"The Witches" is certainly one of the more stranger Hammer Horror films. It looks very out of place compared to the rest of the Hammer canon, but has enough quirks and oddities to warrant attention. I don't think it was as shocking as it was meant to be; I read somewhere that the producers were disappointed when the BBFC approved it, as they believed that the source material in itself would be enough to warrant it some controversy and rebuttal from the censors. You can see that the gorgeous Oscar-winning Fontaine, in the lead, was passionate about the source material and it is unfortunate that this seems to have ruined her career. In saying that, "The Witches" has one of the best openings to a Hammer Horror film, as it opens in Africa where Fontaine's character is attacked by a witch doctor. The sets are interiors are excellent. What prevents "The Witches" from being as great as the later masterpiece "The Wicker Man" (there are some undeniable similar themes and influences here) is simply a greater budget and talent in the writing and directing department. The film does what it can, but by the time we get to the sacrifice at the end and the villagers in an orgy of ritual and black magic, the film invariably steers off into ridicule and doesn't come back.
Review of The Witches
