User reviews

There was some good stuff made for television during the seventies, and while Crowhaven Farm doesn't stand tall as one of the best horror films ever made, it's a very decent one that is certainly worth seeing. The plot doesn't really offer anything new, and simply follows the idea of a coven of witches, centred around the sinister Crowhaven Farm. The plot focuses on Ben and Maggie Porter, a couple that inherit the farm after the death of her father. Their marriage is tainted by the fact that Maggie cannot bear children, and the couple move to the farm in the hope that the change of scenery will help to pick up their relationship. Under the direction of experienced TV director Walter Grauman, a good cast gives way to a thoroughly interesting tale of witchcraft. Grauman does well with the atmosphere, and while most of the film is build up for the ending; things such as the haunting music score and numerous plot revelations ensure that the film never dries up. Of course, all this build up needs a good climax, and the film gets just that with an ending that definitely justifies getting there. Overall, this is obviously a little thin and it won't be winning any 'greatest horror film ever' awards...but it's good stuff and comes recommended.

1970's "Crowhaven Farm" was among the earliest TV movies that left its mark on impressionable viewers of those many decades ago. The prolific Aaron Spelling never lost his knack for producing entertaining television, and with the small screen unable to serve up much in the way of blood or violence, subtlety was the way they had to go. A tale of witchcraft in Massachusetts seems like old hat today, but in the wake of Roman Polanski's "Rosemary's Baby" it wasn't as overexposed as it is 50 years later. Hope Lange was clearly cast against type as Maggie Carey Porter, whose presence at rural Crowhaven Farm incites memories long suppressed from a past life, sparking great success for her artist husband Ben (Paul Burke) but dire consequences for herself. The two stars are easily overshadowed by the supporting cast, in particular 12 year old Cindy Eilbacher, alternately angelic yet strangely knowing, even alluring little girl taking more than a liking to the oblivious Ben. Cindy's career was just as busy as elder sister Lisa, both of whom appeared in another TV movie of great creepy repute, 1974's "Bad Ronald." Also on hand, all too briefly unfortunately, is veteran scene stealer John Carradine, in typical form playing handyman Nate Cheever, like the girl a not so innocent presence going about his daily duties with some fiendish purpose in mind (Aaron Spelling had first used the actor on his 1959 Western series JOHNNY RINGO). It may be more effective for those nostalgically inclined, but still holds up as one of the better examples of TV terror from its first and greatest decade.

Someday, someone should write a book examining why TV movies of the late 60s and early 70s were often preoccupied with witchcraft and horror at a time when the cinema shied away from the subjects, except for B movies and the rare blockbuster ala "Rosemary's Baby." Even some of the sillier ones ("Satan's School for Girls" anyone?) worked up some genuine chills. But "Crowhaven Farm" has to be the best. From the opening scenes right through the surprising (and terrifying) climax, this little thriller puts "The Exorcist" and other, later, big-budget chillers to shame. It may have been the TV movie's lack of pretentiousness that worked to its advantage. Made quickly and economically, "Crowhaven Farm" had no time for high-fallutin' symbolic nonsense. It did what it set out to do - inspire nightmares - and did it very well.

I asked my husband several weeks ago about this movie. I told him I knew I watched it while I was younger (I'm 43 now) and all I could remember was a scene where they took this woman out on a beautiful day and put a heavy door on her and put big heavy rocks on top of her. It scared me to death, but that is the only scene either of us could remember, but we both remember being terrified of it. I would love to see it again. We had to ask his sister who is sort of a movie buff about it. Again, the only part she knew and remembered was that door scene. To me it reminds me of the clown in the Stephen King movie "It." I can close my eyes and see that clown in the drainage ditch. I don't remember most of the movie, but that scene summoned it all up for me.

Hope Lange (Maggie) and her husband Paul Burke (Ben) inherit a farm and whilst Paul loves it, Hope doesn't get the same vibe. In fact, the place terrifies her and she seems to have flashbacks to a past life. What happened in the farm in 1692 – this seems to be the key. It's a spooky film and pre-teen Cindy Eilbacher (Jennifer) really isn't the sweet child that you want around your house.

It's a supernatural tale that is a bit complicated – not sure it makes sense. I had questions at the end. The ending keeps things going but I'm not quite sure what it means. Unfortunately, the picture quality isn't good. However, the cast are all fine and there were parts of the film that I didn't second guess. Patricia Barry (Felicia) plays the friend of Hope who believes in past lives.

Early on in Crowhaven Farm, Maggie Porter is awakened from a deep sleep by the sounds of a little girl crying. The eerie sounds are coming from off in the forest somewhere. Concerned that someone, namely a child, might be hurt, Maggie makes her way out into the night in the direction of the sound. As she treks into the dark forest, the crying suddenly turns into a demonic cackle. The haunting laughter engulfs Maggie and she collapses in fright.

