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This brutal, brilliant late-'60s horror film depicts the violence and chaos of a society at war and the corruption that it inflicts on the population at large. The story, set during Cromwell's civil war in 17th-century England, concerns a famous witch hunter, Matthew Hopkins (Vincent Price), who betrays a comely young lady (Hilary Dwyer), drawing the wrath of her soldier fianceé (Ian Ogilvy). The film was originally called The Witchfinder General, but American producer Roger Corman changed the title in order to release it as part of his popular Edgar Allen Poe-Vincent Price series. Darker and more serious in tone than the others entries, The Conqueror Worm provided Price with one of the strongest roles of his career. The film's overall sense of realism allowed him to forego his usual campiness, and he gives a subtle, complex performance. Promising young director Michael Reeves died of a drug overdose at the age of 25, leaving behind only a pair of undistinguished low-budget Italian flicks and this fascinating near-masterpiece as a testament to his unrealized potential. Amy Robinson

All Movie Guide

A corrupt opportunist commits brutal crimes in the name of God and country in this atmospheric period horror tale. In 17th century England, as a people's uprising threatens Lord Cromwell's rule, superstition still rules the land, and the Royalists use this to their advantage by inaugurating a reign of terror in the name of wiping out alleged witches and agents of the dark arts. Matthew Hopkins (Vincent Price) has been appointed "witchfinder" by Puritan Royalists, and with the help of his thuggish assistant Stearne (Robert Russell), Hopkins travels from town to town, brutally interrogating those accused of witchcraft and using fire, drowning, and torture to extract "confessions" from the accused. Of course, Hopkins' opinions can be swayed with money and other considerations, and when Father Lowes (Rupert Davies), a priest whose sympathies do not lie with the Royalists, is arrested and tortured by Hopkins and Stearne, his devoted niece Sarah (Hilary Dwyer) is able to stay his punishment by sleeping with Hopkins. Sarah, however, is engaged to marry Marshall (Ian Ogilvy), a soldier in Cromwell's army, and once Marshall learns that the woman he loves has been seduced by Hopkins -- and raped by Stearne -- he becomes determined to expose the witchfinder and punish him for his misdeeds. Witchfinder General was released in the United States by American International Pictures, who in addition to arranging for Vincent Price to play Matthew Hopkins, changed the North American title to The Conqueror Worm, after a poem by Edgar Allan Poe which was read over the credits by Price, though the story bears no real relation to Poe's work. Mark Deming

Product Details

• UPC: 027616087652
• Source: MGM (VIDEO & DVD)
• Region Code: 1
• Aspect Ratio: Theatre Wide-Screen (1.85.1)
• Presentation: Wide Screen
• Sound: Dolby Digital Mono
• Language: English
• Subtitles: English, Español, Français
• Time: 1:27:00
• Sales Rank: 18,911

This DVD is also available as part of a box set:

• Vincent Price - MGM Scream Legends Collection

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