Witchboard (1986) User Reviews

Low budget '80s horror is pretty effective at what it does

[Leofwine_draca · 6/10 · 5 December 2016]

For a low-budget American possession flick with a no-name cast, WITCHBOARD is pretty good and a cut above the average teen genre fare of the '80s. This is due to the fact that instead of bombarding us with cheap gore effects (aside from a couple of clumsy ones), the film works at and actually succeeds in creating a spooky atmosphere of dread and foreboding. The storyline is an old and clichéd one (ever since THE EXORCIST really) yet is given a breath of fresh air by the young, talented cast and the involved direction of Kevin Tenney who works hard to keep things interesting, even if much of the film is slow-paced and lacking in incident.

The plot is very thin and seems stretched at an hour and a half. Basically, girl becomes possessed by evil spirit. Nobody believes it. People die. Friends investigate background of case. More people die. Good confronts evil in a violent battle. The end. You can guess the outcome from the start but WITCHBOARD works hard to keep things as unpredictable (as is possible for such a story) and twisty as can possibly be. The death scenes are done pretty unspectacularly on a low budget (unlike those in, say, SUPERSTITION), and consist of impalement, crushing, and a cheesy hatchet in the head. I'm grateful that the film doesn't have to rely on these to work.

Tawny Kitaen takes the lead role and has a gratuitous nude scene like most young horror actresses in '80s cheapies. Aside from her irritating hairstyle she isn't too bad and almost creates a believable transition from good into evil; she may be a Linda Blair imitator but let's face it, Linda Blair wasn't that great to begin with (however, the voice-over actress and special effects men WERE). Todd Allen is pretty good as the volatile, confused boyfriend who makes the hard change from sceptic to believer, while I also liked Stephen Nichols' performance as a stressed-out former boyfriend. The only other characters of the small cast are an irritating detective with a penchant for magic tricks and an irritating medium who thankfully dies quickly.

The climatic battle between good and evil is pretty suspenseful, although the whole project is nearly scuppered by a really bad back-projected scene of someone being pushed through a window. Pretty, yes, realistic, no. I liked WITCHBOARD for its atmosphere and change of pace, and the fact that it keeps the identity of the spirit hidden for much of the movie which adds a layer of mystery to the proceedings to give the film an extra boost. Two sequels followed in the early '90s; the first is a lesser rehash of this one which is good for a laugh, the second is by all accounts appalling.

Well-Done Genre Film

[boblipton · 6/10 · 14 September 2019]

After her ex-lover shows off a ouija board at a party, Tawny Kitaen finds it at the apartment and tries it out herself. She thinks she is contacting the same shy spirit, but it soon becomes obvious to the audience that some other, malevolent spirit is speaking with her.

I freely admit I am not fond of straight-up horror movies, with their jump-scares and characters who can't see the obvious dangers that beset them. This one, however, has a good story arc, decent actors (Kathleen Wilhoite as a funky spiritualist is very amusing, until she gets killed by the evil spirit). I suppose I could have done without the moving shots that show clearly there's a mild fish-eyed lens in operation, but it's a pretty good genre piece.

worth a watch for some 80's supernatural fun

[Condom-full-of-Hatred · 6/10 · 19 February 2010]

Director Kevin Tenney will probably be best remembered for a certain little splatter-and-sleaze fest known as Night of the Demons, (not to be mixed up with that lovable 'Bigfoot the rapist' flick, Night of the Demon), but thanks to the fine folks at Anchor Bay, we can enjoy his debut feature again, fully restored and remastered.

Ah yes, there is nothing like screwing around with a Ouija board to tick off some evil spirits. When you were a kid, everyone knew some guys brother's friend who had a piano drop on his head through the roof of his house and had his corpse molested by Satan after he played with a Ouija board. It was one of those things you just don't do! Have some respect for the dead! Witchboard follows the consequences of giving the unliving the greasy goose after a party being held by yuppyish feisty redhead Linda (Tawney Kitaen) results in her getting a tad too attached to that unholy piece of cardboard. One of her guests, Brandon, used it to communicate with the spirit of a little dead boy named David, but after accidentally leaving it behind, Linda starts using the board on her own, much to the disgust of her bullish boyfriend Jim. At first, the spirit seems friendly, it helps Linda find a lost ring. But when Jim's friend on the construction site dies suspiciously under some old collapsed scaffold, it isn't long before Brandon puts two and two together to come up with 666, and the evil spirit fights to take control of Linda in an attempt to be reborn and destroy her for good.

