Witchcraft (1988 film)

Witchcraft (also known as Witch and Warlock) is a 1988 horror film directed by Rob Spera and starring Anat Topol, Gary Sloan, Mary Shelley, Elizabeth Stocton, Deborah Scott, Alexander Kirkwood, Lee Kissman and Ross Newton.[1] The screenplay was written by Jody Savin.[1] It is the first film in the Witchcraft series[2], followed by Witchcraft II: The Temptress.

Witchcraft
DVD cover
Directed byRob Spera
Produced byJerry Feifer
Yoram Barzilai
Written byJody Savin
StarringAnat Topol
Gary Sloan
Mary Shelley
Music byRandy Miller
CinematographyJens Sturup
Edited byTony Miller
Distributed bySimitar Entertainment (USA, DVD)
Release date
  • November 1988 (1988-11) (United Kingdom)
  • March 2, 1989 (1989-03-02) (United States)
Running time
86 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Plot

As Grace Churchill is having her baby, disturbing visions flash in her mind that show two witches being burned at the stake. It is later learned that these two people are John and Elizabeth Stockwell, who were burned in the year 1687. The visions seem to stop once her baby, whom she names William, is born. Things get worse when she, her husband, and the baby temporarily move into her mother-in-law’s creepy old house. It’s here that the visions start returning, and all sorts of spooky events start happening around her, including a priest hanging himself in their backyard. Grace discovers that the two witches she saw burned at the stake are her husband and mother-in-law, and they claim William as theirs. As the two try to kill Grace in a Satanic ritual, they are killed by their mute butler, leaving Grace to save William.

Cast
  • Anat Topol as Grace Churchill
  • Gary Sloan as John Stockton / John Stockwell
  • Mary Shelly as Elizabeth Stockton / Elizabeth Stockwell
  • Deborah Scott as Linda
  • Lee Kissman as Ellsworth
  • Ross Newton as William

Reception

Although Witchcraft was unsuccessful in theaters, it became the first in the successful Witchcraft series of direct-to-video films.[3] In reviewing the entire series, The A.V. Club called the film a ripoff of Rosemary's Baby, but also called it the best film in the entire series.[4] John Stanley in his Creature Feature book gave the movie two out of five stars.[5]

Home media

The film was released on video in 1988, and re-released October 15, 1997, on DVD.

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References
  1. "Witchcraft Cast, Credits & Awards". The New York Times.
  2. "Witchcraft". The New York Times.
  3. Alvarez, Max J. (1994-12-30). "Big Names Look For Bright Lights In Videoland". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2018-07-22.
  4. Rife, Katie (October 30, 2015). "We dutifully sat through all 13 entries in horror's longest-running franchise". The A.V. Club. Retrieved June 30, 2017.
  5. Stanley, John. 2000. 2nd Edition. "Creature Feature. Berkley Boulevard


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