A curious low budget horror film, it has two very talented performers at the head of the cast: Pamela Franklin, of 'The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie' and Orson Welles, of many great films. The script does not give either of them the opportunity to maximise their acting potential though, and in fact, the whole story is fairly predictable, quite ordinary or worse. Still, there are a number of atmospheric segments in the film, with fitting music and camera-work setting the mood. It is excessively dark, the odd sound effects are jarring and the cheap special effects do it no good. However, there are some effective moments in the mix. It is not a very good film overall, but it does have some interesting elements. And, for what it is worth, Franklin's acting at times is quite natural.
41 Reviews
Silly Satanic fun.
BA_Harrison21 September 2018
Warning: Spoilers
Director Bert I. Gordon is best known for his B-movies that feature colossal creatures. Necromancy is another 'colossal' film... a colossal pile of hokey nonsense, but entertaining enough for those who like silly seventies Satanic horror.
Recovering from the loss of her stillborn child, Lori (Pamela Franklin) accompanies her husband Frank (Michael Ontkean) to the town of Lilith, where he has been offered a plum job working for toy manufacture Mr. Cato (Orson Welles). In reality, it is Lori that Cato, head of a coven of witches, is interested in, for she possesses the power to return his dead son to life.
There's so much wrong with Necromancy that it's hard to take seriously: the script is a slapdash mess of clichés, the direction and editing are clumsy, and the dialogue absolutely awful (so much exposition is delivered via conversation that it proves laughable). As the story lurches awkwardly from one scene to another, you will be left trying to answer many questions: Why does Lori pick up the ugly rag doll at the burning car wreck? Why does she keep seeing Cato's son if he is dead? Was Frank a witch all along? Why does Lori make a doll of herself and then stab it? What does 'born with a veil' mean? (Google answered that last one for me).
It's all very confusing at times, but somehow still engaging throughout. Franklin provides some brief topless nudity, as does ravishing redhead Sue Bernard (sadly, lovely Lee Purcell doesn't join in on the fun); Welles hams it up a treat as the mysterious town leader; there are some trippy visuals, especially in a strange scene where Franklin is fed a magic mushroom by Cato's dead son; and, best of all, we get one of those incredibly daft circular twist endings - you know the kind... it was all a dream, but one that is about to come true.
5.5 out of 10, rounded up to 6 for IMDb.
Recovering from the loss of her stillborn child, Lori (Pamela Franklin) accompanies her husband Frank (Michael Ontkean) to the town of Lilith, where he has been offered a plum job working for toy manufacture Mr. Cato (Orson Welles). In reality, it is Lori that Cato, head of a coven of witches, is interested in, for she possesses the power to return his dead son to life.
There's so much wrong with Necromancy that it's hard to take seriously: the script is a slapdash mess of clichés, the direction and editing are clumsy, and the dialogue absolutely awful (so much exposition is delivered via conversation that it proves laughable). As the story lurches awkwardly from one scene to another, you will be left trying to answer many questions: Why does Lori pick up the ugly rag doll at the burning car wreck? Why does she keep seeing Cato's son if he is dead? Was Frank a witch all along? Why does Lori make a doll of herself and then stab it? What does 'born with a veil' mean? (Google answered that last one for me).
It's all very confusing at times, but somehow still engaging throughout. Franklin provides some brief topless nudity, as does ravishing redhead Sue Bernard (sadly, lovely Lee Purcell doesn't join in on the fun); Welles hams it up a treat as the mysterious town leader; there are some trippy visuals, especially in a strange scene where Franklin is fed a magic mushroom by Cato's dead son; and, best of all, we get one of those incredibly daft circular twist endings - you know the kind... it was all a dream, but one that is about to come true.
5.5 out of 10, rounded up to 6 for IMDb.
Hokum.
gridoon17 December 2001
When you're making a thriller about witchcraft, I believe you should do everything you can to help the audience suspend its disbelief in order for the movie to work. Some pictures ("Rosemary's Baby", for example) have accomplished this; others (like "Necromancy") haven't and the potentially scary material comes across as corny and goofy. This film does have some atmospheric moments, but about half the dialogue is hard to make out (sometimes it's poorly recorded, at other times just incomprehensible) and Orson Welles, who gets top billing, has a role that is so BENEATH him that you have to assume he was desperate for the work. Or maybe he was simply having fun.....(*1/2)
Not bad, but you've seen all of this before.
verna555 November 2000
Writer/producer/director Bert I. Gordon, known best for his various '50's giant-monster-on-the-loose sci-fi epics, does his rendition of ROSEMARY'S BABY. The action takes place in a small, sinister village that specializes in the manufacturing of occult toys. Orson Welles is the madman at the center of the terror who is plotting to give his dead son life again. Pamela Franklin is the pert and pretty young woman gradually being lured into the dark and mysterious world of the supernatural. Despite prominent billing, Welles makes a fairly brief appearance. The cast handles the tiresome material well, and this is probably the closest Gordon has come to making a good film. But, keep in mind, it's not really a good film, but an absurdly entertaining diversion for those who think they can take it. A slightly longer version of the movie called THE WITCHING contains several minutes worth of frontal nudity, and contains an early appearance by scream queen Brinke Stevens.
UNSATISFACTORY! I demand a refund.
Quag78 February 2009
Warning: Spoilers
I've given up trying to figure out what version of this I'm watching. The copyright at the end indicates 1983. And though this is not the important bit of my objection to this film, I will say that watching a film obviously made in the Aquarian Age (including long haired hippie chicks and odious station wagons) but with a 1980s synth soundtrack is unsettling. Extremely unsettling.
My main objection here is HOW DARE THE FILMMAKERS BURY CUTE-AS-A-BUTTON PAMELA FRANKLIN ALIVE. HOW DARE THEY.
Seriously she's all like adorable and stuff but in the two movies I've seen her in - this crapfest and the otherwise excellent Legend of Hell House - they kill her off.
I would like to put the film industry on notice. Pamela Franklin has apparently retired from the business but if she ever decides to do another film and some blasted cur of a director attempts to kill her off I SHALL ASK HIM TO STEP OUTSIDE.
NO ONE BEATS UP ON PAMELA FRANKLIN AND GETS AWAY WITH IT. I AM QUITE CROSS. THE FURY HAS BEEN UNLEASHED.
For B-movie fans seeking out a crapfest, you could do much worse than this. On the plus side, this is not a film which involves Satanism in a peripheral and circumspect way - this movie is a hardcore satanic film.
Wall-to-wall satanic ceremonies, baphomets, hallucinations, a ludicrous rat attack - what else could you ask for.
