The Witch Who Came from the Sea

Last updated
The Witch Who Came from the Sea
The Witch Who Came from the Sea poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Matt Cimber
Written byRobert Thom
Produced byMatt Cimber
Starring
CinematographyKen Gibb
Edited byBud Warner
Music by Herschel Burke Gilbert
Production
company
Saiko
Distributed byMCI
Release date
  • March 1, 1976 (1976-03-01)(United States)
Running time
83 minutes
88 minutes (UK uncut version)
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

The Witch Who Came from the Sea is a 1976 American psychological horror film produced and directed by Matt Cimber and starring Millie Perkins, Lonny Chapman, Vanessa Brown, Peggy Feury, Rick Jason, George Buck Flower, and Roberta Collins. The film centers on an emotionally scarred woman who goes on a killing spree after taking a job as a waitress in a seaside bar. Its title refers to The Birth of Venus , which figures in the film. Dean Cundey served as associate photographer on the film.

Contents

The Witch Who Came from the Sea was classified as a "video nasty" by the United Kingdom Department of Public Prosecutions and was considered prosecutable for violating obscenity laws, but the prosecution proved unsuccessful. Retrospective reviews of the film have been generally positive.

Plot

Molly is a troubled alcoholic woman living in the Venice Beach neighborhood of Los Angeles. She is obsessed with television and idolizes the memory of her sea captain father, who was allegedly lost at sea during her childhood. Her sister, Cathy, is candid about her disgust for their abusive father, but Molly deludedly tells romanticized stories about him to her nephews, Tadd and Tripoli.

Molly departs for her shift as a bartender at a seaside tavern run by a man named Long John, who is also her lover. However, she first meets with two famous football players in a hotel room, with whom she engages in a sadomasochistic threesome. She ties both men to the bed before placing gags in their mouths, and proceeds to castrate them with straight razor before killing them. After committing the murders, Molly arrives for her bartending shift and is nearly three hours late, which Long John chastises her for; however, he is reluctant to fire her as the bar is short-staffed.

Later, Molly meets aging television star Billy Batt at a party, and the two discuss a print of The Birth of Venus on the wall. They go to a room to have sex, but Molly inexplicably becomes enraged, breaking his wrists before ranting incoherently about her father, whom she says "died for love." Their fight escalates and is overheard by party guests, and Billy throws Molly out of the room onto the ground, knocking her unconscious. Unaware of what occurred, Long John and the other partygoers accuse Billy of abusing her; Molly has no recollection of the incident.

Molly goes and sees Jack Dracula, a tattoo artist in near the boardwalk who gives her a tattoo of a mermaid on her abdomen. After, she phones Alexander McPeak, another actor she met at the party, who expressed romantic interest in her despite his relationship with his neurotic girlfriend, a starlet named Clarissa Jenks. The next morning, an enraged Clarissa fires a gun into the tires of Alexander's car, and is charged with assault with a deadly weapon. Detectives question Alexander about Clarissa, suspecting she may be responsible for the recent murders of the football players. Meanwhile, Cathy becomes suspicious of Molly after learning that the clothing found stuffed in the men's mouths resembles clothing owned by Molly.

Alexander and Molly have an affair, and Molly brutally slashes his throat with a razor before castrating him in his bathroom. The next morning, Long John awakens to find Molly lying in bed beside him, nude and covered in blood. She claims the blood is her own, and that she hurt herself while drunk the night before. She later admits to Long John and Doris, her co-worker, that her father died of a heart attack while raping her, and that she blames herself for his death. She also admits to the murders. Moments later, Tadd and Tripoli arrive, insisting they visit their aunt Molly, whom they have not seen for an extended period. The three visit briefly, but the children are unaware that Molly is overdosing on sleeping pills. As the police arrive to arrest her, she envisions herself drifting alone aboard a raft on the sea.

Cast

Production

The film was written by Robert Thom, actress Millie Perkins's then-husband, who was undergoing extensive medical care at the time. [1] Thom's hospital bills had become a financial burden for the couple, so Thom devised the screenplay for the film, for Perkins to star. [1] The screenplay was composed of elements from both Perkins's and Thom's own lives (Perkins's father was a merchant marine), and Perkins's sister was upset about the film as she feared it would tarnish their father's honor. [1]

Censorship

In 1983, the United Kingdom Department of Public Prosecutions compiled a list of 72 video releases that were not brought before the BBFC for certification and declared them prosecutable for obscenity. This list of "video nasties" included The Witch Who Came From the Sea, but it was in the sub-group of 33 titles that were unsuccessfully prosecuted and was soon dropped from the DPP list. In the United Kingdom, the film was eventually released completely uncut in 2006 with a complete running time of 87 minutes 43 seconds. [2]

