OK horror fans, you have to keep in mind this is a goof. Not a SCARY MOVIE style spoof but more of a pre-SCREAM "hey it's 1989 and the trappings of this horror genre are pretty evident" goof. It's also supposed to be an indirect sequel to WITCHBOARD even though the notice at the bottom of the VHS box cover says it's not. Yes, there's an actually note on the box declaring "this in not a sequel" - have we have seen that before? Anyway I think it's great - ridiculous but great. Like, have 10 beers then press play great. Plus scream queen Linnea Quigley is in it and she elevates any production she's in (and elevates my pants IF you know what I'm talking about it).
47 Reviews
What Happened Here?
thomandybish-151149 May 2020
Kevin Tenney directed two respectable horror films (WITCHBOARD and NIGHT OF THE DEMONS) prior to this, which confuses me. Neither of the two prior flicks were masterpieces, but they were competently made with fairly good actors and a veneer of professionalism, which makes this cinematic millstone a giant question mark. One would think that Tenney had a handle on how to do things like create atmosphere, rising action and suspense, elicit good performances out of his actors, etc. Nuh-uh. With this movie, Tenney seems to have had a cinematic aneurysm, losing any sense of how to make a professional, polished product.
While the movie doesn't suffer from technical ineptness, there's an amateur quality to the whole thing that makes it feel almost like a 1970s drive-in movie. Oddball camera angles (the opening scene could make you seasick--watch it and you'll know what I mean), stiff or non-professional acting, lengthy exposition dumps, and dialogue that is in turns wooden or ingratiatingly cute, and little action until the third act all make for an annoying viewing experience. Still, it can be charming if you're in the right mood. Linnea Quigley is the only name actor I could spot, and her nude scene was a blessing in the midst of all this mediocrity. The actresses playing the psychic investigator and physical medium both came off to me as non-professional or poorly trained (the investigator in particular desperately needed some vocal or dialect training--her accent was annoying). The actors playing the two cops-for-hire were ok, but the constant one-liners they delivered got irritating pretty quick. The movie picked up steam near the end with some better than average special effects (which is probably where most of the budget went), which was a welcome relief from all the tedious exposition. Lovers of bad movies might want to try this one, but all others would do well to select something else to watch on Tubi.
While the movie doesn't suffer from technical ineptness, there's an amateur quality to the whole thing that makes it feel almost like a 1970s drive-in movie. Oddball camera angles (the opening scene could make you seasick--watch it and you'll know what I mean), stiff or non-professional acting, lengthy exposition dumps, and dialogue that is in turns wooden or ingratiatingly cute, and little action until the third act all make for an annoying viewing experience. Still, it can be charming if you're in the right mood. Linnea Quigley is the only name actor I could spot, and her nude scene was a blessing in the midst of all this mediocrity. The actresses playing the psychic investigator and physical medium both came off to me as non-professional or poorly trained (the investigator in particular desperately needed some vocal or dialect training--her accent was annoying). The actors playing the two cops-for-hire were ok, but the constant one-liners they delivered got irritating pretty quick. The movie picked up steam near the end with some better than average special effects (which is probably where most of the budget went), which was a welcome relief from all the tedious exposition. Lovers of bad movies might want to try this one, but all others would do well to select something else to watch on Tubi.
Dated, but fun
Leofwine_draca2 October 2020
Warning: Spoilers
WITCHTRAP is a fun, basic B-movie horror flick from 1989, extremely dated and '80s in style with some exceptionally bad acting at certain moments. Despite all that it's mildly enjoyable, a film that's easy to laugh with and at on occasion, and the simplicity of the plot allows for lots of scares and attempted scares. A bunch of characters show up at a haunted old inn in a bid to exorcise the evil spirit that resides there, and inevitably they get bumped off one by one via supernatural accidents. There are people getting killed by shower heads, a man's head exploding, and cute Linnea Quigley playing a "goodie" for once, although expect her usual gratuitous nude scene. Hardly a classic, still fun, WITCHTRAP is perhaps the most typical example of an '80s horror flick there is.
My 50 Cents Worth
kasserine2 May 2007
This is not a sequel to WITCHBOARD. It's written and directed by Kevin S. Tenney, the director of WITCHBOARD. In fact, on the VHS copy I purchased, there's a notice on the back declaring WITCHTRAP a non-sequel. It's also, included, no kidding, as a notice right before the title sequence for WITCHTRAP. I guess Tenney was threatened with a lawsuit? Was Witchboard that successful that he'd be hassled about his obvious sequel to it? Also, on the packaging is the tag-line, "This time, it's not a game." So, what was the "last" time? WITCHBOARD, maybe? Sequel, perhaps? Please see disclaimer.
Anyway, I picked WITCHTRAP up, amongst other gems, at a local library sale for a whopping 50 cents. It was a rental from a now defunct video store called Top Video. Pretty beat up copy, and I usually prefer to stay away from rentals, but couldn't resist, plus it had Linnea Quigley in it. How bad could it be? Pretty bad, actually. The acting is quite awful. It helped that they drove around in vintage 1980s cars, wore Members Only jackets and sported the latest hairstyles. However, the people driving the cars, and sporting the funky clothes, couldn't cut it as performers. It's about the level of porn acting, maybe a little bit better and I suppose, the guy playing the detective, James Quinn, was okay, sometimes, but that's about it. Quigley, doesn't have much of a part and does what she's hired to do. She has a shower scene and she appears to be laughing when she gets killed.
