THE SORCERERS (1967)

I met Michael Reeves, the director of THE SORCERERS, soon after the film opened in London. We became friends and enjoyed talking movies over an occasional lunch or drink. Michael made only one more film (WITCHFINDER GENERAL) before his sad death at the age of only twenty four. Much adulation has been heaped on the few films Michael made and while I agree that each of the films have a lot going for them in turns of invention I do not rate them has high as some admirers - while admitting their unique elements. Both THE SORCERERS and especially WITCHFINDER GENERAL are intelligent films and certainly a cut above the average British horror film of that period. But for me their real importance is in what they promised for the future, for the films that were still to come. THE SORCERERS is an enjoyable horror movie set in the Swinging London of the late 60's. The film belongs to Boris Karloff and Catherine Lacy as the aged hypnotist and his wife in search of teenage kicks. The teenagers are a different matter with Ian Ogilvy good as the total asshole who becomes the subject of their experiments. Victor Henry as the film's nominal "good guy" lacks charisma and Elizabeth Ercy as the female interest is pretty and adequate, no more. Was the teenage scene in 60's London as embarassing as depicted here? Yep, 'fraid it was even worse! Rating ***