The 1962 cult item Burn, Witch, Burn finally gets a Blu-ray transfer courtesy of Kino Lorber. Perhaps relegated to obscurity due to its unavailability for many years, and also widely known by the alternate title Night of the Eagle, this is one of two notable genre films from Sidney Hayers (the other being 1960’s Circus of Horrors), a director who mainly dabbled in television after the end of this decade.
Based on the novel Conjure Woman by Fritz Leiber, Jr. (an author whose works could be primed for future adaptations), which was also adapted into a 1944 Lon Chaney, Jr. vehicle, Weird Woman, as well as later comedic adaptation with the 1980 film Witches’ Brew, this is the most noteworthy version, a flavorful exercise in logic vs. belief. Cult author and screenwriter Richard Matheson (who wrote the original I Am Legend text, of which three film versions also exist, headlined by the likes of Vincent Price,...
Based on the novel Conjure Woman by Fritz Leiber, Jr. (an author whose works could be primed for future adaptations), which was also adapted into a 1944 Lon Chaney, Jr. vehicle, Weird Woman, as well as later comedic adaptation with the 1980 film Witches’ Brew, this is the most noteworthy version, a flavorful exercise in logic vs. belief. Cult author and screenwriter Richard Matheson (who wrote the original I Am Legend text, of which three film versions also exist, headlined by the likes of Vincent Price,...
- 9/8/2015
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
Shock Theater with Joe Dante continues at Trailers from Hell, today with director and Tfh creator Dante introducing Reginald Le Borg's 1944 mystery, "Weird Woman," starring Lon Chaney as a professor who takes a supernatural wife while on a South Seas expedition. Fritz Leiber's pulp novella "Conjure Wife", which originally appeared in the April 1943 issue of Unknown Worlds, has had a surprisingly durable screen history. It was adapted here as the second entry in Universal's Inner Sanctum Mystery series, then redone years later as an episode of the Moment of Fear TV show (1960). A classy feature treatment, Burn Witch Burn, followed in 1961 (see Tfh Guru Sam Hamm's take on it here). A barely released comedy version, Witches' Brew, appeared in 1980.
- 7/10/2013
- by Trailers From Hell
- Thompson on Hollywood
Fritz Leiber’s 1943 Conjure Wife is headed back to the screen from writer/director Billy Ray (Breach). United Artists has acquired the rights to Leiber’s debut novel according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The film will adapt the story of “a New England college professor who discovers that his good fortune is the result of his wife's secret, magical interference. When he pressures her to stop, dark forces descend on the couple without her protection.”
The trade notes, “Ray's update will amp up the prurience factor as one woman's desire to take over a more ideal female body factors into the plot.”
This will be the fourth film adaptation, following Weird Woman (1944), Night of the Eagle/Burn, Witch, Burn! (1962), and Witches' Brew (1980).
Leiber (December 24, 1910 – September 5, 1992) was a prolific science fiction and fantasy author, best known for his sword & sorcery series featuring Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser.
Fafhrd appeared in Leiber’s first sale,...
The film will adapt the story of “a New England college professor who discovers that his good fortune is the result of his wife's secret, magical interference. When he pressures her to stop, dark forces descend on the couple without her protection.”
The trade notes, “Ray's update will amp up the prurience factor as one woman's desire to take over a more ideal female body factors into the plot.”
This will be the fourth film adaptation, following Weird Woman (1944), Night of the Eagle/Burn, Witch, Burn! (1962), and Witches' Brew (1980).
Leiber (December 24, 1910 – September 5, 1992) was a prolific science fiction and fantasy author, best known for his sword & sorcery series featuring Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser.
Fafhrd appeared in Leiber’s first sale,...
- 12/21/2008
- by Robert Greenberger
- Comicmix.com
Billy Ray's fact-based dramas are one of this decade's true -- and largely unappreciated -- pleasures. With Shattered Glass and Breach, Ray demonstrated real sense of how to turn a true story into a compelling narrative, maintaining its credibility without becoming a slave to the facts. The same skillset should translate nicely into adapting a novel. Or at least I hope so, since Ray's newest project is a really interesting-sounding adaptation.
The book is The Conjure Wife, the 1943 debut novel by Fritz Lieber Jr., who would go on to become one of the more prolific American fantasy and science-fiction authors. It involves a college professor who learns that he owes much of his success to his wife's supernatural assistance. After demanding she stop, he must face the unpleasant consequences of going it alone. Ray will write and direct, though it's not clear if The Conjure Wife will sneak ahead...