The premise of the film is fairly typical for this genre. A man named Devin Lauter inherits a mansion from his long deceased uncle, Avery Lauter. Avery, it seems was some kind of warlock or other, and died brutally in the home and, naturally, possesses the place and kills erstwhile inhabitants. That's why the nephew, Devin, hires a crack team of paranormal experts and some detectives, for security, to figure the place out. Of course, once they arrive things go horribly wrong. If only they had gone horribly wrong in any kind of an interesting way. The pacing is very slow and the gruesome deaths aren't very gruesome. Flying hatchets were never that scary to begin with, and WITCHTRAP proves that they still aren't.
There is, however, a certain production value to WITCHTRAP. The pacing sucks but the editing and camera work is clearly professional. In fact, there were a couple of things I thought were kind of neat, here and there, like a scene where some hands come through a door. But, believe me, those moments were few and far between. And, by professional, I mean they had some money behind it, so it's watchable, unlike, say, a lot of the stuff from Full Moon video. I have to also say, that compared to a lot of direct to video digital cheapies I've seen in recent years, some of these ultra low budget filmmakers could learn a thing or two from WITCHTRAP. Unfortunately, that has more to do with how bad some current filmmakers are then any particular quality WITCHTRAP has. Again, there is some technical competence in the film but, unfortunately, not enough to redeem it.
Almost twenty years on, it's a bit tricky to consider recommending WITCHTRAP. There's no arguing that it's a pretty bad film. It fails on some of the most fundamental levels consistently enough to irritate just about anyone interested in these types of films. The gratuitous nudity is pretty uninspired, as is the violence, and the poor acting exceeds camp into just plain awful.
Still, if you're a connoisseur of 80s horror, if there is such a thing, you might be able to tolerate the bad film-making. Linnea Quigley is in it, after all and that helps. It also helps that it is so dated. If you grew up in this era, nostalgia might get you through.
So, if you see it for 50 cents, or maybe a dollar, and need something to play in the background as you do other things, WITCHTRAP just might be up your alley. Otherwise, you're better off with almost anything else.
Anyway, I picked WITCHTRAP up, amongst other gems, at a local library sale for a whopping 50 cents. It was a rental from a now defunct video store called Top Video. Pretty beat up copy, and I usually prefer to stay away from rentals, but couldn't resist, plus it had Linnea Quigley in it. How bad could it be? Pretty bad, actually. The acting is quite awful. It helped that they drove around in vintage 1980s cars, wore Members Only jackets and sported the latest hairstyles. However, the people driving the cars, and sporting the funky clothes, couldn't cut it as performers. It's about the level of porn acting, maybe a little bit better and I suppose, the guy playing the detective, James Quinn, was okay, sometimes, but that's about it. Quigley, doesn't have much of a part and does what she's hired to do. She has a shower scene and she appears to be laughing when she gets killed.
The premise of the film is fairly typical for this genre. A man named Devin Lauter inherits a mansion from his long deceased uncle, Avery Lauter. Avery, it seems was some kind of warlock or other, and died brutally in the home and, naturally, possesses the place and kills erstwhile inhabitants. That's why the nephew, Devin, hires a crack team of paranormal experts and some detectives, for security, to figure the place out. Of course, once they arrive things go horribly wrong. If only they had gone horribly wrong in any kind of an interesting way. The pacing is very slow and the gruesome deaths aren't very gruesome. Flying hatchets were never that scary to begin with, and WITCHTRAP proves that they still aren't.
There is, however, a certain production value to WITCHTRAP. The pacing sucks but the editing and camera work is clearly professional. In fact, there were a couple of things I thought were kind of neat, here and there, like a scene where some hands come through a door. But, believe me, those moments were few and far between. And, by professional, I mean they had some money behind it, so it's watchable, unlike, say, a lot of the stuff from Full Moon video. I have to also say, that compared to a lot of direct to video digital cheapies I've seen in recent years, some of these ultra low budget filmmakers could learn a thing or two from WITCHTRAP. Unfortunately, that has more to do with how bad some current filmmakers are then any particular quality WITCHTRAP has. Again, there is some technical competence in the film but, unfortunately, not enough to redeem it.
Almost twenty years on, it's a bit tricky to consider recommending WITCHTRAP. There's no arguing that it's a pretty bad film. It fails on some of the most fundamental levels consistently enough to irritate just about anyone interested in these types of films. The gratuitous nudity is pretty uninspired, as is the violence, and the poor acting exceeds camp into just plain awful.
Still, if you're a connoisseur of 80s horror, if there is such a thing, you might be able to tolerate the bad film-making. Linnea Quigley is in it, after all and that helps. It also helps that it is so dated. If you grew up in this era, nostalgia might get you through.
So, if you see it for 50 cents, or maybe a dollar, and need something to play in the background as you do other things, WITCHTRAP just might be up your alley. Otherwise, you're better off with almost anything else.
