Witchboard
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Movie Reviews of Witchboard
Movie Review: Best in this series
Summary: 5 Stars
Unlike Witchboard 2&3, this movie is actually scary if you have never seen it before. Classic horror at it's best.Movie Review: Fabulous !!
Summary: 5 Stars
I enjoyed quick , efficient service and loved the movie !! It was scary in a campy kind of 80's way- that I like.Movie Review: A fun palor game, or portal of the damned?
Summary: 4 Stars
I think a good number of people have tried a Ouija (a combination of the French and German words for yes, Oui - Ja) board at least once in their lives, most likely when they were younger, as we're generally more open and accepting in believing in the supernatural possibilities inherent within the game. For those of you unfamiliar with it, it's a board inscribed with all the letters of the alphabet, numbers from 0 to 9, and the words yes, no, maybe, and good-bye. There's also a piece called a planchette, which is a movable three-legged device people would put their fingertips on, and then pose questions that would be answered by whatever supernatural elements may be around at the time, spelling out words or pointing to the words printed on the board. Do spirits actually move the planchette, sending messages from beyond the grave? No...the movements are really caused by unnoticeable, and usually unintentional, forces of the persons whose hands are on the planchette, and usually end up spelling out gibberish and unintellible words.
Witchboard (1985), written and directed by Kevin Tenney, presents the notion that the Ouija board is actually a link to supernatural, even a portal at times, and what happens when a particularly nasty spirit decides to try and make use of the portal. The film stars Tawny Kitaen (yes, the girl from the Whitesnake video), Todd Allen, who appeared in the very excellent western Silverado in the same year, and soap opera regular Stephen Nichols. As the film begins, we are in the midst of a party, hosted by Linda (Kitaen), and her boyfriend Jim (Allen). It seems to be going alright, although it seemed like there was something lacking from your typical 80's party, namely the cocainia...anyway, for some unknown reason, Linda has invited her old beau, Brandon (Nichols), and the tension soon rises between Brandon and Jim, as they used to be best friends, and Brandon blames Jim for stealing Linda away from him...whether he did or not, we will find out later, but mostly this just established Linda as a real bonehead for not taking more care in making up the guest list. As a tension breaker, Linda suggests they play a game Brandon has brought, an Ouija board. Brandon, a true believer, claims to have contacted many spirits, and also claims it's all the real deal, and not some hokem pokem child's game. To prove it, he demonstrates the boards' power by trying to contact a deceased boy named David. Contact is made, but there are a few who aren't convinced, Jim being one, and he basically says it's all a bunch of hooey, which seems to agitate the spirit, and causes some unexplained phenomena included the popping of the tires on Brandon's car. As the guests leave, Brandon forgets to take his Ouija board, and so Linda starts using it by herself, which is dangerous as she soon starts acting strange as the spirit begins taking possession of her. Questions begin arise, after a couple of particularly gruesome death of a friend, regarding the true nature of the spirit, its' intentions, and its' true identity. Jim and Brandon manage to put aside their differences as they see changes within Linda, and fear she may be suffering from her contact with the unknown. Who is the spirit and what does it want? You'll find out...
This really isn't a bad little movie, as there seemed to be more emphasis on the suspense elements within the story rather than just a usual slasher picture that was so very common throughout the 80's. The direction was capable, much better than I would have though, considering this was Tenney's first film, although the script did suffer some fairly lame dialog. One thing I found highly annoying was the character of Jim and his constant use of the word `babe' when talking to his girlfriend Linda. The development of the characters was a bit weak, especially the point of Jim's inability to say the words, "I love you" to his girlfriend. His standard reply whenever she would speak the line was "I know you do". This hardly endears him to the viewing audience, but it does set up for him to profess his love later on, as he and Linda endure much by the end of the movie, and allows him to appear to have grown through the ordeal...it was just such an obvious plot device. Ms. Kitaen did better than I would have thought, as she does appear to possess a modicum of talent, and maybe with a stronger script, she might have come off better (there's even a brief nude shower scene). I felt a little disconnected from the story, as the protagonist was an invisible spirit throughout, whose motives were a bit murky until near the end. We finally do meet him, but I couldn't help think the movie would have benefited had he appeared sooner in the film. The plot does manage to stay on track through, avoiding major plot holes, and wraps up nicely with a less than shocking twist. It did plod along at more than one point, causing the film to run longer than I thought necessary, at a whopping 98 minutes. The worst part about the film was that of character Zarabeth, a medium, played by character actress Kathleen Wilhoite. You may remember her starring opposite Charles Bronson in the 1986 film Murphy's Law. I find her so completely annoying on so many levels.
The wide screen print here looks great and special features include a commentary track by the director and a couple of producers. Also included is a 23 minute `making of' documentary, a theatrical trailer, and a couple of TV spots. Finally, inside the case, is a mini reproduction of an Ouija board, complete with pointer. Anchor Bay does a great job with the release, so while the film is three stars, I am giving one extra for the overall release.
