What Is Witchery About?
The premise of Witchery in 298 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
On a storm‑swept island off the coast of Massachusetts, a crumbling hotel looms like a relic of forgotten glamour. The locals whisper about a centuries‑old witch who once walked the halls in black, a presence that has turned the building into a magnet for rumors and uneasy curiosity. The weather presses in, the sea roars, and the abandoned corridors seem to pulse with an atmosphere that is equal parts alluring and foreboding, setting a tone that feels simultaneously gothic and modern.
Into this unsettled landscape arrive Leslie, a quiet, inquisitive student, and Gary, her sharp‑eyed photographer boyfriend. Their partnership is built on a blend of scholarly curiosity and visual storytelling, and they come to the island intent on documenting the hotel’s haunted reputation. While Leslie seeks to understand the history that clings to the walls, Gary is drawn to capture the stark beauty of decay, each feeding the other’s fascination with the unknown.
Their investigation quickly intertwines with the ambitions of a family who see the isolated property as a potential private retreat. Rose Brooks, the family matriarch, leads a cadre that includes her husband Freddie, their son Tommy, and her pregnant stepdaughter Jane. Alongside them are Linda Sullivan, an eager architect tasked with assessing renovations, and Jerry Giordano, a real‑estate broker hoping to seal a deal. The convergence of these disparate motives creates a charged dynamic, where scholarly intrigue meets commercial greed, and personal secrets ripple beneath the surface.
As night deepens, the island’s mood tightens, hinting that the very walls may respond to the hidden desires and fears of those within them. The promise of the witch’s lingering influence hangs like a soft, seductive whisper, suggesting that the line between research and obsession may blur, and that some mysteries are as intoxicating as they are dangerous.
What Happens in Witchery?
The complete story of Witchery, from the first scene to the last, in 604 words (about 3 minutes). Spoilers throughout. Names in the text link to 2 cast member pages.
Spoilers ahead
On a storm-swept island off the coast of Massachusetts, the quietly curious Leslie Leslie Cumming and her photographer partner Gary David Hasselhoff arrive to study a derelict hotel that the locals insist is haunted by a witch. Their quiet project quickly collides with a larger, more troubling scene: a greedy family pressure-testing the place as a potential private club. Rose Brooks [Annie Ross], the matriarch, leads the group that includes her husband Freddie Brooks [Robert Champagne], their young son Tommy Brooks [Michael Manchester], and Jane Brooks [Linda Blair], Rose’s pregnant stepdaughter. They’re joined by Linda Sullivan [Catherine Hickland], a bright young architect hired to estimate renovations, and Jerry Giordano [Rick Farnsworth], the real estate man who hopes to close a deal.
A fierce storm traps everyone on the island, severing any chance of retreat or quick rescue. As the sea churns and the building groans, the atmosphere thickens with dread. The locals’ whispers about the Lady in Black—the witch who once walked the fame-line as a movie star and now wages a grim ritual—grow louder and more concrete. The group finds themselves cut off not just by weather but by an unseen force that seems to mirror their own flaws back at them: greed, lust, and vanity.
The Lady in Black begins to enact a brutal, calculated ritual that centers on four symbolic elements: greed, lust, a pregnant woman, and the defiling of a virgin. As the night deepens, the attackers become victims in a series of shocking, ritualized deaths. Rose is burned alive, a devastating opening of the carnage. Linda Sullivan and Jerry Giordano are seized while they are intimate, then subjected to torture and crucifixion, their bodies offering a stark indictment of the hotel’s cursed legacy. Freddie and Gary fall next, their lives extinguished in short, brutal sequences that underscore the witch’s merciless reach. Leslie, meanwhile, endures a nightmare within a nightmare as a demon forces itself upon her during a satanic ceremony.
Jane Brooks becomes the vessel through which the witch’s hold tightens, and she ascends to a terrifying possession that pits her against Leslie and Tommy. In a desperate moment, Jane presses toward Tommy, and the struggle culminates when she tries to choke her little brother. The room fills with a jarring sound as Tommy’s tape recorder— a gift he had written for his sister—drops from her grasp and begins to play a message of love he once recorded for her. The revelation and emotional confession offer a fragile counter to the witch’s control, and for a breath, Jane seems to waver. Driven to stop the darkness, she heaves herself from a window, choosing death over allowing the demon to reclaim her body.
The storm finally yields to a fragile dawn, and Leslie awakens in a hospital bed, the sterile light contrasting with the nightmarish memories. A chilling truth lands with the domestic quiet: she has been impregnated during the ceremony, a haunting reminder that the island’s horrors may outlive all the survivors. Tommy, the last remaining witness to the carnage, remains by her side as a fragile beacon of human resilience.
Throughout the ordeal, the hotel’s shadowed corridors and ruined rooms serve as a stark, aching backdrop for human weakness and endurance. The tale probes how fear can magnify desire, how ritualistic cruelty can sanctify malevolent intent, and how some legacies, once begun, refuse to die quietly. In the end, Leslie confronts a truth colder than the sea and more intimate than a single night’s horror: even after the violence ends, the cost of surviving a witch’s ritual can be a life altered in the deepest, most unexpected ways.