I disagree, this is bad in ALL the right ways!
capkronos4 March 2003
Lauterhouse, affectionately referred to as "slaughterhouse" by its owner Devin Lauter (played by the director, who should have stayed hidden behind the camera!), is a big SoCal mansion on a secluded plot of prime real estate. Devin wants it converted over to a bed and breakfast, but the sadistic ghost of his late uncle, a former stage magician, keeps killing off whoever enters.
Paranormal researcher Agnes Goldberg (Judy Tatum) is hired to photograph and exorcise the ghost and organizes a team of paranormal experts that include her "mental medium" husband Felix (Rob Zapple), "psychic medium" Whitney O'Shay (Kathleen Bailey) and sexy video-tech Ginger Kowowski (Linnea Quigley), plus three low-grade rent-a-cops for protection. Naturally, things don't go as planned when Uncle Avery (J.P. Leubsen, the creepy guy from WITCHBOARD) starts to use his powers to kill everyone off.
Looking for some of the worst amateur acting and dialogue ever to hit the small screen? Then look no further! Tatum and Bailey are so monotone they make Ben Stein look like Laurence Olivier! Other highlights include a showerhead impaling a neck, a black character who threatens, "I'll tapdance on your face like Bojangles Robinson!," a pudgy voyeur groundskeeper, an exploding head, blood that looks suspiciously like Cherry Kool-Aid, Tenney's trademark AWFUL wisecracks, Linnea in the shower, a possession, a human meltdown and much, much more. It's all delirious fun. I laughed a lot while watching it. In fact, every time I see this for sale, I pick up a copy to give to one of my friends as a gag gift.
I would rate this a 9 for laughs and entertainment value and I give it some credit because the plot is actually competent even if much of the dialogue is not, but going by craftsmanship, it's a generous 3 out 10.
Paranormal researcher Agnes Goldberg (Judy Tatum) is hired to photograph and exorcise the ghost and organizes a team of paranormal experts that include her "mental medium" husband Felix (Rob Zapple), "psychic medium" Whitney O'Shay (Kathleen Bailey) and sexy video-tech Ginger Kowowski (Linnea Quigley), plus three low-grade rent-a-cops for protection. Naturally, things don't go as planned when Uncle Avery (J.P. Leubsen, the creepy guy from WITCHBOARD) starts to use his powers to kill everyone off.
Looking for some of the worst amateur acting and dialogue ever to hit the small screen? Then look no further! Tatum and Bailey are so monotone they make Ben Stein look like Laurence Olivier! Other highlights include a showerhead impaling a neck, a black character who threatens, "I'll tapdance on your face like Bojangles Robinson!," a pudgy voyeur groundskeeper, an exploding head, blood that looks suspiciously like Cherry Kool-Aid, Tenney's trademark AWFUL wisecracks, Linnea in the shower, a possession, a human meltdown and much, much more. It's all delirious fun. I laughed a lot while watching it. In fact, every time I see this for sale, I pick up a copy to give to one of my friends as a gag gift.
I would rate this a 9 for laughs and entertainment value and I give it some credit because the plot is actually competent even if much of the dialogue is not, but going by craftsmanship, it's a generous 3 out 10.
AWLUL...TERRIBLE...PITIFUL...AND I LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT!
horror77775 April 2001
Hands down one of the worst films that I've ever seen, but I can't resist telling people they must see this laughable junk! If you had a bad day, don't feel low...WATCH WITCHTRAP! The acting is terrible, the deaths are real cheese, and the writing and directing are pitiful, but this film is a spoof! Kevin Tenney wrote this as a spoof to his 1985 film WITCHBOARD. It succeeds in spoofing that as well as spoofing itself! I cannot stress enough how camp this movie is! It's pure cheese! The ending is also terrible...as contrived as hell...the effects are cheesy, etc. but the film succeeds in creating more unintentional belly laughs then I've ever experienced. Watch WITCHTRAP, you will see what I mean.
The very definition of 'Wooden'
ExiledRoyal2 September 2020
This comes across as so amateurish it's amazing it got made. The script is lazy and naive, the acting is by numbers. Gratuitous nudity adds nothing. Yet... somehow... it's almost impossible to turn off. Maybe you just end up wanting to see justice done, and nobody makes it out alive. Meh!
brief comments
MarshallStax19 September 1998
Possibly the worst acting ever in a genre not noted for its sterling thespians. Quigley is the best of the lot, shining (relatively) in her role as one of the many disposable sacks of blood in this tedious time-sink. Who lives through it? Who cares? Since the characters are all blanks, there's no suspense and the little interest there is wanes quickly. One of the all-time worst horror films.
WitchCrap
czarnobog7 March 2006
It's unbelievable that the same director who brought us "Night of the Demons" could churn out such an amateur hour crap-fest. The script is a typical ripoff of "The Haunting" but if the Robert Wise flick was rated 100 this would get a 1. The director has a cameo appearance which says it all: his acting "skills" come strictly from the "deer in the headlights" school of acting. Linnea Quigley is pretty to look at. It's too bad she wasn't more discriminating in her choice of roles. She made a few decent flicks, then wallowed away her career in a sea of these cheeseball no budget snoozers. See this one ONLY for laughs. It's a howler.