The book is The Conjure Wife, the 1943 debut novel by Fritz Lieber Jr., who would go on to become one of the more prolific American fantasy and science-fiction authors. It involves a college professor who learns that he owes much of his success to his wife's supernatural assistance. After demanding she stop, he must face the unpleasant consequences of going it alone. Ray will write and direct, though it's not clear if The Conjure Wife will sneak ahead...
- 12/18/2008
- by Eugene Novikov
- Cinematical
Writer-director Billy Ray has signed on to adapt and helm a big screen version of the horror fantasy novel Conjure Wife, report the trades. The flick is being developed by United Artists. The 1943 debut novel by fantasy and science fiction writer Fritz Leiber Jr., Conjure centers on a New England college professor who discovers that his good fortune is the result of his wife's secret, magical interference. When he pressures her to stop, dark forces descend on the couple without her protection. The book has been adapted three times before: in 1944 as Weird Woman, in 1962 as Night of the Eagle/Burn, Witch, Burn! and in 1980 as Witches' Brew. Ray's take on the material is said to up the prurience factor as one woman's desire to take over a more ideal female body factors into the plot. The filmmaker previously wrote and directed the thriller Breach, which starred Chris Cooper, Ryan Phillippe,...
- 12/18/2008
- by James Cook
- TheMovingPicture.net
As the saying goes, behind every successful man is a strong woman -- who casts spells on his behalf. United Artists has attached "Breach" writer-director Billy Ray to adapt and direct a film version of the horror fantasy novel Conjure Wife. The 1943 debut novel by fantasy and science fiction writer Fritz Leiber Jr., "Conjure" centers on a New England college professor who discovers that his good fortune is the result of his wife's secret, magical interference. When he pressures her to stop, dark forces descend on the couple without her protection. The book has been adapted three times before: in 1944 as "Weird Woman," in 1962 as "Night of the Eagle"/"Burn, Witch, Burn!" and in 1980 as "Witches' Brew," according to the Hollywood Reporter.
- 12/18/2008
- bloody-disgusting.com
Variety reports that United Artists and StudioCanal are joining forces to produce a new film version of Fritz Leiber’s supernatural novel Conjure Wife. The movie will be a de facto remake of 1962’s Burn, Witch, Burn!, also adapted from the book, and to which the two companies own the rights.
Leiber’s 1943 tome, about a woman who practices black magic to further her professor husband’s career, also inspired 1944’s Weird Woman and a comedic take in 1980 called Witches’ Brew. Set to write and direct the latest version, which MGM will release in the U.S., is Billy Ray, whose screenplay credits include the psycho-suspensers Suspect Zero and Flightplan and who previously scripted and helmed the reality-based Shattered Glass and Breach.
Leiber’s 1943 tome, about a woman who practices black magic to further her professor husband’s career, also inspired 1944’s Weird Woman and a comedic take in 1980 called Witches’ Brew. Set to write and direct the latest version, which MGM will release in the U.S., is Billy Ray, whose screenplay credits include the psycho-suspensers Suspect Zero and Flightplan and who previously scripted and helmed the reality-based Shattered Glass and Breach.
- 12/18/2008
- Fangoria
As the saying goes, behind every successful man is a strong woman -- who casts spells on his behalf.
United Artists has attached "Breach" writer-director Billy Ray to adapt and direct a film version of the horror fantasy novel "Conjure Wife."
The 1943 debut novel by fantasy and science fiction writer Fritz Leiber Jr., "Conjure" centers on a New England college professor who discovers that his good fortune is the result of his wife's secret, magical interference. When he pressures her to stop, dark forces descend on the couple without her protection.
UA is co-financing and co-producing the film with StudioCanal, which shares underlying rights to the project because of a previous adaptation. The Lion will market and distribute in the U.S., and StudioCanal will distribute in Germany and the U.K. through Kinowelt and Optimum Releasing.
Production president Don Granger will oversee for UA.
The book has been adapted...
United Artists has attached "Breach" writer-director Billy Ray to adapt and direct a film version of the horror fantasy novel "Conjure Wife."
The 1943 debut novel by fantasy and science fiction writer Fritz Leiber Jr., "Conjure" centers on a New England college professor who discovers that his good fortune is the result of his wife's secret, magical interference. When he pressures her to stop, dark forces descend on the couple without her protection.
UA is co-financing and co-producing the film with StudioCanal, which shares underlying rights to the project because of a previous adaptation. The Lion will market and distribute in the U.S., and StudioCanal will distribute in Germany and the U.K. through Kinowelt and Optimum Releasing.
Production president Don Granger will oversee for UA.
The book has been adapted...
- 12/18/2008
- by By Jay A. Fernandez
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.