This excellent stuff is quite nearly ruined by the baffling grafted-on 1980s synth soundtrack, which is about as mismatched to a film as it is possible to be. The soundtrack reminded me of something you'd hear on The Equalizer. It's really bad.
Also, they made Pamela Franklin squash her charming English accent, which was also quite rude, if not a cruel atrocity (against the viewer) such as you might find covered by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. I say that we have a right to hear Pamela Franklin speak in her own voice. Who's with me? I could forgive everything else about this film if they didn't abuse Pamela Franklin. And so I throw the gauntlet down, sirs -- ANYONE WHO MESSES WITH PAMELA FRANKLIN MESSES WITH ME.
EVEN IN A FICTIONAL CONTEXT.
GOOD DAY, SIRS.
My main objection here is HOW DARE THE FILMMAKERS BURY CUTE-AS-A-BUTTON PAMELA FRANKLIN ALIVE. HOW DARE THEY.
Seriously she's all like adorable and stuff but in the two movies I've seen her in - this crapfest and the otherwise excellent Legend of Hell House - they kill her off.
I would like to put the film industry on notice. Pamela Franklin has apparently retired from the business but if she ever decides to do another film and some blasted cur of a director attempts to kill her off I SHALL ASK HIM TO STEP OUTSIDE.
NO ONE BEATS UP ON PAMELA FRANKLIN AND GETS AWAY WITH IT. I AM QUITE CROSS. THE FURY HAS BEEN UNLEASHED.
For B-movie fans seeking out a crapfest, you could do much worse than this. On the plus side, this is not a film which involves Satanism in a peripheral and circumspect way - this movie is a hardcore satanic film.
Wall-to-wall satanic ceremonies, baphomets, hallucinations, a ludicrous rat attack - what else could you ask for.
This excellent stuff is quite nearly ruined by the baffling grafted-on 1980s synth soundtrack, which is about as mismatched to a film as it is possible to be. The soundtrack reminded me of something you'd hear on The Equalizer. It's really bad.
Also, they made Pamela Franklin squash her charming English accent, which was also quite rude, if not a cruel atrocity (against the viewer) such as you might find covered by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. I say that we have a right to hear Pamela Franklin speak in her own voice. Who's with me? I could forgive everything else about this film if they didn't abuse Pamela Franklin. And so I throw the gauntlet down, sirs -- ANYONE WHO MESSES WITH PAMELA FRANKLIN MESSES WITH ME.
EVEN IN A FICTIONAL CONTEXT.
GOOD DAY, SIRS.
THE WITCHING {1983 Re-Edited Version Of NECROMANCY} (Bert I. Gordon, 1972) *1/2
Bunuel197620 October 2007
Warning: Spoilers
The only previous Gordon film I had watched was the kiddie adventure THE MAGIC SWORD (1962), though I followed this soon after with EMPIRE OF THE ANTS (1977); he seems to be best remembered, however, for his sci-fi work of the 1950s.
Anyway, I happened upon this one in a DVD rental shop: hadn't I noticed Orson Welles' unmistakable figure on the sleeve, I probably wouldn't even have bothered with it – since I know the film under its original title, NECROMANCY! I'd seen a still from it on an old horror tome of my father's: the actor's presence in a film about diabolism seemed like a great idea which couldn't possibly miss, but the end result – particularly in this bastardized edition – is a disaster! I honestly felt sorry for Welles who looks bored and, rather than in his deep and commanding voice, he mutters the inane demonic invocations almost in whispers!!
The plot is, basically, yet another retread of ROSEMARY'S BABY (1968): a couple is invited to a remote community under false pretenses and soon discover themselves to be surrounded by diabolists. The girl, played by Pamela Franklin, ostensibly has supernatural powers (passed on from her mother, who appears intermittently throughout to warn her – though, as delivered in an intense manner through clenched teeth, the latter's speeches end up being largely incoherent and the fount of immense hilarity every time she appears!) and is expected to revive Welles' deceased young son from the dead!! For what it's worth, Franklin – a genre regular, right down from her debut performance in THE INNOCENTS (1961) – isn't bad in her role (which requires some nudity and experiences several semi-eerie hallucinations during the course of the film); hubby Michael Ontkean, however, isn't up to the challenge of his John Cassavetes-like character. Some of the other girls look good as well – notably Lee Purcell, whose belated decision to help Franklin in escaping from town eventually proves her undoing.
Events come to a head in an incredibly muddled climax, which sees the Satanists ultimately turning on Franklin and have her take the revived boy's place in the coffin (that's gratitude for you!). While the added scenes do stick out (the hilarious opening ceremony and other would-be erotic embellishments), the overall quality of the film would have still been poor without them; then again, this particular version is further sunk by the tacked-on electronic score – which is wholly inappropriate, and cheesy in the extreme!
Anyway, I happened upon this one in a DVD rental shop: hadn't I noticed Orson Welles' unmistakable figure on the sleeve, I probably wouldn't even have bothered with it – since I know the film under its original title, NECROMANCY! I'd seen a still from it on an old horror tome of my father's: the actor's presence in a film about diabolism seemed like a great idea which couldn't possibly miss, but the end result – particularly in this bastardized edition – is a disaster! I honestly felt sorry for Welles who looks bored and, rather than in his deep and commanding voice, he mutters the inane demonic invocations almost in whispers!!
The plot is, basically, yet another retread of ROSEMARY'S BABY (1968): a couple is invited to a remote community under false pretenses and soon discover themselves to be surrounded by diabolists. The girl, played by Pamela Franklin, ostensibly has supernatural powers (passed on from her mother, who appears intermittently throughout to warn her – though, as delivered in an intense manner through clenched teeth, the latter's speeches end up being largely incoherent and the fount of immense hilarity every time she appears!) and is expected to revive Welles' deceased young son from the dead!! For what it's worth, Franklin – a genre regular, right down from her debut performance in THE INNOCENTS (1961) – isn't bad in her role (which requires some nudity and experiences several semi-eerie hallucinations during the course of the film); hubby Michael Ontkean, however, isn't up to the challenge of his John Cassavetes-like character. Some of the other girls look good as well – notably Lee Purcell, whose belated decision to help Franklin in escaping from town eventually proves her undoing.
Events come to a head in an incredibly muddled climax, which sees the Satanists ultimately turning on Franklin and have her take the revived boy's place in the coffin (that's gratitude for you!). While the added scenes do stick out (the hilarious opening ceremony and other would-be erotic embellishments), the overall quality of the film would have still been poor without them; then again, this particular version is further sunk by the tacked-on electronic score – which is wholly inappropriate, and cheesy in the extreme!
