‘This time, it’s not a game.’
Witchtrap is a 1989 American supernatural horror film co-produced, written and directed by Kevin S. Tenney (Brain Dead; Night of the Demons; Witchboard and sequel). The movie stars James W. Quinn, Kathleen Bailey, Judy Tatum and Rob Zapple.
The movie’s synth score was by Dennis Michael Tenney.
On March 28, 2017, the film is released as a Blu-ray/DVD combo by Vinegar Syndrome, restored in 2K from the uncut 35mm interpositive. Corey Wolfe designed the new cover art, while the original artwork is on the reverse side.
Buy Blu-ray: Amazon.com
• Region free Blu-ray/DVD Combo pack
Newly scanned and restored in 2k from 35mm interpositive
Completely uncut
Group commentary track with: Director Kevin Tenney, Producer Dan Duncan, Cinematographer Tom Jewett and Actor Hal Havins
Video interviews with: Director Kevin Tenney, Actress Linnea Quigley, Cinematographer Tom Jewett and SFX Supervisor Tassilo Baur
Audio interviews with: SFX Makeup Artist Judy Yonemoto and Music Composer Dennis Michael Tenney
Original video trailer
“Book of Joe” a short film Directed by Kevin Tenney
Alternate ending for “Book of Joe”
Production/Promotional still gallery
Original cover artwork by Corey Wolfe
Reversible cover artwork
English SDH Subtitles
Parapsychologists and a security team try to make an inherited mansion that is seemingly haunted by an evil warlock’s ghost safe for guests…
Reviews:
“… Witchtrap doesn’t capture the horror genre as well as Night of the Demons did, despite being made after that film; it’s an awfully bad film all around, with little original ideas to propel it.”HNN
“The movie was filmed in 3-weeks and that could be a major contributing factor to what made Witchtrap come off as an amateur, supernatural snoozefest. This wouldn’t be such a problem if the movie didn’t consist of 90% dialogue that is made even worse by the fact it sounds very unnatural, as if they’re reading unrehearsed lines.” Letterboxd.com
“An animated bullet blows a guy’s brains out, someone’s head gets run over with a car, there’s death by axe, an exploding van, an exploding head, a whole sequences that’s an optical illusion, a human meltdown, a possession and a “ghost vacuum” that sucks up spirits. And there are tons – and I mean tons – of one-liners, usually spouted by Tony. Some of them are pretty amusing, but when they’re not, boy are they bad!” The Bloody Pit of Horror
“Everyone seems to be having a good time, the story is silly but solidly told (i.e. it’s not incomprehensible), and it gives the viewer 6 or 7 great deaths to enjoy. No one is out to win any awards, and the light comedic tone, save for some occasional character beats … is consistent throughout the film.” Horror Movie a Day
“Yes, this film has some of the most stilted line readings of all time, but nothing compares to the speech the psychic gives to our hero Tony Vincente. He don’t believe in God, she does. She proceeds to tell him the story of why she believes, but she says it in a way that no normal human being would ever say it… at least not in this century.” Wide Weird World of Cult Films
Choice dialogue:
Tony Vincente: “He may be a walking hard on with feet but he does his job well.”
Levi Jackson: “I’m gonna find that overgrown abortion and give him a 38 caliber enema!”
Tony Vincente: “You see Mrs O’ Shea I’ve had to listen to people like you talk about God all my life. You claim he’s the supreme being watching all over us but then you let him off the hook by blaming all the horrors of the world on the Devil. I don’t buy it. I spent seven years on the street. I’ve seen abused children […] I’ve seen a twelve-year-old hooker with a $200 a day habit. And you tell me there’s evil in the world, I say yeah, there is. I’ve seen it. But darlin’, it doesn’t wear horns and a tail. As for God and ghosts and the rest of that spiritual mumbo jumbo, well I believe in that as much as I believe in the Easter Bunny. Santa Claus. And honest politicians.”
Main cast and characters:
James W. Quinn … Tony Vincente
Kathleen Bailey … Whitney O’Shay
Judy Tatum … Agnes Goldberg
Rob Zapple … Felix Goldberg
Jack W. Thompson … Murphy
Clyde Talley II … Levi Jackson
Hal Havins … Elwin
Linnea Quigley … Ginger Kowowski
Kevin Tenney … Devon Lauder (as Kevin S. Tenney)
J.P. Luebsen … Avery Lauter
Richard Fraga … Amazing Azimov
Lynn McRee … Q.T. Secretary
Greg Lewolt … Bartender
Virginia Miller … Q.T. Employee
Filming locations:
Fairfield and Solano County, California
Film Facts:
The working title was The Haunted.
