In England in 1645, a climate of fear and desperation during the English Civil war allows the sinister and unscrupulous lawyer - Mathew Hopkins (Vincent Price) to gain power by exploiting superstition and mob rule. With his evil accomplice John Stearne (Robert Russell), Hopkins tours towns and village across East Anglia, offering his services as a persecutor of witches and uses torture to extract false confessions for financial gain and sexual favours. When Hopkins persecutes John Lowes a priest (Rupert Davies), he incurs the wrath of a young parliamentary soldier, Cornet Richard Marshall (Ian Ogilvy), who is engaged to the Lowes’ niece Sarah (Hilary Heath). The story follows Richard’s attempts to protect his fiancée Sarah from Hopkins and Stearne and to bring them to justice. Directed by Michael Reeves in 1968, Witchfinder General is remarkably the last of four feature films directed before his untimely death at the 26. Vincent Price had starred in Roger Corman’s Tomb of Ligeia also shot on location in East Anglia, and the last of eight, six of which star Vincent Price, horror films by the prolific American director/producer based on stories by Edgar Allen Poe and starring Price. Witchfinder General was in fact originally released in the USA under the title of “The Conqueror Worm” – a marketing devise and reference to a poem by Edgar Allen Poe to connect it with the earlier Vincent Price and Poe classic horror series. Corman’s film had innovatively exploited an exterior location - the ruins of Castle Acre Priory in Norfolk to add authenticity and move beyond the confines of studio based Horror films exemplified by Universal pictures in the USA or Hammer Films in the UK. Developing this idea further, Reeves develops a fast and action packed story with historically evocative locations, violence and horse-back chases suggesting an almost English “western”.
Release / Airing: 20/06/2002
Locations used for this production:
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Kentwell Hall >
Trial by drowning of the accused witches John Lowes confession is falsely confirmed and with two women who have also been tortured and accused of witchcraft, the priest is taken to a local manor house. After their suspension in the moat by the rampaging mob they are hanged on the orders of Hopkins. Collecting a fee for their work from the local magistrate Stearne and Hopkins leave. Later whilst collecting horses for Cromwell’s troops in the north, Richard Marshall learns of the killings in Brandeston from the horse dealer and returns to the village. In the now wrecked church and on their knees before the alter, Richard and Sarah ask for forgiveness for their sins and for the soul of John Lowes. Richard vows to avenge his murder and to bring the killers to justice by dedicating his sword for this purpose. Giving the tearful Sarah some money he asks he to go to Lavenham to find safety. However failing to track down Hopkins Richard narrowly manages to avoid accusation of desertion and returns to his regiment. On the recommendation of his officer he is promoted by Cromwell to Captain. The King has escaped and is making for the Norfolk Coast and Richard is sent on a mission to recapture him. Reaching the Suffolk coast (in fact the location is the Seven Sisters beach in East Sussex) the troopers are unable to find the king but Richard learns of rumours of witch trials in Lavenham.
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Lavenham >
Prologue scene - A woman accused of witchcraft is barbarically executed. Later following an attack by royalist snipers, a trooper is killed and Cornet Marshall saves his officer by killing the last sniper and Richard is rewarded with permission to visit Sarah and her uncle in Brandeston in Suffolk. The other scene filmed on location at Lavenham was the witch burning and capture of Richard and Sarah In the town square a women is burnt at the stake and Hopkins collects his reward from the local magistrate. Whilst Richard is reunited with Sarah, Hopkins and Stearne plot to expose Richard for protecting Sarah as a witch. Hopkins and his henchmen track them to the local inn and accuses them of witchcraft, have them arrested and taken to the local castle. On the way Hopkins wounds one of the troopers who later informs Richard's colleagues where they have been taken.
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Orford Castle >
Finale - Reaching its climax in the dungeons of Orford Castle where Hopkins is foiled in torturing Richard and Sarah with heated irons until rescued at literally, the last minute by Richard’s fellow soldiers who by shooting Hopkins prevent a frustrated Richard from avenging Sarah’s violation.
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Rushford Church, Thetford >
Brandeston Church and Rectory scenes - Richard asks John Lowes, Sarah’s guardian for her hand in marriage. He agrees on condition that Richard promises to protect Sarah from impending danger. The next day Richard leaves to rejoin his regiment and as it grows dark and as yet unaware of Hopkins true purpose as a “lawyer”, Richard passes the villains on the outskirts of the village and asks Hopkins what business he has there. Hopkins replies that he is “seeking a man who is not what he claims to be.” Following local accusations, Hopkins and Stearne arrive at the rectory to accuse John Lowes of working with the devil. Hopkins orders the priest to be taken to the gaol where he is tortured by Stearne. Forewarned by John Lowes servant of what is happening, Sarah, playing for time and playing for time playing for time Sarah pretends not to be a servant rather than a relative of the Priest and reluctantly agrees to allow Hopkins to visit her that night in order to placate him. Later as the drunken Stearne carouses in the inn Hopkins sets off to visit Sarah. Revealing her true identity and in return for saving her uncle she allows Hopkins to make love to her. When Hopkins leaves the village Stearne visits Sarah and rapes her.
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