Witching Time

As a great fan of the Hammer Studios and enthusiastic watcher of their Gothic Horror films, I wonder what took me so long to start watching their TV-series "Hammer House of Horror", which only ran for one season in 1980. Now that I've seen the first four episodes of the show, I can say that it easily satisfies my expectations so far. While this first episode "Witching Time" is maybe not the most imaginative Horror story ever told, and doesn't quite deliver the marvelous Gothic atmosphere that I love Hammer's films from the 50s to the 70s for, it doubtlessly does accomplish to tell a surprisingly spooky tale and create some genuine creepiness within fifty minutes. Film score composer David Winter (Jon Finch) is tormented by the 17th century witch Lucinda (Patricia Quinn)... While he story may be simple, but for a running time of less than an hour, it is effective and delivers many creepy moments. Northern Irish actress Patricia Quinn, who is probably best known for her role in "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" (1975) as well as the fantastic Monty Python comedy "Monty Python's Meaning of Life" (1983), is wonderfully malicious in her role which fits her like a glove. Jon Finch is also quite good as David, and while Prunella Gee, who plays his adulterous actress wife, may not be the best actress ever, she is definitely nice to look at. The episode is accompanied by a nice score which plays along well with the atmosphere. Overall, "Witching Time" is a very entertaining episode with several truly creepy moments, and decent opener to the series.

In the isolated Woodstock Farmer, the workaholic composer David Winter (Jon Finch) is depressed because he feels that his wife, the actress Mary (Prunella Gee), is unfaithful. In a stormy night, Lucinda Jessup (Patricia Quinn), a witch from the Seventeenth Century and former dweller of the farm, arrives in the barn and possesses David. Mary fights against Lucinda trying to recover David.

"Witching Time" is a reasonable short story of the "Hammer House of Horror" show. The screenplay and mainly the characters are not well developed and the viewer never knows, for example, the motives why Mary is having an affair with Charles, if she seems to like David. Or what happened with the dog Billy? In spite of the flaws, it entertains. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "Tempo de Bruxaria" ("Witching Time")

Note: On 30 July 2020, I saw this film again.

Good suspense horror thriller, not complicated to get, not too long, but the ending is a bit predictable. Good directing and pulled by convincing performances. I was not bored by this story. Anyway, this Hammer TV series, anthology series, is a pretty effective one, and this episode opens the show in a promising way. Unless, I repeat, the ending which I would have imagined and prefer different. I won't spoil the story any further. The British tv industry was excellent on this anthology genre, better than any other industry, even American. Because, I guess, England brought some kind of touch, atmosphere.

What horror series could ever be made without featuring a story about a witch?

It obviously has its flaws, budget restraints are evident for all to see, and I'm assuming a shortage of time also. However, for a 50 minute horror story they manage to give us a good story, plenty of atmosphere, and a memorable character.

Patricia Quinn is excellent as Lucinda, suitably menacing and somehow you can believe she's 300 years old, a great voice, and I love her accent. Jon Finch and Prunella Gee are good as the hapless couple.

Very decent. 6/10

Composer David Winter (Jon Finch) is under stress. Working on some music that he needs to finish. His wife Mary (Prunella Gee) is always working late. In fact she is having an affair with his doctor.

Suddenly David discovers a strange woman in his barn. She is Lucinda (Patricia Quinn) and claims to be a witch from the seventeenth century. She managed to escape the witchfinders.

Is David going mad? Lucinda wants David for herself and away from his cheating wife by mesmerising him.

Mary is having none of it even if she thinks her husband is hallucinating.

It was strange to see a cheating spouse truen heroine and come to the rescue of her husband. You do think that David might be hallucinating Lucinda.

There is an unhinged performance from Quinn, something she rather specialised in. It is not the strongest of episodes in the Hammer Horror season.