Necromancy ** (1972, Orson Welles, Pamela Franklin, Michael Ontkean, Lee Purcell, Harvey Jason) – Classic Movie Review 11,368

A biographer suggested that Orson Welles starred in Necromancy (1972) merely for the money. Do you think?

Director Bert I Gordon’s 1972 horror movie Necromancy [NEC’RO•MAN’CY] stars Orson Welles in a daft, low-budget occult thriller, with young couple Lori and Frank Brandon (Pamela Franklin and Michael Ontkean) mixed up in high priest Mr Cato (Welles)’s witches’ coven in a California village geared up to making witchcraft artefacts.

The eccentric an enigmatic cult leader Mr Cato tells Lori of his pursuit of necromancy, bringing the dead back to life, and he is especially after Lori, who he thinks can raise his dead son.

The stars and a good-looking production with atmospheric photography (by Winton C Hoch) help a modest, low-budget, pretty incredible yarn along.

There is a lot of nudity in the full version running 85 minutes. The cut version runs 75 minutes.

Also in the cast are Lee Purcell, Harvey Jason, Lisa James, Susan Bernard [Sue Bernard], Stephen Knight, Barbara Peckinpaugh, Terry Quinn, and Brinke Stevens.

It is written by Bert I Gordon and Gail March.

Filming took place in Los Gatos, California, in 1970.

In summer 1971, superior court judge gave Bert I Gordon 21 days to produce his own recut version of the film to deliver to the film’s production company, Premiere Pictures, which was then prevented from making changes. It was released in US cinemas in autumn 1972 by Cinerama Releasing Corporation.

It was re-released in an alternate cut in 1983 as The Witching.

The two young British actors, Pamela Franklin and Harvey Jason, met on the set in 1970 and married the same year. Harvey Jason and one of their two sons, Louis, co-own the Mystery Pier Books first editions bookstore in West Hollywood. Pamela Franklin’s last film role was in The Food of the Gods (1976), although she appeared on TV till 1981.

© Derek Winnert 2021 Classic Movie Review 11,368

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com