Cry of the Banshee (1970) on Netflix
Lord Edward Whitman, a magistrate, hunts witches in the hills with an armed posse. The coven's leader, Oona, answers by sending a demonic spirit against his family.
- Watch on NetflixThis title is not on Netflix right now. Please check back later for updates.
- Watch on Prime
- Watch on NordVPN
- Netflix2.8/5
- IMDb5.5/103,459 votes
- Rotten TomatoesNot available
Trailer
Plot summary
Lord Edward Whitman is a magistrate in England who rides into the hills with an armed posse and breaks up a witches' gathering. Oona, the coven's leader, answers by sending a demonic spirit to destroy the Whitman family, and it takes hold of Roderick, a servant of the house whom Maureen Whitman loves. Whitman rules that a young woman, Maggie, is a witch, and she is branded, whipped through the streets and put in the village stocks. That night he holds a feast at his home while his men scour the countryside. Harry, one of his sons, comes back from Cambridge, and Father Tom, a priest, joins the witch hunts.
Cast
Did you know?!Facts and trivia about Cry of the Banshee (1970)
Can contain spoilers, watch the movie first.
- At the Cry of the Banshee wrap party, where the guests were in costume and a girl jumped out of a cake, Vincent Price handed director Gordon Hessler a bitter line when a knife was needed: 'Take the knife that's in my back and use that!'
- The title of Cry of the Banshee inspired the name of the post-punk band Siouxsie and The Banshees.
- Elisabeth Bergner made her first appearance in an English film in 30 years when she was cast in Cry of the Banshee.
- Gordon Hessler wanted Bernard Herrmann to score Cry of the Banshee but AIP said it could not afford him; the score by Wilfred Josephs was dropped in favour of one by Les Baxter and only restored on later uncut DVD releases.
- The American release and the original 1970 British cinema release used a GP-rated print that replaced the animated opening credits with stills, altered the music score and cut the topless nudity, toning down whippings and assault scenes.
- Cry of the Banshee was filmed at Grim's Dyke in Harrow Weald, London, the former home of the dramatist W. S. Gilbert.