Release

Home media

The film was released on DVD by Subversive Cinema on December 21, 2004. Subversive Cinema later re-released the film on August 17, 2007, as a part of its 2-disk Grindhouse Classics double feature. On May 20, 2014, it was released by Cinema Epoch. It was released for the first time on Blu-ray by Arrow Video on December 5, 2017. Arrow also released the film on DVD that same day. [3]

Reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 75% based on eight reviews, with a weighted average rating of 5.8/10. [4]

Film critic Mark Kermode recommended the film as one of the best video nasties of the era. [5] Brett Gallman, in his review of the film for Oh, the Horror, wrote, "For all its glib asides, The Witch Who Came from the Sea leaves the haunting image of a woman undone by a world that never lived up to the fantasies inside of her television set." [6] Casey Scott from DVD Drive-in called the film "an unsung psychological gem" among 1970s exploitation films. [7] Chris Coffel of Bloody Disgusting gave the film a score of four out of five, writing, "The Witch Who Came from the Sea is a movie people need to see. Again it's not horror in the typical sense, though it was a video nasty, but it is without question horrific. And despite it's[ sic ] grim nature, the film is quite beautiful thanks to the DP work of the legendary Dean Cundey." [8] Todd Martin of HorrorNews.net called the film "a hidden gem", praising its bleak tone and Perkins' performance. [9]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Erica Leerhsen</span> American actress

Erica Lei Leerhsen is an American actress. She first gained recognition for her leading part in the moderately successful horror sequel Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 (2000). Her work led her to take on a recurring role in the first season of The Guardian and star in the horror hit The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003). She has since appeared in numerous films of that genre, including Wrong Turn 2: Dead End (2007), Lonely Joe (2009) and The Butterfly Room (2012). She has also acted in the Woody Allen films Hollywood Ending (2002), Anything Else (2003) and Magic in the Moonlight (2014) as well as in Allen's play A Second-Hand Memory (2004).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Millie Perkins</span> American film and television actress (born 1936)

Millie Perkins is an American retired film, television actress and model known for her debut film role as Anne Frank in The Diary of Anne Frank (1959), and for her supporting actress roles in two 1966 Westerns, The Shooting and Ride in the Whirlwind, both directed by Monte Hellman.

<i>Dr. Terrors House of Horrors</i> 1965 British film

Dr Terror's House of Horrors is a 1965 British anthology horror film from Amicus Productions, directed by veteran horror director Freddie Francis, written by Milton Subotsky, and starring Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee.

<i>The Sentinel</i> (1977 film) 1977 American horror film directed by Michael Winner

The Sentinel is a 1977 American supernatural horror film directed by Michael Winner, and starring Cristina Raines, Chris Sarandon, Ava Gardner, Burgess Meredith, Sylvia Miles and Eli Wallach. The plot focuses on a young model who moves into a historic Brooklyn brownstone that has been sectioned into apartments, only to find that the building is owned by the Catholic diocese and is a gateway to Hell. It is based on the 1974 novel of the same name by Jeffrey Konvitz, who also co-wrote the screenplay with director Winner. It also features Christopher Walken, Jeff Goldblum, John Carradine, Jerry Orbach, Tom Berenger, Nana Visitor and Beverly D'Angelo in supporting roles.

<i>The Last Horror Film</i> 1982 film by David Winters

The Last Horror Film is a 1982 American horror comedy film directed by David Winters and starring Joe Spinell and Caroline Munro. Its plot follows a delusional middle-aged New York City taxi driver who, fixated on the idea of being a film director, visits the Cannes Film Festival where he begins stalking an actress he is obsessed with.

<i>Violent Shit</i> 1989 film

Violent Shit is a 1989 West German horror film written and directed by Andreas Schnaas.

Matt Cimber is an American producer, director, writer, He also occasionally acts in films, television, and theatre. He is known for directing genre films including The Candy Tangerine Man, The Witch Who Came from the Sea,Hundra, and the controversial drama Butterfly. Cimber has been called "an unsung hero of 70s exploitation cinema." He was co-founder and director of the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling (GLOW) professional wrestling promotion and syndicated television series. Cimber was also the last husband of actress Jayne Mansfield, directing her on stage and in the film Single Room Furnished (1968), which was released after her death.

<i>The Mutilator</i> 1984 American slasher film by Buddy Cooper

The Mutilator is a 1984 American slasher film written, directed and produced by Buddy Cooper, and co-directed by John S. Douglass. The plot follows a group of college students who travel to an island property during fall break and are stalked and murdered by one of the students' fathers.

<i>The Haunting of Molly Hartley</i> 2008 American film

The Haunting of Molly Hartley is a 2008 American supernatural horror film written by John Travis and Rebecca Sonnenshine and directed by Mickey Liddell. The film, starring Haley Bennett, Chace Crawford, AnnaLynne McCord, and Jake Weber, was a critical failure but a mild commercial success.

