The Witches (Blu-ray + DVD) [1966]

While teaching in Africa, Gwen Mayfield, played by Joan Fontaine, becomes the victim of black magic, and returns to England. After her harrowing experience, she lands a job as a teacher at a school in a small country village. Upon arrival, all the locals have heard about her appointment, and are eager to help, but soon things take a different course.This is one of the lesser known Hammer films, not one of their horrors, but still a good film. For a film of this vintage, (the film was made in 1966) and especially being a low budget Hammer film, the image quality is stunning. It also has a documentary on Hammer's glamour girls, which lasts for about 42 mins.As mentioned above, image quality is pin sharp, and colours are vivid. The film has been transferred in it's original aspect ratio of 1.66:1. Sound is in the original mono.If you are a collector of Hammer films, then this deserves to be in your collection.

Great film bit slow moving at first but gets going ideal 1"00am type film with a drink maybe

Despite being made more than forty years ago, this is quite a recent outing for actress Joan Fontaine in terms of her long and outstanding career - and in terms of how little she's done since. This film is an oddity for many of its cast - not least for Alec McCowen and Kay Walsh - to mention just two.The film gets off to the classic start of strange and puzzling incidents, but somehow, despite the big build up, the viewer is left feeling rather 'let down' when reaching the climax. It is unsure what is to be expected, but one is somehow surprised/disappointed at the end. There's a surprise appearance of a young and good-looking Leonard Rossiter (Rising Damp) in one of his rare straight roles, and there are many other familiar faces, including Michelle Dotrice and Carmel McSharry.Very much typical of the 1960s Hammer material that was turned out - but enhanced by a great performance from Fontaine. (some might find her acting style a little dated in this)Was a long time coming out on DVD in the UK.

It's hard to believe that The Witches was awarded an 'X' certificate in the UK when first released (even though there is some discussion about the background behind certificate if you wish to search for it). Any "horror" is discussed only. Whether The Witches falls into the "Hagsploitation" category is open to debate, but Joan Fontaine follows in the footsteps of her sister, Olivia De Havilland, who starred in Lady In A Cage (a far nastier film than The Witches), in a woman-in-peril film. The final fifteen minutes are some of the most hilarious I have ever seen in a film - what happend to the scar Fontaine should clearly have had? - and Fontaine walks around in what seems like a daze for most of the film. Her hairdo deserved a role of its own! As to the Blu ray (which is a DVD combo - never really saw the point of those), it is a good overall package. The focus is quite soft overall, but for a film that is hardly a Hammer classic, it's amazing it actually still even exists. The film does drag in a few places, but overal it is great fun... as long as you approach it as very tongue-in-cheek.

A great little underrated chiller, actually quite unsettling in a "Wicker Man" sort of way.I've read that back in the 1966 this was originally awarded an 'A' cert by the BBFC, until Hammer persuaded them to give it the more commercial 'X'.I doubt very much if the movie,as it stands now,would have been given an 'A' at the time. Apart from the subject matter itself (witchcraft involving the abuse of children) there are some specific sequences which in my view would definitely have been 'X'-rated material back in the 60s.In fact,I'm quite surprised that the BBFC back then allowed one particular shot at all,even with an 'X': that is,14 year old Linda,in a hypnotic frenzy induced by the witches,and immediately prior to her proposed killing and flaying,massaging her own breasts!! (There is a still of this in "The Hammer Story" .. but only the first edition).My guess is that an 'A' may have been offered but only with extensive cuts; and that Hammer preferred to have the 'X',without the cuts.It's notable that even today the BBFC have given this release a '12' rather than a 'PG' (the 'PG' of course being equivalent to the old 'A').As for the BR / DVD Combo - well,visual quality is very good,if not spectacular.Sound and aspect ratio seem OK.My main gripe is the paucity of extras. No commentary, no gallery, not even a trailer. Just one documentary .. "Hammer Glamour", in which Hammer's principal scream queen (Barbara Shelley) gets only a fraction of the time she deserves.But other, lesser names go on for ages. I appreciate this may be down to availability for participation but you do get the impression that Studio Canal is running out of ideas for their extras. Fair enough, but in that case drop the price of the disc! It's for this reason that I give only 3 stars to this release, sorry Studio Canal.But the movie itself I think deserves a 4.

Amazon don't mention the fact that this Network release is a BLURAY/DVD Combo, tho quite what this achieves I am not sure. I watched the BLU Ray and is very very good, bright colours, clear picture, good sound, and Subtitles (not mentioned in the product description here). Extras are/is a doc "Hammer Glamour" which is fun - the usual suspects - Munro/Beswicke/Maddy Smith/Leon and Jenny Hanley. The film itself is, of course, completely bonkers plotwise, with massive OTT performences from virtually the entire cast, tho Joan retains dignity and vulnerability. The final scenes beggar belief, but I just love this film, faults and all, and I suspect many other Hammer fans do too. If you want something just a bit different...Recomended P.S....Where DID that scar go?....