You can probably piece together what happens for the most part. Brandon hires a wonky psychic to exorcise the demon, but this only angers up the spirit who launches a full on assault on those trying to expose it. As Linda gets sicker and more unstable, it's up to Jim and Brandon to get to the bottom of who the ghost really is if they want to save Linda's life. Oh yeah, throw in some annoying detective who likes to speak in riddles for no good reason at all! In terms of a low budget film made in the mid 80's, this one still has a lot going for it. The filmmakers made a brave choice to go against the grain and to tone down on needless gore and to up tension and atmosphere. The film is a slow burner, taking it's time to develop the creepy stuff, and allow the story to play out naturally. Tenney gets quite creative in terms of how it is filmed, and actually manages to get some genuine scares and a sense of dread before the OTT ending kicks in. The acting is reasonable for the most part, with only the 'annoying as a pubic hair between the teeth' psychic Zarabeth really grating. It's funny how 80's horror males usually either look like ridiculous nerds or ridiculous homosexuals. Jim and Brandon fall into the latter category. These boys sure knew how to use hair dryers and tanning beds, and at one stage in the motel room, I though they were gonna straight up 69 each other. No joke.

Oh yeah, and the cop who pops up to investigate the deaths and speak in riddles has nothing to really do with the film at all. All he does is add more running time to an already lengthy film, it really could have done with losing 10-15 minutes. There were also one too many 'fake scare' moments, the graveyard scene had about three of them, and they were all with Jim putting his hand on Brandon's shoulder! They didn't even bother putting music or stings on them! Lazy.

Saying all that, Witchboard is still a lot of fun. Even the plodding bits manage to be interesting enough, and the camera work is of a high enough standard to keep your eyes open. With only one or two moments of brief gore, we do get a late-in-the-day shower scene from Tawney, so don't turn it off before that. I'm sure a lot of folks remember this one from it's VHS days and look back with fond memories. I just wish Anchor Bay had kept the original artwork in the UK, the cover we got was horrible.

TTFN!! Just a little psychic humor of the 80s

[thesar-2 · 6/10 · 25 January 2010]

I Love the 80s! You gotta love productions like Witchboard, if you like the 1980s. It is the ultimate 80s horror flick: bad hair (including punk multi-colors and mullets), microfiche, bad dialogue, smoking in a hospital (?!?), waterbeds, cheap thrills and open-shirted male shirts with hair flowing from masculine chests to the screen. It's actually a guilty pleasure of mine and hard to downgrade since I grew up on it.

My sister was the one that loved this movie when I was young and like a lot of late-1980s flicks (i.e. A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master and Dirty Dancing) she got me hooked on this one. Now, watching it again, honestly the first time since the late 1980s, it's such an extreme flashback. I mean dialogue like "TTFN – ta ta for now" or "I got a bad feeling about this" should sum it up. Oh, and the foggy graveyard helps too.

We have a bizarre love triangle between former best male friends and a female third who is soon-to-be engaged to one of the males at a party and an Ouija Board. They contact (for fun) a dead 10-year-old David…or did they bring about an evil spirit? Either way, ditzy red-headed Linda (Tawny Kitaen) continues to "play" with the board alone when she's not supposed to! Inadvertently, she concurs up this other "evil" spirit and people start dying left/right. Will the two males fighting for her attention solve the problem before she's fully possessed? It's hilarious. Really. If you watched this for the first time, outside of the 1980s, you might laugh your ass off. But, I'm glad this movie was made; this was an extreme homage to that period. It's kinda scary – not really, but if you believe in this hocus-pocus Ouija stuff. It's gory. And it has the most laugh-out-loud outrageous finale, as if they ran out of ideas and had to close it out. This is for die-hard fans, or just someone out for a good laugh.

Side Note: I remember reading a wonderful "Ask Marilyn" (by Marilyn vos Savant) article that stated on how to prove the Ouija is a hoax, and I believe her. You get two people to control the Ouija Board, but blindfolded and have a third party watch them. Since they can't subconsciously control the pointer while in the dark, the results should be hilarious. Honestly, I have yet to try that, but I have met very few that believe in such nonsense. I'd love to prove the insanity this board has produced. At least it produced a fantastically fun 1980s horror movie.

A fun, nostalgic 80's Ouija classic. A smashing good time.

