WITCHES' BREW

US, 1979, 93 minutes, Colour.
Richard Benjamin, Teri Garr, Lana Turner.
Directed by Richard Shor.

Witches' Brew is a piece of hokum about witchcraft in an academic environment in the U.S. (and a spoof of the British Night of the Eagle/Burn Witch Burn). Richard Benjamin and Teri Garr are pleasant enough in the central roles. However, the focus is on Lana Turner as a dying witch who wants to put her soul into Teri Garr's body. There are many dull patches - but eventually it builds up to some mild interest with Lana's plots and spells.

1. An enjoyable piece of hokum? The academic world? The credibility of witchcraft?

2. The American campus? Hones, affluence? Special effects - especially for the Devil? Musical score and theme song?

3. The title and the focus on witches and witchcraft, spells and success?

4. The focus on Joshua and Margaret? Their life on campus? Classes - and Joshua stirring? Margaret and her friends and their spells for the advancement of their husbands? Joshua and his ambitions? The friendship with Vivian? The accusations and trouble for Joshua - the woman who failed and shot at him, the alleged homosexuality? His clashes with authorities? - The build-up to the dinner with Vivian, Margaret's transformation, Joshua being chased by the Devil? Joshua learning the truth about Margaret, from the deathbed, from Susan? At home, the confrontation, the violence? The happy ending? Margaret and her friendship with Vivian, being taken over, dying, the attempt to kill Joshua? The final humour with the spell for the baby?

5. Vivian and her place in society, a witch, her spells (computerised? Her friendship with Margaret, choice of her for her body? Her use of Linda and Susan? The transformation, taking Margaret's body, the attack on Joshua? Her fiery death?

6. Susan and Linda, housewives, ambitions, the various spells and ingredients with Margaret? Their own ambitions and husbands? Campus life? Turning on Vivian? Susan enlisting Joshua's help?

7. The academic world, professorships and tenure, merits and spells?

8. The oddball students - the accusation of homosexuality, the girl who failed and rang in the middle of the night, her shooting at Joshua?

9. The blend of the serious and the comic? Slow pacing? Credibility?