Burned at the Stake (1981)

User Rating:

4.3/10   

Director:

Bert I. Gordon

Writer:

Bert I. Gordon (writer)

Genre:

Horror

Plot:

In 1692 a young girl in Salem, Massachusetts, accuses several residents of being witches, and they are burned at the stake...

Plot Keywords:

Salem | Burned At The Stake | Supernatural | Curse | Cemetery

Cast

Susan Swift	...	Loreen Graham / Ann Putnam
Albert Salmi	...	Captain Billingham
Guy Stockwell	...	Dr. Grossinger
Tisha Sterling	...	Karen Graham
Beverly Ross	...	Merlina
David Rounds	...	William Goode
John Peters	...	Reverend Parris
Jennine Babo	...	Dorcas Goode
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Frank Dolan	...	TV news reporter
Richard Kneeland	...	Giles Corey

Also Known As:

The Coming

Runtime:

88 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Norway:15 (video premiere) | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Salem, Massachusetts, USA

Company:

Alan Landsburg Productions

Goofs:

Factual errors: 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."

Disgracefully Historically inacurrate

On the whole horror films are not known for attention to detail. But when entire plot devices are based on complete historical fiction it's just sad. First of all the title of the film: Burned at the stake, this would not have been so bad if it was not set in Salem, Massachusetts. Accused witches were sometimes burned at the stake, this is true. But none of the 19-22 people who died during the Salem witch trials were burned at the stake. Almost all were hanged and one was pressed to death. Hanged isn't necessarily the best title but it would have been a more accurate one. The other huge inaccurate that I have a problem with is Sarah Good's husband. First of all the man was an uncaring husband and father, this is a historical fact. He did not defend his wife or his daughter during their trials in fact he gave evidence against them. Dorcas was 4 years old when she was accused and she was accused after her mother but before her mother was executed. Dorcas was convicted of witchcraft but never executed, instead she spent months in jail. After the panic was over in Salem and Dorcas and the other imprisoned accused were released there are numerous records of Dorcas's father petitioning the government for reparation money claiming that the months of imprisonment had rendered his daughter useless to him. Where's the caring father here? If you can see past the false history that this entire film is based on then I'm sure it's an okay horror film