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Mark of the Witch

  • 1970
  • GP
  • 1h 18m
IMDb RATING
4.6/10
676
YOUR RATING
Mark of the Witch (1970)
A 300-year-old witch terrorizes a college town to get revenge on the descendant of the man who persecuted her.
Play trailer1:33
1 Video
39 Photos
Folk HorrorHorror

A 300-year-old witch terrorizes a college town to get revenge on the descendant of the man who persecuted her.A 300-year-old witch terrorizes a college town to get revenge on the descendant of the man who persecuted her.A 300-year-old witch terrorizes a college town to get revenge on the descendant of the man who persecuted her.

  • Director
    • Tom Moore
  • Writers
    • Mary Davis
    • Martha Peters
  • Stars
    • Robert Elston
    • Anitra Walsh
    • Darryl Wells
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    4.6/10
    676
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Tom Moore
    • Writers
      • Mary Davis
      • Martha Peters
    • Stars
      • Robert Elston
      • Anitra Walsh
      • Darryl Wells
    • 22User reviews
    • 25Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

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    Trailer 1:33
    Trailer

    Photos39

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    Top cast19

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    Robert Elston
    • Mac Stuart
    Anitra Walsh
    Anitra Walsh
    • Jill
    Darryl Wells
    Darryl Wells
    • Alan
    Jack Gardner
    • Harry
    Barbara Brownell
    Barbara Brownell
    • Sharon
    Marie Santell
    Marie Santell
    • The Witch
    • (as Marie Santel)
    Jim Beshears
    Gary Brockette
    Gary Brockette
    • Howard
    Lyn Carmony
    Carla Coldwell
    Pamela Cudd
    Sande Drewes
    • Marybeth
    • (as Sande Drews)
    Lawrence DuPont
    • Dr. Quimby
    John Figlmiller
    • Ricky
    Jerry McGowen
    David Moffat
    Sylvia Rundell
    Lori Taylor
    • Alice
    • Director
      • Tom Moore
    • Writers
      • Mary Davis
      • Martha Peters
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews22

    4.6676
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    Featured reviews

    4Dan_Scarpa

    Very cheesy

    During some sort of witchcraft party, a group of young adults all decide to have a séance. They summon the witch using a chant they found in some book, but it seems like nothing happens. But something did happen. The main character is possessed by the witch and goes on a murderous killing spree! Of course, since this was a low-budget film made in the early seventies, all the lines are incredibly cheesy and bad. Lines like "I like girls dumb, but you're pushing it!" and stupid things of that nature are said.

    I saw this movie because the guy that played Harry was my drama teacher.
    5hedonis

    Remarkably entertaining- quite a surprise

    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!
    6tvcarsd

    Marks the end 60's horror.

    I don't know of that many time traveling horror movies like this from around it's time so the script was a bit daring. The acting is pretty normal for its time and once it gets going I found it pickings up. The acting and creative directing reminded me a lot of The Evil Dead (1981) actually so there's really little to complain about.

    The excessive use of painful and distracting synth sounds and uneven volume through out the movie would have to be the low points. Apart from the underwhelming and substandard sound work on the movie I found it easy to follow, a little over-acted at the start but it unraveled consistently and was easy to follow. Definitely under-rated but it doesn't fall into the gem in the rough category, well not a highly valuable gem anyhow. It's okay, just don't expect The Exorcist.

    I found it a little sad in way, as this movie to me depicts an end to a great era.
    5thomandybish

    interesting regional rarity

    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.
    6Wuchakk

    Low-budget, melodramatic witch flick shot in Dallas in 1969

    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-

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    Related interests

    Florence Pugh in Midsommar (2019)
    Folk Horror
    Mia Farrow in Rosemary's Baby (1968)
    Horror

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      When Alan is buying books, the cashier calls out the title "Diary of a Witch." This book by Sybil Leek was published in 1968 and is likely the title referred to.
    • Quotes

      Jill: Honestly, I never knew books were so dirty.

    • Connections
      Featured in Sneak Previews: Victor Victoria/Silent Rage/Cat People/I Ought to Be In Pictures (1982)
    • Soundtracks
      Mark of the Witch
      Written by Anitra Walsh

      Performed by Trella Hart

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    FAQ14

    • How long is Mark of the Witch?Powered by Alexa

    Details

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    • Release date
      • July 17, 1975 (Mexico)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Отметина ведьмы
    • Filming locations
      • Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas, USA
    • Production companies
      • Lone Star Productions (II)
      • Presidio
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 18m(78 min)
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.66 : 1

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