Very atmospheric although the acting is a little wooden. Some basic historical research would have helped to make it a little more realistic. Those accused of witchcraft were not burned at the stake in North American colonies. They were usually hanged or drowned.

Alternatively titled Horror Hotel, which is admittedly a more fitting title, seeing as the outdoor set that consists of no more than a few wooden facades (with spooky low-hanging fog) can hardly be seen as a city. Not sure if one influenced the other or not, but the setup is similar to Psycho (also 1960), where the main heroine disappears after the first half and people whom she knows search for her.It begins with a witch being burnt at the stake (the puritans with the hats sure look funny). The story is fairly predictable, with a fun villain played by Christopher Lee, who lures young women to be sacrificed on two occasions of the year. It's amazing his activity hasn't attracted much attention, since he seems to recruit the women from university classes held in his swanky room with a plethora of interesting artifacts related to witchcraft or tribal superstitions and loads of expensive alcoholic beverages (nice advertising shot for afficionados). His success as a lecturer hinges on getting his students hammered, obviously (really bad pun). Seems weird for such a little town to have two university girls disappear each year... and somehow related to Lee's character... You know you're going to a good place when it's always night time and the fog is unrelenting, and some weird guy named Jethro (looks and sounds like a serial killer) hitches a ride with two different young women and disappears before even opening the door, then you're given obvious red flags by a servant woman who has a speech impediment, a crazy, old blind man, and the mean horse-faced villainess. The often film noir-esque lighting is the highlight of the film. Sufficiently spooky with rich, high contrast blacks and whites-many of the interiors are well-lit, though not draped in darkness--but the inn in particular has deep pools of blackness, many practical lights strewn about the frame--such as a burning fireplace and lamps--and a heavily flickering light from above that appears to be simulating a torch. Really excellent example of horror film lighting here. Even the stereotypical horror set really looks quite nice, though a softer, grainier image and maybe a bit less low-hanging fog might have made it look more convincing (but, frankly, the obviously fake graveyard is great), but that's just a minor quibble. Art direction and score are also decent for a b-horror film (the chants remind me a bit of The Wicker Man).One of the more interesting parts is probably how they perfectly mirror the walking scene of both Nan and Richard. The denizens all stop at the exact same locations to watch both the hero and heroine--even the camera work appears to be the same, if not roughly the same. Definitely gives the impressions that those who inhabit the town are long dead and have repeated the same process since 1692. Though I'm rating it a 4, I did enjoy the film, and I'd recommend it to those looking for a decent B&W supernatural b-movie horror.

Watched this chilling classic on Creature Features WNEW TV in New York back in 1970. The scenery, music and lots and lots of fog create an ambiance of this begrimed wood based town of Whitewood, Massachusetts. Walking the streets of this dark venue are the townsfolk basically made up of homely Witches and Warlocks wandering about. You see this town is cursed by Elizabeth Sellwood who was torched by the townspeople for witchcraft some 300 years ago. In return, (just before Lis is a golden brown), tied to the steak surrounded by her peers,as a loud chant of 'Burn the Witch, Burn the Witch' ensues, Elisabeth Sellwood lets a cry of laughter and puts an eternal curse on Whitewood. This story is explained by Modern day College Professor Alan Driscoll played by veteran actor Christopher Lee. Overly attentive student Nan Barlow played by Venitia Stevenson wants to know more about that New England town. Nan wants to do research and get that illusive A on the paper about witches and curses. I feel a road trip coming. Just got to find that Wamport Road to Whitewood and be weary of Hitchhikers named Keane. Upon Nan's arrival she sees the dark misty streets of a discarded town with it's eerie inhabitants but it doesn't phase her at all. Off to the book shop run by normal folk, mortals. Nan is startled by the stark blind old man who answers the door warning her to leave Whitewood. That was the blind Reverend Russell played by elderly Norman Macowan. His niece Pat, (Betta St. John) runs the book shop. Nan and Pat exchange pleasantries among st the grim town's backdrop. Nan asked to borrow a book on the town's history of Witches, Witch craft and the rituals held on Candlemass Eve. Next off to the Inn where a very stark Mrs. Newless (Patricia Jessel) who has the warmth of an iceberg gives her a room complete with trapped door. Our sad figure in all of this is the maid of the inn, Lottie (Ann Beach) who is mute. Lottie tries to warn the naive Nan about the danger that awaits her with warning notes. But a cunning ,watchful Mrs. Newless threatens her repeatedly. What happens to Silent Lottie, Miss Barlow or Pat or anyone who is not a Witch or Warlock in that town? Watch on if you dare? I can only tell you this . Nan misses a birthday party in one of the great editing scenes of all time complete with a Happy Birthday. A note on the background music which at times had a jazzy feel against the gloomy dark exterior but listening to the Warlock/Witch singers gives the atmosphere an unnerving feeling. Great film to watch on Halloween night.

