BURN, WITCH, BURN 1962

aka NIGHT OF THE EAGLE

"Do the undead demons of hell still arise to terrify the world ??"

     One of the highlights (and one of the scariest) of early 1960's British horror cinema BURN, WITCH, BURN shares some some plot points with Jacques Tourneur's masterful NIGHT OF THE DEMON from 1957 as they both show how the forces of ancient evil intrude on a modern academic setting. Although dealing more with voodoo BURN, WITCH, BURN does fit neatly in with the British "folk horror" genre of the period. Originally titled NIGHT OF THE EAGLE in England (which as a title is actually more in the tune with the proceedings then the American re-titling), it was based upon the 1943 Fritz Leiber novel Conjure Wife which had previously been adapted by Universal as WEIRD WOMAN (starring Lon Chaney Jr. as one of the Inner Sanctum movies) in 1944.
    Scripted by the one-two punch of Richard Matheson and Charles Beaumont this was co-produced by A.I.P. who for U.S. audiences added a hyperbole filled opening narration by Paul Frees who intoned a spell to protect audience members against evil. During the initial theatrical run lucky patrons were given a printed copy of the spell to say along with Frees, in addition a special packet of salt was handed out to help ward off the evil spirits (how cool is that.. !)

     Norman Taylor (Peter Wyngarde - Quint in 1961's THE INNOCENTS) plays Norman Taylor a psychology professor who teaches at suitably Gothic looking English college. Prof. Taylor is currently lecturing on superstitions which he expounds to class by dramatically writing on the blackboard "I Do Not Believe !" (which will figure in the film's nail biting climax). Seemingly having a perfect life (pretty wife, pending promotion, handsome English country home and a cottage by the sea) Taylor also seems oblivious to various back-stabbing and gossip which permeates the college - mostly dealing with the proposed promotion that he's in line for. His highly strung wife Tansey (American born TV favorite Janet Blair) believes that various forces are conspiring against him and that the only way to protect him is by her use of voodoo and witchcraft which she had previously discovered on a Jamaica vacation.
    One night Norman discovers her collection of witchey accouterments including graveyard dirt, petrified spiders, roots and various creepy little bric-a-brac. He summarily burns them in a fireplace (in one the films creepier moments a spider scuttles out of the fire unnoticed while at the same time Tansey upstairs in bed brushes an unseen object off her neck) and is highly disturbed that she had possessed them.

     Almost immediately things began to go wrong for Taylor as a flirtatious student accuses him of rape, her boyfriend threatens physical violence and in a truly scary sequence late one night during a thunderstorm someone (or something...) attempts to break into their home. Later Tansy goes into a trance and attempts to stab her husband with a tell tale limp suddenly afflicting her which helps point Norman toward his nemesis.
    The films basic plot concerning a man of reason & learning coming against unknown and evil forces while all the time trying to explain them away has been used before (such as in NIGHT OF THE DEMON), but BURN WITCH BURN does present the skeptical leading man in more sympathetic terms. Taylor's character is shown as something more then just condescending & bull headed (such as Dana Andrews was in NIGHT OF THE DEMON) and there comes across some genuine affection between Norman and Tansey. They're quite good together and one of more believable married couples I've come across in a genre film and there's quite a touching moment when Tansey offers her life instead of Norman's during one of her ceremonies.

     The film while not a "jump scare" experience is filled with creepy little asides & sounds, unseen things in shadowy corners and close-ups of the unnerving little witchcraft totems used by the film's protagonists - all of which makes it a movie best experienced at night with lights off (and hopefully rain pattering against the window). Beautifully shot in atmospheric B&W by Reginald H. Wyer (ISLAND OF TERROR) this was directed by Sidney Hayers, who though somewhat forgotten today also directed the wonderfully lurid & bloody CIRCUS OF HORRORS (1960) and the underrated thriller INN OF FRIGHTENED PEOPLE (aka REVENGE) from 1971.

      Along with excellent work by the two leads the film features a nice compact cast of British character actors including Anthony Nicholls (THE OMEN 1976), Colin Gordon (THE PSYCHOPATH 1966), Reginald Beckwith (THE DAY THE EARTH CAUGHT FIRE 1961) and Kathleen Byron who was unforgettable as a mentally unbalanced nun in Michael Powell's BLACK NARCISSUS from 1946. Best of all however is Margaret Johnson who plays a teacher and rival of Taylor's. With her permanently leering and/or crooked face she makes full use of Matheson's and Beaumont's richly written dialogue as she adds a touch of bile to even her most off-handed remarks and in the process almost steals the entire film from its leads (and you'll never forgot those unnerving close-ups).
      Peter Cushing was originally cast for lead but bowed out to do CAPTAIN CLEGG with Peter Finch next lined up before he too bailed out. As wonderful as Cushing would have been here, there's really nothing to fault in Wyngarde's performance and the plot seems to work better with the two leads being closer in age then Cushing would have been to Janet Blair.
      Previously available on a MOD DVD from MGM, this was recently acquired by Kino for release on blu-ray which features a luminous transfer of the U.S. version and happily ports over Matheson's commentary from the laser disc (that was missing on the DVD- which makes for another laser I can retire) and for a bonus adds a nice little interview with Wyngarde.

All Above Screen Grabs Are From The Kino Lorber Blu-Ray