"The Devonsville Terror" focuses on a small town in New England where three women perceived to be witches were executed in 1683. 300 years later, a mysterious woman, Jenny (Suzanna Love) arrives in town as the new school teacher. She seems to be a student of the feminist movement, which doesn't sit well in these parts. Little has changed in Devonsville— the one room schoolhouse has a class of about 20 kids and still has a fireplace, and the people still seem to have retained a colonial mindset. The arrival of two other women (a scientist and a female sex radio host) gets the townsmen riled up and curious as to whether or not the witches have returned reincarnated. Meanwhile, a doctor (Donald Pleasance) spends all of his screen time pulling worms out of his arm and studying a curse bestowed on his family linked back to the executions.I'm not even going to get into Uli Lommel's filmography of the past decade because it truly is that bad, but I will stand up for him on two counts, because he did make two decent horror films in the '80s: this, and "The Boogeyman" (1980). "The Devonsville Terror" plays out like a Halloween TV movie of the week and draws from historical occurrences such as the Salem witch trials. Because of this, the script is actually pretty informed and intelligent in terms of logistics. It's a Lommel film, so some coherence has either been lost in editing or was never entirely present to begin with, but overall it's a mostly cohesive picture.It's obvious from the get-go that this film's thematics are rooted in feminism, and it acts as a reiteration of the modern issue of cultural progress vs. tradition, which, for a horror film, is a bit sophisticated. All three of the modern female characters who enter the town represent three things that much of conservative America fears: feminism, sexuality, and science. That alone sets this film apart for me and elevates it above most horror fodder. Thematically, this film is far elevated above what it need be.As for the horror— it's not scary. There are a few spooky shots and some really cool camera-work (the kaleidoscopic flashback shots of the witch executions are the things horror classics are made of), but I'd say it's more atmospheric than anything. It has the autumnal New England setting down to a tee, and is a perfect October/November watch. The opening scene in the film where the witches are executed is perhaps the best scene in the film, and really sets the tone for the rest of the movie. Not only is it well shot, but it's also well acted and actually still fairly shocking.The acting in the film is not great, but is good. Suzanna Love plays the vulnerable, educated schoolteacher and has a gentleness that juxtaposes nicely with the harsh, judgmental nature of the townsfolk who seem to be against her. Donald Pleasance has little screen time and spends all of it in a single setting pulling worms out of his arms (which is apparently the result of a curse by the witches tracing back through his paternal lineage), but he's a pleasure to watch as always.Overall, "The Devonsville Terror" is a shocker for those who thought Uli Lommel never made a decent film. This is not a bad movie. It's actually on par or even above average as far as '80s horror goes, and it is a thematically sophisticated genre film. Not only is it well made, but it's also plain fun to watch. Definitely not something just anyone would enjoy, but if you like your witches and ghouls served '80s TV movie style, then "The Devonsville Terror" is prime pickings. 7/10.

Director Ulli Lommel co-writes this tale of a witch hunt in the Colonial town of Devonsville, with a history of executing three local women on accusation of witchcraft. A new school teacher and two other liberated and progressive young women arrive in town about the same time. Their arrival ignites memories of over zealous vigilantes with pitchforks and three gruesome executions. Paranoia catches like wildfire and hysterical townsfolk flirt with a more modern witch hunt. Dr. Warley(Donald Pleasence), a local historian conjugates an old witch's curse as he compares current mores with the past. Other players: Suzanna Love, Deanna Haas, Robert Walker Jr. and Mary Walden. This movie is not that hard to like; it just doesn't build very much excitement.

Every time I see a film like this, I become less of a fan of the genre. The idea of a witch coming back from the grave for revenge centuries after being put to death is not a bad idea; but it's featured in too many films and it's rarely, if ever, done well. Despite sounding promising, The Devonsville Terror is yet another bad example of this type of film. A big clue to this film being bad is the director - Ulli Lommel was the genius behind the awful Video Nasty The Bogey Man and it's even worse sequel Revenge of the Bogey Man three years later. His directorial skills didn't improve for this film either, although it's probably a minor improvement over his last two. The film starts with the killing of three possible witches. Anyone familiar with this stuff will know what's coming next as the story advances three hundred years and there are three new women in town. Naturally, it's no coincidence and pretty soon the villagers, who seem to be stuck in the same century that the witches were originally killed in, come to believe that three are back for revenge...One of the plot devices used in this film is a storyboarded voice-over in which certain things are explained. This sums the film up completely as the guy they got reading it sounds completely bored and the rest of the film carries on that same lacklustre tone. The standout member of the cast is Donald Pleasence, who unfortunately carries on with "starring in drivel" theme that the formerly great actor started after starring in Halloween five years before this film. His character is the most interesting in the film and he suffers from a curse that means he continually has to remove worms from beneath his skin (...but still practices as a doctor). This is really the film's only good idea but it's not well done as the director simply shows the same bit of film again and again to portray it. The plot has several holes in it and it seems that Lommel didn't have enough money to complete the film as it is short and there's a lot left out. There's no atmosphere, suspense or tension in the film; which kills the horror elements and despite the odd splash of gore, this is a very underwhelming horror movie that I would not recommend to anyone!

Typically I dislike films about witches (with the exception of Dario Argento's horror classic Suspiria), but The Devonsville Terror is quite amusing. The script is disastrous, the performances are over-acted, and the special effects are anything but special. The plot is devoid of any significant twists or surprises. The audience anticipates the impending events faster than do the characters, and the conclusion is accomplished suddenly and sloppily. However, I can't deny that this film makes me curiously happy when I watch it. Something about the lighting and overall appearance of the film. The soundtrack is also quite good, and gives the film an eerie quality. I particularly like the scene where Walter Gibbs' face melts (the special effects are primitive but cleverly done using wax melting in time-lapse). That scene always gives me the creeps. The storyline, despite its uncreative, allows the characters to really show their true colors. Walter Gibbs' character specifically is quite gross, and almost matches with his looks. A film worth trying, and for those who are skeptical, Donald Pleasence of John Carpenter's Halloween also stars.