THE VAULT

Season of the Witch (1972) Explained: Beyond the Blood

Scare Score: 6/100

Every Night is Halloween.

The Premise

Season of the Witch (originally released as Hungry Wives) is a 1972 American drama film written and directed by George A. Romero, and starring Jan White, Raymond Laine, and Anne Muffly. The film follows a housewife in suburban Pittsburgh who becomes involved in witchcraft after meeting a local witch. Described by Romero himself as a "feminist film," Season of the Witch was originally made under the title Jack's Wife, with a small crew, giving Romero the duties of an editor, cinematographer and screenwriter. The film's distributor cut major parts of the film and changed its title to Hungry Wives, marketing it as a softcore pornography film. The film failed to find an audience on its initial release and was re-released years later under the title Season of the Witch.

Why It Terrifies Us

Categorized under Folk Horror, Psychological, Season of the Witch taps into fundamental fears. The 6/100 Scare Score is well-earned. The themes of witch, nightmare, housewife continually haunt viewers long after the credits roll.

Into The Vault

Ready to dig deeper? The ScreamDesk Vault connects you to the architecture of fear.