Necromancy might have been OK, but The Witching is muddled
FieCrier4 September 2005
Warning: Spoilers
I watched the Canadian videotape of this movie as "The Witching" which somehow made its way to New York State. Audio was quite bad, I had to raise it to about 7/8 just to hear it and the soundtrack often was overwhelming the dialog. Orson Welles was a mumbler, worse than usual, and some of his dialog and of others was run through an echo chamber. A ghostly figure who keeps reappearing had her voice distorted. Some closed captions would really have helped!
A group of witches or satanists (the end credits say the group was not meant to represent any real group!) have a ritual in which they get naked and cause a miscarriage by stabbing a doll. The woman who had the miscarriage and her husband move to a town named "Lilith," where he's been offered a job at a toy factory. Despite one of the AKAs of this movie apparently being "The Toy Factory," we never see it, and it's only occasionally referred to at all.
On the way to Lilith, her husband gets impatient with some of her questions about what his new boss Mr. Cato wanted to know about their religious persuasion. He drives aggressively, and causes another car to go off the road and blow up. After the police arrive, she takes a doll that fell out of the car, the second of many handmade dolls in the movie.
It turns out Mr. Cato and all the townspeople are witches, and that they are the ones who caused her miscarriage, though she doesn't realize it. They want her because she has an innate talent for necromancy, of which she was not really aware.
Some images in the movie have some impact, but on the whole the movie is not very involving. The movie does seem a bit of a mess, and this is no doubt largely due to its re- editing and the addition of new footage. The original version, according to the end credits, was called Necromancy - A Life for a Life. The magic of DVD could let us see both versions on one disc, but re-releasing this movie probably isn't a priority.
A group of witches or satanists (the end credits say the group was not meant to represent any real group!) have a ritual in which they get naked and cause a miscarriage by stabbing a doll. The woman who had the miscarriage and her husband move to a town named "Lilith," where he's been offered a job at a toy factory. Despite one of the AKAs of this movie apparently being "The Toy Factory," we never see it, and it's only occasionally referred to at all.
On the way to Lilith, her husband gets impatient with some of her questions about what his new boss Mr. Cato wanted to know about their religious persuasion. He drives aggressively, and causes another car to go off the road and blow up. After the police arrive, she takes a doll that fell out of the car, the second of many handmade dolls in the movie.
It turns out Mr. Cato and all the townspeople are witches, and that they are the ones who caused her miscarriage, though she doesn't realize it. They want her because she has an innate talent for necromancy, of which she was not really aware.
Some images in the movie have some impact, but on the whole the movie is not very involving. The movie does seem a bit of a mess, and this is no doubt largely due to its re- editing and the addition of new footage. The original version, according to the end credits, was called Necromancy - A Life for a Life. The magic of DVD could let us see both versions on one disc, but re-releasing this movie probably isn't a priority.
Disappointingly hackneyed witchcraft chiller
Leofwine_draca1 February 2017
Warning: Spoilers
The release history of NECROMANCY is perhaps more lively and entertaining than the film itself. This witchcraft horror is perhaps most interesting for featuring Orson Welles in a late role as a hefty Satanist with a sinister murder plot to bring his dead son back to life. I was delighted to see it, finally, because it's directed by the incredible long-running director Bert I. Gordon, who made all of those great giant monster movies back in the 1950s.
This film is notable for being re-released under a ton of different titles around the world, with the '80s re-release entitled THE WITCHING perhaps more popular than the original version. I'm happy to say that I watched the full and unedited original here. A pity, then, after all this fuss, that NECROMANCY turns out to be a disappointing film, far too pedestrian and hackneyed to make much of an impact.
As a film it owes a heck of a lot to other witchcraft chillers from the era, particularly ROSEMARY'S BABY. There are also shades of THE STEPFORD WIVES, with scenes of creeping social paranoia brought to the forefront. There were a whole wave of these slow-paced and subtle horrors made during the era, but I found NECROMANCY pedestrian. The direction is effective and there are a handful of creepy moments, but they add up to very little that hasn't been seen before. Pamela Franklin stars, adding another horror role to her extensive resume.
This film is notable for being re-released under a ton of different titles around the world, with the '80s re-release entitled THE WITCHING perhaps more popular than the original version. I'm happy to say that I watched the full and unedited original here. A pity, then, after all this fuss, that NECROMANCY turns out to be a disappointing film, far too pedestrian and hackneyed to make much of an impact.
As a film it owes a heck of a lot to other witchcraft chillers from the era, particularly ROSEMARY'S BABY. There are also shades of THE STEPFORD WIVES, with scenes of creeping social paranoia brought to the forefront. There were a whole wave of these slow-paced and subtle horrors made during the era, but I found NECROMANCY pedestrian. The direction is effective and there are a handful of creepy moments, but they add up to very little that hasn't been seen before. Pamela Franklin stars, adding another horror role to her extensive resume.
Bizarre Film
Rainey-Dawn8 May 2017
I watched this film under the title "Necromancy" it aka "The Witching". I do not know the differences between the two titles. I do know that watching this one as "Necromancy" was a pretty good, not great but not awful.
Little things will happen from the start of the film but really won't get going until about 25 minutes into it - as far as lots of actual witchcraft going on or is Lori Brandon going mad, dreaming up the witchcraft? I won't ruin the film for first time viewers, but I can tell you it's a bizarre film that will have you wondering if it's real or all in Lori's head.
It's a surreal film that I found worth the hour watch - not great but a fun watch! 5/10
Little things will happen from the start of the film but really won't get going until about 25 minutes into it - as far as lots of actual witchcraft going on or is Lori Brandon going mad, dreaming up the witchcraft? I won't ruin the film for first time viewers, but I can tell you it's a bizarre film that will have you wondering if it's real or all in Lori's head.
It's a surreal film that I found worth the hour watch - not great but a fun watch! 5/10
A bit confusing but strong on atmosphere...
planktonrules16 February 2017
I saw an extended version of "Necromancy" that is available to watch on YouTube. The introduction claims that deleted footage was restored in this version--making the film more complete and coherent. So, when you see some reviews that hated the movie, it is possible they saw the shorter version. As for me, the film I saw was MUCH better than the current 4.2 and this could be because it's more the director or writer's original vision.
Pamela Franklin stars as Lori. While Orson Welles gets top billing, she was clearly the focus of the film...and I assume they billed Welles first to improve marketing or as part of the contract to get Welles to appear in the movie. Lori recently had a miscarriage and her husband Frank (Michael Ontkean) has taken a job near the town of Lillith. However, the folks offering the job had a lot of strange questions--questions about his and his wife's religious beliefs. While these sort of questions are illegal to ask, he responds that they are both atheists and that seemed to make the employer happy...or so Frank says.