[killerreviewscom · 7/10 · 7 December 2005]

Witchboard is yet another film that dominated my youth. I'm not sure if that's because it was a good film or because Tawny Kitaen plays the lead role. The film actually changed my life in a way. It gave birth to the Ouija board. I eventually got my own, which was no easy task seeing how my mother whole-heartedly believed the simple Parker board was without a doubt, the portal to hell and would inevitably lead to Satan's holding dominion over my immortal soul. Man, I just wanted to ask the spirits where my dad's porn collection was. Now that I think of it, I spent more time in 1986 using a Ouija board than going to school. By the end of the summer, my brother and I had filled an entire notebook with spirit documentation. My childhood home was a hot spot for paranormal activity. The average EMF peaked at 3.7 and if memory serves correctly, that summer we collected just over sixty EVPS. That's a crazy amount of activity for a house so far below sea level. OK, I'll stop. I'm just yanking your noodle. We didn't really live below sea level.

Before Tawny Kitaen made money spreading her legs on Corvettes, (or for assorted rock stars) she was unknowingly falling victim to progressive entrapment. Such a sad state of affairs for a young, beautiful, red headed, big breasted, American woman. That's the plot at first glance - a simple possession story. However, in the tradition of American Beauty, if you "look a little closer", you will find a heartwarming story of two men who have been torn apart by a young, beautiful, red headed, big breasted American woman. Jim the drunk got the girl and now Brandon the tight ass is just a tad jealous. If I am being perfectly honest with you, he's about a day away from jumping headfirst into a meat grinder. Damn bitches! They'll get you every time. Thankfully for us, the young, beautiful, red headed, big breasted American woman takes it upon herself to use the board solo. Do I smell some progressive entrapment? This ultimately forces Felix and Oscar to rekindle their flame, all for the glory of love. I know what you're thinking and no… there are no man-on-man love sequences. Not with the living anyway.

Man, this movie makes me feel good! I feel like Nikki Sixx in 1984 - needle included. This is what Witchboard is all about. Fun! The film was released in the mid eighties and it shows in every spirit-possessing frame. The wardrobe, the music, hair, special effects and film quality screams retro. With that being said, the film still works. The script is definitely solid. Writer/Director Kevin Tenney does a fine job with developing the possession of Tawny, the relationship between Jim and Brandon and most importantly, the mythology behind the evil spirit(s). It's nicely balanced. I think this is why the film still works. A good script never dies! We are even treated to the classic scene where the main character travels to the library during the finale to research old newspaper clippings. If you don't love that sequence then you deserve to be thrown head first into a meat grinder.

At times Witchboard can be creepier then Ed Gein shopping for groceries. Remember that shot in The Changeling when the camera floats though the house? It's in Amityville: The Possession as well. That shot never fails to wake up the hairs on the back on my neck. Witchboard has its fair share of them too. One shot specifically leads up a staircase, down the hall and into a smoke filled room. The only two items in this barren space are a casket and laying on top of that, a Ouija board. Add in the not so subtle Casio SK-1 Keyboard accompaniment and voila, instant terror. The Ouija board is always a great tool in horror films, probably because everyone can relate to it. Most people have either used one or know someone who has. Man, all this Ouija board talk makes me want to whip one out right now. No. Not my tiny penis silly, the Ouija board.

Overall, I have to recommend Witchboard. I would be abandoning my inner child if I said anything else. The film has plenty of over-sized earrings, Doctor Who special effects and young, beautiful, red headed, big breasted, American women. And yes, Tawny removes her squirrel covers so please stop asking! If it's been over ten years since your last viewing, then I suggest you give this one another rental, for good old fashioned nostalgia if nothing else. I beg of you. If this film entices you to use the board please don't fly solo. I have already lost two readers this month due to progressive entrapment and I don't think I could handle a third. Not in the same month anyway.

Entertaining enough...

[boomcar61 · 6 March 2005]

When I first saw 'Witchboard', back when I was about ten, I really found it to be quite scary. Having seen it recently I realize now that it is not scary but rather hokey, and kind of funny(intentionally). It stars Linda Blair, oh, wait, I mean Linda Brewster(Kitaen), a fiery redhead who believes she is pregnant and has an emotionally inept boyfriend, Jim(Allen), who, I assume, doesn't give her the attention she needs. This drives her to use the Ouija Board, which was accidentally left at her apartment by former-boyfriend Brandon(Nichols). She contacts David, the spirit of a ten-year old boy who supposedly died in a boating accident. David is helpful and friendly at first, but eventually starts to terrorize Linda so he can break down her resistance and ultimately possess her. He is only able to do this since Linda has been using the Ouija alone. She mistakenly tells Brandon about this, and he goes and confronts Jim with the news. Fearing that his woman has fallen into "progressive entrapment"(as suggested by Brandon)Jim recruits a medium, Zarabeth(Wilhoite, from Drowning Mona)to rid their apartment of this evil spirit once and for all...