Witchery Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
12 key events in the order they happen, from “Researchers arrive on the haunted island” to “Leslie wakes in hospital and learns she is pregnant”. 12 events name a place, across 10 locations.
- 1
Researchers arrive on the haunted island
Leslie and her photographer Gary travel to an island off Massachusetts to investigate a derelict hotel rumored to be haunted. They set up their equipment and begin exploring the shuttered rooms for material. The legend of the Lady in Black casts a shadow over their project as they start their work.
When:Arrival Where:Isolated island off Massachusetts; derelict hotel
- 2
Visiting party arrives to inspect the hotel
Rose Brooks leads a group including her husband Freddie, their son Tommy, and pregnant stepdaughter Jane to inspect the hotel for a potential purchase. They are joined by Linda Sullivan, a young architect, and real estate agent Jerry Giordano, who will assess renovations. Jane's pregnancy adds tension to the negotiations as they explore the building's dilapidated corridors.
When:Day 1 Where:Hotel grounds
- 3
Storm traps the guests on the island
A violent storm cuts off the island, making escape impossible and severing outside contact. The guests realize they are trapped inside the derelict hotel, sharing the space with their uneasy host and the local legend of the Lady in Black. The atmosphere thickens with fear as the building seems to respond to their presence.
When:During the storm Where:Hotel
- 4
The Lady in Black begins killing
The Witch emerges from the shadows and begins murdering the visitors one by one as the storm rages outside. The group scrambles to defend themselves while the ritual’s ominous implications loom beneath the surface. Tension and dread grow with each passing moment.
When:Evening Where:Hotel
- 5
Rose Brooks is burned alive
Rose Brooks becomes the first victim of the witch's purge, engulfed in flames that consume her on the hotel grounds. The others watch in horror as the brutality confirms the danger is real. The murder marks the ritual’s ruthless onset and shakes the survivors to their core.
When:Evening Where:Hotel grounds
- 6
Linda and Jerry are captured and crucified
Linda Sullivan and real estate agent Jerry Giordano are captured by the witch’s forces during the chaos. They are subjected to torture and crucified, serving as a gruesome demonstration of what awaits the others. The group reels from the new level of violence and fear.
When:Late night Where:Hotel interior
- 7
Freddie and Gary die during the ritual; Leslie is assaulted
Freddie Brooks and Gary are killed during the satanic ceremony conducted by the witch. Leslie becomes a target of a demonic assault during the same ritual, overwhelmed by supernatural forces. The violence escalates as the ritual moves toward its grim goal.
When:During the ceremony Where:Hotel ritual chamber
- 8
The ritual's four elements are revealed
The witch’s ritual hinges on four elements: greed, lust, a pregnant woman, and the defiling of a virgin. Jane’s pregnancy makes her a focal point, highlighting the personal stakes of the ritual. The group’s dread deepens as they realize how close they are to tragedy.
When:During the ongoing ceremony Where:Ritual site within hotel
- 9
Jane becomes possessed and confronts Leslie and Tommy
Jane’s body becomes possessed by the witch, and she confronts Leslie and Tommy in a tense moment of supernatural confrontation. The others watch in horror as the possessed Jane exerts control over her surroundings. The boundary between the living and the occult begins to fracture.
When:Late in the ritual Where:Hotel/large room
- 10
Tommy's tape recorder falls and plays his love message
In the chaos, the tape recorder Tommy gave Jane falls to the floor, and the device begins to play a message he recorded for his sister. The playback reverberates with warmth and truth, briefly cutting through the horror. The moment provides a glimmer of humanity amid the terror.
When:During confrontation Where:Room near confrontation
- 11
Jane dies to break the witch's hold
The playback from Tommy's recorder weakens the witch’s grip long enough for Jane to act on a final decision. She throws herself from a window to die, sacrificing herself to prevent the witch from regaining control. Leslie witnesses the act, which finally loosens the dark influence over the house.
When:Immediately after the recording Where:Window of the hotel
- 12
Leslie wakes in hospital and learns she is pregnant
Leslie awakens in a hospital bed, the survivors left behind still reeling from what happened. She discovers she is pregnant as a result of the ceremony, a haunting reminder that the island’s horrors have extended into her life. The film closes with her processing the nightmare and its personal consequences.
When:Post-rescue Where:Hospital
Who Are the Main Characters in Witchery?
10 characters, among them Jane Brooks (Linda Blair), Leslie (Leslie Cumming) and Gary (David Hasselhoff): who each one is and the part they play in the story. Every profile links to the actor’s page.
-
Jane Brooks (Linda Blair)
Played by Linda Blair
Jane is the pregnant stepdaughter of Rose who becomes the Witch's vessel. She is possessed and confronts Leslie and Tommy, attempting to harm her brother. Her eventual act to throw herself from a window ends the hold on her, but she dies in the process.
