Mark of the Witch

A witch that is hanged in the 1600s is inadvertently resurrected 321 years later at a Dallas area college by some nice students playing around with an old book of spells. The witch possesses a student and seems intent on getting revenge on the descendant of the man who executed her.

"Mark of the Witch" (1970) is a low-budget horror flick that's rather generic, but also effective in several ways. The overt satanic rituals were nothing new at the time as they were featured in earlier slicker films like "Masque of the Red Death" (1964) and "Devils of Darkness" (1965). While the movie was shot in 1969, the protagonists aren't hippies, but rather groovy-but-agreeable college students & their hip professor (Robert Elston).

The actress who plays the witch at the beginning of the film lays it on too thick and is exasperating. But the actress who plays Jill (Anitra Walsh) is impressive for a no-name. Actually winsome Anitra is one of the main reasons this movie is worth catching. She looks great in her blue mini-dress, etc. Unfortunately she died prematurely in 1980 at the age of 32.

The tame special effects are surprisingly proficient and the music is effectively creepy. Regrettably, the final act needed more oomph. But "Mark of the Witch" is a must to observe college culture in 1969 (styles, décor, vehicles, social customs, etc.).

The film runs 1 hour and 24 minutes and was shot in the Dallas area, including Southern Methodist University and Texas Christian University, Fort Worth.

GRADE: B-

What I liked about this movie:

I don't know what film stock this was shot on, but it gives the movie a distinct look. Deep blacks and the colors haven't faded much, which is unusual for a 40-year-old movie. I assume it was done using the color process that preceded the one that was so prone to fading and that gave so many 70's movies their washed out look.

Some of the photography was quite nice, as when they're sitting around a table doing a ritual near the end.

The soundtrack, consisting of the ominous blips and drones of an analog synthesizer, was very effective, and the singsongy, a cappella piece done by Trella Hart over the opening credits was downright eerie.

The actress who played Jill (Anitra Walsh), even if I wasn't mesmerized by her performance, was a doll, which made her scenes a pleasure to watch.

On the down side, the acting was amateurish, going from the bad acting typical of low-budget movies to the two main female characters (Margery of Jourdemain and Jill) delivering overwrought monologues like they were in a stage play (good actors like Vincent Price can get away with that sort of thing in movies, but these two just came off like members of a high school drama club).

The woman who played Margery of Jourdemain (Marie Santel) was every bit as hideous as Anitra Walsh was gorgeous. With her botched nose job, she looked like Michael Jackson.

I found the story hard to follow at times and it seemed like there were holes in the plot (though maybe I missed something). I think the writers were trying to be clever by inserting unpredictable plot twists, but the execution was so poor that it just made the story incoherent. At times it seemed the filmmakers couldn't decide whether they were creating a horror movie or a comedy (a movie can be both, of course, but in this case the combination didn't work).

The movie was a mixed bag. It had good atmosphere but I had trouble getting into the story and characters. Overall, with a 5 out of 10 being the middle, I think this movie was more good than bad, so I'm giving it a 6 out of 10. I watch a lot of old horror movies and this one is more memorable than many, despite its flaws. Worth a look if it's running on TV or you see it for rent at a video store.

Well, the story is not Going to beat Macbeth,, nor The craft nor The witches of Eastwick, But it does a lot with good acting, practical effects and interesting camera work. I enjoyed this film and I think you will too if you're not expecting top notch Hollywood.

Disestablishmentarianism Is a very long word which I need to finish this review which actually was finished after the first paragraph they're making me talk more so I am. Be there as it may. I still like this movie and I think you will as well. If you don't go in with Hollywood expectations you're not gonna see any great CGI incredible make up, but they worked pretty hard for what they got and I think I Got my money's worth. Tubi. Lol.

This film, while not a classic, avoids being a schlockfest for several reasons. The script, about a 17th century English witch being summoned back from the dead by a spell and inhabiting the body of a college co-ed, is a cut above. It's all opinion, but the acting is uniformly good, considering the usual stock of talent that populates these films. The filmmakers must have raided the best of the local collegiate theater majors and community theater talent, because the actors all give competent performances. The low budget enhances the film in some ways. The prologue, showing the hanging of the titular witch, is an effective montage of tight shots of the witch's and executioners' feet walking through muddy sludge to the gallows and the aforementioned characters' faces as the execution transpires. The film then cuts to the opening titles, shown over silent footage of windy autumnal Dallas streets as a singer performs a witch's "rune" acapella. It's an unsettling performance that creates some much-needed atmosphere and, hopefully, gives one an inkling of what will follow. I'm not a filmmaker, but the style exhibited in these opening moments made me hope that what I was about to watch would be, at least, competent and, at most, a great lost film. MARK OF THE WITCH is not a lost classic, but it is an effectively made little horror flick, made on the cheap by people who show not a little raw talent. Some will be disappointed that it's not a train wreck of bad acting and threadbare production values, while others will rue the fact that the movie isn't packed with blood and gore. What MARK OF THE WITCH is is a movie that moves toward it's ending methodically at a pace more in keeping with early 70s TV movies than modern slashers. But that's a good thing. Just train yourself to wait for the payoff.

I love old horror movies, especially when I know none of the people in them, and they are from an era before there were cell phones, iPods, and back when clichés were being made, rather than laughed at for their ridiculousness.

The story is pretty basic- ancient curse of a doomed witch, jumping forward to the "present" (ha ha), where of course, the witch returns. The pacing is pretty good, with the story at least always moving forward. I didn't find it too predictable, which was good, and despite how dated the fashion and music were, it was interesting.

Technically, it was a mixed bag for me. Grainy old film stock and imperfect sound actually make an old horror film better for me in some respects. Like one of the other reviewers, I found the spoken words over the opening titles a bit creepy, but most of the soundtrack is rather annoying.

The acting is acceptable from some of the cast ("Alan" was pretty good), and the copy I watched was choppy and the film was scratched. Still, this brings back some fond memories of movie-watching to those of us old enough to have operated a "record player".

While not a classic, I'd recommend this for anyone who loves old horror movies. Simple, fun, and not so burdened by huge effects sequences or big stars that you ever feel distracted from the story. Watch and enjoy!