Powerful and charismatic warlock Simon Sinestrari (superbly played with lip-smacking aplomb by Andrew Prine) resides in the Los Angeles storm drains and ekes out a living entertaining stuck-up hippies at posh parties. Simon uses black magic to get revenge on those folks who dare mock, scorn and persecute him. Director Bruce Kessler, working from a witty and intriguing script by real-life practicing warlock Robert Phippeny, delivers an offbeat and enjoyable slice of vintage early 70's horror exploitation weirdness. This film hits its fabulously freaky zenith during a gloriously lurid Satanic ceremony. The cast are all uniformly fine, with nice performances by Brenda Scott as the lovely, smitten Linda, George Paulsin as Simon's sweet, naive young best friend Turk, Angus Duncan as the arrogant Colin, Andy Warhol Factory superstar Ultra Violet as kooky devil cult leader Sarah, Norman Burton as stern, disapproving district attorney Rackum, and Richard Ford Grayling as pesky narc John Peter. Best of all, Prine really throws himself into his juicy lead role; he performs the spellcasting scenes in particular with tremendous flair and intensity. David L. Butler's slick, garish cinematography, the flavorsome period counterculture setting, a spooky'n'shuddery ooga-booga score by Stu Phillips, a pleasing surplus of tasty female nudity, and the gaudy low-fi special effects all further enhance the infectiously funky fun of this total trippy blast.
Review of Simon, King of the Witches
