Witchfinder General is a title that I have seen on DVD wish lists, and in any discussion of Vincent Price. Since its release in 1968, the film has gathered quite the cult following and had much praise heaped upon it.
What does that mean to those of us who are unfamiliar with it? Well, the big thing is the hype that is built up in your head, which leads to high expectations. Cases like this are almost assured of being a letdown. It is a no-win situation as few movies actually live up to all the hype. That said, Witchfinder General is definitely a good movie — just be sure to keep your expectations in check.
The film is based on a novel by Ronald Bassett, which is based on real events and a real person. I know that much of it is fictionalized, but this is no bio-pic. The setting is realistic; there is nothing terribly unbelievable, save for some unconvincing dialogue and performances. It is set in England in 1645, a time of unrest as Civil War is raging between Cromwell and his Roundheads and King Charles' Royalists. This unrest has left much of the land without any truly organized law and order. Much of the company had strong Christian faith and the uncertain times led to those beliefs and fears being exploited.
Matthew Hopkins was one of those men doing the exploiting. Hopkins was a failed lawyer who turned to ferreting out witches for money. He came to be known as Witchfinder General due to his expertise at eliciting confessions from these idolaters. This nefarious character is at the center of Witchfinder General, a truly disconcerting film when you realize that these acts are not that far removed from reality.
The opening scene sees a gallows pole in the final stages of its erection, as a crowd, led in prayer by a priest, approaches with a bound and screaming woman. There is no talk, aside from the praying, as they put her on a stool, place the rope around her neck and kick out the stool. As the woman hangs, the crowd turns and moves back towards the town. The camera zooms in on a lone figure in the background. Matthew Hopkins watches on coldly as the woman swings. The credits then come up over grainy, black and white photos of women with pained faces.
Article comments
1 - Dave Nalle
Any idea why they changed the title from the theatrical release title of "The Conqueror Worm"? The new title is more appropriate, but my VHS copy still has the original.
Dave
2 - Chris Beaumont
Witchfinder General is the original title, it was changed to Conqueror Worm in the States to cash in on the then recent string of Poe/Price adaptations.