WARLOCK
US, 1988, 102 minutes, Colour.
Julian Sands, Richard E.Grant, Lori Singer, Mary Woronov.
Directed by Steve Miner.
Warlock is an enjoyable witchcraft story. It has an elaborate 17th century opening and then moves to the 20th century. Julian Sands is believable as the egotistic warlock. Richard E. Grant (Withnail and I, Mountains of the Moon) is good as his adversary. Lori Singer is the harassed 20th century American heroine.
The film relies on some special effects - but the plot and the screenplay are strong enough to sustain interest in the story - and with some tension. It was directed by Steve Miner, whose films include the second in the Friday the 13th series.
1.Picture of witchcraft? In the past, the present? The plausibility of the plot? Atmosphere of horror?
2.17th century Boston, atmosphere of the city, the set design, costumes? Prison? Contemporary America, the range of states presented?
3.The atmosphere of the period prologue? The contrast with the contemporary scenes? Editing, pace? Special effects, stunt work? Musical score and mood, songs?
4.Boston and the opening, the elders walking the street, the warlock in prison, Redfern as his adversary, the pronunciation of sentence, the defiance of the warlock, the storm and his disappearance?
5.Julian Sands' presence and appearance as the warlock? His character? Evil in the 17th century, Redfern's wife? The desire for power? Arriving in the 20th century storm? Adapting to the 20th century? Kassandra and her flatmate? Help, killing the flatmate? Threatening Kassandra, the battles, taking her brooch? His sense of mission, going to the medium, the Devil taking her over? The mission to seek the book? His mission, struggle with Kassandra? Approaching the child and killing him? The power to fly? Ageing Kassandra? The battles, the Menonite farm? Struggles with Redfern in the barn? The magic and his foot being hammered to the plank? The flight to Boston? Confronting the pastor and his wife? The battle in the cemetery? The assembling of the book? Success with his mission? Kassandra defeating and destroying him? Redfern trampling his head?
6.Kassandra, ordinary young woman, her flatmate? The appearance of the warlock, the police, her fears? Clash with him? His power? The murder? Her being cursed and ageing? Redfern's arrival, fear, going with him, the driving, learning about his past? The child and its mother? The farm? Hammering the nails? The fight? The plane ride and her ingenuity? Boston, the pastor and his wife, the work in the cemetery, finding the book? Her insulin needle and destroying the warlock? Burying the book in the desert?
7.Redfern and the adversary? The past, his wife? Arrival, the effect of time travel and adapting to the 20th century, his language? The compass and finding the warlock, his blood? Travelling with Kassandra, the car, the farm, the battle of wits, physical battle? His fear of flying? In Boston, retracing his steps, the tomb in the cemetery, his own tomb, the fight with the warlock, his own death and going back into the past?
8.The farmer, knowledge of witchcraft, his son, helping Redfern, injuries? Looking at the warlock in fear?
9.The blend of the ordinary and the extraordinary? The flight to Boston and the warlock in the luggage room? The pastor and the history of the book of spells? The creation of tension? Making the plot believable?
10.Witchcraft and evil, the struggle with good, the triumph of good?