When they get to Lillith, they find the place is a hellhole....and that really isn't an exaggeration! The folks are all members of a Satanic cult led by Mr. Cato (Welles) and Lori naturally wants to leave. But Frank inexplicably blows off her worries and seems to like the place and the strange people. So why did they REALLY come here and why are the folks so interested in Lori?
This movie is above all, creepy...with a dark, brooding atmosphere throughout. The story, though sometimes confusing, was also pretty interesting...but suffers some because of its close similarity to "Rosemary's Baby". In other words, if you've already seen this earlier film it's pretty easy to guess what's going on in "Necromancy". Not a great film but food if you would like a few chills.
Pamela Franklin stars as Lori. While Orson Welles gets top billing, she was clearly the focus of the film...and I assume they billed Welles first to improve marketing or as part of the contract to get Welles to appear in the movie. Lori recently had a miscarriage and her husband Frank (Michael Ontkean) has taken a job near the town of Lillith. However, the folks offering the job had a lot of strange questions--questions about his and his wife's religious beliefs. While these sort of questions are illegal to ask, he responds that they are both atheists and that seemed to make the employer happy...or so Frank says.
When they get to Lillith, they find the place is a hellhole....and that really isn't an exaggeration! The folks are all members of a Satanic cult led by Mr. Cato (Welles) and Lori naturally wants to leave. But Frank inexplicably blows off her worries and seems to like the place and the strange people. So why did they REALLY come here and why are the folks so interested in Lori?
This movie is above all, creepy...with a dark, brooding atmosphere throughout. The story, though sometimes confusing, was also pretty interesting...but suffers some because of its close similarity to "Rosemary's Baby". In other words, if you've already seen this earlier film it's pretty easy to guess what's going on in "Necromancy". Not a great film but food if you would like a few chills.
Mostly Lousy Rosemary's Baby Wannabe
maisyskinner11 October 2021
After losing her child, a young wife moves with her husband to the creepy town of Lilith where he's secured a job with the mysterious Mr. Cato. Soon, the wife wanders why there are no children around and no one, besides Mr. Cato, is over 30.
Despite a better than average cast of familiar faces including Orson Wells as Mr. Cato, Necromancy is nothing more than an unspirited Rosemary's Baby ripoff where a young woman starts to think an entire community is plotting against her and everyone is a Satan-worshipping witch. If it weren't for the few flashes of nudity, it could easily be confused for an unmemorable TV movie.
Despite a better than average cast of familiar faces including Orson Wells as Mr. Cato, Necromancy is nothing more than an unspirited Rosemary's Baby ripoff where a young woman starts to think an entire community is plotting against her and everyone is a Satan-worshipping witch. If it weren't for the few flashes of nudity, it could easily be confused for an unmemorable TV movie.
There are several altered versions of this film.
wouldnti3 July 2003
The film "Necromancy" (1972) was considerably altered for a re-released version which I'm not sure was ever shown in theaters (it may have been a straight-to-video release). This altered version, re-titled "The Witching"(1981, if I'm not mistaken) is apparently only one of several such versions. Since they are under other titles ("A Life For A Life", "Rosemary's Disciples", etc.), I'm assuming (though I'm not certain) that these have been altered further. However, I have seen both "Necromancy" & "The Witching". While the original film (which is next to impossible to find anywhere-though I was able to track down a copy) is a suspenseful, gothic horror film, various key elements were removed for "The Witching", including: the final scene, which clears up some plot points while adding a final twist to the story; both the opening & closing titles, which were replaced with painfully ordinary sequences; & the original music score, which included a memorable song entitled "The Morning After" (not to be confused with the Oscar-winning song of the same title used in "The Poseidon Adventure", released the same year).The new (completely different) music score is horribly, embarassingly cheesy. The sequence of scenes, in some places, was also changed slightly & there was additional (& badly misplaced) footage added. I can only imagine what liberties have been taken with the more recent altered versions, since seeing for myself what else has been done to the original film would be much scarier than "Necromancy" itself.
Exquisite corpse
drownsoda9030 July 2018
This drive-in schlockfest has Pamela Franklin starring as a Los Angeles woman who moves to a bizarre small town in Northern California with her husband (Michael Ontkean) where he is to be employed for a toy company. The longer she spends there, the more disconcerted she becomes over the influence his boss, Mr. Cato (Orson Welles), has on the townspeople, which consist exclusively of young, fresh-faced hippies with a taste for all things occult.
"Necromancy" had a troubled release history and was apparently re-edited to some degree in the early 1980s and re-released as a softcore film under the title "The Witching Hour"; the cut of the film I saw was apparently an early R-rated cut under the "Necromancy" title that is allegedly close to writer-director Burt Gordon's original vision, if you want to call it that. "Necromancy" as a whole feels like a "vision" of sorts-a hazy, drugged-out romp through Manson family-era California, with a supernatural twist. It suffers terribly from disjointed editing and a general lack of cohesion, which is disappointing given that the narrative is actually quite straightforward.
The film will remain an eternal curiosity for Welles's involvement, though his role is minimal and his presence generally underwhelming. The lovely Pamela Franklin (who many genre fans know and love from "The Innocents" and "Legend of Hell House") is a formidable lead and does what she can with the material; a strappingly handsome Michael Ontkean plays her husband and is less impressive but still has a likable screen presence; and Lee Purcell (later of Wes Craven's TV schlocker "Summer of Fear") is aptly doe-eyed and dead-faced as a distant member of the town/coven trying to revive Welles's dead son.
The film has a clever albeit rather standard twist that gives it a fun bite considering most of it is rather straightforward despite its acid-trip aesthetics. In the end, the film suffers greatly from serious disjointedness (presumably because it is so badly edited), but there are some ominous, utterly bizarre (and sometimes eerie) visuals throughout that are distinct to the era. Ultimately, what we have here is a drive-in-calibre occult flick, which, depending on who you are, may or may not be a complete delight. For visuals alone, I feel it's worth watching, though it does present itself as a serious case of "what might have been." 7/10.
"Necromancy" had a troubled release history and was apparently re-edited to some degree in the early 1980s and re-released as a softcore film under the title "The Witching Hour"; the cut of the film I saw was apparently an early R-rated cut under the "Necromancy" title that is allegedly close to writer-director Burt Gordon's original vision, if you want to call it that. "Necromancy" as a whole feels like a "vision" of sorts-a hazy, drugged-out romp through Manson family-era California, with a supernatural twist. It suffers terribly from disjointed editing and a general lack of cohesion, which is disappointing given that the narrative is actually quite straightforward.
