MovieChat Forums > Matthew Hopkins: Witchfinder General (1968) Discussion > Not overrated but simply the BEST movie ...

Not overrated but simply the BEST movie ever from the UK !

posted 18 years ago by wmjahn
23 replies | jump to latest

Some people still think this movie is overrated or overpraised, but sorry, nope it ain't ! It's a masterpiece, a milestone, the best movie ever from the UK (and I have seen a lot and am aware of the UK-movie history!).

If one views it just as a horror movie, one's missing the ethical, philosophical, historical (accurate !), psychological, ... dimensions of this movie.

OK, maybe that was not all intended by Michael REEVES, but it's all there for those who wanna see.

I have seen this movie first time as a midnight run on TV some 20 years ago (unprepared for what was coming!) and I never forgot it (I guess nobody can). Seen it app. 5, 6 times since then and as a reviewer of this movie wrote, you'll think about THE WITCHFINDER GENERAL as long as you think about movies (and I think about this movie now for app. 20 years and am still in awe).

In my humble opinion, this is by far not as bloody as some reviews suggest, in fact the shown brutality is pretty tame (never in the foreground, never in detail, the movie is shot like a historical painting, also the colors used are there because the director and cinematographer wanted them this way). The fact that people consider this as extremely brutal (which it is, but brutality is something other then bloody !!!) is the storyline. The brutality is NEVER in the foreground, it's just an essential part of the story, but never a means
by itself. The brutality is more psychological, because one gets sucked into the story and watching this in it's hard-to-take accuracy simply makes you feel the pain these people suffer. That's what makes it so brutal and NOT the scenes/pictures of the movie. It's one of the psychological most accurate movies I have ever seen and well worth to be compared with Ingmar Bergman's masterpiece THE SEVENT SEAL, which has a comparable setting and also the theme is not that far away from WITCHFINDER.

I also think the ending is awesome ! And as far as the age of the director is concerned, hey come one, Orson WELLES has done is masterpiece CITIZEN KANE in very young years, John Carpenter did so (Assault), Spielberg (Duel, Jaws) and I could name many many more, who were in their prime young and never got better than in their 20- or 30-something years.

I'd even go as far as to say, IF somebody accomplishes anything great, then in the first half of his life, not in the 2nd ...

And Michael REEVES did achieve something great in and for the UK-cinema, which nobody after him could ever come to reach again.

Watch this movie late at night, when it's dark, go to the toilet before the movie starts, drink no beer, watch no commercials in between and don't let yourself be disturbed by talking, phone calls, whatever and then tell me you were not more than just lightly impressed ...

[–] 18 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Elder_Yautija 18 years ago

Mmm... there's only one thing you said which I cannot say I agree with: I think Carpenter's masterpiece is "The Thing"!

[–] wmjahn 18 years ago

Thanx a lot for your input !

Yeah, THE THING is nice, too, but since it was a re-make (did you see the "original" ? It´s cool, too!) I didn´t rate it that high (let´s disagree about that, I am more than happy to find people who love WITCHFINDER GENERAL as much as I do :-))) ).

[–] jaloquisimo 18 years ago

It's a tremendous film, but "best ever movie from the UK"?!? No, sorry, can't quite see that myself. Let's not go mad here...

[–] wmjahn 18 years ago

Good input ! I certainly don´t wanna "go mad" here, smile, but I asked myself teh same question before I wrote my statement ... is it ? Well, if not this, which other movie is ? I know the UK movie history very well, also including the good old time of people like Stanley Baker (wow, I love this guy!), and still could not come up with any better one ...

OK, there might be artsy films, which critics consider better, but from the entertainment-section of UK cinma, which one is better ....?

I am happily willing to discuaa any movie(s) ! :-))

[–] RedDesire 17 years ago

Excellent review - its on TV in about an hour. Will definitely watch it - thank you.

I'll get back to you my friend after I have seen it to agree/disagree at that bold statement of the greatest UK film of all time.

[–] a_heathen_conceivably 17 years ago

It's not "The Wicker Man", but it's still great right enough, so before you rush and order the DVD buy either the Region 2 French one ("Le Grand Inquisiteur", available from Amazon.fr) - or better still, if you can, wait a fortnight for the forthcoming Region 1 (NTSC) American MGM "Midnite Movies" edition. Both have a remastered print - including the shots hitherto full-frame VHS-sourced inserts you saw on the BBC (and all UK DVD's). The recent UK "Slam Dunk" issue is the poorest value and is definitely to be avoided. The new US one has a commentary track with Ian Ogilvy: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0063285/board/thread/83315071?d=83366153&p=1#83366153

"Oh look - a lovely spider! And it's eating a butterfly!"
'' ,,

[–] wmjahn 17 years ago

To RedDesire:

:-)) I am just curious, did you watch it and was it impressive ? If you like, we can exchange views on it (I tolerate different opinions, no worry & smile). :-)

[–] jaloquisimo 17 years ago

Wmjahn, I would choose "The Wicker Man", and also "Dark Eyes Of London", "28 Days Later" and "Theatre Of Blood". In the "horror" genre, that is.

Incidentally, one of the extras looks EXACTLY like my first wife. How she didn't get cast as a witch, I'll never know!!!