Unfortunately for them, and since Linda used the Ouija alone and made herself vulnerable, it turns out that she was never really talking to a little boy at all. She was actually conversing with an ax-murderer who used to live in their apartment building, and she ultimately gave him the power to use the Ouija as a portal into the living world. Hmm...Malfator is the ax-murderer's name, and he is pretty freaky looking to say the least. Actually, this guy is the epitome of what a serial killer should look like.

Overall, this entire film is a little silly, but it still manages to be fairly entertaining. Brandon's acting is so bad that it's hilarious. Almost everything that comes out of his mouth is side-splitting-funny, and I don't believe his lines were meant to be funny, either. He's the more serious one. Jim provides the real comedy with lines like, "If Barbie's had been around that long then I guess you would be talking to them, too," and "Hey, man, I don't talk to cardboard." Tawny Kitaen is a beast, and displays some of her "domestic" qualities in a few scenes...hehehe. Watch for the scene at the lake...it provides a couple of genuinely scary moments.

In summary,'Witchboard' is nothing more than an entertaining and average horror film, and albeit better than its competition(Witchtrap, Witchcraft, etc.)it still remains an underrated little eighties movie...and maybe that says it all. I even presented it to one of my friends and after it was over he said, and I quote, "That is probably the dumbest movie I have ever seen." But I disagree. It's a good horror movie/guilty pleasure, and that's about it. Really, what more can be expected out of a film like this? It's already been done a million times before, so just watch it with an open mind and take it for what its worth.

6/10. Since it is sort of a trilogy, I do recommend watching this title before viewing the sequels, 'Witchboard 2:The Devil's Doorway' and 'Witchboard III:Possession'.

Not bad, as horror movies go

[Tito-8 · 5/10 · 26 April 1999]

This is a surprisingly competent horror movie, and it is certainly better than most other films of the same genre. That having been said, since very few horror films work for me, it should come as no shock that I found this one to be nothing more than an average movie. It did generally keep me entertained, and there were some clever moments in this film, but the momentum did not last all the way until the end, and so I'd say that it falls a little short of being "good".

Better then it had any right to be

[jellopuke · 6/10 · 20 September 2019]

This isn't Shakespeare, but as far as Ouija board movies go, it was decent. You get some kills (not gory enough) some boobs, some 80's hair and fashion, and a whole lot of homoerotic tension between the two leads (unintentional). But it adds up to a quick moving, decent little cheesy horror movie. Not amazing, but not the worst thing you can see.

Witchboard...Kinda Dull

[ibanez747 · 5/10 · 4 October 2005]

If you're familiar with Kevin Tenney's work, you know what you're getting most of the time. Cheesy dialogue, questionable writing and James W. Quinn are mainstays in a Kevin Tenney movie. This movie is lackluster at best. It's between Witchtrap and Night of the Demons. It is much better than Pinnochio's Revenge.

This movie was mildly entertaining. The pace was slow with only a few deaths. The deaths were creative and carried out well. I, personally, would have liked to see more deaths. I also would have liked to have seen the bearded ax murder more. The cast of characters were OK, with the exception of Tawnie Kitaen and maybe James W. Quinn. Both aren't really actors. James W. Quinn is probably a friend of Kevin Tenney's, given the fact that he's in all of Tenney's films. Tawnie Kitaen just stinks.

This movie is a half step above the typical 80's horror movie. The plot chugs along with very little gore, horror, or meaningfulness. So overall the movie is rather dull, but worth watching if you've got that acquired taste in 80's horror movies. With this proper acquired taste, you may even think this movie is a classic.

Not me, though. 5 out of 10.

Mixed feelings...

[wallaby101 · 7/10 · 24 January 2008]

When this movie first came out, a friend and I went to see it and halfway through, there was a problem that kept them from showing the rest of the film. I think the everyone in the theater was relieved. We got tickets to see another show, but I can't believe that anyone went back to see "Witchboard". That said, I've watched it on VHS about half-a-dozen times. A good movie to watch, but not if you want a seriously scary movie.

One regret was that Zarabeth did not have enough lines, I thought she was a total trip, and her fate was sealed too soon.

If you watch this, be sure to watch "Witchboard 2" ... be glad you're not a VW bus...

