Search - Devils Of Darkness / Witchcraft on DVD

Two seldom-seen British horror gems

Byron Kolln | the corner where Broadway meets Hollywood | 10/03/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Fans of classic horror movies will be very pleased with this outstanding double feature, part of the new wave of the Midnite Movies series.

DEVILS OF DARKNESS (1965) is an enjoyable British gem from the mid-60's, starring William Sylvester and Carole Gray in leading roles. Paul Baxter (William Sylvester), a vacationing American tourist stumbles across a small village where devil worshippers congregate on a regular basis. After his girlfriend is abducted, he steals the powerful talisman belonging to Count Sinistre (Hubert Noel) and his "chosen bride" Tania (Carole Gray). Sinistre will stop at nothing to re-claim the talisman, even luring Baxter with swinging red-headed model Karen (Tracy Reed).

Beautifully shot on EastmanColor filmstock, DEVILS OF DARKNESS looks really spiffy on DVD. Fans of Carole Gray will be especially interested in this title. Best-remembered for playing Cliff Richard's spunky girlfriend in "The Young Ones"; Gray has a very substantial role in DEVILS OF DARKNESS, playing the ill-fated gypsy maiden who becomes Sinistre's immortal bride. It was originally released as a double bill with Fox's "The Curse of the Fly", which also co-starred Carole Gray and can be found in the superb Fly Collection box set.

WITCHCRAFT, filmed the previous year, makes for a perfect companion piece. Horror movie legend Lon Chaney Jr. stars as Morgan Whitlock, at the center of an age-old feud between two dynasties. When the graveyard of the Whitlock clan is disturbed during an excavation, witch-matriarch Vanessa Whitlock (played by Yvette Rees in a truly-unsettling performance) returns from the dead to seek her revenge on the Lanier family. The cast also features Diane Clare and Jack Hedley.

Starkly-filmed in black and white, WITCHCRAFT makes for an ideal companion movie for DEVILS OF DARKNESS. Each movie has it's own disc, with bonus animated picture gallery (DEVILS OF DARKNESS also has a brief trailer in b&w)."

GOOD PAIRING OF OFFBEAT BRITISH HORROR....

Mark Norvell | HOUSTON | 09/15/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This double feature offers two rarely seen mid-sixties British horror films. "Witchcraft" has Lon Chaney Jr. as a warlock seeking revenge on a rival family for desecrating his family's ancient cemetary. A centuries old witch arises from her tomb to carry out the murderous task. Good acting, atmosphere and a sublime sense of dread permeate the b&w film. And the witch, Vanessa (Yvette Rees) is truly creepy. Fine print of a good supernatural chiller. The 2nd disc is "Devils of Darkness", another rarely seen mid-60's color film about a centuries old satan-worshipping vampire (Hubert Noel) seeking a missing talisman and a new bride in modern day Chelsea among some bizarre, ultra-hip party people. Turns out he has a slavish following and his "old" bride (Carole Gray) is getting really jealous over his new find, a jaded model with very heavy eye make-up. This is a low budget, very strange film. An excellent print enhances what seems to be a dream-like quality that some may write off to low production values. It's virtually blood-less but has an odd style that makes it watchable. A good deal on both films and definitely worth a look, especially "Witchcraft". Enjoy."

Many thanks to Fox for resurrecting the Midnight Movies line

Brucifer | Boston, MA | 08/07/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"As usual for this series, the prints of the films are clear and clean, the double features are nicely picked to go together, and the packaging is superb. What makes this release particularly interesting is that neither film has ever seen home video release. I've seen both films in bootleg-quality presentation, and while neither is a classic, both are enjoyable enough to drop a few bucks on, particularly Witchcraft, which has an appropriately creepy atmosphere and is reasonable well acted and directed, as most British b-movies of the era were. Fox and MGM, please keep this series going until you've exhausted your vaults!

"

All Part Of The Vast Satanic Conspiracy...

Bindy Sue Frønkünschtein | under the rubble | 12/03/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is one of my favorite Midnite Movie double features so far! DEVILS OF DARKNESS has Hubert Noel as the evil, undead Sinistré; the leader of a satanic cult of ne'er-do-wells. Sinistré has returned from his long dirt-nap in order to take a bride from among the living. DOD is packed full of interesting / strange characters and plenty of fun hocus pocus. WITCHCRAFT has Lon Chaney jr. as Morgan Whitlock, head of a family w/ long ties to witchcraft and devil-worship. He's upset that the Lanier family, the descendents of the very people who (centuries earlier) killed many Whitlocks as witches, is now destroying their ancestral graveyard! This one really gets going when Vanessa Whitlock (Yvette Rees) rises from her cold earth in order to exact vengeance. She is the perfect ghoul (in a Barbara Steele/Vampira way). Both of these movies are re-watchable and make for a great Saturday afternoon creepfest..."