While sister Olivia had big flower pots falling on her and killer bees headin'' her way, the beautiful Joan Fontaine had this one, a Hammer horror film pretty much forgotten by all except aficionados of obscure occult pictures. The Academy Award winning actress was busy touring in stock when to prove that she was still here took on this film, apparently her discovery, and seems to be having fun making it. She is a beautiful older heroine, certainly no "hag" in the typical "hag horror" tagline, a schoolteacher who has returned to the states after a horrifying situation in Africa as witnessed in the opening scene when members of a cult religion scare her into a breakdown. Where does she pick for her first job upon returning to America? A small Peyton Place like town where rather than illegitimate children and other scandals, she finds another occult awaiting her, with a young girl meant to be a sacrifice. Nightmares of her ordeal in Africa and witnesses of some strange occurrences leads her to another breakdown, but this one she intends to survive, as well as help the intended sacrificial victim escape as well!
While Joan gives a sincere performance and has the audience rooting for her, it is British character actress Kay Walsh who steals the film with her over-the-top performance as the leader of the coven whom Joan thinks is her friend and on her side. The first half is O.K., but seems dull in retrospect to everything that happens in the second half. Once Walsh exposes herself as the head of the coven and reveals her motive, this becomes a roller coaster ride of dual cars fighting to reach the end: one of good (Fontaine) and one of evil (Walsh). Some silly choreography and hysterically over-the-top chants and costumes makes the second half quite a visual treat, and while other occult films would often go too far in spooking out their audience, this film knows exactly how far to go and where to stop. This would be a great double bill with 1962's "Burn Witch Burn!", another campy film about the occult which seems forgotten as well.
While Joan gives a sincere performance and has the audience rooting for her, it is British character actress Kay Walsh who steals the film with her over-the-top performance as the leader of the coven whom Joan thinks is her friend and on her side. The first half is O.K., but seems dull in retrospect to everything that happens in the second half. Once Walsh exposes herself as the head of the coven and reveals her motive, this becomes a roller coaster ride of dual cars fighting to reach the end: one of good (Fontaine) and one of evil (Walsh). Some silly choreography and hysterically over-the-top chants and costumes makes the second half quite a visual treat, and while other occult films would often go too far in spooking out their audience, this film knows exactly how far to go and where to stop. This would be a great double bill with 1962's "Burn Witch Burn!", another campy film about the occult which seems forgotten as well.