Ooo Ooo Witchy Woman

[CyMaddux · 5/10 · 16 April 2005]

Centered around Ouija Board usage, "Witchboard" is a solid quasi-horror 80s flick. There are a handful of cheap effect scares but this movie lives more on that "what if" feeling. An OK rental for a boring rainy night. IF you plan to experiment with a Ouija of your own, make sure you do your homework first!!! Kitaen does a decent job as the female lead Linda. Given, not award winning material but believable enough. There isn't a lot of gore, not a lot of suspense, but its an interesting topic nonetheless. This movie probably could do reasonably well in a modern remake because the subject hasn't been touched on in quite a while. I would go see it for sure, interesting if not controversial subject.

5/10

Accentuates suspense over gore

[baumer · 8/10 · 13 August 1999]

This is one of those movies that proves that you don't need a huge budget to make a quality horror film, or any film for that matter, but we are talking horror here. I had read many years ago that this film was made for less than a million dollars and even in 1985 that is chump change. But this film is so pure with it's suspence that you would think it was done by a major Hollywood studio with a ten million dollar budget.

When a witchboard is discovered it is at first played for fun. But then it becomes an obsession and it takes over the life of the woman that talks to it. A spirit named David is a little boy that may or may not be the spirit that is possessing the Witchboard and sometimes he is nice and other times he is down right nasty. There is also a great horror villains name in this film, Mal Veder, almost sounds like Darth Vader's distant cousin doesn't it?

What Witchboard does so well is it pays attention to detail and it pays attention to what made some of the great horror movies did. And what this manages to do is treat the camera like it is his best friend. The camera lurks mysteriously behind it's actors and beside them and above them and everywhere else. And what this does is it gives you the illusion that there is someone or something there, and that is the beauty of this film, you don't know if it really is someone or something there. This is great homage to some of the greats like Carpenter and Hitchcock.

Witchboard is a great 80's horror film and I like it for the fact that it is much more concerned with atmosphere than stupid blood and guts and unneccesary gore. 90's horror should watch films like this and use the same techniques to scare us. Blair Witch may have watched this but films like the Haunting and I Know.... and Idle Hands sure didn't.

A creepy affair

[Lucabrasisleeps · 7/10 · 4 March 2015]

I know this movie has its detractors but it works for me. I am not sure about cheesiness though. Is it really as cheesy as what people say? Some people seem to be annoyed that it didn't go the comedy route but I am not interested in that at all. I think we have enough lame horror comedies as it is.

Tawny Kitaen is gorgeous here. I had a slight crush on her since I am a fan of 80s rock and she seemed to be a fixture on the music videos. She was at her peak here so that is one reason to watch this. There is one nude scene too. I am not sure about the other two actors but they seem to have done quite a bit of work since then. Personally I liked the characters in the movie. You don't really expect likable characters in cheesy 80s horror movies but in this one, I thought the relationship between the two male characters was nice to see. In a way the woman is not so likable but her actions are understandable as part of the possession.

The movie also makes the correct decision of removing the Zarabeth character fairly early in the movie. I really couldn't stand her acting, it would have really brought down the movie if she had continued till the end.

The plot is predictable and there are no big twists from what I have seen. Still the atmosphere is built up slowly and there are not many over the top scenes or special effects to distract from the plot. I am not so satisfied with the ending though. It seems too abrupt and was disappointing a little bit. The last possession bit is also interesting and full marks to Tawny Kitaen for that. The dream sequence and the scenes close to the ending are highlights.

Overall it is a quality horror movie but maybe the ending could have been better.

7/10

If "Ouija" means Yes-Yes, then I say the same for this movie

[MovieProductions · 5/10 · 12 February 2012]

** out of (****)

Growing up as a mere lil' fellar, I always had this cautious curiosity with the unknown. I always had this fascination with the paranormal and would be exposed to films such as "The Others", "The Ring", and so on. But one little gadget I had my heart set on was a Ouija board. I heard that absolutely nothing good had come out of it and I've heard some bone-chilling stories that would make the trickle of hairs on my neck stand up. When I recently found out a little 80's cult classic beauty named "Witchboard" surfaced the video shelves, my curiosity was intrigued, and with impeccable interest.

Just glancing at the title "Witchboard", it's pretty sensible to assume it's about a woman who draws a connection to the Ouija board, which at first turns out safe and harmless, but as her obsession grows with the object, the board turns evil on her and evil spirits are released.

Going by the concept, it sounds amusing enough and it is. One of the strongest suits about movies involving the paranormal is that they always find a way to keep things going. Whether shedding some light on the background history of them, a bump in the night, or a shadow in the day. It's always moving along, same with "Witchboard". It doesn't take long to get the ball rolling and when we're introduced to the little doohickey, all interest is piqued.

