Michael Reeves’s WITCHFINDER GENERAL (1968)

RETROGOTHIC FILM SERIES
April 24-26, 2026 | |$12 per film | $50 for a 5-Pass

Michael Reeves’s WITCHFINDER GENERAL
(R, 1968, 86 min)
Witchfinder General is one of the most disturbing visions of British horror’s golden age. Set during the English Civil War, it follows Matthew Hopkins, chillingly portrayed by Vincent Price, as he exploits superstition to accuse innocents of witchcraft—profiting from torture and execution until vengeance rises against him. Unlike Hammer’s gothic fantasies, Reeves presented human cruelty in stark daylight, making the violence all the more unsettling. Upon release, the BBFC demanded cuts, and the film carried an X certificate in Britain, while U.S. audiences saw a censored version under the Poe-inspired title The Conqueror Worm. Controversial then, acclaimed now, its bleak landscapes and merciless tone remain devastating—an experience that grows only more powerful on the big screen.
Viewer’s Guide: Graphic violence, torture, and historical brutality.
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• Next Wednesday, 18th February, 07:00 pm, William Girdler’s THE MANITOU (1978) in Durham

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