<i>The Tenderness of Wolves</i> (film) 1973 film

The Tenderness of Wolves is a 1973 West German crime drama film directed by Ulli Lommel. The story is based on the crimes of German serial killer and cannibal Fritz Haarmann. It was written by Kurt Raab, who also stars in the film, and produced by Rainer Werner Fassbinder. It was entered into the 23rd Berlin International Film Festival.

<i>The Nesting</i> 1981 horror film

The Nesting is a 1981 American supernatural horror film directed and co-written by Armand Weston, and starring Robin Groves, Michael Lally, John Carradine and Gloria Grahame in her final film role. Its plot follows an agoraphobic novelist who rents a rural mansion that she comes to find is haunted by the prostitute victims of a mass murder that occurred there in the 1940s.

Robert Thom was an American writer of films, plays, novels and poems, best known for writing the screenplay for Death Race 2000 (1975), produced by Roger Corman's New World and directed by Paul Bartel.

<i>Hell High</i> 1989 American film

Hell High is a 1989 American slasher film written, produced, and directed by Douglas Grossman. The film centers on a school teacher who suffers a mental breakdown after being harassed and attacked by a group of her students, driving her into a homicidal rage.

<i>V/H/S/2</i> 2013 found footage horror anthology film

V/H/S/2 is a 2013 found footage horror anthology film produced by Bloody Disgusting and Roxanne Benjamin. The second installment in the V/H/S franchise, it comprises four found footage segments linked together by a fifth frame narrative. V/H/S/2 features a largely different group of directors: Jason Eisener, Gareth Evans, Timo Tjahjanto, Eduardo Sánchez, and Gregg Hale, and franchise returnees Simon Barrett and Adam Wingard.

<i>The Premonition</i> (1976 film) 1976 film by Robert Allen Schnitzer

The Premonition is a 1976 American psychological horror film produced and directed by Robert Allen Schnitzer, and starring Richard Lynch, Sharon Farrell, Danielle Brisebois, and Jeff Corey. Its plot follows a foster mother who enlists the help of a parapsychologist after her foster daughter is stalked by her mentally-unhinged biological mother and her circus clown boyfriend.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peggy Feury</span> American actress (1924–1985)

Peggy Feury was an American actress on Broadway, in films, and on television. She became a highly regarded acting teacher in New York and then in Los Angeles. Throughout her career, she taught many notable students.

<i>A Christmas Horror Story</i> 2015 Canadian film

A Christmas Horror Story is a 2015 Canadian anthology horror film directed by Grant Harvey, Steven Hoban, and Brett Sullivan. It premiered on July 20, 2015, at the Fantasia International Film Festival and had a limited theatrical release on October 2, 2015, along with a VOD release. The film is a series of interwoven stories tied together by a framework story featuring William Shatner as a radio DJ.

<i>The Exorcism of Molly Hartley</i> 2015 American film

The Exorcism of Molly Hartley is a 2015 American supernatural horror film written by Matt Venne and directed by Steven R. Monroe. The film is a sequel to the 2008 film The Haunting of Molly Hartley. It was released on Digital HD on October 9, 2015, and on Blu-ray on October 20, 2015.

<i>Malatestas Carnival of Blood</i> 1973 American film

Malatesta's Carnival of Blood is a 1973 American horror film, directed by Christopher Speeth and written by Werner Liepolt. It is the only film that Speeth and Liepolt made.

<i>The Witch in the Window</i> 2018 American film

The Witch in the Window is a 2018 American supernatural horror film, written and directed by Andy Mitton. The film premiered on 23 July 2018 at Fantasia International Film Festival.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Wolfe, April (March 4, 2019). "The Witch Who Came from the Sea (1976)". Film Comment . Archived from the original on March 5, 2019.
  2. ↑ "The Witch Who Came from the Sea". BBFC . Retrieved December 19, 2011.
  3. ↑ "The Witch Who Came From the Sea (1976) - Matt Cimber". Allmovie.com. AllMcvie. Retrieved July 3, 2018.
  4. ↑ "The Witch Who Came from the Sea (1976) - Rotten Tomatoes". Rotten Tomatoes.com. Flixer. Retrieved July 3, 2018.
  5. ↑ Kermode, during an interview with Simon Mayo on BBC Radio 5 on June 12, 2009
  6. ↑ Gallman, Brett. "Horror Reviews - Witch Who Came from the Sea, The (1976)". Oh the Horror.com. Brett Gallman. Retrieved July 3, 2018.
  7. ↑ The Witch Who Came from the Sea (1976) Director: Matt Cimber Subversive Cinema (Casey Scott review)
  8. ↑ Coffel, Chris (April 25, 2016). "[Blu-ray Review] 'The American Horror Project - Vol 1' Sheds Light on Lesser Known American Horror - Bloody Disgusting". Bloody Disgusting.com. Chris Coffel. Retrieved July 3, 2018.
  9. ↑ martin, Todd. "Film Review: The Witch Who Came from the Sea (1976)". HorrorNews.net. Todd Martin. Retrieved July 3, 2018.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.