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wrote of the film: "Idle hands are Orson Welles' workshop as Welles lends approximately four percent of his immense talent to the role of one Mr. Cato ... Will Burt I. Gordon, who wrote, produced and directed this cauldron of corn, ever work again in
Hollywood? Who cares?" William B. Collins of
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of Cato's son, which lures her into the basement of her home, where she is attacked by a horde of rats. Later, she is confronted by
Priscilla and another cult leader, who inform her she is to take the place of Cato's son during a necromancy ceremony. Terrified, Lori attempts to locate Frank when he
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During postproduction in the summer of 1971, Gordon and
Valiant Productions filed a lawsuit against the film's production company, Premiere Pictures, to regain creative control of the film. A superior court judge allotted Gordon 21 days to produce a recut version of the film in alignment with his
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Priscilla calls Lori and tells her she wishes to leave Lilith with her, and claims to have confidential information about Frank; however, Lori finds her drowned in a creek in the woods before she is supposed to meet with her. After a series of hallucinations, Lori stumbles upon the necromancy
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as a gift. Priscilla, another of Cato's employees, refers to Cato's dead son, whom he believes is merely "resting". Lori also discovers the house Frank and she have moved into had previously been rented by the woman who died in the car accident.
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elements "both age the film and take the viewer out of the moment. The special effects, though minimal, are quite awful. Still, the good far outweighs the bad," also remarking the performances as "fantastic". The same year, the publication
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Lori becomes increasingly unnerved when she observes the power Cato exerts over the small town, owning all of its businesses and maintaining influence over its exclusively young residents, all of whom appear to have interests in the
328:, the act of bringing the dead back to life, the one power he claims to have been unable to obtain; he also explains to her he believes she holds the key between life and death, and can help him achieve the revival of his dead son.
40:
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s production values are as solid as its plotting is full of holes," though he conceded the film is "technically very well made for its budget–but not very thought out." Lawrence DeVine of the
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does not return home from work. She phones Nancy, one of Cato's associates. Nancy is in the midst of having sex with Frank. Nancy lies to Lori, telling her Frank went back to Los
Angeles.
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s Gregg Swem noted that Welles appears "disinterested in his role. Most of his lines come across as mumbled incantations ... script is weak. The direction is uninspired."
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Upon arriving in Lilith, Lori and Frank have dinner with his new boss, the eccentric Mr. Cato, who vaguely explains that Frank's job at the company will involve
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277:. The plot follows an enigmatic cult leader in a small California town who attempts to harness the powers of a local woman to resurrect his dead son.
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called it "an awful film–despite the presence of impressive Orson Welles and dependable Pamela
Franklin ... In the area of thrills and chills,
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Per a newspaper archive search, the earliest release of the film occurred at the Allen Park Drive-In in
Detroit, Michigan on September 20, 1972.
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by Video
International on February 11, 2008. The film was released again on DVD by Pegasus Entertainment on November 18, 2002.
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original vision, which he was ordered to then give to
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Lori and Frank are invited to a party, whereupon arriving she discovers it is a formal anointment into the town's
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Over a decade after its original release, in 1983, it was re-released in an altered cut bearing the title
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The two young
British actors, Pamela Franklin and Harvey Jason, met on set and married the same year.
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Welles biographer Josh Karp suggested that Welles took the part in the film merely for the pay.
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noted some "redeeming touches of humor," but ultimately summarized: "It wouldn't be so bad if
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ceremony at Cato's son's grave, and is buried alive in exchange for the return of his son.
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observed that, at his screening, the film had apparently been truncated from its original
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by both
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She suddenly awakens, and realizes the events she has experienced were only a
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This article is about the 1972 American film. For the 1957 Japanese film, see
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677:. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. October 17, 1972 – via Newspapers.com.
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noted that Welles's performance in the film was "great". Joe Baltake of
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877:. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. p. 48 – via Newspapers.com.
815:. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. p. 19 – via Newspapers.com.
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Orson Welles's Last Movie: The Making of The Other Side of the Wind
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890:"'Necromancy' isn't very scary, suspenseful, or even interesting"
775:. Los Angeles, California. p. 23 – via Newspapers.com.
519:, and as a result suffered from having "no logical progression."
351:. Frank consoles her, but she soon realizes she is experiencing
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is pitifully malnourished. What's worse, it isn't even funny."
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in the fall of 1972. In some locations, it was advertised as
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The film was released theatrically in the United States by
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referred to the film as a "so-so occult thriller ...
836:. Cocoa, Florida. p. 3D – via Newspapers.com.
335:, but she refuses. The following day, she witnesses an
858:. Uniontown, Pennsylvania – via Newspapers.com.
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788:"Trouble Brews in Lillith's [sic] Cauldron"
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898:. Louisville, Kentucky – via Newspapers.com.
280:The film was re-released in 1983 under the title
794:. Detroit, Michigan – via Newspapers.com.
909:Garza, Melissa Antoinette (February 2, 2017).
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16:1972 horror film directed by Bert I. Gordon
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38:
29:
871:"'Nec'ro-Man'cy' and 'Red Mantle': Awful"
639:
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805:Collins, William B. (October 19, 1972).
945:from the original on December 19, 2017.
786:DeVine, Lawrence (September 22, 1972).
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569:the 17th-best occult film of all time.
921:from the original on February 9, 2017.
604:in a limited edition of 1,000 copies.
324:. Cato informs Lori of his pursuit of
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1329:Cinerama Releasing Corporation films
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427:, in 1970, under the working titles
413:as Cult Member (as Berinka Stevens)
1279:American supernatural horror films
767:"Offering of One Life for Another"
14:
968:. Retrieved on February 15, 2016.
