Well-filmed, well-scripted and mostly well-acted, this supernatural mystery thriller action film by Tasmanian director Don Sharp tells the story of the culmination of a family feud which appears to date back to Medieval times in s small English town. The film starts out with a front end loader demolishing a cemetary while members of the Whitlock family, led by Lon Chaney Jr., protest. The demolition opens the grave of a powerful witch (Vanessa Whitlock - Yvette Rees) who had been buried alive 300 years ago. And guess what, she's not quite dead, and she's decided to gather her descendants into a new coven to finally carry out the extermination of their mortal enemies, the Laniers.
Rees and Chaney, though their roles are fairly modest in terms of screen time, drive most of the tension in this creepy little story. Chaney is menacing, Rees is just plain cold evil. Most of the action focuses on their would-be victims, the Laniers.
The sets, decent - if simple - characterization, and the clever use of plot devices to retain an element of mystery and to grow suspense are what sustained my interest throughout the first 3/4ths of this film. I don't write spoilers, so suffice to say that the last 1/4 of the film, as it transforms into an action-oriented thriller, is where I started to lose interest. Still, the film was worthwhile enough to affect my dreams. I watched it in two sittings and slept between them. I dreamt an ending for this film which would have, I am convinced, been much better - though a lot more disturbing - than the one the film settled for.
Bottom line - a fun one, but don't expect too much!
Rees and Chaney, though their roles are fairly modest in terms of screen time, drive most of the tension in this creepy little story. Chaney is menacing, Rees is just plain cold evil. Most of the action focuses on their would-be victims, the Laniers.
The sets, decent - if simple - characterization, and the clever use of plot devices to retain an element of mystery and to grow suspense are what sustained my interest throughout the first 3/4ths of this film. I don't write spoilers, so suffice to say that the last 1/4 of the film, as it transforms into an action-oriented thriller, is where I started to lose interest. Still, the film was worthwhile enough to affect my dreams. I watched it in two sittings and slept between them. I dreamt an ending for this film which would have, I am convinced, been much better - though a lot more disturbing - than the one the film settled for.
Bottom line - a fun one, but don't expect too much!