Legend of the Witches (1970)
** 1/2 (out of 4)
Malcolm Leigh directed this rather interesting, if a bit slow, documentary about cults, Satanist and other such issues. The film tries to explore all aspects of witchcraft from its earliest days to the present time.
LEGEND OF THE WITCHES is a pretty interesting movie on a number of levels but I must admit that I wish the narration was a tad bit better. It certainly sounds like a British film from the 1970s (which it is of course) but there's no question that it's a bit too try and a bit too much like a professor talking to himself. Still, this is just a minor issue because the rest of the film is actually quite good.
We can start with the wonderful cinematography, which takes a very low-budget and makes it look like something more. I was really shocked to see how well the film looks and this includes the various lighting that was done to highlight certain things. There are are all sorts of Black Masses and strange rituals being done under the moonlight and they simply come across beautifully on the screen.
Another major plus is that there's a nice atmosphere to many of the re-enactments. The film opens up with a terrific sequence showing some wildlife in the forest before moving to a group of naked people doing a ritual. This ritual includes a naked man having a blindfold put on him and his led through the dark having to trust the woman leading him. Another great sequence happens towards the end when a Satan-like creature comes into play.
What's most shocking about this picture is how much full frontal nudity there is. Considering what type of films were being edited by the British censors, it's rather shocking that there's so much nudity on display here. That's certainly not a bad thing but it's just not something you'd expect to see.
LEGEND OF THE WITCHES really deserves to be better known. With its atmosphere and visuals, this really does come off as one of the better British horror films from this period.