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Witchboard

R Released Dec 31, 1986 1h 34m Horror List
50% Tomatometer 16 Reviews 41% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
When Jim (Todd Allen) and Linda (Tawny Kitaen) decide to throw a party, Linda's ex-boyfriend -- and Jim's ex-friend -- Brandon (Stephen Nichols) brings out a Ouija board to contact a pleasant, childish spirit named David with whom he communicates often. Apparently, the lines get crossed, because they instead reach across the supernatural divide to the decidedly less pleasant Malfeitor, who uses his connection to the world of the living to wreak havoc and terrify his new acquaintances.
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Witchboard

Critics Reviews

View All (16) Critics Reviews
Trace Thurman Horror Queers Podcast It has some interesting ideas but this is a dull, flatly-directed and brightly-lit slog of a "horror" film. Rated: 2/5 Jan 4, 2022 Full Review Joe Lipsett Horror Queers Podcast This 80s possession "thriller" is equal parts dumb and silly, but its (unintentional?) fascination with the gay relationship between Brandon and Jim elevates it. Plus Tawny Kitaen's luscious hair in a number of hats! Dec 30, 2021 Full Review C.H. Newell Father Son Holy Gore Witchboard played its own part in making the Ouija board and the idea of playing around with it when you don't understand the implications a genre staple. Rated: 3.5/5 May 1, 2019 Full Review Heather Wixson Daily Dead By and large, Witchboard is a movie I enjoy, but mostly for the nostalgia factor and the fact that Tenney was taking some risks at that particular time in the genre. Rated: 2.5/5 Jan 8, 2016 Full Review Felix Vasquez Jr. Cinema Crazed An eerie, and occasionally creepy supernatural mystery... Feb 6, 2014 Full Review Jeff Beck Examiner.com On the surface, Witchboard looks like a campy, cheesy horror film that most would shrug off pretty quickly, but it's those qualities that make it more enjoyable than most of the same ilk. Rated: 3.5/5 Feb 3, 2014 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Jay H This would be a good horror movie to show to someone who doesn't really like the genre, or isn't very familiar with it. It's spooky without being scary, it has mild gore, and a fairly solid story. The acting is good, too. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 10/05/24 Full Review J.D. C This 80's movie was definitely BETTER than all the other Ouija movies out there today. It was well casted, great special effects and just creepy with a great story. It stuck to the rules, NEVER play it by yourself, NEVER trust anyone on the other side and if you're addicted to the board...then you need a medium! The film itself was incredibly true and in this case the medium was even killed by having the wrong spirit go through her. The music was eerie and the film gave a vibe of classic 80's horror. Not even the new Ouija Board movies can compare to this one. The best thing about it was that there were NO CGI effects at all except for the final scene. The acting was great and so was the story. I highly recommend this flick if you're an 80's horror fan. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 06/04/24 Full Review Stoner J Always loved this movie. Not many good Ouija movies out there (Ouija comes to mind). But this one is really good. Im Rated 4 out of 5 stars 11/13/23 Full Review Steve D You have seen it done better even the same year. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 08/30/23 Full Review L H It's helpful to approach Witchboard with an understanding of the era it was made in and the sphere that horror movies existed in at the time. While Witchboard will not win any notable awards, it's enjoyable to watch if you're into 80s low budget horror. Is it cheesy? Yes. Is the acting subpar? It is. Are there a few continuity issues? Indeed. But this is 1987 we're talking about where just about every horror movie that came out was touched with these same minor faults. However, that doesn't make them bad. Witchboard follows the formula it's meant to follow very well. The story is decent enough, although totally implausible and full of made-up Ouija lore, and the pace is what it should be in order to get the lukewarm climactic end. If you just want to enjoy a semi-silly 80s horror movie, it's worth a view, but don't go in trying to take the movie seriously. It definitely deserves a better score than where it currently sits on RT. Movies like Witchboard are for a certain type of viewer who understands these types of films and appreciates them for what they, not what they aren't. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 07/22/23 Full Review Alexander B Incredibly boring, predictable and clichéd. The acting and dialog was also terrible. Some of the kills were a little creative and so was some of the 📷 work but not much else worth seeing. Rated 1 out of 5 stars 05/07/23 Full Review Read all reviews
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Movie Info

Synopsis When Jim (Todd Allen) and Linda (Tawny Kitaen) decide to throw a party, Linda's ex-boyfriend -- and Jim's ex-friend -- Brandon (Stephen Nichols) brings out a Ouija board to contact a pleasant, childish spirit named David with whom he communicates often. Apparently, the lines get crossed, because they instead reach across the supernatural divide to the decidedly less pleasant Malfeitor, who uses his connection to the world of the living to wreak havoc and terrify his new acquaintances.
Director
Kevin Tenney
Producer
Gerald Geoffray
Screenwriter
Kevin Tenney
Production Co
Paragon Arts International
Rating
R
Genre
Horror
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Dec 31, 1986, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Aug 5, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA)
$5.1M
Runtime
1h 34m
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