The film will remain an eternal curiosity for Welles's involvement, though his role is minimal and his presence generally underwhelming. The lovely Pamela Franklin (who many genre fans know and love from "The Innocents" and "Legend of Hell House") is a formidable lead and does what she can with the material; a strappingly handsome Michael Ontkean plays her husband and is less impressive but still has a likable screen presence; and Lee Purcell (later of Wes Craven's TV schlocker "Summer of Fear") is aptly doe-eyed and dead-faced as a distant member of the town/coven trying to revive Welles's dead son.
The film has a clever albeit rather standard twist that gives it a fun bite considering most of it is rather straightforward despite its acid-trip aesthetics. In the end, the film suffers greatly from serious disjointedness (presumably because it is so badly edited), but there are some ominous, utterly bizarre (and sometimes eerie) visuals throughout that are distinct to the era. Ultimately, what we have here is a drive-in-calibre occult flick, which, depending on who you are, may or may not be a complete delight. For visuals alone, I feel it's worth watching, though it does present itself as a serious case of "what might have been." 7/10.
Outlandish witchery movie in which stands out Orson Welles giving a nice and mysterious acting
ma-cortes12 February 2022
A young marriage (Pamela Franklyn , Michael Ontkean) go to a little town when the husband has got a job at a toy enterprise . There Mr. Cato (Orson Welles) is the head of a community whose one enterprise is the the manufacture of occult toys. Cato runs a witches' coven in the town of Lilith, where he needs the powers of Lori Brandon to raise his son from the dead. Cato, as it turns out , takes his witchcraft seriously and attempts to use to bring his dead son back to life . To do so, he needs a willing sacrifice Life to the Dead and Death to the Living. Enter the Occult World of 'Necromancy"
Poorly made tale of the misadventures of a young marriage and man's continuity quest for supernatural power , as Welles as the high priest out to get victim Franklyn . It displays ordinary elements of the witchery subgenre : Devil worship, witchcraft , diabolic possession and adding some scenes of fully nude coven worship . The picture displays lots of creepy , eerie and nonsense moments. Bizarre, tense, controversial and with chilling scenes about practices of devil worship and satanism ritual . Production values and set design are highlighted by the usual cool scenarios, as exterior , as colorful interior. Make-up and visual effects provide some much needed jolts . Some of the effects are little dated now, but director Bert I Gordon builds intrigue and tension enough through a stately pace. Top-notch casting , in this otherwise average production , as Orson Welles stands out playing his showy role. Orson's acting , is one of his strongest in an unconventionally nasty role. Whenever he was making a movie just for money , Orson would disguise himself . In this piece of horror trash from filmmaker Bert I. Gordon , Welles wears both a fake nose and a false beard . While Pamela Franklyn -still haunted by debuting in the successful The Innocents- is cool a as the unfortunate victim . Main and support cast are acceptable , such as : Pamela Franklin , Orson Welles , Lee Purcell , Michael Ontkean , Sue Bernard and Harvey Jason who married Pamela Franklyn . Rare and frightening musical score Rob Walsh and Karger . As well as atmospheric cinematography by Winton C. Hoch , John Ford's regular cameraman , and shooting took place in Los Gatos, California.
The motion picture was regularly directed by Bert I Gordon. He is a good artisan working from the 50s to 2000s , making passable films in low budget. He's directed movies of all kinds of genres as children films : The Magic Sword, The boy and the pirates. About witchery and necromancy : The Witching, Burning at the stake, Satan's princess. Erotic : The Big Bet, Let's do it. And Bert has a penchant for fantasy with giant beings and huge animals : The Cyclops, King Dinosaur, Earth vs the Spider. Beginning of the end, War of the Colossal beast, Village of the giants, Attack of the Puppet people, Empire of the ants, The food of the goods, among others . Rating : 4,5/10, so-so , but acceptable and passable . The tale will appeal to horror pictures harcore enthusiasts and Orson Welles/Pamela Franklyn fans.
Poorly made tale of the misadventures of a young marriage and man's continuity quest for supernatural power , as Welles as the high priest out to get victim Franklyn . It displays ordinary elements of the witchery subgenre : Devil worship, witchcraft , diabolic possession and adding some scenes of fully nude coven worship . The picture displays lots of creepy , eerie and nonsense moments. Bizarre, tense, controversial and with chilling scenes about practices of devil worship and satanism ritual . Production values and set design are highlighted by the usual cool scenarios, as exterior , as colorful interior. Make-up and visual effects provide some much needed jolts . Some of the effects are little dated now, but director Bert I Gordon builds intrigue and tension enough through a stately pace. Top-notch casting , in this otherwise average production , as Orson Welles stands out playing his showy role. Orson's acting , is one of his strongest in an unconventionally nasty role. Whenever he was making a movie just for money , Orson would disguise himself . In this piece of horror trash from filmmaker Bert I. Gordon , Welles wears both a fake nose and a false beard . While Pamela Franklyn -still haunted by debuting in the successful The Innocents- is cool a as the unfortunate victim . Main and support cast are acceptable , such as : Pamela Franklin , Orson Welles , Lee Purcell , Michael Ontkean , Sue Bernard and Harvey Jason who married Pamela Franklyn . Rare and frightening musical score Rob Walsh and Karger . As well as atmospheric cinematography by Winton C. Hoch , John Ford's regular cameraman , and shooting took place in Los Gatos, California.
The motion picture was regularly directed by Bert I Gordon. He is a good artisan working from the 50s to 2000s , making passable films in low budget. He's directed movies of all kinds of genres as children films : The Magic Sword, The boy and the pirates. About witchery and necromancy : The Witching, Burning at the stake, Satan's princess. Erotic : The Big Bet, Let's do it. And Bert has a penchant for fantasy with giant beings and huge animals : The Cyclops, King Dinosaur, Earth vs the Spider. Beginning of the end, War of the Colossal beast, Village of the giants, Attack of the Puppet people, Empire of the ants, The food of the goods, among others . Rating : 4,5/10, so-so , but acceptable and passable . The tale will appeal to horror pictures harcore enthusiasts and Orson Welles/Pamela Franklyn fans.
The dead kinda stink
BandSAboutMovies2 November 2017
If you go to a town named Lilith to live, you should not be surprised that the town is run by devil worshippers. If Orson Welles comes to you in a robe and his name is Mr. Cato, you should not be shocked to learn that he wants to use you to raise his son from the grave. What is surprising is that for a movie promising rituals and raising the dead, Necromancy isn't all that exciting.