- 🤰 Pregnant
- 👁️ Possessed
- 💔 Family
- 🕯️ Tragedy
- L(
Leslie (Leslie Cumming)
Played by Leslie Cumming
Leslie is a sexually repressed student visiting the island with her photographer boyfriend, Gary. She survives the night alongside Tommy, and learns that she has become pregnant as a result of the ceremony. She is the film's final survivor and the witness to the horror that unfolded.
- 🕊️ Survivor
- 🧭 Resilient
- 👀 Observant
- G(
Gary (David Hasselhoff)
Played by David Hasselhoff
Gary is Leslie's photographer boyfriend, researching the derelict hotel. He is killed during the island's terrifying events, becoming another casualty of the ritual.
- 🎥 Photographer
- 💔 Victim
- 🕯️ Murdered
- RB
Rose Brooks (Annie Ross)
Played by Annie Ross
Rose is the greedy matriarch who wants to buy and turn the hotel into a private club. She is burned alive as part of the witches' ritual.
- 💰 Greed
- 👑 Matriarch
- 🔥 Burned
- FB
Freddie Brooks (Robert Champagne)
Played by Robert Champagne
Freddie is Rose's husband, part of the visiting family. He is killed during the island's horrors.
- 👨 Husband
- 💔 Victim
- 🕯️ Murdered
- TB
Tommy Brooks (Michael Manchester)
Played by Michael Manchester
Tommy is the young son who witnesses the events and ultimately plays a crucial role with his tape message. He survives the night alongside Leslie.
- 👦 Son
- 🗣️ Witness
- 🎧 Recorder
- LS
Linda Sullivan (Catherine Hickland)
Played by Catherine Hickland
Linda is the young architect hired to estimate renovations. She is captured during sex and tortured and crucified by the witch.
- 👩 Architect
- 💋 Seduction
- 🕯️ Victim
- JG
Jerry Giordano (Rick Farnsworth)
Played by Rick Farnsworth
Jerry is the real estate agent accompanying Linda. He is captured during intimacy and crucified as part of the ritual.
- 👔 Real estate
- 🕊️ Captured
- 🕯️ Tortured
- LI
Lady in Black (Hildegard Knef)
Played by Hildegard Knef
The Witch, once a famous movie star, who haunts the hotel and orchestrates the demonic ritual to prey on greed, lust, and vulnerability.
- 🖤 Witch
- 👗 Former star
- 🕯️ Ritualist
- S(
Satan (Ely Coughlin)
Played by Ely Coughlin
The demon who appears during the satanic ceremony, embodying the ritual's dark force and supernatural menace.
- 😈 Demon
- 🕯️ Ritualist
- 👁️ Dark force
Where and When Is Witchery Set?
Witchery is set in Island off the coast of Massachusetts. Here is why the place matters to the story.
Where
Island off the coast of Massachusetts
The action unfolds on a remote island off the Massachusetts coast, where a derelict hotel sits abandoned. A storm strands the group, leaving them with no escape and heightening the sense of danger. Locals whisper that the hotel is haunted by a witch, whose ritual preys on greed, lust, and vulnerable victims.
- 🌊 Island
- 🏝️ Isolated setting
- 👻 Haunted hotel
What Are the Themes of Witchery?
3 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Greed, Lust and Possession.
-
01
Greed
Greed drives Rose and the family to buy and renovate the hotel for profit, triggering a deadly chain of events. Their pursuit of wealth blinds them to the danger inside. The storm's isolation magnifies the consequences of their scheming.
-
02
Lust
Lust and sexual desire are weaponized, as Linda and Jerry are attacked during intimacy. The witch's ritual uses desire to fuel power and control. The cataclysmic violence reveals how sexual predation can destabilize everyone involved.
-
03
Possession
The Lady in Black seizes victims and uses possession to bend Jane to her will. The demonic influence intensifies as the ritual unfolds, pulling Leslie and Tommy into its orbit. Jane's struggles culminate in a fatal act that shifts the balance between life and death.
What Kind of Film Is Witchery?
Dark in tone, with fast pacing and a straightforward story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Dark
- Pacing
- Fast
- Story
- Straightforward
- Intensity
- High
- Ending
- Bleak
A relentlessly grim and claustrophobic supernatural horror where a group trapped in a storm-battered hotel becomes pawns in a witch's brutal ritual, leading to a series of gruesome deaths and a chilling, hopeless conclusion.
- oppressive
- claustrophobic
- dread-filled
- ritualistic
- grotesque
- suspenseful
- witchcraft
- supernatural horror
- human sacrifice
- demonic possession
Content notes: torture, sexual assault, human sacrifice, burned alive, crucifixion, pregnancy horror.
Quiz
How well do you remember Witchery? Test yourself on the story.
Where to Watch Witchery
Stream it on Amazon Prime Video and Cineverse, or rent or buy it from Amazon Video. US availability and prices from JustWatch.
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