Warlock was a 1989 horror film produced by New World Pictures and distributed by Trimark Pictures. It was directed by Steve Miner, written by David Twohy, and produced by Roger Corman. The cast includes Julian Sands, Lori Singer, and Richard E. Grant. The sound track was by Jerry Goldsmith.
The film runs for 103 minutes in color with Dolby sound and in the English language. It received an MPAA rating of R (under-17 restricted). There was a 1993 sequel to this movie called Warlock: The Armageddon and a third film in 1999 called Warlock III: The End of Innocence. Acclaim Entertainment released a video game based on the films for the Super NES and Sega Genesis in 1995. Bluewater Productions also began a Warlock comic book series in 2009.
Plot
The Warlock (Sands) was taken captive in 1691 Boston by the witch-hunter Giles Redferne (Grant). He is sentenced to death for his activities, but before he can be killed, Satan appears and propels both the Warlock and the witch-hunter forward in time to 20th century Los Angeles.
The Warlock is tasked with assembling the three separated sets of pages of The Grand Grimoire, a Satanic book that will reveal the "true" name of God (the backwards utterance of which will lead to the uncreation of the world). Arriving in late 1980s Los Angeles, the Warlock is innocently taken in by Kassandra (Singer) and her homosexual roommate. The Warlock chops off the roommate's finger to steal his ring and bites off his tongue, then spits it into a frying pan before killing him. After killing the roommate the Warlock also kills a fraudulent psychic-whose eyes are used to guide him to the ancient book. Redferne arrives soon after the murder of the psychic. Then the Warlock inflicts on Kassandra a curse of rapid aging. Kassandra joins forces with Redferne to hunt down the Warlock before he can reassemble the book. Redferne and Kassandra meet the grandfather of a Mennonite family, who realized the signs of a warlock's appearance, as Redferne sees a sign on the side of their barn as they travel along the expressway. Although Kassandra succeeds in breaking the aging curse and making herself young again, they are not successful in stopping the Warlock. While attempting to subdue him, their triumph becomes horror when the old man looks into the Warlock's eyes and suffers devastating harm. The Warlock escapes, and Redferne (after healing the old man) sets off in pursuit.
In the climactic scene in an old cemetery, the Warlock (having collected the final set of pages) assembles the book and learns the name of God, which is revealed to be "Roaisha". However, he is dispatched by Kassandra before he can say the name backwards when she kills him by injecting him with salt water. Redferne is then returned to his own time, and Kassandra sees an inscription from Redferne, to her, on his tombstone. In the end, Kassandra is seen amongst the vast Salt Lake Flats- where she has buried the book in the hopes that no other Warlock will ever be able to get it.
Cut scenes
The Channeler or Breaking Woman
In the original version of the channeling sequence, actress Mary Woronov ripped open her blouse to reveal the "Eyes of Satan' in place of her nipples. The Warlock freezes her and pushes her to the floor where upon she shatters. The Warlock then stomps on her chest to retrieve the eyes.
This shot was cut after test screenings resulted in laughter at the prosthetic breasts and disapproval over the violent nature of the channeler's death.
It is doubtful Julian Sands returned for the re shoot. This explains the change in Mary Woronov's hair from the beginning of the shot to when she collapses on the table. The filmmakers also used a shot of the Warlock kneeling down over the channeler's broken body instead of a new shot of Sands.
The film was far enough along in production though that a quick glimpse of the frozen body was included in the trailer with the Warlock beside her.
Rooster compass
One promotional shot showed the Warlock squatting down inside a circle with a rooster tied to the center. This was explained in the novelization as a compass that the Warlock uses to track down Redferne and Kassandra. The film omits any explanation as to how the Warlock found the two in the airport.
Amish Farmer?
When Redferne meets the Mennonite farmer, he assumes him to be Amish. But how could Redferne even know of the Amish people? The Amish movement was founded in Switzerland in 1693, about the time at the beginning of the movie. But there is no way Redferne could have known of such a thing.
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