Plot: Heidi, a radio DJ, is sent a box containing a record - a “gift from the Lords”. The sounds within the grooves trigger flashbacks of her town’s violent past. Is Heidi going mad, or are the Lords back to take revenge on Salem, Massachusetts?
Direction & Screenplay: Ten years (11? 12? 13? I'm sorta cheating with both of these TLDRs as Corpses was made in 2000 and Witches first played in 2012 - but didn't get a wide release until 2013) after Rob Zombie made House of 1000 Corpses, he's looped back around into low-budget filmmaking (and his smallest budget yet) after making a couple of Halloween movies. You can feel his impulse to just do some crazy shit in Corpses and Halloween II, but it's on full display here. The "mystery" of this film is fun until Zombie decides to just light everything on fire in the final minutes.
Performances: Sheri Moon Zombie is so great at being kooky and crazy, and she can be downright adorable as she does it. I'm all for her being Rob's muse and I can appreciate it, but this particular part asks her to do something else that just isn't right for her. She's much more Lily Munster. Behind her is another who's who of the genre and Rob Zombie's repertory company: Bruce Davison, Jeff Daniel Phillips, Judy Geeson, Meg Foster, Patricia Quinn, Dee Wallace, Ken Foree, Camille Keaton, Sid Haig, Barbara Crampton, and so many more.
Best moment: I typically find the idea of a shock jock radio station to be anything but fun, but the broadcast scenes with Zombie, Phillips, and Foree are a blast!
Fun fact: According to IMDB, the goat's name was Noodles. That seems like a decent goat name, but I've heard better.
Imaginary accolade: Zombie's Most Original Film (He also said that it's like if "Ken Russell directed The Shining," so maybe not.)
Should I read Zombie's own novelization? I liked this movie, should I?
Everything is too long. Is it too long? 101 minutes and I wouldn't lose one of 'em.
Rating: I like Rob Zombie movies and you should too!
Credit: Plot synopsis from Letterboxd via TMDb.