England is torn in civil strife as the Royalists battle the Parliamentary Party for control. Matthew Hopkins tours the land offering his services as a persecutor of witches. Aided by his sadistic accomplice John Stearne, he travels from city to city and wrenches confessions from “witches” in order to line his pockets and gain sexual favours.
Production Details
A Tigon Production
86 Mins
UK Release Date
19th May 1968
BBFC Cert. “X”
Stills from film
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Credits
Crew | Name | Age at Release | Birth | Death | Age | Tigon Productions | Hammer Productions |
Composer: Additional Music | Kenneth V. Jones | 44 | 13 May 1924 | 2 Dec 2020 | 96 | 1 | 1 |
Continuity | Lorna Selwyn | 60 | 31 Dec 1907 | 1 Jan 2002 | 94 | 3 | 4 |
Hairdresser | Henry Montsash | 62 | 16 Sep 1905 | 28 Sep 1974 | 69 | 2 | 16 |
Producer | Arnold L. Miller | 3 | 4 | ||||
Set Dresser | Andrew Low | 1 | 4 | ||||
Wardrobe | Jill Thompson | 1 | 1 | ||||
Cast | Name | Age at Release | Birth | Death | Age | Tigon Productions | Hammer Productions |
Brandeston Innkeeper | Jack Lynn | 45 | 29 Jan 1923 | 24 Apr 2012 | 89 | 1 | 1 |
Cromwell | Patrick Wymark | 47 | 10 Jul 1920 | 19 Oct 1970 | 50 | 2 | 1 |
Elizabeth | Maggie Kimberley | 26 | 1 Jan 1942 | 26 Jan 2006 | 64 | 1 | 1 |
Fisherman | Bernard Kay | 40 | 22 Feb 1928 | 25 Dec 2014 | 86 | 1 | 1 |
Hanged Woman | Hira Talfrey | 41 | 13 Sep 1926 | 3 Oct 2011 | 85 | 1 | 1 |
John Lowes | Rupert Davies | 51 | 21 May 1916 | 22 Nov 1976 | 60 | 2 | 1 |
John Stearne (voice) | Robert Russell | 31 | 23 May 1936 | 12 May 2008 | 71 | 1 | 1 |
Master Loach | Wilfrid Brambell | 56 | 21 Mar 1912 | 18 Jan 1985 | 72 | 1 | 1 |
Old Woman | Ann Tirard | 50 | 4 Jun 1917 | 12 Aug 2003 | 86 | 1 | 1 |
Sentry | Alf Joint | 40 | 21 Sep 1927 | 25 Jul 2005 | 77 | 2 | 1 |
Villager | Michael Segal | 43 | 31 Oct 1924 | 1 Jan 1996 | 71 | 1 | 1 |
Original Poster
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Footnotes
Director Michael Reeves wanted Donald Pleasence to play Matthew Hopkins, but “American-International Pictures,” the American distributor and co-financier of the film, insisted that Vincent Price play the title character, and Reeves grudgingly accepted. Price went on to regard his performance here as the finest of his horror movie career.