Like Stephen King's "Red Rose" but far worse
spritzkoenig4 August 2021
Warning: Spoilers
So bad that it is almost good. As a fan of mild horror like "Ghostbusters" and "Night of the Demons" I enjoy movies like that a lot. And when I saw it, I found so many similarities to "Red Rose".
Spoiler alert: A haunted house with a troubled past, which is discussed throughout the movie by self acclaimed history "experts".
We have a team of parapsychological scientiest with various different parapsycholigical abilities.
The blonde voluptous girl who dies first.
A female teamleader who ist obsessed with her work/career and her need to have success, who is even risking her love's/husband's life to achieve her goals - and fails in the end.
Characters who are fooled by their own imagination.
An ending which leaves you speechless ...
If I was allowed to guess, I would say Mr King saw the movie, laughed to himself and decided: I do exactly the same but much much better. And actually so he did.
I read in the section above that the script was written in 6 days and the movie shot in 17 days. For that fact I would give the movie a 10 out of 10. But it could have been better so 6 out of 10. And because it is a classic which can teach you how to make a better movie.
Spoiler alert: A haunted house with a troubled past, which is discussed throughout the movie by self acclaimed history "experts".
We have a team of parapsychological scientiest with various different parapsycholigical abilities.
The blonde voluptous girl who dies first.
A female teamleader who ist obsessed with her work/career and her need to have success, who is even risking her love's/husband's life to achieve her goals - and fails in the end.
Characters who are fooled by their own imagination.
An ending which leaves you speechless ...
If I was allowed to guess, I would say Mr King saw the movie, laughed to himself and decided: I do exactly the same but much much better. And actually so he did.
I read in the section above that the script was written in 6 days and the movie shot in 17 days. For that fact I would give the movie a 10 out of 10. But it could have been better so 6 out of 10. And because it is a classic which can teach you how to make a better movie.
A tad disappointing
Stevieboy6661 September 2019
Paranormal investigators and private detectives are hired by the owner of an inherited Gothic mansion that appears to be haunted.
Witchtrap is basic in plot, not that it matters. This is a horror flick wheres scares come first. Sadly, having revisited it many years after my first viewing - both times on VHS - I found it to be somewhat disappointing. The acting is pretty poor and I am not sure if the movie is meant to be part comedy or if they just employed a cheap script writer, there are plenty of bad lines here. It is saved to an extent by some enjoyable gory deaths, including a body melt, plus Scream Queen Linnea Quigley gets naked in the shower (she is also one of the better actors too).
Linnea Quigley is the only star that shines here.
jimmyplm3 December 1999
Linnea Quigley is one of the best slasher movie vixens of all time. She may never win an Oscar, but she still has won the hearts of many loyal fans. I personally adore Linnea, and I love the way she always makes time for her fans. I found her email address once and sent her a little fan email. She actually took the time to email me back a sweet response. Isn't that a great celebrity? She is a goddess. If Linnea is in a horror flick, you know that it is going to be pretty good. You never have to worry about hating the movie because with Linnea, how can you lose? Do yourself a favor and check out Linnea's horror workout, Night of the Demons, or Return of the Living Dead!
Ah, Avery... You dirty old poltergeist, you!
Coventry18 July 2023
For a brief period of barely four years, from 1986 to 1989 to be exact, writer/director Kevin S. Tenney was a bona-fide horror star. "Night of the Demons" is inarguably his best work, but also "Witchboard" was a successful and influential 80s cheeseball. His "The Cellar" and this "Witchtrap" probably qualify more as personal guilty pleasures, but especially the latter is so much fun!
Although featuring reminiscent titles and several of the same cast members, "Witchtrap" is not a sequel or a spinoff to "Witchboard". It looks and feels as if Tenney spontaneously thought up the entire concept of "Witchtrap" during a cigarette break, or something, because the whole film is simple and straightforward, with the sole focus on gruesome kills. Yay! There ought to be a lot more horror movies like these.
Our director also plays a minor supportive role at the beginning, as the reluctant heir of an old gothic mansion that is supposedly still possessed by the evil spirit of its last owner Avery Lauter; - a satanist who died just before he could complete a sacrificial ritual. His nephew Devon recruits a married couple of paranormal investigators (think of them as cheaper versions of Ed and Lorraine Warren from "The Conjuring") and a trio of skeptical security agents to rid the house of evil, but old uncle Avery has no intention of leaving.
Perhaps it's also because I watched far too many pretentious, pseudo-intelligent and insufferably tedious meta-horror movies lately, but I absolutely loved the simplicity and authenticity of "Witchtrap"! What you expect is exactly what you get. After a short introduction of the lead characters, the killings start, and they are inventive and blood-soaked. We're treated to a demonic showerhead, floating bullets, kamikaze cars, melting faces, axes in the head, and a glorious head explosion! The main hero (Tenney regular James W. Quinn) represents an ethnic minority and continuously makes inappropriate and cynical remarks, like it was almost mandatory in the late 80s, while the malignant house-ghost looks like a creepy and perverted TV-evangelist. Love it! Many of my fellow reviewers seem to hold a grudge against "Witchtrap", but I honestly cannot fathom why. My only complaint is that 80s cult-wench Linnea Quigley is taken from us too soon, after barely one nude sequence.