Working with a limited budget and the content-expurgate restrictions placed on made-for-television fare, director Walter Grauman is still able to construct a frightening movie in Crowhaven Farm. He does it by simply letting the viewers imagination fill in the blanks. The strange noises in the forest, the blurred images of pilgrims torturing a mother-to-be off in a nearby clearing. What do they mean? Grauman shows the audience something, fleetingly, and then forces them to use their own imagination to fill in what is missing. That is where the true horror lies within Crowhaven Farm.

When the original inheritor dies in a strange car accident, a young couple, Maggie(Lange) and Ben(Burke) inherit a large farm and hundreds of acres of forest land. Dogged by marital problems the couple are determined to make a fresh start in the new setting. Maggie senses something odd early on and her first inclination is to leave but Ben talks her out of it. The inclination turns out to be correct as Maggie begins hearing strange noises and seeing odd visions of people dressed in Seventeenth-century garb. When a young girl(Eilbacher) drifts into their life things quickly move from bizarre to down right terrifying. Maggie soon discovers a parallel between her problem and a two-hundred year old coven of witches who may have committed sacrifices on the very farm land she inhabits.

Crowhaven Farm elicits some great performances from its cast. Hope Lange is especially great. She offers a performance very reminiscent of Mia Farrow's panicky turn in Rosemary's Baby, as the woman who discovers all is not what it may seem. Cindy Eilbacher, Paul Burke and TV-movie regular Loyd Bochner are also very good in their roles. I particularly enjoyed John Carradine as the handyman.

Crowhaven Farm has the distinction of being one of those made-for-television films that stay with you long after you've seen it. Like Duel and Dark Night Of The Scarecrow, Farm represents what can be achieved with a little budget and a whole lot of imagination. I highly recommend this film, if you can find it. As of yet, the film has never been released to video.

Maggie Porter inherits Crowhaven Farm and instantly feels that something isn't quite right with the place. We, the viewers, know for a fact there's something wrong, because her uncle who initially inherited the place blew up in a mysterious car accident on his way up there; like it was the farm's way of telling that they want Maggie. She feels as if she's been to Crowhaven Farm before, like she lived a previous life there and quickly begins to suffer from visions of tableaux occurring in the 17th Century. Stories told by an elderly neighbor, about the farm's history as the gathering place where a witch coven committed some macabre executions, confirm Maggie's anxiety. Maggie and her husband Ben then adopt the cherubic Jennifer and everything seems to go a little better from then onwards. Ben sells a couple of his painting and Maggie suddenly becomes pregnant, even though they weren't able to conceive a child before. But there's more to Jennifer than meets the eye, as she carries on her shoulder the mark of the devil. "Crowhaven Farm" is a fairly atmospheric early 70's TV-thriller, with slow-brooding suspense and a lot of emphasis on character development instead of action. The mood and plot are somewhat similar to "Rosemary's Baby", but the setting is suitably replaced towards Massachusetts with also some clear references to the morbid New England history pages like Salem. The sets are costumes are convincing enough and in the cast we have genre veteran John Carradine who walks around half of the film carrying a rotten door with him. There are a couple of strange and implausible twists near the finale and the ending is somewhat disappointing (at least to me personally it was), but nevertheless this is a fine example of early 70's TV-horror craftsmanship

Under tragic circumstances, legal secretary turned housewife Hope Lange (as Margaret "Maggie" Porter) inherits "Crowhaven Farm" in Massachusetts. With a name like that, you know there is going to be trouble. As their seven-year marriage is strained over an inability to have children, Ms. Lange and her artist husband Paul Burke (as Ben Porter) decide to move to the spookily named place and start fresh. Right away, Lange has feelings indicating reincarnation is afoot. She learns a coven of Pilgrims once gathered there and wants to move out, but Mr. Burke convinces her they should say. His painting career will soon thrive. Meanwhile, Lange has taken a secretarial job with suave Lloyd Bochner (as Kevin Pierce), which makes Burke jealous...

Things get even more creepy after the couple take in pretty pre-teen Cindy Eilbacher (as Jennifer Lewis). If you've been paying attention, you'll recall the manipulative young blonde caused the original inheritor to expire earlier in the running time. She has a toothy shoulder scar and is eager to jump into bed with "adopted" father Burke. Even with weird handyman John Carradine (as Nate Cheever) lurking around, young Eilbacher steals the film. Milton Selzer (as Doctor Terminer) is also dead on. The ghostly possibility of witches continue, along with the possibility that Lange may be pregnant. Unfortunately, it all ends up making little sense; probably, ABC-TV sent the script back asking, "Please add the quirky 'Movie of the Week' ending."

