This film remains under-rated and under the radar for it's atmosphere, cinematography, and editing (especially one great match-cut).

The film opens on the New England village of Whitewood in 1692. The Puritans are getting ready to burn a witch. What makes this different? For one, nobody was ever burned at the stake for witchcraft in what is now the USA - they hanged them. But burning is much more creepy and cinematic. Also, they happen to be burning an actual witch - Elizabeth Selwyn. At first she begs for help from Jethro, a puritan in the crowd. Jethro is asked if he knows this witch. He says no. As she is burning, Selwyn sends up a prayer to Lucifer that she will serve him for eternity if he curses Whitewood for her sake. Jethro sends up affirmations to Lucifer too. Note to Jethro - after this burning is over you might want to leave town because praying to Lucifer with a condemned witch is just not good form in a paranoid conformist society such as 17th century New England.

Cut to present day (1962) and a professor (Christopher Lee) is lecturing students on this particular incident on his series of talks on witchcraft. One particular student says she wants to do some field work on this subject, and the professor directs her to Whitewood and to the innkeeper of the town's inn. When the student arrives she finds it forboding, and small groups of people gather in the street and stare at her. A ghostly fog shrouds everything. Let's just say our heroine gets more than enough field work to satisfy her thesis.

Soon, back home, her brother and boyfriend get concerned and they head to Whitewood too. Let me just say that this is one of those horror fllms in which the characters refuse to acknowledge the clues/warnings that would turn most of us in the opposite direction, but then we would have no movie if everybody had their curiosity tempered by self preservation.

With cinematography by Desmond Dickinson that is wonderfully atmospheric and eerie with one of the great inspired endings to a horror film.

Eeriest scene to me? When the innkeeper at Whitewood asks the young visiting coed if she would like to join the other guests in dancing and you see them spinning and pirouetting about in perfect synchronization as though they are decorative mechanical figures dancing in a jewelry box.

I'd recommend this one today. It really holds up and the horror - though not graphic at all - is very effective.

The film begins in a class about the history of witchcraft taught by Christopher Lee. One of his promising students, a young lady, is very interested in the subject even though her brother and boyfriend think it's all a lot of hooey. So, because of her great curiosity, she decides to take Lee's advice and travel to a New England town where witchcraft was rampant in the 17th century. Once there, the town turns out to be very, very creepy indeed! There is a perennial fog everywhere and seemingly at all hours of the day, the locals are humorless ghouls and the local minister declares to the lady that the town is spiritually dead. You'd think she just leave, but being an important part of the plot, she sticks around--and faces very grave consequences.

After this lady's disappearance, her boyfriend and brother arrive at the town but are at first unable to determine what happened to her and why she hasn't been heard from in weeks. However, with the help of the preacher's daughter, they are eventually able to discover the truth...but by then, perhaps it's all too late!!! There are many, many wonderful twists and spoilers I could mention but can't because it would ruin the film. However, the excellent writing and sustained suspense will hook you, so if you start watching the film I think it's very doubtful you won't stick around to the thrilling and action-packed conclusion. This is an amazing film...period. Considering that the budget for this Vulcan Films release appeared extremely low and featured very simple and minimalistic sets, the producers did themselves proud with this film--getting an amazing bang for the buck. That's because it has been a very, very long time since I saw a suspense film that scared me as much as this one and I truly believe that many who watch this film late at night will have trouble sleeping!! It's THAT scary.

An excellent example of the gentle, atmospheric horror film from years gone by, CITY OF THE DEAD still has enough shocks to keep the modern audience enthralled. The film builds up an imposing sense of foreboding and is very atmospheric. It's also a very enjoyable film to watch and the witchcraft element is handled nicely.

All of the actors and actresses are good in their roles and they add to the authenticity of the finished product. Lee is good as always, and looks particularly loathsome in this film as the witch-professor. Valentine Dyall, known to radio audiences as the 'Man in Black' also has a small role as a baddie (what else?).

There are some great scenes in the film, such as the burning set-piece, and it's very atmospheric with the misty graveyard. Those faceless, cowled witches are people who you wouldn't like to meet in a dark alleyway at night! In fact I loved the ending of the film, all of the plot elements tied together nicely. Some elements resemble Black Sunday and PSYCHO. If you like this film then be sure to check out the similarly creepy NIGHT OF THE EAGLE.