Witchfinder General

Witchfinder General (also known as The Conqueror Worm in the USA) is a solid British Horror boosted considerably by a tour-de-force performance from Vincent Price.

This is not a pretty movie. It begins with a graphic hanging and only gets darker. Devoid of the camp that pervaded most of his earlier roles, Price’s Matthew Hopkins is written as evil incarnate and portrayed convincingly as such. Hopkins isn’t the thing that goes “bump” in the night, he’s the beast that walks free in the day.

The nihilistic atmosphere pervading the movie can be chiefly credited to director Michael Reeves. He uses everything possible to build a sense of dread and despair, even taking a cue from the western genre and treating his landscapes a character unto themselves. Further credit has to be given to Reeves for delivering one of the most unforgettable climaxes I’ve ever seen.

Still, Witchfinder General has a few problems. Some of the chase scenes are padded a bit too long, losing some dramatic tension, and the supporting cast beneath Price—while solid—never seems to aspire to his level, but these are minor quibbles.