‘This time, it’s not a game.’
Witchtrap is a 1989 American supernatural horror film co-produced, written and directed by Kevin S. Tenney (Brain Dead; Night of the Demons; Witchboard and sequel). The working title was The Haunted. The synth score was by Dennis Michael Tenney.
Main cast:
James W. Quinn (Witchboard), Kathleen Bailey (Night Visitor), Judy Tatum (Witchboard), Rob Zapple, Jack W. Thompson, Clyde Talley II, Hal Havins, Linnea Quigley, Kevin Tenney, J.P. Luebsen, Richard Fraga, Lynn McRee, Greg Lewolt, Virginia Miller.
Plot:
Parapsychologists and a security team try to make an inherited mansion that is seemingly haunted by an evil warlock’s ghost safe for guests…
Reviews:
“… Witchtrap doesn’t capture the horror genre as well as Night of the Demons did, despite being made after that film; it’s an awfully bad film all around, with little original ideas to propel it.” Ryne Barber, HorrorNews.net
“The movie was filmed in 3-weeks and that could be a major contributing factor to what made Witchtrap come off as an amateur, supernatural snoozefest. This wouldn’t be such a problem if the movie didn’t consist of 90% dialogue that is made even worse by the fact it sounds very unnatural, as if they’re reading unrehearsed lines.” Hollie Horror, Letterboxd.com
Linnea Quigley suffers evil plumbing in the shower
“An animated bullet blows a guy’s brains out, someone’s head gets run over with a car, there’s death by axe, an exploding van, an exploding head, a whole sequences that’s an optical illusion, a human meltdown, a possession and a “ghost vacuum” that sucks up spirits. And there are tons – and I mean tons – of one-liners, usually spouted by Tony. Some of them are pretty amusing, but when they’re not, boy are they bad!” The Bloody Pit of Horror
“Everyone seems to be having a good time, the story is silly but solidly told (i.e. it’s not incomprehensible), and it gives the viewer 6 or 7 great deaths to enjoy. No one is out to win any awards, and the light comedic tone, save for some occasional character beats … is consistent throughout the film.” Brian W. Collins, Horror Movie a Day
“Yes, this film has some of the most stilted line readings of all time, but nothing compares to the speech the psychic gives to our hero Tony Vincente. He don’t believe in God, she does. She proceeds to tell him the story of why she believes, but she says it in a way that no normal human being would ever say it… at least not in this century.” Dan Lashley, Wide Weird World of Cult Films
Choice dialogue:
Tony Vincente: “He may be a walking hard on with feet but he does his job well.”
Levi Jackson: “I’m gonna find that overgrown abortion and give him a 38 caliber enema!”
Tony Vincente: “You see Mrs O’ Shea I’ve had to listen to people like you talk about God all my life. You claim he’s the supreme being watching all over us but then you let him off the hook by blaming all the horrors of the world on the Devil. I don’t buy it. I spent seven years on the street. I’ve seen abused children. I’ve seen rape victims. I’ve seen a twelve year-old hooker with a $200 a day habit. And you tell me there’s evil in the world, I say yeah, there is. I’ve seen it. But darlin’, it doesn’t wear horns and a tail. As for God and ghosts and the rest of that spiritual mumbo jumbo, well I believe in that as much as I believe in the Easter Bunny. Santa Claus. And honest politicians.”
Filming locations:
Fairfield and Solano County, California