***** Crowhaven Farm (11/24/70) Walter Grauman ~ Hope Lange, Paul Burke, Cindy Eilbacher, Milton Selzer

I too saw this movie when I was very very young. I remember it scared the heck out of me! The most memorable thing for me was the door being placed on her and the stones on top of that door. I would love to see it released on DVD. Or even on TV again. I remember feeling the terror Hope Lange's character felt trying to get people to listen to her. Lets face it John Carradine is a classic classic actor. Right up there with Lon Chaney, Bela Lugosi, Christopher Lee, Vincent Price. Would love to see this movie released on DVD or shown on TV as they show some of the old HAMMER movies. (Frankenstein/Dracula Movies)These movies they make now may have great special effects and graphics but some of them are so gruesome it makes me ill. I prefer the older movies from when I was younger where your imagination works harder just seems more frightening that way. Does anyone else agree? I guess you would have to be closer to my age to understand what I am trying to say.

To begin with, I'm just like everyone else who has posted a comment here. I remember seeing this movie as a kid (In 1970 I was 12), and it did scare the crap out of me too. Fast forward 20 years and I took a film class while in college (career change). A young girl in my class did this whole presentation for an assignment on inappropriate relationship in films. She was a flake, and went on about inappropriate scenes involving adult males and underage females. Perfectly innocent scenes to most people, but offensive to her. One other example I remember was the scene in "Little Miss Marker" where the kid invites him (Walter Matthau) to sleep with her. But one of the film clips she presented was from Crowhaven Farm. God knows how or where she got it, but it's the scene with Cindy Elibacher and Paul Burke in bed together. As I remember, Cindy Elibacher was being seductive in a childish way. I don't remember enough of the movie as to why they were in bed together, but it did appear that Cindy Elibacher's character was behaving seductively for some reason in the story line. At this point in time we are in the midst of a hysteria, whereby a scene like this on prime time TV would be construed as veiled child porn. I know you'll never see this movie on DVD. Comments?

I saw this movie as a child...i have always had a thing for witches..and there were many witchcraft related movies in the late 1960s /early 70s...i can not BELIEVE there are others who remember/ love this movie as i do! What i wouldnt do..for a VHS copy of the movie. That little girl was so beautiful and EERIE! Her eyes had that fairie-ish pale blue color...she was like a living (but evil) doll!I love that scene where "Maggie" runs into the night to hear voices on the wind...you can truly feel the spirit of ancient folk magic...in this dark and highly atmospheric movie! Anyone got a copy?

After their relatives die in a car explosion Ben and Maggie Porter inherit Crowhaven Farm in Massachusetts.Ben is an unsuccessful artist,while Maggie has been unable to conceive a child.But soon after arriving Maggie starts to be haunted by strange visions and dreams.She learns about Crowhaven Farm's past and how a witch was killed there by puritans in the 17th Century.Maggie then discovers that she is now pregnant,but at the same time the mysterious happenings surrounding them begin to increase."Crowhaven Farm" is often regarded as one of the scariest horror movies of early 70's.It's obviously influenced by Roman Polanski's "Rosemary's Baby"(cabal of Satanists/witches,the wife becomes mysteriously pregnant).It seems also that the farm is haunted by the witch,who seeks revenge on her ancestors in the vein of "The City of the Dead".The action is slow,but there are some creepy scenes including one here Hope Lange is drawn out into the woods by sounds of crying that suddenly turn into hideous laughter.

This movie is based on witchcraft and satanism I guess but it presents it in a way that is hard to understand at times.

Somehow the main character betrayed the other witches although I'm not exactly sure how and it's not clear that she herself really was a witch. In fact she says she doesn't want to get involved with any 'traffic' involving the evil one but then she changes her mind.

But what they fail to mention is that she makes those decisions while being tortured.

Also some people get killed but I thought they were also part of the conspiracy against this lady. I guess they got double crossed also.

There's also a cute little girl who is main villain which doesn't really work too well at times. I just can't picture this kid forcing people to sell their souls.

Still it is thought provoking as far as making people think about good and evil, reincarnation, making a pact with the devil, etc..

It is true that those satanic creatures exist in another dimension. They can cause people to see and experience things that other people aren't aware of.

Yes it is possible to sell your soul and do other things involving satanism. This activity has implications across future and even past lifetimes since it exists outside of time. There is no time in that other dimension.