Although featuring reminiscent titles and several of the same cast members, "Witchtrap" is not a sequel or a spinoff to "Witchboard". It looks and feels as if Tenney spontaneously thought up the entire concept of "Witchtrap" during a cigarette break, or something, because the whole film is simple and straightforward, with the sole focus on gruesome kills. Yay! There ought to be a lot more horror movies like these.
Our director also plays a minor supportive role at the beginning, as the reluctant heir of an old gothic mansion that is supposedly still possessed by the evil spirit of its last owner Avery Lauter; - a satanist who died just before he could complete a sacrificial ritual. His nephew Devon recruits a married couple of paranormal investigators (think of them as cheaper versions of Ed and Lorraine Warren from "The Conjuring") and a trio of skeptical security agents to rid the house of evil, but old uncle Avery has no intention of leaving.
Perhaps it's also because I watched far too many pretentious, pseudo-intelligent and insufferably tedious meta-horror movies lately, but I absolutely loved the simplicity and authenticity of "Witchtrap"! What you expect is exactly what you get. After a short introduction of the lead characters, the killings start, and they are inventive and blood-soaked. We're treated to a demonic showerhead, floating bullets, kamikaze cars, melting faces, axes in the head, and a glorious head explosion! The main hero (Tenney regular James W. Quinn) represents an ethnic minority and continuously makes inappropriate and cynical remarks, like it was almost mandatory in the late 80s, while the malignant house-ghost looks like a creepy and perverted TV-evangelist. Love it! Many of my fellow reviewers seem to hold a grudge against "Witchtrap", but I honestly cannot fathom why. My only complaint is that 80s cult-wench Linnea Quigley is taken from us too soon, after barely one nude sequence.
So bad that it's funny
dexters1lab27 September 2001
This movie is a must for persons who also want to make a movie in the future. Then you'll know there are always worst. The actors are so bad that they are becoming funny. The discussion at the table before entering the house is excellent. The "special effects" are the worst I've ever seen. The crew did have the guts to make and show this crap on TV, and that's brilliant. We were constantly laughing, you must realize that this movie is not seriously meant (I hope).
Bury it!!!
bigpappa1--215 May 2000
This triffle of a film, gives new meaning to the word bad. Bad direction, bad script, bad editing, bad special effects, bad acting, everything about this film is bad. No redeeming features what-so-ever (some might argue, saying Quigley naked is always good, but you can always rent any of her other films.). One of the absolute worst films of all time. Not even good for a couple of laughs and not good in a cheesy way. Avoid it. 1 out of 10.
It's a trap!...
paul_haakonsen17 June 2018
With no idea what I was getting into here, I still decided to sit down and watch "Witchtrap" on the basis that it was a horror movie. I had never heard about it, nor did I know people on the cast list either.
I managed to endure 42 minutes of this pointless movie, which was almost entirely lacking a proper storyline.
There was nothing scary in any of the scenes that I saw during the 42 minutes I got through, unless you consider the inability to act as being scary. The dialogue in the movie was so unfathomably poor, staggering and forced, that it was very unnatural.
And it didn't help that the cast ensemble weren't really much in for performing in any way that came off as plausible.
I will not return to finish this movie ever. Even though the movie was from 1989 but it felt like it was a movie from 1979.
I managed to endure 42 minutes of this pointless movie, which was almost entirely lacking a proper storyline.
There was nothing scary in any of the scenes that I saw during the 42 minutes I got through, unless you consider the inability to act as being scary. The dialogue in the movie was so unfathomably poor, staggering and forced, that it was very unnatural.
And it didn't help that the cast ensemble weren't really much in for performing in any way that came off as plausible.
I will not return to finish this movie ever. Even though the movie was from 1989 but it felt like it was a movie from 1979.
I've Heard Those Horrible, UnGodly, Shrieks And Moans.
wandernn1-81-68327423 September 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Okay so this came up on my list on Amazon to watch for some reason. We start off with a horrible acting and camerawork scene of a scared man falling off a 2 story window. That was the longest fall from a 2 story window I've ever seen.
-1 Star for the horrible opening sequence with the fall from a 2 story window and the very watery blood that apparently spewed from the guys head......
Next scene, some girl in the bathtub lying there au natural. No fakery here and no hiding from the cameras.
+1 Star for letting it hang out a bit in the bathtub.....
So this is about the Lauder House, a supposedly haunted property. A team is assembled to properly EXORCISE this house, and be photographed. The owner wants to make BED AND BREAKFAST work. A team to investigate a psychic phenomenon and a team to provide security to that team.
So these 2 crews finally get to the house. Boy is there some horrible acting in this mess. And some crazy cliches in the dialogue. 'I never discuss religion on any day with a Y in it. ' So they begin with a 'session' after they setup all their equipment, and they try to contact Avery Lauder, the man of the HOUSE!
