Witchfinder General (1968)

Director:

Michael Reeves

Writers:

Tom Baker (writer)
Ronald Bassett (novel)

Release Date:

1968 (Norway)

Genre:

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:

1600s | Hypocrite | Burned At The Stake | Torture | Tavern

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
Bill Maxwell	...	Trooper Gifford
Paul Ferris	...	Paul Clark (as Morris Jar)
Maggie Kimberly	...	Elizabeth Clark
Peter Haigh	...	Lavenham magistrate

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:

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

Filming Locations:

Lavenham, Suffolk, England, UK

Company:

Tigon British Film Productions

Trivia:

A completely new score was written for the US release

Goofs:

Factual errors: When Stearne is captured by the Cavalry Troopers, one asks another if a Pikeman is required in His Platoon. In fact, only the Infantry used Pikes.

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 "TCM Underground: The Conqueror Worm (#1.8)" (2006)

Simply a great film

Most folks have already enthusiastically praised "Witchfinder General" as a masterpiece, so I have little to add in agreement. It truly is a great film because it is about important ideas--a deep, dark, existential look into the worst of the human condition. John Coquillon's cinematography is about as good as it gets, and Michael Reeves's direction is superb. But what really sets this apart is Vincent Price's performance. It is easy to overplay villainy, lapsing into parody, but Price is so calm and unaffected here that he is the very essence of pure evil incarnate, an evil corruptly justified by misguided ideals. This is a powerful film, not only relevant as a historical depiction, but also as a morality play for events in the world today. It may be cliche to say, but you'll think about "Witchfinder General" for as long as you think about movies.