Directed by Bert I. Gordon (War of the Colossal Beast, Picture Mommy Dead), the master of rear projection, this film is all about Lori Brandon (Pamela Franklin, The Legend of Hell House, And Soon the Darkness), a woman who has recently lost a child. She moves with her husband, Richard (Michael Ontkean, Sheriff Harry S. Truman from Twin Peaks) to the aforementioned town of Lilith to start over again.
On the way there, they get in an accident and kill a woman, but it's totally glossed over because this is 1972. Life was cheap. At least Lori gets a baby doll out of this accident.
There used to be a sign in my hometown that said, "What Ellwood City makes, makes Ellwood City." The town of Lilith makes one thing: the world's finest occult paraphernalia. There's one great scene here with Lori sees her image inside a tarot card, a really evocative scene thrown away in a film that is otherwise less than memorable.
If you've seen Rosemary's Baby, you know exactly how this is all gonna turn out. If you are the star of a 1970's horror movie — especially if you are Donald Sutherland — expect to die. Horribly.
Much like the devil, Necromancy goes by many names, such as The Witching, A Life for a Life, Horror-Attack, Rosemary's Disciples and The Toy Factory. When Paragon Video re-released it on VHS in 1982, they chopped out tons of story and dialogue to insert scenes of nude witches like Brinke Stevens and even more Satanic rituals.
As much as I love Orson Welles — we'll have a whole month of his films at some point, I'm certain — this is not his finest hour. He has some fine speeches, but the material is Mrs. Paul's level. Beneath him.
Directed by Bert I. Gordon (War of the Colossal Beast, Picture Mommy Dead), the master of rear projection, this film is all about Lori Brandon (Pamela Franklin, The Legend of Hell House, And Soon the Darkness), a woman who has recently lost a child. She moves with her husband, Richard (Michael Ontkean, Sheriff Harry S. Truman from Twin Peaks) to the aforementioned town of Lilith to start over again.
On the way there, they get in an accident and kill a woman, but it's totally glossed over because this is 1972. Life was cheap. At least Lori gets a baby doll out of this accident.
There used to be a sign in my hometown that said, "What Ellwood City makes, makes Ellwood City." The town of Lilith makes one thing: the world's finest occult paraphernalia. There's one great scene here with Lori sees her image inside a tarot card, a really evocative scene thrown away in a film that is otherwise less than memorable.
If you've seen Rosemary's Baby, you know exactly how this is all gonna turn out. If you are the star of a 1970's horror movie — especially if you are Donald Sutherland — expect to die. Horribly.
Much like the devil, Necromancy goes by many names, such as The Witching, A Life for a Life, Horror-Attack, Rosemary's Disciples and The Toy Factory. When Paragon Video re-released it on VHS in 1982, they chopped out tons of story and dialogue to insert scenes of nude witches like Brinke Stevens and even more Satanic rituals.
As much as I love Orson Welles — we'll have a whole month of his films at some point, I'm certain — this is not his finest hour. He has some fine speeches, but the material is Mrs. Paul's level. Beneath him.
"You're going to use your power for me...to bring me back my son!"
moonspinner5515 January 2017
Cheapjack shocker has Los Angeles couple pulling up stakes after the wife suffers a miscarriage; her husband has been offered a lucrative job in the rural town of Lilith, but her freaky premonitions foretell an unhappy experience, especially with fat cat Orson Welles overseeing the community and its devil-worshipping residents (all under 30). Pamela Franklin has the central role, and she's an interesting presence even if she's been directed to stare at the other actors (and into the camera) as if under a spell. Writer-producer-director Bert I. Gordon should have taken his cue from William Castle after Castle bought the rights to "Rosemary's Baby" but allowed outsiders to take the reins. Gordon's plot, despite its familiar occult trappings, does have some interest, but the presentation is inept. *1/2 from ****
Weird, very weird!
cfc_can6 August 2000
I figured that any horror film with Orson Welles in it would be weird. Necromancy sure was but it was a little too weird for it's own good. The film does indeed have a creepy feel as it deals with a coven of satanists/witches in a small town and a young woman's attempt to escape them. The director though seems to be deliberately trying to confuse the audience by using flashbacks and dream sequences. By the finale, there are too many unanswered questions. What's worse, as the story is so confusing, it's pretty hard to root for any of the characters. It seems odd that Welles would agree to headline this film especially since he doesn't have that much to do. Maybe someday they will put out a tape of the outtakes and bloopers from this movie. Now that would really be fun!
Meaningless speculations in the occult with bad results overloaded with boring nonsense
clanciai27 January 2020
It's surprising to see the genius Orson Welles accepting parts in what must be considered less than mediocre films, and this one must have been one of his very worst. He actually doesn't act much, which doesn't help the film, which gets messed up in an affected efforts at expressionism, in which all the intended horror gets lost - the story could have been made something truly horrible of, but instead it gets drowned in mannerisms of mumbo-jumbo. Sorry, Orson Welles, you oftentimes made better, but you seldom made worse.
Dire AND Tedious
lucyskydiamonds26 February 2008
Like most comments I saw this film under the name of The Witching which is the reissue title. Apparently Necromancy which is the original is better but I doubt it.
Most scenes of the witching still include most necromancy scenes and these are still bad. In many ways I think the added nudity of the witching at least added some entertainment value! But don't be fooled -there's only 3 scenes with nudity and it's of the people standing around variety. No diabolique rumpy pumpy involved!
This movie is so inherently awful it's difficult to know what to criticise first. The dialogue is awful and straight out of the Troma locker. At least Troma is tongue in cheek though. This is straight-faced boredom personified. The acting is variable with Pamela Franklin (Flora the possessed kid in The Innocents would you believe!) the worst with her high-pitched screechy voice. Welles seems merely waiting for his pay cheque. The other female lead has a creepy face so I don't know why Pamela thought she could trust her in the film! And the doctor is pretty bad too. He also looks worringly like Gene Wilder.
It is ineptly filmed with scenes changing for no reason and editing is choppy. This is because the witching is a copy and paste job and not a subtle one at that. Only the lighting is OK. The sound is also dreadful and it's difficult to hear with the appalling new soundtrack which never shuts up. The 'ghost' mother is also equally rubbish but the actress is so hilariously bad at acting that at least it provides some unintentional laughs.
Really this film (the witching at least) is only for the unwary. It can't have many sane fans as it's pretty unwatchable and I actually found it mind-numbingly dull!
The best bit was when the credits rolled - enough said so simply better to this poor excuse for a movie LIKE THE PLAGUE!
