Blu-ray Review: The Devonsville Terror

Blu-ray Reviews, Reviews, Top Story

Donald Pleasence was a working actor. Looking at his filmography, you’ll see how he didn’t want to spend too much time away from a film set. He appeared in big budget films such as You On Live Twice, The Night of the General, Fantastic Voyage, The Great Escape and The Greatest Story Ever Told. He popped up television shows including Hawaii Five-O, The Fugitive, Columbo and Mrs. Columbo. He even hosted Saturday Night Live with the punk legends Fear. Even with such a high profile, he did a lot of low budget horror films including Halloween. Pleasence had the ability to class up any production even if his character was rather creepy. Seeing that Pleasence was in the cast of a film meant there had to be something interesting about watching it. When he teamed up with director Ulli Lommel for The Devonsville Terror, they created a witching tale.

Ulli Lommel was part of West German filmmaker Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s group as a writer and producer. Lommel came to America and got even more arty directing Cocaine Cowboys with Andy Warhol and Jack Palance. This was topped by Blank Generation about punk legend Richard Hell. He wasn’t all about the New York art scene since in 1980, Lommel struck horror gold with The Boogeyman. The film starred John Carradine and Suzanna Love and scared plenty of folks. Lommel and Love brough along Donald Pleasence to scare us with the tale of Witch Trial that wasn’t over after 300 years.

Back in 1683, the town of Devonsville, Massachusetts had a series of surprise witch trials and executions in the middle of the night. Three women were put to death by rather painful ways including eaten by pigs while still alive. Three hundred years later, the town is still rather remote and run by creepy guys who don’t seem far removed from their Puritan founders. Dr. Warley (Donald Pleasence) is in process of investigating the witch trials except it’s left him with bizarre worm-like creatures growing in his arms. He uses regression therapy to see if the locals are connected to the ancestors from 300 years ago. Three women move to the town including school teacher Jenny (Suzanna Love). The locals aren’t sure how to handle them since they want to shake things up a bit in the staid community. Jenny dared to say that God is a woman which leads to one father ready to have her removed from the classroom. That might be the nicest thing since local shop owner Walter Gibbs (Cheers & It’s Garry Shandling’s Show‘s Paul Willson) suffocates his ill wife and nobody wants to prove it was a murder. A few townspeople (including Star Trek & Easy Rider‘s Robert Walker Jr.) already believe these three new women are reincarnations of the three witches. Does feel like the three new women will be meeting the fate of the last 3 independent women that showed up in Devonsville.

It’s hard to tell if he meant it, but Ulli Lommel’s cinematography during the 1683 first act makes the film feel like the kind of movie you’d see at a historic recreation village like Williamsburg or Plymouth Plantation if they’d accidentally hired Hershal Gordon Lewis. I’d be more up for that field trip if I knew we’d be seeing people tortured in colonial garb.

Even though The Boogeyman was a major hit, The Devonsville Terror ended up going straight to video in 1983. This is a shame since the film brilliantly delivers the goods of a town where witch hunting is the local hobby. We also get bizarre moments such a Paul Willson playing the violin for Suzanna Love. The ending of the film features great face melting effects to leave a viewer impressed. While Donald Pleasence’s character doesn’t leave the confines of his doctor office, he does have plenty of intense moments as he causes the townspeople to get in touch with their past lives. The Devonsville Terror is perfect for watching before your family vacation to a historic landmark.

The Video is 1.85:1 anamorphic. The transfer was made off a 35mm interpositive. The Audio is DTS-HD MA 2.0. You’ll hear a lot of screams, pig squeals and the synth score. The movie is subtitled.

“God is a Woman” (35:22) is an interview with co-writer/actress Suzanna Love. She was married to the director as well in starring in several of his films. She goes into how her and Lommel ended up in Wisconsin making this movie. She had a miscarriage before the production began. She discusses the melting head scenes.

“It’s Melting Men!” (15:16) catches up with Special effects artist Matthew W. Mungle. He was still in makeup school when he found out about the gig. He did his melting head effects in Los Angeles after the shoot in Wisconsin. He breaks down how he achieved the effect without melting the budget. He has praise for Paul Willson.

“The Incredible Melting Man!” (42:05) has actor Paul Willson recount being in San Francisco during the Summer Love. He went from working as part of an improv comedy troupe that led to them being a comedy troupe in Neil Simon’s The Goodbye Girl. When he showed up for Ulli Lommel’s Brainwave for what he thought he was an audition, but turned out to be his first day on the set with Tony Curtis. He swears Donald Pleasence only worked one day and his scenes were shot in Hollywood and not Wisconsin. He has plenty of tales from the America’s Dairyland.

“Not Very Nice People” (12:11) has makeup artist Erica Ueland discuss how she ended up in England working before she head to Los Angeles. She worked on The Forbidden Zone, Halloween and Children of the Corn. She didn’t work on the sequels. She can’t remember exactly how she got hired to Devonsville Terror. She had a blast on the location and praises Ulli.

“Mind of a Chess Player” (18:45) allows camera operator Jürg V. Walther to discuss the new Kodak film stock that let them shoot in darker spaces. He gets into shooting with Donald Pleasence. He gets into how he and Ulli worked the camera on the shoot.

Archival interview with co-writer/director Ulli Lommel (7:16) lets him explain how a layover in Boston on a trip to Germany allowed him to drive around Salem, Massachusetts. He was inspired to do a movie about three women in modern days that connect with three women killed as witches in a town. Ulli passed away in 2017.

Theatrical trailer (1:55) sells the witch punishments from 300 years ago and it’s not over.

Behind-the-scenes still gallery (1:10) has the poster and photos from the heads melting effect.

Vinegar Syndrome presents The Devonsville Terror. Directed by Ulli Lommel. Screenplay by George T. Lindsey, Suzanna Love & Ulli Lommel. Starring Suzanna Love, Robert Walker Jr., Donald Pleasence, Paul Willson. Running Time: 82 minutes. Rating: Not Rated. Release Date: March 28, 2023.

Joe Corey is the writer and director of "Danger! Health Films" currently streaming on Night Flight and Amazon Prime. He's the author of "The Seven Secrets of Great Walmart People Greeters." This is the last how to get a job book you'll ever need. He was Associate Producer of the documentary "Moving Midway." He's worked as local crew on several reality shows including Candid Camera, American's Most Wanted, Extreme Makeover Home Edition and ESPN's Gaters. He's been featured on The Today Show and CBS's 48 Hours. Dom DeLuise once said, "Joe, you look like an axe murderer." He was in charge of research and programming at the Moving Image Archive.