Witchfinder General Play

[Windthrop]

On Radio 4 Saturday afternoon there is a new play about the making of Witchfinder General focusing on the strained relations between Vincent Price and Michael Reeves. Sounds potentially very interesting - titles a bit of a mouthful though - Vincent Price And The Horror Of The English Blood Beast



Kenneth Cranham plays Tony Tenser and Nicholas Grace plays Price.

[darrenburnfan]

This certainly sounds interesting and I shall certainly be listening to it. Vincent Price had a very distinctive voice, though, and I wonder if Nicholas Grace has the ability to sound even a bit like him.

[Windthrop]

name='darrenburnfan']This certainly sounds interesting and I shall certainly be listening to it. Vincent Price had a very distinctive voice, though, and I wonder if Nicholas Grace has the ability to sound even a bit like him.

They both have quite camp, urbane voices so it is possible. There is even someone playing Ian Ogilvy, though I am surprised that they didn't just get him and tweak his voice to make it younger.

[billy bentley]

Assuming it's going to be on the website for a while, I shall definitely be listening. I still have Malcom Gaskill's "Witchfinder" on the bookshelf and unread (about the real 17th Century Matthew Hopkins).

[Windthrop]

name='billy bentley']Assuming it's going to be on the website for a while, I shall definitely be listening. I still have Malcom Gaskill's "Witchfinder" on the bookshelf and unread (about the real 17th Century Matthew Hopkins).

It will be on the iplayer for 7 days after it is broadcast on Saturday

[billy bentley]

Cheers Windthrop, will post again when I've listened.

[didi-5]

Sounds interesting; thanks for flagging this!

[Dave Rattigan]

Cool. Hopefully I'll be able to listen here in Canada, as I think most BBC radio shows are available. Shame I can't watch TV shows on BBC iPlayer, though!

[Steve Crook]

See the Radio 4 page here. It'll be broadcast on Saturday 6 March at 14:30 GMT



If you check the web site then you may be able to hear it as it is broadcast. Otherwise, check the site a few hours after it's broadcast (it finishes at 15:30) to see if they've made it available online. They don't make everything available online, they sometimes have contractual problems which prevent it



Steve

[billy bentley]

Any chance someone can record it, in case it isn't re-broadcast ?

[Windthrop]

name='Steve Crook']See the Radio 4 page here. It'll be broadcast on Saturday 6 March at 14:30 GMT



If you check the web site then you may be able to hear it as it is broadcast. Otherwise, check the site a few hours after it's broadcast (it finishes at 15:30) to see if they've made it available online. They don't make everything available online, they sometimes have contractual problems which prevent it



Steve

Good point but fortunately in this case it will be available.

[Mandragora]

Excellent I will make sure I record this...



Saturday Play: Vincent Price and The Horror of The English Blood Beast

Saturday 06 March

2:30pm - 3:30pm

BBC Radio 4



By Matthew Broughton. In 1967, Vincent Price came to the UK to make the horror movie Witchfinder General. It was the best performance of his career, and the worst few months of his life. This play takes a light-hearted look behind the scenes of the making of this classic British film. With Nickolas Grace, Kenneth Cranham, Blake Ritson, Richard Nichols. Directed by Sam Hoyle.



I saw this film as mere lad of sixteen on its original cinema release and it still packs an almighty punch today. The character of Matthew Hopkins is based on a real person of the same name, who operated in Suffolk around 1645. He gave himself the title of Witchfinder General and managed to have between two to four hundred people executed. He is known to have sometimes used a spring-loaded knife when searching for the devils mark. As this drew no blood and caused no pain, it was useful in proving guilt of witchcraft.



The picture was a joint production between Tigon and American International pictures. Reeves first choice for the character of Hopkins was Donald Pleasence. But A.I.P. with their eye on the American market insisted on Vincent Price. Reeves and Price did not see eye to eye, this led to the now legendary conversation in which Price is reputed to have said to Reeves, “I have made over eighty horror films, what have you done.” In reply Reeves said, “I’ve made one good one.” The account of this varies depending on which book you read, but it does demonstrate the known tension between Price and Reeves. Whatever happened Reeves managed to coax a restrained and masterly performance from Price, perhaps one of his best. This was no mean feat with a man who made some very good horror films, but almost always managed to ham it up.

[will.15]

About Price always hamming it up, not true. He's even more restrained in Tomb of Ligelia than in Witchfinder and that had the same director, Roger Corman, than Price's other Poe movies. Most of his movies required playing it to the hilt. When the role required it, Price was very capable of dialing it down.

[Windthrop]

name='will.15']About Price always hamming it up, not true. He's even more restrained in Tomb of Ligelia than in Witchfinder and that had the same director, Roger Corman, than Price's other Poe movies. Most of his movies required playing it to the hilt. When the role required it, Price was very capable of dialing it down.

True, Price was a more varied actor than he was given credit for though I would argue about your comparison. He was gentler in Ligeia but just as restrained in General IMHO. He could certainly play on voice ala Gielgud, Sinden et al but that was often what he was employed for.

[Gerald Lovell]

Vincent Price's earlier film roles generally gave him an opportunity to show off a far wider range than he is remembered for. He is hilarious in Champagne for Caesar (1950), for example.

[m35541]

Price is reputed to have said to Reeves, “I have made over eighty horror films, what have you done.” In reply Reeves said, “I’ve made one good one.”

The quote of this I have normally heard says "two good ones" which assumes that Revenge of the Blood Beast / The She Beast is good. A bit of a stretch.

[Mandragora]

name='will.15']About Price always hamming it up, not true.

You probably have seen a lot more Price films than I have. I have only seen House on Haunted Hill, Fall of The House of Usher and Masque of The Red Death and I really like the Corman adaptations of Poe... I understand that Vincent Price has an extensive filmography and a distinguished stage career... though I suspect that in popular memory he is known for his over the top horror characterisations...

[Windthrop]

name='Mandragora']You probably have seen a lot more Price films than I have. I have only seen House on Haunted Hill, Fall of The House of Usher and Masque of The Red Death and I really like the Corman adaptations of Poe... I understand that Vincent Price has an extensive filmography and a distinguished stage career... though I suspect that in popular memory he is known for his over the top horror characterisations...

He was memorable ever when camping it up and never struck a false note IMHO

[m35541]

I suspect that in popular memory he is known for his over the top horror characterisations...

In horror movies Price was a big fish in a small barrel.



In non-horror movies he was a small fish in a big barrel.

[Windthrop]

name='m35541']In horror movies Price was a big fish in a small barrel.



In non-horror movies he was a small fish in a big barrel.

To some extent true of all the horror greats - Chaney, Karloff, Lugosi, Cushing & Lee. The horror genre was usually a low budget genre except in the 20s/30s. Son of Frankenstein or The Invisible Man Returns was the change point in budgetry terms with Universal.