Keywords:

Priest | Niece | Village | England | Burned At The Stake

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Vincent Price	...	Matthew Hopkins
Ian Ogilvy	...	Richard Marshall
Rupert Davies	...	John Lowes
Hilary Heath	...	Sarah Lowes (as Hilary Dwyer)
Robert Russell	...	John Stearne
Nicky Henson	...	Trooper Robert Swallow
Tony Selby	...	Tom Salter
Bernard Kay	...	Fisherman
Godfrey James	...	Webb
Michael Beint	...	Captain Gordon
John Trenaman	...	Trooper Harcourt (as John Treneman)
Bill Maxwell	...	Trooper Gifford
Paul Ferris	...	Paul Clark (as Morris Jar)
Maggie Kimberly	...	Elizabeth Clark
Peter Haigh	...	Lavenham magistrate
Hira Talfrey	...	Hanged woman
Anne Tirard	...	Old woman (as Ann Tirard)
Peter Thomas	...	Farrier
Edward Palmer	...	Shepherd
David Webb	...	Jailer
Lee Peters	...	Sergeant
David Lyell	...	Footsoldier
Alf Joint	...	Sentry
Martin Terry	...	Hoxne innkeeper
Jack Lynn	...	Brandeston innkeeper
Beaufoy Milton	...	Priest
Dennis Thorne	...	Villager
Michael Segal	...	Villager
Toby Lennon	...	Old man
Margaret Nolan	...	Girl at inn (as Maggie Nolan)
Sally Douglas	...	Girl at inn
Donna Reading	...	Girl at inn
Patrick Wymark	...	Gen. Oliver Cromwell
Wilfrid Brambell	...	Master Loach (as Wilfred Brambell)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Gillian Aldham	...	Hanged woman
Susi Field	...	(uncredited)
John Kidd	...	(uncredited)
David Reynolds-Lacey	...	Unconcious drunk in tavern (uncredited)
Philip Waddilove	...	(uncredited)
Derek Ware	...	(uncredited)

Directed by
Michael Reeves

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Tom Baker		writer
Ronald Bassett		novel
Louis M. Heyward		additional scenes
Edgar Allan Poe		poem "The Conqueror Worm"
Michael Reeves		writer

Produced by
Samuel Z. Arkoff	....	executive producer
Louis M. Heyward	....	producer
Arnold L. Miller	....	producer (as Arnold Miller)
Tony Tenser	....	executive producer
Philip Waddilove	....	producer

Original Music by
Paul Ferris
Kendall Schmidt		(US version)

Cinematography by
John Coquillon

Film Editing by
Howard Lanning

Casting by
Freddie Vale

Art Direction by
Jim Morahan

Makeup Department
Dorrie Hamilton	....	makeup artist (as Dore Hamilton)
Henry Montsash	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Ricky Howard	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ian Goddard	....	assistant director
Iain Lawrence	....	assistant director

Art Department
Dennis Cantrell	....	construction manager
Sid Davies	....	props
Fred Harrison	....	props
Jimmy James	....	set dresser
Andrew Low	....	set dresser
Peter Sheilds	....	assistant art director

Sound Department
Dennis Lanning	....	dubbing editor
Helena Lanning	....	foley artist
Paul Le Mare	....	sound recordist
Hugh Strain	....	sound mixer

Special Effects by
Roger Dicken	....	special effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Gerry Anstiss	....	camera operator (as Gerry Anstice)
Tony Breeze	....	assistant camera
Jack Dooley	....	still photographer
Brian Elvin	....	camera operator
Chris Reynolds	....	assistant camera
Laurie Shane	....	gaffer
Freddie Williams	....	grip

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jill Thompson	....	wardrobe (as Jill Thomson)

Editorial Department
Marion Curren	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Paul Ferris	....	conductor
Kenneth V. Jones	....	composer: additional music (uncredited)

Other crew
Pat O'Donnell	....	production secretary
Ewan Pearson	....	location manager
Lorna Selwyn	....	continuity