Most scenes of the witching still include most necromancy scenes and these are still bad. In many ways I think the added nudity of the witching at least added some entertainment value! But don't be fooled -there's only 3 scenes with nudity and it's of the people standing around variety. No diabolique rumpy pumpy involved!
This movie is so inherently awful it's difficult to know what to criticise first. The dialogue is awful and straight out of the Troma locker. At least Troma is tongue in cheek though. This is straight-faced boredom personified. The acting is variable with Pamela Franklin (Flora the possessed kid in The Innocents would you believe!) the worst with her high-pitched screechy voice. Welles seems merely waiting for his pay cheque. The other female lead has a creepy face so I don't know why Pamela thought she could trust her in the film! And the doctor is pretty bad too. He also looks worringly like Gene Wilder.
It is ineptly filmed with scenes changing for no reason and editing is choppy. This is because the witching is a copy and paste job and not a subtle one at that. Only the lighting is OK. The sound is also dreadful and it's difficult to hear with the appalling new soundtrack which never shuts up. The 'ghost' mother is also equally rubbish but the actress is so hilariously bad at acting that at least it provides some unintentional laughs.
Really this film (the witching at least) is only for the unwary. It can't have many sane fans as it's pretty unwatchable and I actually found it mind-numbingly dull!
The best bit was when the credits rolled - enough said so simply better to this poor excuse for a movie LIKE THE PLAGUE!
Quite a strange film........
EraserheadDr6 February 2008
I have a copy of "The Witching", but i'm not sure if it's the same as "Necromancy". The film is very strange itself. It has a bunch of mumbling in the film. When Orson Welles talks, his voice is all mumbly and really is terrible. It also has a lot of nudity, and I don't know how it had a PG rating. It also has a lot of Satanism in the film.
It has rituals and a bunch of strange, wicked things. For me, I think it's okay, but not the best horror film to see. Very odd with the story and really is messed up. It's about a woman and her husband go to a town called Lilith, and no children are allowed there. Because Mr. Cato(Orson Welles) wants it that way.
You better watch the film if it sounds interesting to you. But it contains a lot of nudity and satanism, witchcraft, bringing the dead to the living and the living to the dead, and just messed up.
It has rituals and a bunch of strange, wicked things. For me, I think it's okay, but not the best horror film to see. Very odd with the story and really is messed up. It's about a woman and her husband go to a town called Lilith, and no children are allowed there. Because Mr. Cato(Orson Welles) wants it that way.
You better watch the film if it sounds interesting to you. But it contains a lot of nudity and satanism, witchcraft, bringing the dead to the living and the living to the dead, and just messed up.
What's in a Name?
BaronBl00d1 July 2006
When a film has no fewer than FIVE different titles, it usually means several things and almost always means that the film has major flaws somewhere. Necromancy has major flaws and is just out and out bad. I saw the version on video called Rosemary's Disciples. Yes, I am sure it differs from other versions, but I am not inclined to think that in any way is any other version and the few more minutes it might have - going to be really any better. The story is perhaps the biggest problem: the film opens with Laurie waking up and her husband taking her to a town where he has a new job at a toy factory for occultists(yep, it gets bad this early!). The town is called Lillith and has some guy with a rifle on the bridge to make sure only those selected by the "owner" of the town are allowed in. Soon we find that everyone living in Lillith is a witch and all follow the directives of Mr. Cato - the head of this municipal coven who wants his dead son back(hence the name Necromancy). The people in the town do witch kind of stuff - have ceremonies, some like wearing a goat's head, and promiscuity abounds(not much really shown in this area), but none of these people are very good actors. Mr. Cato is played robustly by the figuratively and literally larger-than-life movie maverick Orson Welles. Welles is misused, but, make no mistake, he is the best thing in this movie. And that is really the saddest part of Necromancy as Welles gives a pretty poor and pedestrian performance with little directorial guidance. In one scene at a party, director Bert I Gordon keeps going back to Welles watching the action of the party using the exact same frames! It looked ridiculous. As did the scene that was repeatedly seen over and over again of a woman's arm centered in swirling flames after a car crash. It looked like the arm of a shop mannequin. The story is never fully utilized as we never really know what happens: many scenes are shot like dreams or hallucinations and never confirmed. This also applies to the corny, hokey ending. The lead Pamela Franklin is pert and pretty and has some talent. Other than her performance, real slim pickings from the rest of the cast sans Welles. The direction and story were both done by Gordon who obviously had little gas left in the engine. This is not a good movie in any way under any name.
psycho surrealism mixed with satanic rights and witches= a killer flick
ladyksatria6 June 2006
Warning: Spoilers
When I want a cheesy horror flick, I want something that is going to not just entertain, but keep me involved in the plot. This movie delivers on both parts. Not only is it visually interesting with vivid color and special (d)efects, the acting is very convincing.
If you like scary movies that involve witchery, etc., then you are going to dig the kinks in this film. The special defects are great. As to be expected with any horror flick involving witchery/covens, this flick is loaded with imagery and symbolism: tarot cards,a voodoo doll, goat-headed dudes, black robes, fornication, high priest, traitor/trickster,death, fire,and naked people dancing. This film is very much old-school psychedelia. If you like weird noises and bizarre camera angles, you have got to at least see this film once. Believe me, you will remain interested.
A psycho-horror film whose surreal ending will keep you up all night with nightmares is a real treat for lovers of cult film and z-grade, Necromancy is a must-see!
If you like scary movies that involve witchery, etc., then you are going to dig the kinks in this film. The special defects are great. As to be expected with any horror flick involving witchery/covens, this flick is loaded with imagery and symbolism: tarot cards,a voodoo doll, goat-headed dudes, black robes, fornication, high priest, traitor/trickster,death, fire,and naked people dancing. This film is very much old-school psychedelia. If you like weird noises and bizarre camera angles, you have got to at least see this film once. Believe me, you will remain interested.
A psycho-horror film whose surreal ending will keep you up all night with nightmares is a real treat for lovers of cult film and z-grade, Necromancy is a must-see!
Weird, Flawed, But Intriguing
Ziglet_mir3 May 2020
Now this is weirddddd. Sheriff Harry S. Truman from Twin Peaks gets himself a job at a toy factory in a town called Lillith and tells his wife they are packing up and going. The wife (played by Pamela Franklin) is reluctant to go. Then starts the shenanigans... we soon learn Orson Welles is an occult leader in the town made up of witches and he is looking to raise his son from the dead.
