[6]

A witch casts a spell on a nasty lord’s family after he slaughters several members of her coven. Cry of the Banshee then becomes a “ten little indians” scenario as the witch’s otherworldly servant of evil dispatches of the lord and his family. Vincent Price headlines as the wicked patriarch and Elisabeth Bergner plays Oona the witch. No one really gets a chance to shine, though. The script unfolds predictably, though the director’s cut of the film features a few things you don’t often find in these 60s and 70s gothic horror movies, including a scene of incest between mother and son and a healthy dose of boob shots. (The director’s cut also features a more traditional score by Wilfred Josephs, while the American release features more contemporary music by Les Baxter.)

Like many other American International Pictures releases, the colors are vibrant, the English countryside is beautiful, and there’s considerable production value in the sets and wardrobes. Director Gordon Hessler moves the camera much more than usual for an AIP or Hammer films release. I think Cry of the Banshee is on par with many other AIP and Hammer films, but it could have been better if it were less about every member of the doomed family and more about the witch’s possessed servant (Patrick Mower).

If you watch the director’s cut version, you’ll also see an animated title sequence from Monty Python‘s Terry Gilliam.

With Hugh Griffith.