Simon King of the Witches (1971)
Simon, King of the Witches is an American exploitation horror film from 1971 directed by Bruce Kessler. Starring Andrew Prine, Brenda Scott, George Paulsin and Norman Burton.
Plot
Simon Sinestrari (Andrew Prine), a cynical ceremonial magician, is on a quest to become a god. Simon is living in a storm sewer, selling his charms and potions for money, when he is befriended by a young male prostitute named Turk (George Paulsin)
. Turk introduces Simon to his world of drugs, wild parties, and bizarre Satanic rituals featuring Ultra Violet and a goat. Death, freak-outs and mayhem ensue, along with romance for Simon with the district attorney’s daughter Linda (Brenda Scott). Simon, a degenerate practitioner of magic uses his satanic rituals to seduce Linda.
Together, the two lovers search for the proper spell to make themselves into gods.
Notable scenes
The black mass ritual by the witches.
Making of Simon King of the Witches
Screenwriter Robert Phippeny was an actual practicing warlock.
Andrew Prine suggested Brenda Scott to play Linda.
Some of the female extras in the black mass sequence were actual practicing witches.
Andrew Prine kept the sorcerer’s robe that he wears in the film.
There was a 1971 paperback novelization published, written by Baldwin Hills.
Simon King of the Witches was the final film of Helen Jay.
Our view on Simon KotW
Simon King of the Witches is an enjoyable movie with a good performance of Andrew Pine as a warlock in California. The portrayal of magic rituals is accurate and the witches ritual has a lot of nudity. With the psychedelic effects it has a real late sixties / early seventies feel. Exploitflix recommended!
