Night of the living dead is now considered by many to be the greatest horror film of all time, but when it was released in 1968 the world had never seen anything like it. Romeros first film was the independent horror film, night of the living dead, and it remains the film for which he is most known. Apr 02, 2018 whats up everyone, im recapping george romero s film season of the witch. Featured in george romero between night and dawn order in the uk. According to imdb this film has been released and is generally available to the public. It has a toe in the horror genre, but is really a clever account of a 40 ish womans mental anguish at her anodyne and subservient life. George romeros tale of a suburban housewife, witchcraft, and the dark, shocking results. Season of the witch is george romeros film about feminism in its womens lib phase. The sheer violence of the movie, implied or otherwise, shocked audiences, leading to a critic.
He had trouble finding distributors for the film, and was eventually distributed as a softcore pornography film called hungry wives. A 70s relic with some surprisingly good dialogue and a sympathetic lead. Mary blackwell travels back to her hometown of maiden hollow to clear out her recently deceased fathers house. Its loaded with references to the occult, but owes as much to betty friedan as anton lavey. The film follows a housewife in suburban pittsburgh who becomes involved in witchcraft after meeting a local witch described by romero himself as a feminist film, season of the witch was originally made. George romeros 1972 film hungry wives was retitled season of the witch when halloween iii was released on home video and is the only one of the. Our heroine has an abusive boring husband, and is in need of empowerment. Season of the witch also known as hungry wives and jacks wife was released in several different cuts in the years after its original release. Films from the american genre film archives this month of october are womens themed horror titles. A slowburn character study in the vein of martin, season of the witch forgoes explicit horror in favor of a darkly satirical look at 1970s gender politics.
Romero citywide tribute, we present a screening of george a. I was just wondering if this film is worth obtaining on dvd. Romero s first explicitly feminist film, season of the witch is the story of a disaffected housewife being tempted by pagan mysticism in pittsburghs northern suburbs. Cinefamily season of the witch screening trailer youtube. Left alone for long stretches by her domineering, abusive husband, and haunted by recurring dreams of him controlling her like a dog, joan finds solace, and power, in the. More an admirable experiment than satisfying narrative experience, george a.
Season of the witch is a 1973 horror film directed by george a. Season of the witch 1972 following theres always vanilla 1971, a forgettable romantic comedy, romero wrote and directed jacks wife, about a suburban housewife who gets mixed up with. The directors selfdescribed feminist film is an intriguing tale of satanism in the pittsburgh suburbs in which a dissatisfied housewife seeks selfactualization through the dark arts. A film that could only have come from the early 70s, george romeros season of the witch has an ice stormlike quality to it, exploring the at once liberating and tragic implications of the 60s counterculture as its impact spilled belatedly into the suburbs. Whilst there they discover a tiny village, which has been isolated from surrounding towns and in which the. George romeros season of the witch 1972 horror movie legend george a. Teaser for the upcoming 35mm screening of george a romeros 16mm 1972 film at cinefamily, june 30, 2016 at 10. He is best known for his series of gruesome and satirical horror films about an imagined zombie apocalypse, beginning with night of the living dead 1968. Season of the witch is a 2011 american historical horror adventure film starring nicolas cage and ron perlman, and directed by dominic sena. Season of the witch, a 1968 science fiction novel by hank stine. Season of the witch is an american horror film of the witchcraft and occult genres.
Frustrated by her home life, with an uncommunicative businessman husband and a distant 19yearold. A thoughtful character study with supernatural tinges, misleading marketed as a straightforward horror film due to romeros reputation, this film raises more. Season of the witch 1973 having researched witchcraft for another film and learned of the womens liberation movement while working in television earlier in the 60s, george romero penned the pseudofeminist jacks wife to represent a combination of the two themes, basing the story around an unhappy housewife named joan. Season of the witch is a 1973 american drama film written and directed by george a. Romeros all too short body of work was born between night and dawn. Jun 06, 2018 today, were examining george romero s occult horror drama season of the witch. With nicolas cage, ron perlman, claire foy, stephen campbell moore.
The execution fails the promise of the horror premise as sold, but i think the main point of the movie is that desperate people will turn to religion to regain a sense of power. Season of the witch, the third film from director george a. This film is often considered a progenitor of the fictional. Romeros season of the witch is part horror film, part statement on gender roles of the mid20th century. Barely released in theaters and almost impossible to find on video until now, both films are gripping and accomplished, if uneven, additions to romeros body of work. The element utilized here still bares a season of the witch videogenerated title card. The film follows a housewife in suburban pittsburgh who becomes involved in witchcraft after meeting a local witch. Theres plenty of grain and some print damage throughout but overall the quality is perfectly acceptable despite some softness in the image and. With beth kingston, tim mcconnell, barry robbins, daniel coffey. An overtly experimental stage composed of four films out of. However i and a number of my friends have been unable to source a copy so i have uploaded it. Romeros first explicitly feminist film, season of the witch is the story of a disaffected housewife being tempted by pagan mysticism in pittsburghs northern suburbs. Whats up everyone, im recapping george romeros film season of the witch.
