IMDb RATING
5.7/10
3.6K
YOUR RATING
A witch put to death in 1692 swears vengeance on her persecutors and returns to the present day to punish their descendants.A witch put to death in 1692 swears vengeance on her persecutors and returns to the present day to punish their descendants.A witch put to death in 1692 swears vengeance on her persecutors and returns to the present day to punish their descendants.
Billy Jayne
- Justin Leahy
- (as Billy Jacoby)
Bennett James
- Arty
- (as Bennett Liss)
Joshua Cadman
- Arlen
- (as Josh Cadman)
Featured reviews
This movie has all of the elements that you expect from a horror film--and I mean that in the best way! All right, it's admittedly low budget, but the frequent deaths, presented with almost metronomic spacing, are inventive and entertaining. Plus, it is a delight to see a film that really does have a supernatural grounding, instead of the so-tired slasher bit.
You should definitely watch this movie when you are alone at night--watching it with friends or in the daytime gives you too much chance to let the low budget distract you from the flow...
You should definitely watch this movie when you are alone at night--watching it with friends or in the daytime gives you too much chance to let the low budget distract you from the flow...
Don't let the generic-sounding title lull you into thinking this is a lame haunted-house movie. Although it's true that a lot of its plot elements are borrowed from other films (deadly lake, demon in the house, burned witch in Puritan times), Superstition feels remarkably genuine and is (somewhat) surprisingly good. And, unlike most cheapo horror films of the 70s and 80s (and, well, every decade), the plot is definitely not entirely predictable. There aren't really any recognizable names in the cast (Stacy Keach's dad is in it, and Lynne Carlin was in the '71 cult hit Taking Off), and the movie has a now-dated vibe to it, but the action is relentless and expertly done. Definitely worth a look for those of you who enjoy scary movies.
I was surprised by this low budget horror movie. It isn't a masterpiece, but overall it's well done - certainly better than THE AMITYVILLE HORROR. Things happen in this movie that take you by surprise - both genuine shocks, and seeing stuff you usually never see in horror movies! And there are some splatter scenes that will really take your attention. You probably won't see this on TV, (and if you do, it'll be severely cut), so do some detective work in the video stores in your area. You won't be disappointed.
'Superstition' is a 1982 supernatural slasher movie that may not have any sort of originality, but makes up for some of its short comings by having some inventive death scenes, cool gore and a creepy atmosphere. The movie is rather entertaining and does deliver on the carnage.
The plot = In the 1600's where a witch is sentenced to death by crucifixion in the black pond as she swears vengeance on her persecutors. Then we flash forward to the present day of 1982 a series of bizarre murders plague the house near the lake as the witch is haunting the property from beyond the grave.
The direction by James W. Roberson is quite decent as he doesn't shy away from the shock factor, the film feels very much in the vein of the 80's slashers due to the sheer over the top murders that occur throughout which thankfully helps distract you from the utter haphazard pacing, uneven acting performances & a fairly by the numbers story. This is by no means a plot driven flick but the mystery element is sustained long enough to keep you interested.
Overall this is a fun ride dripped in pure cheese with sheer enthusiasm for its gruesome set pieces, but doesn't really offer much more than that with no characters to really root for mainly because they're just cannon fodder & none of the performances really stand out to be honest, but if you're looking for nothing more than a fun ride, then 'Superstition' is the movie for you.
The plot = In the 1600's where a witch is sentenced to death by crucifixion in the black pond as she swears vengeance on her persecutors. Then we flash forward to the present day of 1982 a series of bizarre murders plague the house near the lake as the witch is haunting the property from beyond the grave.
The direction by James W. Roberson is quite decent as he doesn't shy away from the shock factor, the film feels very much in the vein of the 80's slashers due to the sheer over the top murders that occur throughout which thankfully helps distract you from the utter haphazard pacing, uneven acting performances & a fairly by the numbers story. This is by no means a plot driven flick but the mystery element is sustained long enough to keep you interested.
Overall this is a fun ride dripped in pure cheese with sheer enthusiasm for its gruesome set pieces, but doesn't really offer much more than that with no characters to really root for mainly because they're just cannon fodder & none of the performances really stand out to be honest, but if you're looking for nothing more than a fun ride, then 'Superstition' is the movie for you.
I found this to be a very enjoyable film, and quite unique.
The supernatural /slasher/gore mix works really well, and the pacing of the film is excellent, not a minute is wasted, there's no padding, so it doesn't outstay its welcome.
Obviously not the biggest budget, but the sequence set in 1692 looks great and really adds to the atmosphere.
I definitely recommend a viewing. I watched the Scream Factory blu ray, and when the film is well lit, it looks great, in the darker scenes, not so much. There are also a lot of speckles/flecks evident in the darker scenes, but overall the picture is good.
The supernatural /slasher/gore mix works really well, and the pacing of the film is excellent, not a minute is wasted, there's no padding, so it doesn't outstay its welcome.
Obviously not the biggest budget, but the sequence set in 1692 looks great and really adds to the atmosphere.
I definitely recommend a viewing. I watched the Scream Factory blu ray, and when the film is well lit, it looks great, in the darker scenes, not so much. There are also a lot of speckles/flecks evident in the darker scenes, but overall the picture is good.
Did you know
- TriviaSuperstition was extremely popular on pre-cert video in the UK on the VTC label in the early 1980s. It was so popular that it actually got a subsequent cinema release in 1984, under the title "The Witch", courtesy of Bordeaux Films International. This is one of the few times a video release was followed up by a theatrical release, rather than the other way around. It was then re-released by Stablecane under the title "The Witch", again on video shortly afterward.
- GoofsDuring the flashback to 1692, as Father Andrew is getting murdered, they show his feet are shown flailing about. Problem is the materials (e.g. neoprene) used in his sandals would not be invented for another 250 years.
- Alternate versionsGerman version was cut for violence by 65 seconds to secure a FSK-18 rating, despite that, the BPjM still indexed the film from 1989-2012. The FSK-16 rated version was cut a bit further by additional 35 seconds. Only in 2013 the uncut version was granted a FSK-18 rating.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Video Nasties: Draconian Days (2014)
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