Superstition (1982)

A witch put to death in 1692 swears vengeance on her persecutors and returns to the present day to punish their descendants.

Director:

James W. Roberson

Writers:

Galen Thompson (screenplay) (as Donald G. Thompson), Michael O. Sajbel (story)

Stars:

James Houghton, Albert Salmi, Lynn Carlin

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
James Houghton	...	Rev. David Thompson
Albert Salmi	...	Inspector Sturgess
Lynn Carlin	...	Melinda Leahy
Larry Pennell	...	George Leahy
Jacquelyn Hyde	...	Elvira Sharack
Robert Symonds	...	Pike
Heidi Bohay	...	Ann Leahy
Maylo McCaslin	...	Sheryl Leahy
Carole Goldman	...	Elondra
Stacy Keach Sr.	...	Rev. Maier
Kim Marie	...	Mary
Billy Jayne	...	Justin Leahy (as Billy Jacoby)
Johnny Doran	...	Charlie
Bennett Liss	...	Arty
Joshua Cadman	...	Arlen (as Josh Cadman)

Storyline

A family moves into a long-condemned New England household with a big pond out back that everybody loves to swim in. Soon, however, they find that the pond was the site of the execution- by-drowning of a witch three hundred years before, and she's back to revenge herself on anybody nearby, whether they're Catholic or not.

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Plot Keywords:

slasher | slasher film | pond | death | psychotronic | 

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Taglines:

...you should have believed.

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Genres:

Horror

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Country:

Canada

Language:

English

Release Date:

2 January 1985 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Witch

Filming Locations:

Garbutt House, 1809 Apex Ave. Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Carolco Entertainment, Panaria

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film was listed on Greater Manchester Police's list of films subject to seizure during the UK video nasty scare of the 1980's. It was later released fully uncut in 1986 (as "The Witch") on the Stablecane label, and under its original title in 2005 by Momentum.

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Goofs

(at around 1 min) During the flashback to 1692, as the witch is being raised on a pole to be drowned in the lake, one of the villagers raising the post is wearing a wrist watch.

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Quotes

Rev. David Thompson: How long has this violence been going on?
Elvira Sharack: Since 1692.
Rev. David Thompson: That's almost 300 years!
Elvira Sharack: My, you are clever!

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Connections

Referenced in Video Nasties: Draconian Days (2014)

User Reviews

I Guess the MPPA Was Watching Jason

Superstition (1982)

** (out of 4)

Bizarre little film about a house on some church property, which has been the site for countless strange murders. A new Reverend (James Houghton) is helping a family move into the house but more and more bodies begin to pile up so he starts doing some research and discovers that the location is where a witch was killed nearly three-hundred years earlier and now she's back for revenge. Okay, this movie doesn't make a bit of sense and the lackluster direction doesn't help but at the same time this thing is so weird that it's hard not to recommend it to horror fans. While watching the movie you'll think that this is yet another film trying to cash in on the success of THE AMITYVILLE HORROR and you'd be correct but the film also tries to mix in with the various slashers out at the time as we get some rather graphic death scenes and some gore. In terms of creepiness you're not going to find any. I'd say the main reason for this is the lackluster direction and Roberson is never able to build up any type of atmosphere and for the most part there's very little to no energy in any of the scenes. The film also doesn't seem to know what it wants to do as the screenplay is pretty much all over the place and leads to one confusing scene after another. In the end not much makes sense outside of the revenge aspect because characters are constantly showing up and disappearing without any rhyme or reason. The gore aspect of the film is an interesting thing because I'm guessing the MPAA were asleep at the wheel or just not paying attention to anything going on here because while films like Friday THE 13TH were cut to shreds by the group, this film here got away with quite a bit. We've got people getting a spike in the head, decapitations, bodies cut in half plus countless other scenes. The special effects aren't the greatest in the world but they're mildly effective. The gore level really doesn't mix with anything else in the film but it at least keeps you awake through some of the most confusing aspects. Houghton turns in a decent performance in the lead with Albert Salmi and Stacy Keach, Sr. doing fine work as well. The mixture of the story and gore doesn't work but it does make the film come off with a weird vibe and mix in the story and you've got a very strange ride. It's not a good film and God knows we've had countless good and bad witch movies but this one here is of interest due to the gore level.