Search - The Witch on DVD

Great Euro-Horror, but OK DVD

Timothy Ramzyk | Milwaukee, WI United States | 04/23/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I was just blown away by THE WITCH (LA STREGA IN AMORE / THE WITCH IN LOVE) 1966.

It is a pretty so-so Sinema Diable DVD, but the quality of the film transcended the bad sound and fullscreen presentation of what was obviously a scope film.

Richard (The Haunting) Johnson plays a committed Lothario, who gets his comeuppance when he takes a position organizing the erotic memoirs of an aging countess and her beautiful "daughter". Countess Dracula clearly borrowed a theme here and there but never managed the level of sophistication that The Witch has to offer, or it's genuinely sensual (though not explicit) eroticism.

I would rank it with the best of Bava, maybe even a dash higher in that it maintains an equally wonderful visual style, but also managed a rather richly layered premise, and some pretty great performances. I'm always thrilled to find a great Euro-horror that is every bit as accomplished as Black Sunday, Eyes Without A Face, I Vampiri, or Castle of Blood.

This film was new to me. I would also love to see a better edition, does any exist? Either way its a must for the fan of great Euro-gothic horror."

Horror - "No". Art House; -"Yes"

R. Epstein | USA | 10/11/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"If Michelangelo Antonioni directed an episode of "The Twilight Zone", it would probably look something like this. The witch in question is an old crone who with a sip of a potion, turns into a Sophia Loren clone (well, Sophia without the heat). Richard Johnson plays the handsome, proverbial fly who becomes her amorous prey when he finds himself a permanent resident in her lair. While the plot is mere contrivance - and an old one at that - there is enough sultry, surreal, sophisticated-sixties, Italiano café society atmosphere to keep one's interest. The B&W photography creates a palpable claustrophobic feel, and although the soundtrack is dubbed, the actors at times can speak volumes with their eyes. The film should have been released with its original title: "La Strega in Amore" [Witch in Love]. This cover and title may lead some folks to assume that this is a Halloween movie. It isn't. It's fun viewing though if you enjoy steamy, surreal European movies from the sixties."

How can you tell....

Bt | Parts unknown | 05/30/2009

(1 out of 5 stars)

"if it's a good movie when you can't hear a word being spoken. Terrible, and I mean brutal audio makes it impossible to make out what the characters are saying. DVD's like this are more frustrating than they are worth the effort to watch. It's only a movie for God's sake! I should be able to hear it. 25 minutes was all I could last."