[–] wmjahn 17 years ago

I don´t know the DARK EYES OF LONDON, but the other 3. Good efforts, agreed, but I still prefer the WITCHFINDER (admittedly it is a matter of taste as well, smile).

I like your last sentence! :-)))

[–] Squonkamatic 17 years ago

Errm ... A CLOCKWORK ORANGE anyone?? Yes WITCHFINDER is way way WAY above average, but let's get a grip here.

[–] funkyfry 17 years ago

I don't think too many people really consider "A Clockwork Orange" to be a British film since the director was an American. It's debateable though. I think "Witchfinder General" is a fantastic film but I have limited knowledge of non-horror British films. Probably the best British film I've ever seen is either "The Ladykillers" or "O Lucky Man!".

Did I not love him, Cooch? MY OWN FLESH I DIDN'T LOVE BETTER!!! But he had to say 'Nooooooooo'

[–] hasb0031 17 years ago

So is Chinatown a polish film since Roman Polanski is a pollack? Is windtalkers a chinese film since John Woo is from China? I would also like to add "The Third Man" to films that are far superior to Witchfinder General. Not to put down this great (Witchfinder General that is) film.

[–] hereandelsewhere 15 years ago

Witchfinder General is a good film but certainly not the best film ever from the UK. It's almost impossible to judge the 'best' film because that term would rely on clearly defined criteria (the notion of what constitutes a great film can be debatable) - 'favourite' would probably be a more suitable word, and favourite doesn't necessarily mean best. Angel Heart is one of my favourite films but I can understand why it's not on many 'top ten films' lists by critics.

[–] len_cardiff 15 years ago

It's a fabulous film alright, and the love making scene with Ian Ogilvy & Hilary Heath is touching & poignant, given the horror that was to follow.

The next sentence is the truth. The last sentence is a lie.

[–] richwicz 15 years ago

Witchfinder is a great film but not the best film ever from the UK.For instance, there are some Brit horrors that I like just as much if not more than Witchfinder General.However, no horror fan can go without a copy of this classic movie in their collection and the MGM DVD is the best one to get.

[–] wmjahn 15 years ago

Yep, the DVD is indeed great!

Which other Brit-horror are you referring to ? I have seen (I think) all important ones and in fact was not as much thrilled (or mentally/psychologically challenged) by any of the others. I know, this might be disrespecting for some, but I consider Kubrick´s CLOCKWORK ORANGE just a bag full of intellectual mumbo jumbo (the book ain´t much better either) and the WICKER MAN is nice but hollow (I think). The Hammer films are generally good but none of them reaches up to the turmoil WITCHFINDER caused upon first and also repeated viewings, it´s the most disturbing movie about those times I have ever seen (except THE SEVENTH SEAL, but this ain´t Brit). And it never looses its momentum throughout the whole app. 90 minutes, not many movies achieve that. That´s why I came to this conclusion.

But I would be thrilled to learn about any other Brit-horror of that quality, which I have not yet seen !!! :-)

[–] richwicz 14 years ago

This is for wmjahn.I like the following British horror films just as much as Witchfinder General: Blood on Satan's Claw, Death Line (aka Raw Meat), Frightmare, Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed, 10 Rillington Place, From Beyond the Grave and Tales from the Crypt.

[–] wmjahn 14 years ago

Thanx for your comment!!

I have not seen Death Line (aka Raw Meat) and Frightmare yet (a shame, I know), but I do agree that the others are very good, too! Nonetheless I think that the meaning of the word "horror" has not been captured by any of these movies (the ones I saw) in an as frightening and realistic (!) way as by THE WITCHFINDER GENERAL.

The only comparably frightening movie is - I think - the equally fantastic SPOORLOOS (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096163/) - forget about the silly re-make, btw. I HIGHLY recommend everybody to watch the original from the Netherlands, when I first saw it it was in my mind for weeks!!

[–] trupodur 15 years ago

Just to disrupt the stream of doxologies: I think it is overpraised as hell and not to be recommended to anybody except hardcore Price fans community (to which I belong and that's the only reason I didn't stop watching it after first 10 mins).
IMHO if you substract Price's noble charisma all you get is a shallow sadoexploitation.
I watched it with no beer and toilet pauses just as you adviced and if you're interested in my impressions -- well I suspect you're not but I'll describe them anyway:) -- I cringed for shame for the filmmakers every now and then or giggling at neatly kombed campy school children industriuosly pretending to be horrified witnesses of the execution but mostly just yawning waiting for Price to appear.
Once more how about "O Lucky Man!" as da best from UK? Or it's also too "artsy"?

[–] Ms_Belladonna 15 years ago

Perhaps the best film from England but not from the UK.....that honor belongs to the Wicker Man.

[–] offramp_tavanipupu 14 years ago

As best British film I would go for either 2001: A Space Odyssey or The Devil Rides Out.

[–] garybatmanbusey 14 years ago

on the strength of the OP post ive just ordered this on blu ray, ive never seen the film before, so will feedback when it arrives.

i recently watched 'The black Death' with sean bean which i loved and was told is similiar in thematic content to witchfinder.

'All for one and one for all! You go first, I've got a bad leg.'