The Naked Witch (The Witchmaker) - VCI Entertainment (Blu-ray/DVD Combo)

Theatrical Release Date: USA, 1969
Director: William O. Brown
Writer: William O. Brown
Cast: Anthony Eisley, Thordis Brandt, Alvy Moore, Shelby Grant, Tony Benson, Robyn Millan, Warrene Ott, Helene Winston, Burt Mustin, Sue Bernard

Release Date: May 13th, 2025
Approximate Running Time: 98 Minutes 28 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: R
Sound: Dolby Digital Mono English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $24.95

"When a series of brutal, ritualistic type murders of eight young women occur at a Louisiana swamp, Dr. Ralph Hayes, a psychic researcher, heads there with his team to begin an investigation into the dark & macabre tragedies. After learning the bodies of the women have been drained of their blood, and marked with satanic symbols, Dr. Hayes and his team suspect this is the work of a satanic coven. It doesn't take long for them to discover that they are up against a powerful warlock who is out to fulfill a pact with his master." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 3/5

The Naked Witch (The Witchmaker) comes on a 25 GB single layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 20.8 GB

Feature: 19.8 GB

This release appears similar to Code Red's 2017 Blu-ray release, though no details are provided about the source. There is source damage like debris and emulsion stains, most of which are moderate. Flesh tones look healthy, colors are generally good, image clarity is strong, and there are no issues with digital noise reduction. That said, there are numerous instances in which they are not as convincing as they should be.

Audio: 3/5

This release comes with one audio option, a Dolby Digital mono mix in English with removable English SDH. There are some instances of background hiss and other imperfections. That said, dialog comes through clearly, and range-wise this audio track is serviceable.

Extras:

Extras on the Blu-ray disc include a radio spot (44 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), a TV spot (1 minute, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), a theatrical trailer (1 minute 13 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), a featurette with a poster gallery of other notable horror films of the 1960's titled 1960’S Horror: A Decade of Innovation and Fear (4 minutes 5 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), and an audio commentary with  artist, reviewer and film buff extraordinaire Robert Kelly.

Included with this release is a DVD that has the same content as the Blu-ray included as part of this combo release.

Summary:

A psychic researcher, along with his assistants and a reporter, rents a place in a remote, swampy area where several women have been murdered over the past two years.

One thing positive that can be said about The Naked Witch (The Witchmaker) is that it opens with a sequence that draws you in. In this scene that takes place before the opening credits a woman runs frantically before being caught, knocked out, hung upside down, and her throat is slit to drain the blood. This well-crafted moment is intense, and it does a great job foreshadowing where the narrative is building to. Unfortunately, things come to a halt after this sequence, as the narrative tends to drag.

None of the performances stand out, which is not a surprise since the cast are not given much to work with. John Lodge, who portrays Luther the Berserk, delivers a performance that lives up to his character's name. When it comes to the female cast, they offer up plenty of eye candy, parading around in bikinis and lingerie. Unfortunately, this film does not live up to its name since there is no naked witch.

From a production standpoint, The Naked Witch (The Witchmaker) is a film working with limited resources, and it shows. The narrative is slow-moving, there is minimal carnage, and a predictable horror film ending. Though the premise is full of potential, its execution leaves much to be desired. Ultimately, The Naked Witch (The Witchmaker) is an unremarkable horror film that’s devoid of any atmosphere or real surprises.

VCI Entertainment gives The Naked Witch (The Witchmaker) a serviceable audio/video presentation.

Written by Michael Den Boer