Just watched this brain damaged little horror the other night - has anyone seen this film? I caught the trailer for it on the DVD for THE SEDUCTION and thought to myself, "My god, I have GOT to see this movie! It looks like the best movie EVER MADE!" - the trailer for it is pretty incredible.

So with that in mind, I sat down and was very excited to watch how this thing would unfold.

Ok, it wasn't THAT great...and the trailer showed all of the best sequences, however, there is a lot of stuff going on in this movie that I was pretty intrigued by and there was a LOT of laughs. I mean, Albert Salmi's Inspector Sturgess character has to go down in trash cinema as probably the meanest, most unfriendly character ever! Look at the way he treats everyone!

Plus, there are some other interesting developments that I don't want to spoil...and some of the most outrageous gore scenes I've seen in awhile. The evil "witch" character also is quite a marvel, with her wonderful ashy arms and dragon talons...plus they never show her face which gives her a genuinely eerie presence.

Anyone else here a closet Superstition fan?

(by the way, I'm a little miffed at Anchor Bay's lackluster DVD box art for this...the packaging makes the movie look like it is current...although, perhaps some people will rent it thinking that and be totally puzzled by what they get.)

I just posted about this on the Sci-Fi/Horror board the other day. In addition to what you say about Salmi's character, he's also one of the most inept cops I've ever seen.

Here's my review:
SUPERSTITION (1982)—Directed by James Roberson. Stars James Houghton, Albert Salmi, Jacquelyn Hyde, Lynn Carlin, Larry Pennell. Horror fans may want to check out this sorta-slasher flick. It’s pretty dumb, but it boasts a spectacular body count and fairly gory murders. The Leahy family—alcoholic clergyman George (Pennell), his wife (Carlin), a young son and two stacked teen daughters—move into a haunted house owned by the Baptist church, where David Thompson (Houghton) is the new reverend. Almost everyone who enters the house suffers an exhilarating death; a kid’s decapitated head is microwaved, his buddy is sliced in two by a window pane, a saw blade rips through a man’s chest. The old woman (Hyde) next door seems to know what’s going on, but she ain’t saying, leaving David to do the research himself and battle the evil spirit using an old cross (last seen buried in Victor Buono’s chest in producer Ed Carlin’s earlier THE EVIL). Old pro Salmi helps keep the story together as the local cop in charge, though he can’t really get a handle on the meandering story either. Don’t worry about it. Just enjoy the juicy kills and the occasional scare. Writer Donald Thompson went on to script Chuck Norris movies. Also with Heidi Bohay (HOTEL), Robert Symonds, Stacy Keach Sr., Maylo McCaslin, Billy Jacoby and John Alderman.

I agree that Anchor Bay just went through the motions on the DVD. I would love to hear an audio commentary with the director and cast. Salmi is dead, but Houghton and Pennell are alive. I don't know about Lynn Carlin, but her husband produced SUPERSTITION, so she likely has some interesting behind-the-scenes anecdotes. But outside of the trailer, no extras at all. Weak, Anchor Bay.

Oh absolutely! I love this movie! A guilty pleasure for sure... it's SOOOO dumb and crappy, but it has a charm that I... cannot... escaaaaape!

If you are looking for it at Best Buy... you gotta check in the... uh... SCI-FI section though... duh!

Ha! You noticed that, too, huh? I thought that was just MY store! Whenever I go in there looking for a movie, I check EVERY section, no matter what the title. I mean, I was looking for EYES OF LAURA MARS in COMEDY...I mean, cause it kind of IS, isn't it?

I've always enjoyed that ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK is in Sci-Fi, but ESCAPE FROM L.A. is in Action.

THE LAST AMERICAN VIRGIN is in Drama. No wonder every time I go there, a dozen copies are still on the shelf.

OK, I guess THE LAST AMERICAN VIRGIN is a drama, but then at Best Buy, so is FRANKENSTEIN UNBOUND.

They don't have the Brother Theodore radio spots?! Weak indeed!!

Wasn't it originally announced as a special edition?

Don't forget the hero priest ogling the daughters.

I adore SUPERSTITION. It was a big hit on video in the UK, in the the early-mid 80s - and I have fond memories of watching it when I should have been at school! In fact, it was such a big hit here that they released at the cinema after it had been out on VHS (under the title of THE WITCH). One of the only times this ever happened, I believe.

The artwork that Anchor Bay is using is pretty much identical to the British video artwork that was used on the original VTC video release. So, at least they are being true to their origins (unlike that howlingly funny 'rethink' of the HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME DVD release).

I actually do prefer the original "Superstition" VHS art to the art used on the DVD. I always liked that "ghostly" figure holding the body.

I think I may have to break out the movie again this weekend and watch it now. This thread has got me interested again.

But it's likely she was happier to share her thoughts about John Cassavetes on Criterion's DVD of FACES.

No doubt!