Witchtrap

Director - Kevin Tenney (Witchboard, Night of the Demons)
Starring - James W. Quinn (Lurking Fear, Endangered Species), Kathleen Bailey (Night Visitor, Baywatch), and Judy Tatum (Book of Joe, Witchboard)
Release Date - 1989
Genre - Horror
Tagline - " This time, it's not a game"
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Kevin Tenney is an amazing filmmaker and has had an amazing career.  His film Night of the Demons is a must every October for countless horror fans.  The film has been watched in my home more times than I care to count and as October approaches I get more and more excited to revisit it.  With that being said, I have not made the time to check out his other films (I will get a few hundred shitty emails now for admitting this).  Several of his films are now iconic with a cult following.  Recently, I witnessed someone sell a VHS of his film Witchboard in a horror collectors VHS group for well over $100.  Some time back Vinegar Syndrome released the film Witchtrap on bluray.  It was finally my chance to check out another Kevin Tenney film.  I reached out to them and they were kind enough to send a review copy my way.  Thanks guys!
     The film follows a parapsychologist and her team as they partner with a security firm to rid a house of a supernatural element.  The house is in a prime location to be turned into a bed& breakfast so the owner want's the building cleared.  What they don't know is the supernatural element haunting the property is a witch that was caught in the middle of a ritual that would make him immortal.  They must now find his heart and destroy it before he fully manifests himself.
     Witchtrap is a fantastic 80s horror film.  What makes it even more fun is the fact that it is centered around a haunted house in the same manner as Tenney's Night of the Demons.  I really like haunted house flicks and feel that they are severely underutilized within the last few decades.  I'm also find of witch stories so this film had a lot going for me.  I really enjoyed it.  It wasn't as good as Night of the Demons but I will be revisiting this one again.  The acting in this one is decent.  The cast does a solid job but they don't go above or beyond at creating a character that is memorable.  Everyone is easily forgettable and not a single cast member stands out.  The story for this one started out as a clichéd haunted house film but switches gears with the introduction of parapsychology and witchcraft.  Tenney adds just enough to make it feel new and fresh.  I really liked how he was able to give us something we had seen before but in a new light.  The film does slow down at times but if you are patient the film more than makes up for it.  Finally, the film has a few on screen kills that plays out like a very imaginative slasher before switching gears on us and giving us an end scene death kill that shows, once and for all, why 80s horror is known for their effects.  Fans of the Evil Dead and the film's ending will respect the ending of this film.  Overall, Witchtrap is the perfect film for some late night chills.  I could see myself renting this one when I was younger and having a movie night with some Mountain Dew and whatever junk food I could find.  Fans of late 80s horror should really check this one out.