THE RELUCTANT WITCH (Part 6 of 7), a feature film adapted from the novella by James E. Gunn. (2017).
6A feature film by MUNROW'S RETRO.
This is Phase 2 of a film project using the original unused footage, found footage, parts from a film originally televised in 1972 (previously public domain, that status may have changed since re-release on DVD), clips from the television series Smallville and Charmed, old film footage from the early 1960's and 1930's now in the public domain, snippets from some video games, snippets from video shorts, clips from videotaped stage plays, and other sources. Actor dialogue is accomplished by use of captions. Soundtrack music is provided by copyrighted music in Parts 1 and 6 only, and free music and music licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (with link back) in the other parts. Phase 3 may be anywhere from a year to four years away, and necessary changes including changes to plot points may be necessary, but enjoy the story in its current form as it unfolds which pretty much follows Mr. Gunn's novella.
"The Reluctant Witch" by James E. Gunn was originally entitled "Happy Is The Bride" but was ultimately published in Galaxy Magazine in May 1953 under the title "Wherever You May Be." Gunn never liked the Galaxy title and when the story was published as the first of a trilogy of tales in a short-story collection entitled The Witching Hour in 1970, he re-titled it "The Reluctant Witch." I quote him here from his introduction: "I never liked 'Wherever You May Be' ... and changed it, in this collection, to "The Reluctant Witch." Thus, "the Reluctant Witch" (as it was labeled on Herk Harvey's film can) could not have been a working title Herk Harvey would have used until at least the summer of 1970 if not later. To me, based on my memory of the times, the footage looks as though it was either shot then or, much more likely, around the summer of 1971.
Matt seemingly escapes a vengeful Abbie only to discover that she knows his every move. Little does either of them know that she is getting some unexpected help. Abbie's powers themselves have grown truly terrible and Matt's nightmare becomes increasingly dreadful and frightening. The film continues to move into the kind of eerie, surreal realm I believe both Herk Harvey and James E. Gunn had intended to bring to the completed movie.
The lead role of Matthew Wright, played by Leonard Schneider in Part 1 and the end portion of of Part 5, is continued in very large measure in the reconstruction portions of Part 6. Director Herk Harvey also appears in a cameo role as a gas station owner and attendant.
The alternatives to Schneider shift between Tom Welling (Smallville) and a very small cameo with Brian Krause (Charmed). We also see character Matthew Wright's perspective from the first person and back of the head shots, negating the need for a male actor. Two new characters are introduced in this part: that of the diner waitress Lola, played by Cassidy Rae (Favorite Deadly Sins, 1995) and also that of Libby, Abbie's dead sister (the "extra help" Abbie has been getting), who until now has only appeared a few times as a walk-on apparition. Libby, a twin, is played by a blonde-haired Erica Durance (Smallville), Sara Downing (Smallville), and by Cassidy Rae after Libby possesses Lola. The role of Abigail Jenkins, in this part, is briefly played in cameos by Jennifer Salt (Gargoyles) and Erica Durance. Jennifer Salt was
originally cast for the part of Abigail Jenkins.
Music:
Front Porch Sitter by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Artist: http://audionautix.com/
Dance of Deception by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100271
Artist: http://incompetech.com/
Heliograph by Chris Zabriskie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Source: http://chriszabriskie.com/divider/
Artist: http://chriszabriskie.com/
"Transylvania Twist" edit by Ex Voto (1997)