And basically what happens is the vocal medium starts getting all vocal, the physical medium starts flopping around like an idiot while the cool beans security dude he's definitely Super Joe Cool. But the blonde she gets killed in the SHOWER BY THE SHOWER. And I mean literally BY THE SHOWER, she gets killed.
Then there's a fight sequence between the groundskeeper and security Joe that is so intense I don't think I've seen a fight so intense since that one in S2 Ep5 of Bonanza, when Hoss Cartwright fought 'Stranger In Hat'. They finally figure out that they 'have to get out of this house, RIGHT NOW.' Oh dear!!!
-1 Star for that horrific fight scene
LOL well the groundskeeper got hisself a gun now and he's a crack shot. He shoots the gas tank in the van and blows that up. He shoots vocal medium in the gut. Quickly!!! They've trapped the spirit of Lauder in the Lauder spirit trapper device that was brought by Dr. Sprit Trapper, but it's not going to hold him!!!! We must rejoin Lauders heart with his ASHES!!! rUH ROH HE'S FREE!!! He repossesses physical medium Whitney!!! Bahahaha, and eats his own ashes!!! Well that's one way to keep them safe!!! Security Joe just saw HER chug down the urn of ashes yet he's calling HER MISS OSHEA NOW.
-1 Star for the MISS OSHEA line....
Lauder now says he's immortal and tosses Joe around like a rag doll. But Joe gets the heart box and throws it out the window where it splatters below the house and then Lauder melts, of course he's in Whitney's body right??? oh wait....is Whitney going to live through this?? OH YES, SHE IS. LAUDER MELTED ALL AROUND HER BODY AND LEFT HER BODY INTACT.... ROFL...
-1 FOR that hideous crap.
But Security Joe and Physical Medium Whitney they manage to survive the Lauder House and get to drive away. But is the Lauder ghost still roaming the halls of the Lauder House??? Oh my a question for the AGES!!!!
2/10
-1 Star for the horrible opening sequence with the fall from a 2 story window and the very watery blood that apparently spewed from the guys head......
Next scene, some girl in the bathtub lying there au natural. No fakery here and no hiding from the cameras.
+1 Star for letting it hang out a bit in the bathtub.....
So this is about the Lauder House, a supposedly haunted property. A team is assembled to properly EXORCISE this house, and be photographed. The owner wants to make BED AND BREAKFAST work. A team to investigate a psychic phenomenon and a team to provide security to that team.
So these 2 crews finally get to the house. Boy is there some horrible acting in this mess. And some crazy cliches in the dialogue. 'I never discuss religion on any day with a Y in it. ' So they begin with a 'session' after they setup all their equipment, and they try to contact Avery Lauder, the man of the HOUSE!
And basically what happens is the vocal medium starts getting all vocal, the physical medium starts flopping around like an idiot while the cool beans security dude he's definitely Super Joe Cool. But the blonde she gets killed in the SHOWER BY THE SHOWER. And I mean literally BY THE SHOWER, she gets killed.
Then there's a fight sequence between the groundskeeper and security Joe that is so intense I don't think I've seen a fight so intense since that one in S2 Ep5 of Bonanza, when Hoss Cartwright fought 'Stranger In Hat'. They finally figure out that they 'have to get out of this house, RIGHT NOW.' Oh dear!!!
-1 Star for that horrific fight scene
LOL well the groundskeeper got hisself a gun now and he's a crack shot. He shoots the gas tank in the van and blows that up. He shoots vocal medium in the gut. Quickly!!! They've trapped the spirit of Lauder in the Lauder spirit trapper device that was brought by Dr. Sprit Trapper, but it's not going to hold him!!!! We must rejoin Lauders heart with his ASHES!!! rUH ROH HE'S FREE!!! He repossesses physical medium Whitney!!! Bahahaha, and eats his own ashes!!! Well that's one way to keep them safe!!! Security Joe just saw HER chug down the urn of ashes yet he's calling HER MISS OSHEA NOW.
-1 Star for the MISS OSHEA line....
Lauder now says he's immortal and tosses Joe around like a rag doll. But Joe gets the heart box and throws it out the window where it splatters below the house and then Lauder melts, of course he's in Whitney's body right??? oh wait....is Whitney going to live through this?? OH YES, SHE IS. LAUDER MELTED ALL AROUND HER BODY AND LEFT HER BODY INTACT.... ROFL...
-1 FOR that hideous crap.
But Security Joe and Physical Medium Whitney they manage to survive the Lauder House and get to drive away. But is the Lauder ghost still roaming the halls of the Lauder House??? Oh my a question for the AGES!!!!
2/10
It's so bad that it's almost good!
cLoNe12 August 1999
The script is idiotic, and the actors look and sound like porn movie rejects...
The horror is so boring with dumb effects and complete lack of suspense. It's amusing to see the main male character trying hard to be funny all through the movie with very sad rude one-liners. You don't really care for the characters as they are just a bunch of boring cannon fodder.
When all the bad elements are all put together you get an incredibly idiotic movie that is fun to watch BECAUSE it's so bad.
The horror is so boring with dumb effects and complete lack of suspense. It's amusing to see the main male character trying hard to be funny all through the movie with very sad rude one-liners. You don't really care for the characters as they are just a bunch of boring cannon fodder.