Cookieman108
Movie Review: Hang loose, stay cool, and don't forget your psychic humor
Summary: 4 Stars
A year before she unleashed her hotness on the music video scene by appearing in several Whitesnake videos (and some two decades before she assaulted then-husband Chuck Finley and was arrested for cocaine possession), redhead Tawny Kitaen starred in Witchboard, which I consider to be one of the better non-blockbuster horror films of the glorious 1980s. Having just seen it again for the first time in over twenty years, I have to say it still holds up well all these years later. Well, there is one horribly bad special effects shot near the end, but its impact is somewhat mitigated by the fact that this movie doesn't really rely on special effects to do its thing. Witchboard is all about instilling suspense and fear into the atmosphere swirling around a trio of well-developed characters. At first, it looks like you're in for another boring ride on the arrogant rich boy vs. impudent poor boy train, but that begins to change once the spirits come out to play.
I'm not exactly sure why Linda (Tawny Kitaen) would invite ex-boyfriend Brandon (Stephen Nichols) to a party with her new boyfriend Jim (Todd Allen), especially when she knows both men are now ex-best friends, but she does. As the snarky comment meter begins to push in to the red, Linda overcomes her misgivings and actually welcomes the idea of trying out Brandon's Ouija board. The pair succeeds in making contact with the spirit of a little boy that Brandon has spoken with before - but Jim's litany of condescending comments angers the spirit. In all of the commotion, Brandon leaves his Ouija board there at Linda's and Jim's apartment. Over the next few days, Linda unwisely - albeit unknowingly - starts using the board alone to speak to "David," and that is when the troubles start coming fast and furious. Lives are lost as Linda's obsession with using the Ouija board increases, ultimately putting her own life in danger. Brandon soon comes to realize what is happening (progressive enchantment by a sinister spirit), but he can do little to help Linda without Jim's help - and that's a pretty long row to hoe.
Witchboard is by no means scary, but it does sneak a few surprising moments into the mix, and the creepy atmosphere is effective even if it never becomes palpable. Jim is a rather stoic character, and Todd Allen plays him as such pretty well; Tawny Kitaen earns her scream queen stripes with a more than satisfactory performance as the vulnerable (and hot) potential target for possession; but it is Stephen Nichols' performance that really makes this something of a 1980s classic horror film. With Jim playing the doubting game so well, Brandon really has to appear sincere and genuinely troubled by the potential danger the Ouija board poses for Linda - and Nichols pulls that off amazingly well. I also have to mention Kathleen Wilhoite, who is impossible to forget in the minor role of California's kookiest medium, and Rose Marie. You have to be doing something right when you can get Rose Marie, of all people, to appear in your horror film.
From what I hear and read, the two Witchboard sequels aren't very good - but don't let that stop you from watching the original film. Even the ending of Witchboard plays out quite effectively. Writer and director Kevin S. Tenney really delivers the goods with this 1986 release, and I think Witchboard deserves a place somewhere on any viewing list of recommended 1980s horror movies.
Movie Review: Excellent 80's cheese
Summary: 4 Stars
I first started watching horror as a youngster in the mid-to-late eighties and "Witchboard" is one of those films that holds a special nostalgic place in my heart. The craze back in those days was the slasher film and innumerable amounts of such movies made it into my VCR. But despite being released in the middle of the slasher craze Witchboard dared to be different, a supernatural horror film involving witchcraft through a Ouija board. This one hit especially close to home since in those days me and my friends would often gather into our basements with a Ouija board of our own, in a vein attempt to conjure spirits of the dead. Finally, this 80's gem sees a release on DVD (complete with a pullout mini ouija board) thanks to Anchor Bay, who have also just released the equally excellent 80's classic "Night of the Demons."
Guests at a house party for 30-somethings start fooling around with a Ouija board and conjure up the spirit of "David" a 10-year old who died in a tragic boating accident. The day after the party, Linda begins experimenting with the board on her own in an attempt to learn more about the spirit of David. As it turns out, using the Ouija board alone is a big no-no and soon Linda finds herself being stalked and terrorized by the spirit inside of the Ouija board. Her husband and a friend take a drive to the town where David died to try to uncover the reasons for the spirit's hostility towards Linda. But as the two soon find out, David is not the only spirit communicating through the Ouija board...
"Witchboard" is a horror film that relies more on suspense than gore or a high body count. The first half of the movie has a slow pace, although it still manages to entertain. This is a movie that is unabashedly eighties: the clothing, the hairstyles (Mullets for the guys, Cindy Lauper do's for the gals), a punky-looking psychic chick and some kicking heavy metal music. Ah, the joy. Where the movie picks off is when the two guys go on a roadtrip into the town where the spirit of David died. The action picks up and builds to an exciting climax featuring a demon with a Linda Blair type of voice-over. The acting is not great by any stretch but it's not horrible either. It's refreshing to see an eighties horror film that doesn't focus on horny teenagers as fun as that can be, and instead has a cast comprised exclusively of adults who try their best to look serious despite the ridiculous premise. With the death of VHS, movies like these have become very hard to find and that's why I'm glad many studios have started re-releasing these movies for a new generation to enjoy. Kudos Anchor Bay!