Matcollis This Movie Can Only Be Described With One Word.

Rijndri Load of rubbish!!

GazerRise Fantastic!

Frances Chung Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

James Harris This is a favorite of mine having already owned the bleak DVD, and also having had the pleasure to enjoy it on VHS and 35mm. I didn't love The Witch Who Came From the Sea on my first viewing. I was examining this movie as part of a larger project during a discovery of the Video Nasties. Curious that the AHP focuses in on a movie that helped to create such controversy in the UK, the homeland of Arrow Video. What struck me upon my first watch was that it really didn't deserve the censors mean spirited axe. This was a movie that focused on a disturbed woman who killed based on some strange goings on in her childhood. Her mind seemed to create an alternate persona to handle this trauma and in turn, a killing machine. My understanding of the Video Recording Act of 1984 is that any time you see blood and nudity in the same scene, you're getting some kind of ban.Though the violence in The Witch Who Came From the Sea isn't exactly overboard there is plenty of it with that bright red, Crayola blood. It seems to always come in conjunction with debauched sexual moments further stimulating the viewer and creating some rather uncomfortable moments. Even in its lack of gratuity it has the power to disturb, and that's what I came to love about it upon my subsequent viewing especially with a large crowd of unsuspecting theater goers.This release is a handsome transfer especially in comparison to the previous DVD release. I've always thought that this particular movie looked washed out. The print is solid with minimal damage and the black look uncrushed, colors (especially that blood red) appear vibrant. It's definitely an uptick from all other formats, even the rather marred print I saw projected.The release comes with an interview/making of featurette that has Dean Cundey, director Michael Cimber and star Millie Perkins among others. Perkins goes through the aftermath of making a film with such objectionable material and is very candid. It's lovely to see Cundey discuss anything (perhaps you remember him as the DOP on John Carpenter's films among other classics?). Michael Cimber walks you through some of the back story behind the production including the origins of the story and the evolution of the picture.Don't forget to get your mermaid tattoos on your abdomens!

Ben Larson Restored classic; one of the infamous video nasties banned in Britain.Those looking for the juicy parts that were excised by the censors will be disappointed, as the stuff, even the castration with a razor blade, is tame by today's standards.The film will be a little talkie as it is a tale of an abused child's descent into madness.In a constant state of inebriation, Molly (Millie Perkins) suffers numerous flashbacks of abuse and pain.Director Matt Cimber achieved his greatest status a couple of films later with three Razzie nominations for Butterfly with Pia Zadora.

BA_Harrison The enigmatically titled The Witch Who Came From The Sea is a bold movie both in theme and style, dealing with the sensitive issues of child abuse and incest in a surreal, dreamlike manner; but although director Matt Cimber's film will be admired by many simply for tackling its daring subject in such a unique way, I found the film to be a less than satisfying experience. A shame, since it all started off so well....The film begins with pretty Aunt Molly (Millie Perkins) and her nephews enjoying a day out at the beach. As the kids play in the sand, Molly focuses on the musclemen working out nearby, her gaze wandering over their rippling torsos and bulging trunks. At first she seems to be admiring their physiques, but in her mind, Molly imagines the men dead, their twisted, broken forms hanging lifeless from their exercise equipment. This nightmarish opening scene is extremely well handled, letting the audience know in no uncertain terms that something ain't quite right inside Molly's head.Sadly, such effective moments are few and far between: much of the running time is devoted to awkward character development; the bizarre narrative meanders all over the place; no-one in the film behaves or speaks like a normal human being; and nearly every scene is saddled with a whacked-out art-house vibe that might appeal to the more pretentious fans of cult oddities, but which left this particular viewer distinctly unimpressed.If, like me, you seek out this film because it is one of the legendary UK Video Nasties, be prepared to be disappointed by the lack of shocking imagery: although the film deals with a sexually abused young girl who grows up to become a razor wielding nutjob who castrates 'beautiful' men, there is actually very little in the way of gore, with the actual castrations occurring off-screen. What probably got the censors in a tizzy were the non-explicit-yet-still-disturbing incest scenes and a shot of Molly with blood over her breasts (believed to be a visual 'rape trigger' for some men). Personally, I was more upset by the godawful tattoo Molly has done on her stomach by a goggle-eyed old man with inks all over his face!

Poseidon-3 In what was a very daring departure from her previous (and subsequent) roles, former 'Anne Frank' Perkins plays a troubled, sexually-conflicted young lady who dotes on her pre-teen nephews while harboring a violent grudge against men who represent heroism, yet fall short in her eyes. Working in a seaside tavern and living with her overweight seamstress sister Brown, she enjoys a reasonably healthy sexual relationship with her employer Chapman, but perhaps that is due to his lack of aspirations to be anything other than a low-key bar owner. Others, such as football players Rutherford and Sims, Hollywood actor Jason and shaving ad model Morgan haven't got it as lucky as they incur the wrath of Perkins during their encounters with her, emerging with varying degrees of damage from sprained wrists to castration! The root of Perkins' deadly problem is detailed in flashbacks to her childhood and her relationship with her father. Eventually, Chapman and fellow cocktail waitress Feury are left to figure out how best to handle Perkins before she can continue down her bloody path. The film, little known in most circles, has won a cult following, due in some part to having been tagged in the UK as a 'video nasty'. It does include some material that was quite shocking for 1971 (the film wasn't released until 5 years later), but is less so now, in the era of "Saw"and "Hostel" and films that vividly explore sexual abuse. Perkins has more topless scenes in the film than a person would care to count and she dives into her role with complete commitment. She does a good job, but the script leaves her little room for variety or change in her character. Chapman has a role that is also quite outside his typical range, as he rarely played sexually active characters or love interests. He rises to the occasion nicely as well. Brown, a former child star, does as much with her small part as she can. This was her last film. Feury, a much-lauded acting teacher, spouts some saucy dialogue before settling in as Perkins' caring companion. Jason is appropriately slick and confident as a hotshot actor. In his final jaw-dropping scene, he sits in a pool, naked, with a pretty clear view of his modest manhood on display for an extended period of time. Morgan is handsome in that vintage 1970's male model way. He does a nice job with his role. Kennedy and Flower play two low-key detectives on the case. Flower's real life daughter plays Perkins as a young girl and it does cause a bit of confusion that she actually resembles Brown more heavily, including the eye color! It's a film that won't please everyone because it's a bit too obtuse and cerebral at times while also being rather trashy and unintentionally ridiculous at other times (Collins, as Morgan's girlfriend, brandishing a gun and some bodybuilders with padded Speedos come to mind.) For the curious or for fans of Perkins, it certainly isn't too trying an experience at 83 minutes. Semi-porno director Cimber and the rest of the cast and crew are more proud of the film than may be warranted, but there is a lot worse out there.