Witchtrap (The Presence). Kevin Tenney, 1989.
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Edition screened: Vinegar Syndrome Blu-ray #158, released 2017. English language. Runtime approximately 91 minutes.
Summary: No depictions of violence or harm to animals.
Witchtrap showcases the worst of 1980s film style. The dialogue is heavily padded with pointless comments like “Gee, look at that” and unfocused perfunctory bickering. The acting is the horrible sort that only C-list professionals can muster, far worse than non-professional actors. There are endless childish jokes and some squirmy racial volleys that try, fail, and try again to level some social playing field.
The special effects are the most ambitious part of Witchtrap, with splatter that holds up well even by current standards. Every character suffers a gory death except for the most unlikable one.
A brief shower scene by Linnea Quigley is the highlight of the film. Quigley is the first character to be killed and unfortunately has only about eight minutes on screen. Still, she smiles her adorable little smile several times and delivers Witchtrap’s best performance by far.
The Vinegar Syndrome release also includes Tenney’s student film The Book of Joe (1984), which is easier to watch and better than Witchtrap in some ways.