The Witch Who Came from the Sea – 1976
Director
Matt Cimber

Writer
Robert Thom

Cast
Millie Perkins
Lonny Chapman
Vanessa Brown

Review by Wayne Malin

Forgotten thriller,
Molly (Millie Perkins) was sexually abused by her father when she was young. She grows up to be an alcoholic waitress who lives on welfare with her sister and nephews. She keeps telling the nephews fantasies about her father being a sea captain. She also has fantasies about meeting hunky men, tying them up and castrating them–or are they just fantasies?

This is a strange one. Very bizarre and surreal. Also very disturbing to watch. The castrations are shown (just the guys screaming and blood splattering–but that’s enough) and the scenes of childhood sexual abuse are explicit–WAY too explicit. It’s shown and it’s more than a little sick. It’s incredibly disturbing and I think way too strong for even an exploitation film. This film almost got an X rating for the imagery alone. The DVD version is uncut–so we see it all.

The acting is excellent–Perkins especially in a hard role. The widescreen imagery is beautiful in complete contrast to the story and it has an excellent screenplay. But the film just goes too far for me. There’s a good reason why this film is still forgotten–it’s way too strong for the average movie goer. I’m giving it an 8 because it IS an excellent psychological thriller but it just goes too far. Proceed at your own risk.