Production Companies

• Tigon British Film Productions
• American International Productions

Distributors

• American International Pictures (AIP) (1968) (USA) (theatrical)
• Alpha (1969) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Ascot Elite Home Entertainment (2004) (Germany) (DVD) (cut version)
• Castle Pictures (1990) (UK) (VHS)
• Castle Vision (1991) (UK) (VHS)
• Cinefear (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Cinema Club (2000) (UK) (VHS)
• Home Box Office Home Video (HBO) (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Image Entertainment (1991) (USA) (video) (laserdisc) (with "The Tomb of Ligeia")
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2000) (USA) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2001) (USA) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (1998) (Finland) (TV)
• Metrodome Distribution (2002) (UK) (DVD)
• Orion Home Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Paradiso Home Entertainment (2006) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Prism Leisure Corporation (2003) (UK) (DVD)
• Redemption Films (1995) (UK) (VHS) (as Redemption Video)
• Target (1987) (UK) (VHS)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2003) (Australia) (DVD)
• VPS Video (1980) (West Germany) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Headquarters Staff Stanford Practical Training Area, The  for their kind co-operation in the making of this film, the producers wish to thank the following (as The Headquarters Staff Stanford Practical Training Area)
• Lavenham Parish Council, The  for their kind co-operation in the making of this film, the producers wish to thank the following (as The Lavenham Parish Council)
• Lee Lighting  grip and lighting equipment
• Ministry of Defence  for their kind co-operation in the making of this film, the producers wish to thank the following (as The Ministry of Defence Army Department)
• Suffolk and Cambridgeshire Regiment, The  for their kind co-operation in the making of this film, the producers wish to thank the following (as The Suffolk and Cambridgeshire Regiment)

Also Known As:

Edgar Allan Poe's Conqueror Worm
Matthew Hopkins: Conqueror Worm (USA) (alternative title)
Matthew Hopkins: Witchfinder General (USA)
The Conqueror Worm (USA)

Runtime:

86 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Ireland:18 | Netherlands:16 (DVD rating) | Finland:K-18 (self applied) (2002) | Australia:R | Finland:(Banned) (1972) | Germany:16 (DVD rating) | Norway:16 (1968) | Sweden:15 | UK:18 (video rating) (1987) | UK:X (original rating) | USA:Unrated

Filming Locations:

Kentwell Hall, Long Melford, Suffolk, England, UK

Company:

Tigon British Film Productions

Trivia:

Paul Ferris, who wrote the film's dramatic music score, also acted in the movie under the pseudonym Morris Jar as a homage to film composer Maurice Jarre.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: When the Witchfinder's assistant meets up with him shortly after the burning, a modern plastic drainpipe can be seen on a building behind. Also during the burning a few TV aerials can briefly be seen on some roofs.

Quotes:

[first lines]
[United States Conqueror Worm versions]
Matthew Hopkins: [voiceover] LO! 't is a gala night/Within the lonesome latter years./An angel throng, bewinged, bedight/In veils, and drowned in tears,/Sit in a theatre to see/A play of hopes and fears,/While the orchestra breathes fitfully/The music of the spheres."

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Son of Svengoolie: The Conqueror Worm (1968) (#1.88)" (1981)

When evil came to the southeast

I have only ever seen the cut version of this film,so i cant comment on it being gory or frightening.Its a very interesting story nonetheless and a very true one.No one actually knows what really happened to Matthew Hopkins,we would love to believe he was murdered as he really was such an evil man,he terrorised all of Essex and all of East Anglia.He just walked into villages and towns promising to rid them of their witches for large amounts of money,which he was paid.Money was his real motive.He also had some old hag as his helper,i cant remember her name,but she was just as evil.Between them they made trumped up charges against hundreds of people,men as well as women,although usually the old and vulnerable,any old woman who lived on her own and owned a black cat,would be a target.The worst place Matthew Hopkins left his legacy was in Manningtree a pretty little town,just outside of Colchester in Essex.Many locals claim Manningtree to be haunted by the spirits of his victims,they often hold ghost walks there, some even claim he is there in spirit.The witchfinder General has always been common folklore in East Anglia and Essex and i believe now hes known all over Britain,even though he never worked out of the South East of England.Because this is a true story you could never call this a horror film,it is more of a history film,but then i saw the cut version.Its a shame Britain doesn't still make films like this,instead of the countless nitty gritty depressing kitchen sink dramas,about prostitution and drugs and bad housing and abortions,and teenage pregnancies,i could go on but I'm already feeling depressed.