Witchfinder General

On our long walks years ago, Jonathan Snowdon would tell me a mutlitude of things that he knew; old movies, history, war stories, stories of London in the Sixties. Things like that. One movie he used to obsess about was Witchfinder General. This weekend I had to pleasure of seeing it.

It is based on a true character, Matthew Hopkins who during the civil war was appointement by parliament to hunt down witches. During the three years he carried out this task, more witches were put to death than in the previous 160 years. All the stories of trial by water and fire were carried out at this time.

This movie is great. Iniatially, I thought I was in for a hammy Hammer horror flick, but 20 minutes in and the story really got going. The critics are right. The cinematography is excellent and Vincent Price is masterful as the witchfinder.

View it if you can.