Cry of the Banshee (1970)

Country of Origin: UK
Year of Production: 1970
Running Times: 87m
Length:
Format: 35mm
Colour Format: colour
Ratio:
Sound: mono

DIRECTION

Director: Gordon Hessler

PRODUCTION
Copyright: © American International Productions MCMLXX [1970]
Production Company: American International Productions  Samuel Z. Arkoff & James H. Nicholson present
Exec. Producer: Gordon Hessler
Produced by: Louis M. Heyward
Associate Producer: Clifford Parkes

SCRIPT
Screenplay by: Tim Kelly & Christopher Wicking
Story by: Tim Kelly

DIRECTION
Assistant Director: Ariel Levy
Continuity: Zelda Barron

PHOTOGRAPHY
Lighting Cameraman: John Coquillon
Camera Operator: Les Young

EDITING AND POST-PRODUCTION
Editor: Oswald Hafenrichter
Assistant Editor: Ean Wood
Color by: Rank Film Labs

MUSIC
Music Composed by: Wilfred Josephs
Conducted by: Philip Martell

SOUND
Sound Mixer: Kevin Sutton
Dubbing Mixer: Peter Lodge
Dubbing Editor: Michael Redbourn
RCA Sound System

MAKE-UP AND COSTUMES
Wardrobe: Dora Lloyd
Make-up: Tom Smith & Betty Blattner
Hairdressing: Ivy Emmerton

SPECIAL EFFECTS
Titles: Terry Gilliam

DESIGN AND SET CONSTRUCTION
Art Director: George Provis
Set Dresser: Scott Simon
Construction Manager: Bill Miller

LOCATIONS
Locations: Middlesex, England, UK

CAST

OPENING CREDITS
starring
Vincent Price

and
Essy Persson
Hugh Griffith

also starring
Patrick Mower
Hilary Dwyer
Carl Rigg
Stephan Chase
Marshall Jones
Andrew McCulloch
Michael Elphick
Pamela Farbrother
Quinn O'Hara
Jan Rossini

and guest artists
Sally Geeson
Robert Hutton
Godfrey James
Gertan Klauber
Peter Benson
Guy Deghy
Richard Everett
Louis Selwyn
Mickey Baker
Ann Barrass
Jane Deady
Carol Desmond
Joyce Mandre
Pamela Moisewitsch

and
Elizabeth Bergner as Oona

END CREDITS
The Establishment
Vincent Price (Lord Edward Whitman)
Essy Persson (Lady Patricia Whitman)
Hilary Dwyer (Maureen Whitman)
Carl Rigg (Harry Whitman)
Stephen Chase (Sean Whitman)
Marshall Jones (Father Tom)
Andrew McCulloch (bully boy)
Michael Elphick (Burke)
Pamela Moiseiwitsch (maid)
Joyce Mandre, Robert Hutton, Guy Deghy (party guests)

Witches
Elisabeth Bergner (Oona)
Patrick Mower (Roderick)
Pamela Farbrother (Margaret Donald)
Quinn O'Hara (Maggie)
Jane Deady (naked girl)

Villagers
Hugh Griffith (Mickey)
Jan Rossini (Bess)
Sally Geeson (Sarah)
Godfrey James (head villager)
Gertan Kaluber (tavern keeper)
Peter Benson (Brander)
Richard Everett (Timothy)
Louis Selwyn (apprentice)
Mickey Baker (rider)
Carol Desmond (girl)
Ann Barrass, Nancy Meckler, Hugh Portnow, Stephen Rea, Maurice Colbourne, Dinah Stabb, Tony Sibbald, Neil Johnston, Rowan Wylie, Tim Thomas, Ron Sahewk, Maya Roth, Philly Howell, Guy Pierce (villagers)

In 16th century rural England, suspected witches are hunted down and killed by the ruthless magistrate Lord Edward Whitman. But the leader of the persecuted coven, Oona, gets her revenge when she summons up a 'banshee' (no relation to the creature of Irish mythology) in the shape of a lycanthropic young man, Roderick, who slaughters the Whitman family one-by-one...

UK
Video Distributor: Guild

USA
Theatrical Distributor: American International Pictures
Video Distributors: Home Box Office (HBO) Home Video; MGM Home Entertainment Inc; Orion Home Video; Sinister Cinema
Laserdisc Distributor: Image Engineering Inc
DVD Distributors: MGM (double bill with Murders in the Rue Morgue (1970))

Australia
Rating: R

Germany
Rating: 16

UK
Rating: X; 15

USA
Rating: R (for violence and nudity)
MPAA: 22546

1970
July
22: USA - theatrical release

2002
January
17: USA - television broadcast (on Showtime)

2003
April
15: USA - DVD release (MGM (double bill with Murders in the Rue Morgue (1970)))

Satana in corpo - Italian title
Der Todesschrei der Hexen - German title
Zwiastun smierci - Polish title

POSTER TAGS

Edgar Allan Poe probes new depths of TERROR!

SEE ALSO
Witchfinder General (1968)

PERIODICALS

Flesh and Blood no.2 pp.18-19 (UK)
credits, review

Halls of Horror no.27 p.19 (UK)
note

Monthly Film Bulletin January 1971 p.6 (UK)
credits, synopsis, review

Variety 5 August 1970 (USA)
credits, review

Video Viewer June 1983 (UK)
review

NEWSPAPERS

LA Times 18 September 1970 (USA)
review

BOOKS

Hoffman's Guide to SF, Horror and Fantasy Movies 1991 - 1992 p.84
credits, review

Reference Guide to Fantastic Films p.81
credits

OTHER SOURCES

screen
credits

curses, revenge, werewolves, witches, witchfinders

Last Updated: 19 June, 2009