Virgin Witch
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(as "Klaus Vogel")
(as "Ralph Solomons")
| Virgin Witch | |
|---|---|
 US film poster | |
| Directed by | Ray Austin |
| Written by | Hazel Adair (as "Klaus Vogel") |
| Produced by | Kent Walton (as "Ralph Solomons") |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Gerald Moss |
| Edited by | Phillip Barnikel |
| Music by | Ted Dicks |
Production companies |
|
| Distributed by | Tigon Film Distributors |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 88 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
Virgin Witch is a 1971 British horror sexploitation film directed by Ray Austin and starring Ann and Vicki Michelle, Patricia Haines and Neil Hallett.[1] A prospective model and her sister join a coven of white wizards.
The film was shot in 1970 and is copyrighted as a 1971 production. However, censorship problems would mean it was not widely seen until 1972.
Sisters Christine and Betty run away from home to find work as models. They are given a lift to London by Johnny, a businessman who is instantly attracted to Betty. Christine successfully auditions for unscrupulous modelling agent Sybil Waite and is offered a weekend's work shooting an advert at a house in the country. Betty goes with her.
The modelling job is actually a ploy to initiate Christine into a coven of white wizards led by Sybil and the owner of the house, Gerald Amberley. Christine, who is shown to have psychic ability, willingly undergoes the initiation ritual, during which her virginity is taken by Amberley. Christine's powers create tension between her and Sybil, who practises darker magic and has a predatory sexual interest in her. The conflict escalates when Sybil vows to have Betty initiated into the coven.
Johnny, who has been warned about Sybil's true nature, arrives to take Betty away. However, Christine places him under her control, forcing him to participate in Betty's initiation. During the ritual, Christine wrests control from Sybil by psychically torturing her. Johnny, no longer under Christine's control, takes Betty's virginity. Christine then uses her powers to kill Sybil and take her place as high priestess of the coven.
Cast
- Ann Michelle as Christine
- Vicki Michelle as Betty
- Patricia Haines as Sybil Waite
- Neil Hallett as Gerald Amberley
- Keith Buckley as Johnny
- James Chase as Peter
- Helen Downing as Abby Darke
Production
Virgin Witch was produced by sports commentator Kent Walton (using the pseudonym "Ralph Solomons"),[2] whose other producing credits included The Green Shoes (1968, short) and It's the Only Way to Go (1970, short). Its co-producer was Hazel Adair, co-creator of the UK TV soap opera Crossroads. Adair is credited only as the co-writer of the song "You Go Your Way" (performed by the character Abby Darke), and did not admit to co-producing Virgin Witch until 1975, when she featured in an episode of the BBC's Man Alive about sex films. Her other films included Clinic Exclusive (1971), Can You Keep It Up for a Week? (1974), Keep It Up Downstairs (1976) and Game for Vultures (1979).
The film was shot in Surrey in 1970 and previewed in the December editions of Mayfair and Continental Film Review (in which the title was stated to be "The Virgin Witch"). The country house location, Admiral's Walk in Pirbright,[3] was subsequently used by Norman J. Warren for his films Satan's Slave (1976) and Terror (1978).
The Michelle sisters have disowned the film. Vicki's website makes no mention of it, while Ann's refers to it as "not an experience Ann cares to remember".[4][5]