Jeff Marzano

Recommended further viewing:

Brides Of Blood / Beast Of Blood Horror Hotel IT ! (The Terror FromBeyond Space) Invasion Of The Saucer Men Not Of This Earth (original) Phantasm The Blob (with Steve McQueen) The Brain That Wouldn't Die The Flesh Eaters The Fly / The Return Of The Fly / The Curse Of The Fly The Four Skulls Of Jonathan Drake The Hideous Sun Demon The Hypnotic Eye The Incredible Shrinking Man The Indestructible Man The Manster The Thing (from another world) The Thing That Couldn't Die The Twilight Zone Collections

This was more silly than scary, more of a Yawn Fest than a thriller, and most definitely a waste of the acting talents of Hope Lange, who should have stayed in Gull Cottage! (I prefer seagulls to crows, the ocean to farmland and (most definitely) a handsome, sexy ghost to a bunch of ugly reincarnated witches!

Neither famous John Carradine nor suave Hart Bochner could save this film, which was pretty crummy, even for TV movie standards, and that tells you something!

I'm guessing that they all were cajoled (or coerced) into acting in this farce, that is part ghost story, part reincarnation tale, part witchcraft history, part devil worship, and wholly RIDICULOUS!

If you need something to occupy your time, go elsewhere!

While Crowhaven Farm was not the BEST made-for-TV chiller of its era, it does rank up there with the dozen or so that tend to stand out in the minds of baby boomers raised during TV's golden age. Forget the special effects that seem so essential to the success of today's horror movies; this one forces you to rely strictly on your imagination (remember that thing in your head???) to understand its premise. This movie was made in 1970, during the final season of "The Ghost and Mrs. Muir", and, like several typecast actresses of the period, Hope Lange attempted to "break away" from her sitcom character much like Elizabeth Montgomery did in "The Victim" (remember THAT one???) and did it quite effectively. Crowhaven Farm is simply chilling, with the grainy film grade and squealing violins in the soundtrack adding to the unsettling feel of the film. This genre of film will probably never see a comeback, due to the all the computer-technology wars in horror films made today, but at least we'll always have them to look back on. EIGHT STARS.

A troubled couple from Manhattan (Hope Lange & Paul Burke) inherits a farmhouse in Massachusetts, which the wife curiously finds familiar. Sins of centuries past come to the fore as strange things start happening. Cindy Eilbacher is on hand as a nice orphaned girl that stays with the couple.

"Crowhaven Farm" (1970) is a well-done mystery/horror that was originally released to television. While it's not specifically about the infamous Salem Witch Trials, that piece of history is mentioned and I'd watch this low-key production any day over the grossly melodramatic "The Crucible" (1996).

If you're in the mood for a streamlined flick along the lines of "The Amityville Horror" (1979) and "Bay Cove" (1987), it fills the bill despite its modest origins. It's superior to the dull "The Messengers" (2007).

The film runs 1 hour, 14 minutes, and was shot at Paramount Studios and Bronson Caves (which is just down from the iconic Hollywood Sign), Los Angeles.

GRADE: B-/B (6.5/10)

I saw this movie when I was a kid and I never forgot about it! I have looked for it for years in stores, online, etc. I have never even met anyone who had heard of it until I got here and had a brainstorm. This movie was so well done, no special effects really, but like the other comments, the scene with the door and the rocks and that evil, evil teenage girl stayed with me for 30 years! This movie is a classic.

I also remember vividly, the policeman in the park at the end of the movie who looked like Hope's husband. I think back now and I realize it was a perfect set up for a sequel-in the days when there were no sequels!

I'm so glad other people have good memories of the horror films of the 60's, 70's. I sure enjoyed them

While I quite enjoyed the movie and it's story I found Hope Lange's somewhat poor performance quite distracting from the movie. While her performance varies, I can find it that she doesn't put much expression or emotion in her words or her face; and she can walk rather robticly. But I would recommend the movie!

I agree with everyone below who remembers this movie from their childhood as being very scary. There are a couple of vivid images - and story lines - that have stayed with me these 30-odd years. I've sometimes wondered if this is where Sting got the idea for the darker connotations of the song title "I'll Be Watching You"! Whew. The whole Salem thing; the whole story line in Salem; and the whole story line in the present, and how they inter-link. The resolution still chills me, even as I write this. Hope Lange of course is great in it; her husband and the girl on the road. Chilling performances. DOES ANYONE HAVE THIS ON TAPE / KNOW HOW TO GET IT ON TAPE?

A childless couple in a strained marriage inherits the Crowhaven Farm. They move there and wife begins to see things in visions - things past that has happened on the farm - this adds to the stain in the marriage. The wife talks to a doctor believes a lot of the problems are that the couple is childless. One day, the doctor sends an ill woman over with her niece - the woman is looking for someone to care for her 10 year old nice since she is dying... long story short the married couple ends up with the 10 year old, the wife is still willing to do anything to have her own child and more strange things being to happen. What is going on at Crowhaven Farm?

It's a pretty standard witchcraft film of the time era but worth watching if you are into these types of films.

7/10