The acting? Eh, not so much. The performers here aren't exactly the most likable and what they offer is next to nothing. It's almost as if the directors copied some good looking twenty or thirty-somethings and pasted them into the movie, and handed them their scripts. But granted, they aren't terrible. As the film progresses, so do the characters and you'd actually be surprised at the character's motivations or purposes they serve near the film's rising action.

The direction? It's a bit on and off here. There are some moments where I thought it used the premise to its fullest potential and others I thought were a true waste of time. The pacing for the most part is right on the money. It feels like one cohesive picture, (possibly) save for the ending.

Now the one million dollar question: is it scary? Unfortunately, no, but that doesn't mean it's not suspenseful. There are times where I sprung about a foot or two from my seat. And the tone is consistently suspenseful thanks to the score. But when I say there are some moments where it makes you jump, it's not because the director uses the jump-scare tactic (basically minimizing the volume for about 5 minutes and just making a U-turn with the camera and cranking up the speakers to haphazardly affecting your eardrums). It's because there are its moments that build up genuine suspense and creating a chilling atmosphere.

But, my one gripe, that ending. Save for the last three or so minutes and I was contemplating on giving this movie a "6" instead of a mediocre rating, but that resolution just did it for me. They went in such a predictable and uninspiring route. It's almost like eating a nice sandwich, but then finding a hair in it when you're almost done.

All in all, "Witchboard" makes for a decent watch. It has its moments and if there's one thing this movie accomplishes, its the setting and tone. However, the acting and the ending just kill "Witchboard". I bet you if I showed someone this movie, being a non-paranormal fan and replaced the ending, they might actually get into these types of movies. But now I see why people steer clear of them. It's just that typical Hollywood resolution.

Make it a 6.5!

[AlsExGal · 6/10 · 15 September 2019]

People have been pretty hard on this film, and I have to admit my expectations going into it were rather low. Especially when you consider it was written/directed by somebody I had never heard of with a nearly anonymous cast including a leading lady named Tawny Kitaen (Tawny Kitten???). But overall I was impressed. With a modest budget of two million dollars this independent film managed to produce a small profit back in 1986.

Rather than being a boring gore fest with wooden acting, as were so many of the 80s horror films, this one keeps you engaged with suspense, camera technique, and an interesting score written by a relative of the obscure writer/director. In fact you might classify this film as horror/mystery, as it is not at all clear exactly what is going on until the end.

The film opens on a party with Brandon, who seems to be an intellectual snob, talking about the spirit world. He brings out his ouija board and gets his ex-girlfriend, Linda, interested in contacting the spirit of a ten year old boy, David, that he has contacted frequently. A rather jealous Jim - Linda's current boyfriend - makes snide remarks during the session, apparently angering the spirit and causing it to slash Brandon's tires.

Linda asks to borrow the ouija board for a few days. She soon becomes obsessed with it and her behavior becomes erratic. Also, there is a sudden rash of what could be accidental deaths, maybe murders of people close to Jim. And by close to him I mean he is nearby when they happen to the point where he could have been killed too. In each case the cause of the accident/death involves an axe, and Jim's hammer/axe combo that he uses at his job on the construction site has gone missing. This causes Jim to be dogged by the most annoying homicide detective in the history of the world. What goes on here? Has David become a malevolent spirit? And if so what does he want? Watch and find out.

This one has pretty good acting including some good scenes between Jim and Brandon as the source of the tension between them is explored, as well as the history of their friendship. I'd recommend it.

Look out for Rose Marie of the Dick Van Dyke show in a small role as Jim and Linda's landlady.

Fun, Late-Night Horror

[horror7777 · 30 June 2001]

WITCHBOARD is a fun film that is scary depending on when you watch it. If you watch it at around ten or eleven o'clock at night, you will feel the full scary effects that Kevin S. Tenney wants you to feel. I own a ouiji board and after seeing this film, I don't think I'll ever touch it again. Some users say what this COULD'VE BEEN and all that crap. Truthfully, this film is as good as it could've been and deserves to be re-released so that a new generation of horror fans can appreciate this film for what it's worth and not for what it could've been. **1/2out of****For an enjoyable late-night horror fare.

Holds Up Well

[gavin6942 · 6/10 · 15 March 2014]

A woman (Tawny Kitaen) finds an interest in her friend Brandon's Ouija Board when he brings the occult tool by her party.