When all the bad elements are all put together you get an incredibly idiotic movie that is fun to watch BECAUSE it's so bad.
Dissapointing
jamesmorgan-0411420 January 2020
Kevin Tenney hit horror gold when he delivered the one-two punch of Witchboard and Night of the Demons. While the first was more Hitchcockian in approach and the other was a wild, anything goes thrill ride akin to walking through a funhouse, they've both gone on to rightly become 80's horror classics. Surely, Witchtrap would either supply the Hitchcockian thrills or the funhouse chills, but it doesn't really do anything and it's hard to imagine that it was even made by the same guy as it's almost entirely devoid of personality or style.
The film is about a group of paranormal investigators and some policeman who show up at a reportedly haunted bed and breakfast after the house claims yet another victim. The setup isn't unlike The Haunting, but Witchtrap is certainly no haunting. Pretty soon, one of the lead characters starts getting uncontrollable shakes (that never really stop and that's about all she has to do in the entire film, but it does keep her from delivering her flat line readings) and people start dying in a variety of odd ways like shower nozzles impaling them through their necks.
There's some attempts at humor here and there with the two policeman who trade barbed quips every so often, but it doesn't feel like the movie itself is going for spoof or parody and, since the horror scenes fail to chill or excite, this leaves Witchtrap in an odd, uneven place. There are some great special effects, but they can't save a movie that's stuck telling an unremarkable story. Even the usually spunky Linnea Quigley can't bring the film's slacking energy up (though, to be fair, she is only in a tiny bit of the film).
Witchtrap is, unfortunately, a straight up bore and an almost total waste of time.
The film is about a group of paranormal investigators and some policeman who show up at a reportedly haunted bed and breakfast after the house claims yet another victim. The setup isn't unlike The Haunting, but Witchtrap is certainly no haunting. Pretty soon, one of the lead characters starts getting uncontrollable shakes (that never really stop and that's about all she has to do in the entire film, but it does keep her from delivering her flat line readings) and people start dying in a variety of odd ways like shower nozzles impaling them through their necks.
There's some attempts at humor here and there with the two policeman who trade barbed quips every so often, but it doesn't feel like the movie itself is going for spoof or parody and, since the horror scenes fail to chill or excite, this leaves Witchtrap in an odd, uneven place. There are some great special effects, but they can't save a movie that's stuck telling an unremarkable story. Even the usually spunky Linnea Quigley can't bring the film's slacking energy up (though, to be fair, she is only in a tiny bit of the film).
Witchtrap is, unfortunately, a straight up bore and an almost total waste of time.
Pretty bad - with one redeeming feature
Milk_Tray_Guy12 November 2021
With a team of parapsychologists assembled to investigate a haunted inn, this plays out like an 80s version of The Haunting - but with bad acting, dodgy effects, and really cheesy dialogue. It's entertaining, in a bad kinda way (or maybe bad, in an entertaining way). Anyway, 5/10 (and that includes an extra, well-earned point for the awesome Linnea Quigley's completely gratuitous shower scene).
When you just want to get rid of that pesky uncle who haunts the house he left you!
Aaron137525 May 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Yes, you have a haunted house, what do you do? You allow paranormal investigators into it to try and rid the ghost. However, I recommend not hiring the group whose lead is an atheist, because that is mildly stupid. This film was entertaining and I liked the lead guy, but the whole I am a ghost hunter and an atheist was the most incredibly stupid plot point in the history of movies. If you are an atheist, you do not believe in spooks, mediums and such. She literally watches her husband get taken over and talks about how stupid the religious tomfoolery is.
The story, a guy apparently inherited a house from his uncle who was a illusionist and practicing devil worshiper. I mean, he has a magic cloak for his act and a temple of Satan upstairs so you know the guy was bad. That and like other movies with witch in the title he is a older man with a beard because that equaled evil in the maker of this film's mind as he also wrote Witch Board. Well the guy who inherited the house hires a team of paranormal investigators to go in to expel the ghost and proceeds to waste his money more by hiring a team of detectives to protect the investigators. Of course, they get there and run into the strange caretaker who literally jumps someone the moment he is yelled at and then Linnea is killed right away as she gets nude in the shower! No! That death hurt me! Then the deaths keep mounting as the specter tries to resurrect himself!
Someone wrote here that this is a spoof of Witch House, but no it isn't. For some reason a lot of people like to make themselves seem smart by acting as if a filmmaker is going to make a film a spoof, but then not advertise it as a comedy, have a serious tone and make the fact it is a spoof that is so vague that only people years later will catch on, thus making no money on this fact at all. Sure, that is what it was alright. Some people say the same thing about that killer robot cop film R. O. T. O. R too.
So, I liked this film, it was entertaining, but it does have the glaring story points that are illogical. The lead guy is pretty cool and makes the film and Linnea is in this, but she like takes off her clothes, gets killed and calls it a day. There are some pretty fun deaths and some good gore here and there. There are also some very lengthy scenes where people are just talking, like I said, it was pretty good, but I feel I am stretching it giving a six as there are a lot of flaws!
