WITCHFINDER GENERAL (THE CONQUEROR WORM) (1968)

It's obvious that Vincent Price mode is in full gear at this point. Such is the time to present one of his best......

One expects Witchfinder General (also called the Conqueror Worm) to be quite a decent flick but one is very surprised to find out just how good it is. Matthew Hopkins (Vincent Price) and his henchman take advantage of a lawless England, plunged into civil war. He is paid to find witches, force confessions out of them by whatever means and then finally, execute them in most inhumane ways. His main henchman enjoys cutting chained up women and lives only to "do the lords work" by torturing these suspected witches.

Of course there are other subplots, but this is what we watch the movie for. The women screaming as they await hanging or crucifixion are quite effective and disturbing. Price is almost always a dark, evil character but perhaps nowhere more so than in Witchfinder General. It's almost shocking to note the level of blood, violence and nudity - almost groundbreaking in 1968. Very few pictures had been made in like fashion at this time.
                                             

If anything, there is not much meaning behind this picture. It is most certainly cinema of the horrific and 42 years later it still packs a punch. Like many CotF reviews lately, there is not to much to say without just giving everything away. Let's just say, if you love Vinny Price films, you cannot go wrong with this Witchhunt epic. Definately a must-see. FOUR AND A HALF STARS OUT OF FIVE.