I remember the first time I ever saw this film as a child on a late night horror hosted program. Called "HORROR HOTEL" (the name given the film for its American release) it was one that stuck with me years after I had seen it. Whenever I saw it was on TV I made a choice to watch it again if possible. I'd seen it released on DVD in various packages and from different companies but knew that most of them were low quality releases for the film so I never bothered. I pleased to now say that a definitive version of the film is available and includes some fantastic extras with it.If you've never seen the movie it starts off with a young female college student named Nan Barlow (Venetia Stevenson) looking into witch trials in American history. Willing to do extra credit she takes the advice of her professor Driscoll (Christopher Lee) to visit a small village called Whitewood where he came from. 300 years ago Elizabeth Selwyn was burned at the stake there for witchcraft and he tells her she could find plenty of information on the topic there, suggesting that she stay at The Raven's Inn run by a Mrs. Newless (Patricia Jessell). As viewers we immediately recognize Mrs. Newless as Selwyn, the witch burned at the stake years ago and seen in a short prologue at the beginning of the film.Strange things begin to happen immediately and it isn't long before Nan is soon marked to be a sacrifice to a coven of witches that still remain in Whitewood. Before that can happen Nan's brother Richard (Dennis Lotis) shows up in town as well in search of his sister. He is befriended by a blind priest and his granddaughter Patricia (Betta St. John) who runs a local store. Richard and Patricia soon become enamored with one another as she helps him try to find out what happened to Nan. Having befriended Nan when she arrived even Patricia is wondering what's going on. Before the film ends witches will rise, a coven will threaten non-members and a twist will reveal itself.What makes this film work on all levels is the atmosphere it creates from the start of the film. The town of Whitewood is creepy as all get out, with a low lying mist forever working its way across the ground. It seems as if daylight has never reached this village and the odds of it ever doing so again are slim. Add to that the eerie factor on display from events that happen throughout, from dancing guests that disappear to strange individuals who can be found in the town to the fact that the priest has a church with no one in attendance and you get the impression early on that this is not a town to remain in for long.The appearance of Lee in the role of the professor, a man who takes the subject he teaches seriously, lends a certain amount of horror credibility to the entire film as he had played Dracula, Frankenstein's monster and the Mummy in the previous 3 years. His time on screen is short but valuable in establishing many moments of the film. Jessell does an amazing job of moving from mad to subtly threatening in her role and adds to the overall creepiness on screen.Although over 56 years ago (!) the film holds up amazingly well. Made at a time just before people began to honestly fear a resurgence in devil worship and cults between the Manson family and the release of "THE EXORCIST", the movie uses both themes to instill fear in the viewer. I'm sure there was some fear of both prior to the film's release but at the time movies had no problem using those themes to create a horror tale. While that continues today most are wary of using either for entertainment purposes and more people are fearful of watching films like this than at that time. That this film can still make you feel dread and concern over the topic is a testament to the power it has.VCI has released the film before but this Blu-ray version offers a pristine transfer of the film, the best I've seen to date, as well as numerous extras to go along with it. The film itself offers both the U.S. version as well as the lengthier British version. Extras include an archival interview with Christopher Lee and a behind the scenes interview with Lee when he was signing autographs for a previously released VCI edition released in 2001. There is a new audio commentary track by Bruce G. Hallenbeck (a British film authority and contributor to "LITTLE SHOPS OF HORRORS MAGAZINE"), liner notes by Mike Kenny, a trailer for the British title of the film and a gallery of photos that include lobby cards, stills, posters and more.If you loved this film as a child or having discovered it on TV years after it was released then by all means you'll want to check out this edition of the film. As I said it retains the creepy factor after all these years, might still inspire a nightmare or two and is the best version of this movie that can be found right now. The folks at VCI have outdone themselves with this release. All that's missing is a horror host to introduce the film to take me back to my youth.