Burned at the Stake (1981)

In 1692 a young girl in Salem, Massachusetts, accuses several residents of being witches, and they are burned at the stake. In 1980 a young woman who is a descendant of the accuser finds ... See full summary »

Director:

Bert I. Gordon

Writer:

Bert I. Gordon

Stars:

Susan Swift, Albert Salmi, Guy Stockwell

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Susan Swift	...	Loreen Graham / Ann Putnam
Albert Salmi	...	Capt. Billingham
Guy Stockwell	...	Dr. Grossinger
Tisha Sterling	...	Karen Graham
Beverly Ross	...	Merlina
David Rounds	...	William Goode
John Peters	...	Rev. Parris
Jennine Babo	...	Dorcas Goode
Dana Hardwick	...	Justice Hathorne
Lauren Jennifer Downing	...	Sarah Goode (as Lauren Downing)
Frank Dolan	...	Kevin O'Neil
Judy Dodd	...	Nancy
Terese Giammarco	...	Gwyneth
David Golia	...	The Driver
Harold Jackson	...	Library Guard

Storyline

In 1692 a young girl in Salem, Massachusetts, accuses several residents of being witches, and they are burned at the stake. In 1980 a young woman who is a descendant of the accuser finds herself having recurring nightmares about the incident and comes to believe she is being terrorized by the ghost of the father of the women who were burned as witches.

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Plot Keywords:

salem | burned at the stake | witch | curse | supernatural | 

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Genres:

Horror

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Also Known As:

The Coming

Filming Locations:

Salem, Massachusetts, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Alan Landsburg Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

88 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Goofs

During the witch trials in Salem during the 17th century, no one was burned at the stake. Executions were performed by hanging, and one male prisoner was pressed to death by heavy stones. However, this 'pressing to death' of Giles Cory was not a punishment. It was an effort to get him to plead innocent or guilty. It is from this method of getting information that we get the modern term of "pressing a person for information."

User Reviews

"Burn the witch! Burn the Witch!"

Quite an imaginative concept (though it feels like its borrowing ideas from other films) is variably compiled, even with its cheap aurora it's commendably executed by director Bert I. Gordon. What starts off straight-forward and atmospheric transcends into silly plot devices, especially when it's focusing on the occurrences in the modern period. The muddled narrative does moves back and forth between 1692 when the Salem witch trails where performed and the present time. How this is connected is used through witchcraft, reincarnation and time travel. The latter aspect is vaguely touched upon, but it remains an interesting twist. While its offbeat, you couldn't help but think of such films like "The Exorcist", "Blood on Satan's Claw", "Witchfinder General" and "Audrey Rose", in which Susan Swift also played a similar role in. Swift gives an illustratively emotive performance (but I got to say the whining did become annoying during stages) when she is asked to play two characters. The scenes which it has her as the reincarnation of Ann Putman; The girl who falsely accused around twenty people of witchcraft and was under influence of the despicable Reverend Parris (an unnerving John Peters) wanting to install fear are eerily staged. Astute performances from the rest the cast with Guy Stockwell (the level-headed doctor), Tisha Sterling, David Rounds, Albert Salmi and Beverly Ross. During moments Gordon looks like his stuck between wanting to go out by exploiting the matter with some exaggerated shocks and gaudy icky make-up FX, but still he never over does it with some well-rounded psychological and composed dramatics that are lingeringly haunting. Capable direction keeps it resourceful with its smooth pacing and hypnotic location work of Salem Massachusetts, although some of the night time sequences where hard to make out what was happening. A modest little witchcraft film.