The story, a guy apparently inherited a house from his uncle who was a illusionist and practicing devil worshiper. I mean, he has a magic cloak for his act and a temple of Satan upstairs so you know the guy was bad. That and like other movies with witch in the title he is a older man with a beard because that equaled evil in the maker of this film's mind as he also wrote Witch Board. Well the guy who inherited the house hires a team of paranormal investigators to go in to expel the ghost and proceeds to waste his money more by hiring a team of detectives to protect the investigators. Of course, they get there and run into the strange caretaker who literally jumps someone the moment he is yelled at and then Linnea is killed right away as she gets nude in the shower! No! That death hurt me! Then the deaths keep mounting as the specter tries to resurrect himself!
Someone wrote here that this is a spoof of Witch House, but no it isn't. For some reason a lot of people like to make themselves seem smart by acting as if a filmmaker is going to make a film a spoof, but then not advertise it as a comedy, have a serious tone and make the fact it is a spoof that is so vague that only people years later will catch on, thus making no money on this fact at all. Sure, that is what it was alright. Some people say the same thing about that killer robot cop film R. O. T. O. R too.
So, I liked this film, it was entertaining, but it does have the glaring story points that are illogical. The lead guy is pretty cool and makes the film and Linnea is in this, but she like takes off her clothes, gets killed and calls it a day. There are some pretty fun deaths and some good gore here and there. There are also some very lengthy scenes where people are just talking, like I said, it was pretty good, but I feel I am stretching it giving a six as there are a lot of flaws!
Well.....
jutinjustice30 January 2020
Warning: Spoilers
This film was bad very bad.
First the actors were bad the couldn't act they have always the same face whether they were happy sad or terrified!!! And they talked liked a vintage film like they're teaching children who to pronounce English ( i know they dubbed the sound again due to technical problems but this wasn't an excuse at all) .
And how about their stupid jokes that were always out offline and unnecessary to use ( so you are watching a first year old student who tries to be funny!).
The story is so dull and boring OH LORD, at the end of the 80s we just see the same story line of possessed house with nothing special and please don't let me start with the Medium character that was play by Kathleen Bailey ( she is a very religious person and she wears shorts and showing her body like that all the time!!!) not to mention her terrible acting .
It's so sad the this film was made by the same guy who created witchboard Just forget that this film was ever made and save your time and watch the original.
First the actors were bad the couldn't act they have always the same face whether they were happy sad or terrified!!! And they talked liked a vintage film like they're teaching children who to pronounce English ( i know they dubbed the sound again due to technical problems but this wasn't an excuse at all) .
And how about their stupid jokes that were always out offline and unnecessary to use ( so you are watching a first year old student who tries to be funny!).
The story is so dull and boring OH LORD, at the end of the 80s we just see the same story line of possessed house with nothing special and please don't let me start with the Medium character that was play by Kathleen Bailey ( she is a very religious person and she wears shorts and showing her body like that all the time!!!) not to mention her terrible acting .
It's so sad the this film was made by the same guy who created witchboard Just forget that this film was ever made and save your time and watch the original.
Funny as Hell
mti227 August 2005
This is one of the funniest movies ever made. It is right up there with Attack Of The Killer Tomatoes. The HORRIBLE acting is the most terrifying part of this movie, but it is also the the reason for its humor (although the humor, I think, was unintended). My eight year old son could have written a better script, but the awful lines along with the awful acting will have you rolling on the floor. Among the best quotes is this little gem: (Felix has been shot, and his wife is freaking out about it)
Wife: Oh, Felix! You're wounded!
Felix: Yeah, I know.
I love this movie!
Wife: Oh, Felix! You're wounded!
Felix: Yeah, I know.
I love this movie!
Be prepared for the B ride only the 80's can provide
tvcarsd18 June 2021
I really couldn't imagine any other reason to want to watch this movie unless you are trying to see as many 80's horror's as you can. Personally I love haunted houses that have a bunch of parapsychology student shoved at it. A lot of fun horrors from the 70's and 80's horror follow the basics that Witchtrap use.
Getting stuck in some place and sending someone off for help. Being picked off one by one. The start of this movie was tedious and gratuitous in padding. It's really a midday horror and as such its not that bad. You could easily enjoy this movie while doing something else, that's something people don't think about with these old movies.
Play it a little sped up and treat it as an audio book that you can occasionally watch and its a pretty decent story.
Getting stuck in some place and sending someone off for help. Being picked off one by one. The start of this movie was tedious and gratuitous in padding. It's really a midday horror and as such its not that bad. You could easily enjoy this movie while doing something else, that's something people don't think about with these old movies.
Play it a little sped up and treat it as an audio book that you can occasionally watch and its a pretty decent story.
Snappy dialogue, bad film
nigel_essex7 September 2020
Okay, I've just sat through Witchtrap and I'm dumbfounded. On the one hand it has genuinely funny dialogue, some great one liners and a goofy sense of fun. On the other it has wooden acting, so so effects, no suspense, not very gory or indeed scary. Is it a horror film? Is it a comedy? Is it a horror comedy? No to all three. Worth a watch? Maybe, if you've nothing else to do. For 80s nostalgia it's up there, for everything else it falls way short.
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