Witchcraft IV aka Witchcraft IV: The Virgin Heart is a 1992 American horror-noir film directed by James Merendino (Evil Remains; Terrified; The Upstairs Neighbour) from a screenplay co-written with Michael Paul Girard (Witchcraft IX: Bitter Flesh; Witchcraft 7: Judgement Hour; Sweet Evil). It stars Charles Solomon Jr., Julie Strain, Clive Pearson, and Lisa Jay Harrington.
Musicians are selling their souls to the Devil for fame and fortune. Will Spanner, an attorney with magical powers, attempts to stop it…
Reviews:
“There’s no sign of competence here in any department. Script and direction are awful, this is one ugly film in terms of the sheer murkiness of the visuals and audio, the acting is laughably bad at times, and it’s impossible to care about the events.” For It Is Man’s Number
“That the simple opening sequence took up 13 minutes is indicative of how the rest of the film goes – hardly anything happens, yet it takes up time and goes by fast. There also seemed to be more attention to detail in this one than in some of the previous films, and it was more well made than some…” Life Between Frames
“Director-co-screenwriter James Merendino fails to give this film the style that would offset its low-budget look, favoring long, static two-shots for most of the dialogue scenes. Horror fans will be disappointed by the lack of creative scares and special effects, while those who might be attracted by the mystery element will find it pretty half-baked.” TV Guide
” …if nothing else, it looks absolutely ridiculous when the woman in peril is five inches taller than the thugs who are supposed to be threatening her! Add in the screenwriters’ shamelessly flaunted ignorance of every aspect of the criminal legal system and the duplication of the previous film’s reliance upon wholesale padding to attain full feature length, and you’re left with a movie so bad you can almost smell it.” Scott Ashlin, 1000 Misspent Hours and Counting
“Call it a Strain on the eyes.” John Stanley, Creature Features
Cast and characters:
- Charles Solomon Jr. … Will Spanner – Cheerleader Massacre 2; Camel Spiders; Supergator; The Strangers (1998); Witchcraft II and III
- Julie Strain … Belladonna – Sorceress; The Unnamable II; Psycho Cop II; et al
- Clive Pearson … Santara
- Lisa Jay Harrington … Lily Wild
- Jason O’Gulihur … Hal
- Erol Landis … Lt. Hovis [as Erol Munuz]
- Orien Richman … Pete Wild
- Sunset Thomas … Nora Breckenridge [as Diane Fowler]
- Jason Black … Albe
- David A. Armstrong … Bouncer
- Shay Bennett … Shop Owner [as Sha’ Bennet]
- Jeremy Kasten … KSTN Manager
- Isaac Barush … Art
- Tad Higgins … Announcer
- Barbara Dow … Woman on Phone