This was the beginning for much of the crew. Writer-director Kevin Tenney had never written or directed before, Kenney's college friend Gerald Geoffray had never produced before, nor had executive producer Walter Josten. Indeed, much of this came out of Tenney's film school classes.

Tawny Kitaen was cast because guys in the office were "drooling" during casting when they saw her. Tenney had actually favored another actress, but went with Kitaen because of this perceived charisma. (This casting also was a lucky break, because between filming and release, Kitaen blew up thanks to her infamous Whitesnake videos.) As a side note, O. J. Simpson was dating Kitaen at the time and would visit the set with his red-dyed poodle.

While not the greatest of the 1980s horror films, one has to admit this still holds up well. In some ways, it is more amusing now (2014) than it ever was originally because of all the 1980s hair and clothing. For example, just look at Zarabeth (Kathleen Wilhoite)... that is some weird 1980s style.

But really, this is something of a modern classic because what other horror film really captures the danger of the Ouija? None come to mind for me, and it seems like such an obvious choice... well played Kevin Tenney for going with this.

The Scream Factory disc contains a wealth of bonus features, including two audio commentaries. One of them features Tenney, Gerald Geoffray and Walter Josten, and is excellent, featuring many fine stories, including how much craft services loves doughnuts.

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[Semih · 7/10 · 27 August 2003]

Witchboard is a well written, well acted, and well directed film. It's fun, it's light hearted, and it's perfect family entertainment. Everyone, grab a Ouija board and call over some spirits. No Ouija board? No worries. Go to your nearby video rental and rent Witchboard instead. But don't watch it alone. Not because it's too scary, but simply because it's quite fun and it doesn't require a lot of your attention so some buddies to chat with would be a good idea. You know how some films try to have this sub-plot idea going, to enhance the main story and characters? Well this one has one of those too and it's quite well written i must say. Characters are believable, some are funnier than others, and the acting is convincing. Some of the effects are very nostalgic, particularly to those who love horror films from the 80's.

You won't believe this, but ...

[begob · 3/10 · 8 May 2015]

Engaged babe summons up a malevolent ouija spirit, and her duelling suitors ride to the rescue. But with consequences ...

From the era when actors styled their hair with molten cheese, and every second line was, "Goddammit, don't sneak up on me like that!" An earlier reviewer said this held up well over time - yeah, in the sense that today's ouija films are just as cr*p. Goddamm you, IMDb!

I understand it was an inexperienced production, and it does have a good heart. But it shows a complete misunderstanding of horror, with unintended laughs. The final conflict is decent - but then the hilarious neck brace.

Overall, no. Just no.

Oui-ja, not "wee-gee"

[drownsoda90 · 6/10 · 11 December 2004]

Poison car-surfer Tawney Kitaen plays Linda, a young Californian who becomes entranced by a Ouija board after she believes to have made contact with the troubled spirit of a young boy. But as you and I both know, "little boy" in Ouija board speak actually means "serial killer" and/or "three-horned demon from the ninth circle of hell," so naturally Linda is in for quite a roughing up.

Directed by Kevin Tenney, who later helmed the ferocious zombie splatter flick "Night of the Demons," delivers a solid thriller here that, despite its age, is an enjoyable and well-made picture that has high emphasis for cinematography and mood and little time for blood spills. It's not a remarkably violent film by any means, and nothing remotely as gruesome as "Night of the Demons," but the suspense factor in the film is what really drives it. At times the film is mildly tedious, but the pace is kept fairly consistent for the most part.

Tawney Kitaen makes for a likable and attractive leading lady, with Stephen Nichols and Todd Allen supporting. There are some classic moments of bad line delivery, but it's all in good fun with the film's overall element of '80s cheese. That said, there are some remarkably tense and frightening scenes, many of which take place in broad daylight, which makes it all the more routine and therefore all the more sinister. The film's wacky conclusion is a real treat, with Kitaen dressed in drag and wielding an axe.

Overall, "Witchboard" is all that you might expect of a 1980s horror picture, though it's not a slasher film by any stretch of the imagination. As a supernatural thriller, it's really well done, and Tenney really keeps things in the realm of the cerebral. If you can get past some hokey acting moments and the ostentatious '80s fashions, this is quite a fun one. 6/10.

Adequately entertaining...

[paul_haakonsen · 5/10 · 31 December 2015]

I didn't find this movie particularly scary. And it wasn't because it was from 1986. It simply was because there were no scary moments in the entire movie, and no surprises to the storyline either.