869:Baltake, Joe (October 19, 1972).
826:Ibert, Lloyd (December 9, 1972).
296:housewife Lori Brandon suffers a
1299:Films directed by Bert I. Gordon
888:Swem, Gregg (October 28, 1972).
1339:1970s supernatural horror films
1314:Films scored by Robert J. Walsh
807:"At Least This Film Has Welles"
739:"Enter the occult world of...
455:Cinerama Releasing Corporation
166:Cinerama Releasing Corporation
1:
1354:English-language horror films
875:The Philadelphia Evening News
532:The Philadelphia Evening News
23:. For the form of magic, see
1344:1970s English-language films
743:(promotional advertisement)"
701:AFI Catalog of Feature Films
180:September 20, 1972
1134:Attack of the Puppet People
828:"'Necromancy' a Bland Brew"
704:. Los Angeles, California:
1370:
933:"The 20 best occult films"
550:In 2017, Melissa Garza of
304:of a young boy's funeral.
195:October 18, 1972
18:
1142:War of the Colossal Beast
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812:The Philadelphia Inquirer
674:The Philadelphia Inquirer
577:The film was released on
502:The Philadelphia Inquirer
407:as Nancy (as Sue Bernard)
37:
21:Ghost Cat of Yonaki Swamp
1309:Films shot in California
1126:The Amazing Colossal Man
255:supernatural horror film
1304:Films set in California
1198:How to Succeed with Sex
1158:The Boy and the Pirates
706:American Film Institute
645:"Allen Park I & II"
401:Lisa James as Georgette
1294:Films about witchcraft
850:(September 23, 1972).
554:noted that the film's
423:Filming took place in
1182:Village of the Giants
1011:. London: Macmillan.
852:"Little Old New York"
600:released the film on
425:Los Gatos, California
284:in an alternate cut.
253:) is a 1972 American
1349:1970s American films
1334:American ghost films
1222:The Food of the Gods
1150:Earth vs. the Spider
1110:Beginning of the End
979:"Necromancy Blu-ray"
915:Scared Stiff Reviews
765:(November 2, 1972).
669:trade advertisement"
552:Scared Stiff Reviews
1238:Burned at the Stake
1007:Karp, Josh (2015).
941:. August 17, 2017.
911:"Necromancy (1972)"
895:The Courier-Journal
696:"Necromancy (1972)"
541:The Courier-Journal
361:of events to come.
311:, and gives Lori a
1230:Empire of the Ants
1190:Picture Mommy Dead
1088:Films directed by
856:The Morning Herald
792:Detroit Free Press
650:Detroit Free Press
524:The Morning Herald
495:Detroit Free Press
86:Jeffrey M. Sneller
1324:Psychedelic films
1319:1970s ghost films
1289:Films about death
1284:Films about cults
1274:1972 horror films
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1018:978-1-250-00708-7
772:Los Angeles Times
596:On July 7, 2016,
482:Los Angeles Times
472:Critical response
429:A Life for a Life
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250:NEC'RO•MAN'CY
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986:. Retrieved
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709:. Retrieved
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396:Harvey Jason
386:as Priscilla
372:Orson Welles
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282:The Witching
281:
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263:Orson Welles
257:directed by
249:
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216:Running time
205:Philadelphia
101:Orson Welles
1118:The Cyclops
983:Blu-ray.com
960:The Witches
938:CVLT Nation
562:CVLT Nation
556:psychedelic
528:Ed Sullivan
384:Lee Purcell
374:as Mr. Cato
359:premonition
294:Los Angeles
275:Lee Purcell
192:, Michigan)
149:Fred Karger
111:Lee Purcell
74:Produced by
47:Directed by
1269:1972 films
1263:Categories
1206:Necromancy
1034:Necromancy
667:Necromancy
628:References
587:Necromancy
573:Home media
567:Necromancy
536:Necromancy
507:Necromancy
487:Necromancy
419:Production
398:as Dr. Jay
337:apparition
326:necromancy
298:stillbirth
244:Necromancy
220:83 minutes
199:1972-10-18
184:1972-09-20
83:Gail March
66:Gail March
57:Written by
33:Necromancy
25:Necromancy
1166:Tormented
726:Karp 2015
517:PG rating
349:nightmare
135:Edited by
1053:AllMovie
988:July 20,
962:Releases
943:Archived
919:Archived
711:July 19,
313:grimoire
233:Language
143:Music by
94:Starring
1001:Sources
602:Blu-ray
479:of the
445:Release
354:déjà vu
236:English
225:Country
197: (
190:Detroit
182: (
1249:(1990)
1241:(1981)
1233:(1977)
1225:(1976)
1217:(1972)
1209:(1972)
1201:(1970)
1193:(1966)
1185:(1965)
1177:(1962)
1169:(1960)
1161:(1960)
1153:(1958)
1145:(1958)
1137:(1958)
1129:(1957)
1121:(1957)
1113:(1957)
1105:(1955)
1047:(1972)
1015:
565:named
322:occult
302:vision
292:After
273:, and
203: (
188: (
608:Notes
545:'
490:'
333:coven
309:magic
1039:IMDb
1013:ISBN
990:2018
713:2018
431:and
365:Cast
288:Plot
1051:at
1037:at
964:at
591:DVD
589:on
579:VHS
1265::
981:.
951:^
935:.
917:.
913:.
892:.
873:.
854:.
830:.
809:.
790:.
769:.
745:.
698:.
683:^
671:.
647:.
636:^
526:,
468:.
461:.
435:.
269:,
265:,
1081:e
1074:t
1067:v
1021:.
992:.
715:.
665:"
207:)
201:)
186:)
27:.
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