‘What’s gotten into Loreen?’
The Coming – aka Burned at the Stake – is a 1981 American supernatural horror film written, produced and directed by Bert I. Gordon (Empire of the Ants; Necromancy; The Amazing Colossal Man; et al).
The Alan Landsburg Productions movie stars Susan Swift, Albert Salmi, Guy Stockwell and Tisha Sterling.
Plot:
In 1692, a young girl in Salem, Massachusetts accuses several residents of being witches, and they are burned at the stake.
In 1980, a young woman who is a descendant of the accuser finds herself having recurring nightmares about the incident and comes to believe she is being terrorised by the ghost of the father of the women who were burned as witches…
Reviews:
” …Susan Swift (Audrey Rose – 1977) is good as Ann/Loreen, but the story and special effects (including some wonky optical work) leaves a lot to be desired […] The premise is interesting, but the execution is pedestrian.” Fred Adelman, Critical Condition
“Kooky though it may be, Burned has a semi-cruel dark streak as only a film that concerns itself with a five-year-old being burned alive can. Susan Swift‘s performance is seriously solid, regardless of the heaps of hokum thrown at her and frankly, I’d take this cockeyed lunacy over drippy Audrey Rose any day of the week!” Kindertrauma
” …it is told straight-faced rather than tongue-in-cheek; and the killings by animated light effect are sorely lacking in any of the trashy-fun transformation effects of the product of contemporaries like Troma and Empire. Too boring to really be called bad.” Richard Scheib, Moria
Cast and characters:
Susan Swift … Loreen Graham / Ann Putnam – Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers; Audrey Rose
Albert Salmi … Captain Billingham – Superstition; Empire of the Ants; Escape from the Planet of the Apes
Guy Stockwell … Doctor Grossinger – Santa Sangre; Werewolf TV series; Grotesque; It’s Alive
Tisha Sterling … Karen Graham
Beverly Ross … Merlina
David Rounds … William Goode
John Peters … Rev. Parris
Jennine Babo … Dorcas Goode
Dana Hardwick … Justice Hathorne
Lauren Jennifer Downing … Sarah Goode
Frank Dolan … Kevin O’Neil
Judy Dodd … Nancy
Terese Giammarco … Gwyneth
David Golia … The Driver
Harold Jackson … Library Guard
Richard Kneeland … Giles Corey
Nina Marten … Rebecca Nurse
Janice Wayne … Miss Williams
Filming locations:
Salem, Massachusetts
