The Devonsville Terror (1983)

User Rating:

4.1/10   

Director:

Ulli Lommel

Writers:

George T. Lindsey (screenplay)
Ulli Lommel (screenplay)

Release Date:

October 1983 (USA)

Genre:

Horror

Plot:

Dr. Worley investigates a 300-year-old witch's curse in the New England town of Devonsville. Three liberated...

Plot Keywords:

Witch | Curse | Revenge | Reincarnation | New England

Cast

Suzanna Love	...	Jenny Scanlon
Robert Walker Jr.	...	Matthew Pendleton (as Robert Walker)
Donald Pleasence	...	Dr. Warley
Paul Willson	...	Walter Gibbs
Mary Walden	...	Chris
Deanna Haas	...	Monica
Wally Flaherty	...	Priest
Michael Accardo	...	Ralph Pendleton
Bill Dexter	...	Aaron Pendleton
Priscilla Lowe	...	Myrtle Pendleton
Angelica Rebane	...	Angel Pendleton
Paul Bentzen	...	Executioner
Morrigan Hurt	...	Witch I
Barbara Cihlar	...	Witch II
Leslie Smith	...	Witch III

Runtime:

82 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Italy:VM14 (VHS rating) | Australia:M | Norway:18 | UK:18 | USA:R | Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Malibu, California, USA

Company:

New West Films

Movie Connections:

Edited into Dungeon Girl (2008) (V)

Lacklustre witchcraft effort

Every time I see a film like this, I become less of a fan of the genre. The idea of a witch coming back from the grave for revenge centuries after being put to death is not a bad idea; but it's featured in too many films and it's rarely, if ever, done well. Despite sounding promising, The Devonsville Terror is yet another bad example of this type of film. A big clue to this film being bad is the director - Ulli Lommel was the genius behind the awful Video Nasty The Bogey Man and it's even worse sequel Revenge of the Bogey Man three years later. His directorial skills didn't improve for this film either, although it's probably a minor improvement over his last two. The film starts with the killing of three possible witches. Anyone familiar with this stuff will know what's coming next as the story advances three hundred years and there are three new women in town. Naturally, it's no coincidence and pretty soon the villagers, who seem to be stuck in the same century that the witches were originally killed in, come to believe that three are back for revenge...

One of the plot devices used in this film is a storyboarded voice-over in which certain things are explained. This sums the film up completely as the guy they got reading it sounds completely bored and the rest of the film carries on that same lacklustre tone. The standout member of the cast is Donald Pleasence, who unfortunately carries on with "starring in drivel" theme that the formerly great actor started after starring in Halloween five years before this film. His character is the most interesting in the film and he suffers from a curse that means he continually has to remove worms from beneath his skin (...but still practices as a doctor). This is really the film's only good idea but it's not well done as the director simply shows the same bit of film again and again to portray it. The plot has several holes in it and it seems that Lommel didn't have enough money to complete the film as it is short and there's a lot left out. There's no atmosphere, suspense or tension in the film; which kills the horror elements and despite the odd splash of gore, this is a very underwhelming horror movie that I would not recommend to anyone!