Romero, and starring jan white, raymond laine, and anne muffly. Nov 03, 2005 jacks wife romeros preferred title for the film anchor bay has released under the alternate name season of the witch, which is at least preferable to the original distributors porn chic hungry wives is romeros own belle du jour belle du nuit. Billed as romeros feminist film, season of the witch stars joan mitchell as an unhappy, suburban housewife. It is a dark satire that works when it focuses on nightmarish imagery but fails when it takes narrative sideroads that detract from its core thrust. It was first released theatrically under the title hungry wives in may, 1972 at its premiere in new york city. May 21, 2016 teaser for the upcoming 35mm screening of george a romero s 16mm 1972 film at cinefamily, june 30, 2016 at 10. Basically, its a watchable transfer, as the film never looked any better than it does here. Romero, turns out to be one of his most underated offerings. February 4, 1940 july 16, 2017 was an american filmmaker, writer, and editor. Season of the witch dvd, 2005 for sale online ebay.
Season of the witch 1972 rotten tomatoes movie trailers. Season of the witch extras are an alternate extended version of the film, brand new audio commentary by travis crawford, when romero met del toro a conversation between director guillermo del toro and romero, the secret life of jacks wife an archive interview with actress jan white, alternate opening titles, a memorabilia gallery and the. One of the things that always made george romeros zombies so potent was the way the director paralleled their behavior with the mechanical routines many people perform day to day in real life. Missing altogether from the anchor bay dvd release of the film is the directors. Its one of those grimy movies from the 70s that feels like it could veer into criminal insanity at any moment. I love romero films, and ive been a fan of season of the witch for years. Jacks wife romeros preferred title for the film anchor bay has released under the alternate name season of the witch, which is at least preferable to the original distributors porn chic hungry wives is romeros own belle du jour belle du nuit. Frustrated by her home life, with an uncommunicative businessman husband and a distant 19yearold daughter, joan seeks solace in witchcraft after visiting marion hamilton, a local tarot reader and leader of a secret black arts. Season of the witch 1972 the horror films of george. Mar 01, 2011 according to imdb this film has been released and is generally available to the public. I believe a couple of audio samples from it were used on geogaddi, so it has the boc seal of approval i guess. This version cut the original minute cut to 89 minutes.
George a romero from the early 70s, looks cheap as hell, but it comes off pretty good, and entertaining. The three films that romero created that followed night of the living dead. There are at least an additional 15 minutes added on. Romeros direction and writing is crisp and affecting. Dont let people miss on a great quote from the season of the witch movie add it here. Season of the witch george romero boards of canada. The crazies, dealing with a bio spill that induces an epidemic of homicidal madness, and the critically acclaimed arthouse success. Season of the witch, a supernatural film starring nicolas cage. Romero february 4, 1940 july 16, 2017, creator of night of the living dead 1968, died at age 77. Jan white, raymond laine, ann muffly join free to stream season of the witch.
Although ostensibly a very different film, season of the witch also explores the horror of such routines, this time from a feminist perspective. Season of the witch begins in a similar manner, with joan, a dissatisfied housewife from the suburbs, wandering a deserted road while having an extended dream sequence full of metaphors about her life. There are at least an additional 15 minutes added on to this film which adds much more depth to the characters. Romeros second feature, theres always vanilla aka the affair is on the flip side of the disc and hardly given any fanfare on the packaging. This lost film of george romero mixes sex, violence, gardnerian wicca and humor into a great blend. George romero s tale of a suburban housewife, witchcraft, and the dark, shocking results.
Theres always vanilla 1971, jacks wife season of the witch 1972 and the crazies 1973 were not as well received as night of the living dead or some of his later work. Where night of the living dead sandwiched some undistinguished, talky bits featuring actors of. For starters, the ice storm features no witches, unless im missing something buried deep in the subtext. Where night of the living dead sandwiched some undistinguished, talky bits featuring actors of widely varying skill between the zombie horror, season of the witch is nearly all undistinguished talky. Jacks wife and hungry wives is a feminist thriller which shares more than just a time period with last years the ice storm. A neglected, unhappy suburban housewife with gets mixed up in witchcraft with unexpected consequences. Romero s season of the witch is part horror film, part statement on gender roles of the mid20th century. Two church elders accuse a girl of being a witch responsible for the destruction. It seems to be a bmovie albeit directed by george romero so it may be of some reasonable q.
Romeros second horror film, made after night of the living dead, season of the witch looks significantly less impressive than its predecessor. Season of the witch 2011 rotten tomatoes movie trailers. Season of the witch 1972 headhunters horror house wiki. Music season of the witch song, by donovan, 1966 season of the witch, a song by american hard rock band zeke. Jan white, an east coast soap actress and commercial model sought. George romero s 1972 film hungry wives was retitled season of the witch when halloween iii was released on home video and is the only one of the films to include donovans song season of the. Season of the witch partially found directors cut of george. But following romeros later success with dawn of the dead, it was rereleased under the title season of the witch.