I'm not a huge fan of the late 60s early 70s aesthetic but there is something sort of oddly appealing about the occult films like this and Rosemary's Baby that came out during this time. The first two thirds are relatively slow with some good atmosphere, and not-so-great acting (unless you like the extra cheese) but turns pretty damn great in the final 30 minutes.
Director Bert I. Gordon (who is still with us God bless his soul) gives us some nice subtle shots throughout (like the birdcage shot, and a few of the editing sequences). Looks like I'll need to check out the rest of his filmography and take a dive into the cheese fest.
I'm not a huge fan of the late 60s early 70s aesthetic but there is something sort of oddly appealing about the occult films like this and Rosemary's Baby that came out during this time. The first two thirds are relatively slow with some good atmosphere, and not-so-great acting (unless you like the extra cheese) but turns pretty damn great in the final 30 minutes.
Director Bert I. Gordon (who is still with us God bless his soul) gives us some nice subtle shots throughout (like the birdcage shot, and a few of the editing sequences). Looks like I'll need to check out the rest of his filmography and take a dive into the cheese fest.
Orson Wells sticks another fake nose on his face.
fedor819 December 2011
Warning: Spoilers
Is it me or has Orson put a fake nose yet again for this movie? He did it at least once before, in "Touch of Evil" for example, so I wouldn't be surprised if he dood it again. Perhaps that was one of the conditions for appearing in this low-budget Bert I. Gordon nonsense. "Alright, I'll do it, but under several conditions, the first one being that I can use a fake nose."
Pamela Franklin is in nearly every scene. This means that even if this were the dumbest supernatural thriller around, it would still be at the very least an easily watchable movie. Those eyes!
The lines that come out of Pamela's beautiful mouth and her behaviour are a cross between goofy, ditsy, and absurd. She and her hubby Ontkean have a road accident, she witnesses the death of a woman in the other car, and yet they drive on as if nothing had happened. She even takes a "souvenir" from the crash-site, the dead woman's doll.
Plenty of nudity here. On occasion "The Witching" feels like it'd been produced by Hugh Hefman, with the notable difference that all the breasts featured here are real. The movie looks like a 70s flick (which it is) but the occasionally synthesizer-orientated soundtrack is very much 80s. That is a little strange.
The ending is just about as stupid – because totally devoid of ANY twist – as any that I'd ever seen. We had been told beforehand that Pamela has to become a witch in order to bring back to life Orson's dead son, after which she will take his place in the grave. We are told this 20-30 minutes before the end. And guess what happens? That's exactly what happens. I don't remember ever seeing a horror film with such a dead-end crappy ending without a point. If the writer is too lazy to come up with an end-twist (even if it's totally cliché) then he should at least not reveal everything that the viewer will ever find out, already a half-hour before the conclusion. Duh.
Many idiotic things occur, such as a total lack of explanation as to why Franklin willingly became a witch. There was no indication at any point that she wanted any of this, and yet when the time came she took part in the ceremony without any hesitation. Duuuh. The ceremony was to take place only if she became a witch of her own accord. Well, why she accorded of her own accord to join the according chord, this is never accordingly accorded. But this IS a Bert I. Gordon flick, after all, so let's be grateful for little things.
"The other condition that I accept this role is that I win and Pamela loses. And that there is no surprise twist at all." Hmm, perhaps it's all Orson's fault.
Pamela Franklin is in nearly every scene. This means that even if this were the dumbest supernatural thriller around, it would still be at the very least an easily watchable movie. Those eyes!
The lines that come out of Pamela's beautiful mouth and her behaviour are a cross between goofy, ditsy, and absurd. She and her hubby Ontkean have a road accident, she witnesses the death of a woman in the other car, and yet they drive on as if nothing had happened. She even takes a "souvenir" from the crash-site, the dead woman's doll.
Plenty of nudity here. On occasion "The Witching" feels like it'd been produced by Hugh Hefman, with the notable difference that all the breasts featured here are real. The movie looks like a 70s flick (which it is) but the occasionally synthesizer-orientated soundtrack is very much 80s. That is a little strange.
The ending is just about as stupid – because totally devoid of ANY twist – as any that I'd ever seen. We had been told beforehand that Pamela has to become a witch in order to bring back to life Orson's dead son, after which she will take his place in the grave. We are told this 20-30 minutes before the end. And guess what happens? That's exactly what happens. I don't remember ever seeing a horror film with such a dead-end crappy ending without a point. If the writer is too lazy to come up with an end-twist (even if it's totally cliché) then he should at least not reveal everything that the viewer will ever find out, already a half-hour before the conclusion. Duh.
Many idiotic things occur, such as a total lack of explanation as to why Franklin willingly became a witch. There was no indication at any point that she wanted any of this, and yet when the time came she took part in the ceremony without any hesitation. Duuuh. The ceremony was to take place only if she became a witch of her own accord. Well, why she accorded of her own accord to join the according chord, this is never accordingly accorded. But this IS a Bert I. Gordon flick, after all, so let's be grateful for little things.
"The other condition that I accept this role is that I win and Pamela loses. And that there is no surprise twist at all." Hmm, perhaps it's all Orson's fault.
Charles Foster Kane was already the devil, so they screwed up his actor-director here
lee_eisenberg20 May 2008
I imagine that the young people involved in the making of "Necromancy" (aka "The Witching" plus a bunch of other titles) must have felt a little weird being on the set of a horror movie with the man who: participated with John Houseman in the production of a proletarian play ("The Cradle Will Rock"); scared people into thinking that aliens were invading ("The War of the Worlds"); and directed and starred in the greatest movie of all time ("Citizen Kane"). And now Orson Welles was starring in a third-rate flick about a satanic cult.
There's basically nothing creative about this movie. Lots of nudity, but the background music always proves really distracting. Even if the movie wasn't particularly predictable, it still wasn't worth seeing. How low Welles had sunk. Fortunately, over the final thirteen years of his life, he narrated the documentary "Bugs Bunny Superstar" (about the Warner Bros. cartoons of the 1940s) and hosted the documentary "The Man who Saw Tomorrow" (about Nostradamus). I recommend those two, but not this one. Just avoid it.
Also starring Pamela Franklin and Michael Ontkean.
There's basically nothing creative about this movie. Lots of nudity, but the background music always proves really distracting. Even if the movie wasn't particularly predictable, it still wasn't worth seeing. How low Welles had sunk. Fortunately, over the final thirteen years of his life, he narrated the documentary "Bugs Bunny Superstar" (about the Warner Bros. cartoons of the 1940s) and hosted the documentary "The Man who Saw Tomorrow" (about Nostradamus). I recommend those two, but not this one. Just avoid it.
Also starring Pamela Franklin and Michael Ontkean.
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