For a movie from the mid-Eighties then "Witchboard" was fairly mediocre and there were some more memorably and scary horror movies available from the Eighties.

I will say that the acting in "Witchboard" was good, and director Kevin Tenney did a fair job in directing the movie. There was a good build up moments in the movie, but unfortunately they just didn't end in anything thrilling, overly impressive or climatic.

The lack of scary moments in "Witchboard" is what ultimately caused it to land on a mediocre shelf. It is adequate for what it turned out to be, just don't expect anything groundbreaking or particularly scary.

Creepy and suspenseful!!

[bfan83 · 8/10 · 19 May 2004]

This is one of my favorite movies by Kevin S. Tenney. I originally saw this movie when I was 10 or 11. I loved it then and I love it now. This movie is in the same vein as Night of the Demons and Witchtrap. Both favorites on my list. The music in this film was creepy and gave it sort of a feeling of dread. The acting was very well done. This time, it was better than Witchtrap. The sad thing about this film is...NO LINNEA QUIGLEY!! That sucked but I still liked the film. Also, I LOVED the camera work. It was very stylish and well done. The characters in this film felt like real people and that's a stretch, too. Considering how most characters in movies these days are way two dimensional. I recommend anyone picking up this film and having a great time. Truly a stylish horror film. Which is very hard to find nowadays. I give it an 8 out of a 10!! Highly recommended!!

Low budget fairly well used

[dave13-1 · 6/10 · 13 April 2012]

In addition to being a fun 80s time capsule (the rock video hair is a real treat), this movie is actually fairly decent on a technical level. There is only a little gore, not much in the way of special effects and a few too many false frights built around the main character showing up suddenly behind people (it gets tired and almost jokey the third time and up), so on a shock-and-awe level it's a bit lightweight. But the Ouija board sequences are tightly directed and fairly gripping, and that's the pay-off to the movie. The character drama is pretty dull filler but using the camera to anticipate and foreshadow action in the 80s fashion still works, and generates pretty decent suspense. Not a great B-movie (more like a C+), but an okay time waster. Tawny Kitaen has a little nudity here, but if that's your quest, The Perils of Gwendoline is preferable, and at least as entertaining.

A movie about Parker Bros most evil game!

[Aaron1375 · 5/10 · 14 July 2009]

I know the Ouija board has been around longer than the game, but I am just making a little joke. As for the movie it is just another in a long line of horror movies that could have been really good had they put more effort into it. This one just needed more like most horror movies, they tend to come up with a concept that seems like it would make for a very scary movie and they just do not develop it enough and you are left with a bunch of filler around what should have been a very promising concept. Basically, in this movie people play with the board a girl is warned never to use it by herself, she does and begins to be haunted by visions of some strange guy. A few deaths, an interesting story at its core, just needed more death and more scares. I only saw the movie once so I cannot really remember it all that well, the main thing I do remember is the strange guy that seemed to be trying to get the girl and the end where the girl is sort of possessed by said man. Other movies were made in this sort of series, but I have not seen any of them. I am guessing though they are not direct sequels.

"I Think Linda's Been Using My Ouija!"...

[azathothpwiggins · 2 July 2019]

Linda Brewster (Tawny Kitaen) makes two mistakes when she throws her big party. MISTAKE #1- she invites her morose, ex-boyfriend, Brandon (Stephen "Patch" Nichols) to the bash. MISTAKE #2- When someone breaks out the novelty device of the title, Linda allows it, rather than tossing it in the fireplace and praying for forgiveness. Worse yet, she delves deeper into deviltry, consulting the WITCHBOARD for advice.

Soon, Linda is plagued by nightmares, and begins yelling obscenities like nobody's business! Supernatural shenanigans quickly unfold, resulting in grisly, "accidental" deaths. Not surprisingly, Linda's current boyfriend, Jim (Todd Allen) thinks she's losing her mind. When the world's goofiest medium (Kathleen Wilhoite) is called in, all bets are off!

One of the more memorable mid-to-late 1980's horror films, it was Ms. Kitaen's big star vehicle. Fairly good at being overwrought, she screams and panics her way through most of her scenes, while her boyfriends worry about her. Their ensuing bromance will be tested to its core.

Almost a character in itself, Linda's pile of red hair soars whenever she's tossed around by the peevish ghost! No, this movie isn't overly frightening, but it is still enjoyable after all these years. Especially, the hair-flailing finale!

P.S.- Indeed, there is a shower scene, and yes, Ms. Kitaen does don her birthday suit... while screaming a lot!...