Expert: 7devonapes - 5/1/2011

Question
QUESTION: Hello, this movie was about a woman who takes her husband and son back to her childhood home which was a huge house or castle in a seaside setting.  She and her husband are alcoholics and their lives are falling apart.  They are sleeping on mattresses on the floor in this huge very rundown old castle.  There are a few family members at the residence, and it is very eerie, with an aunt who never comes downstairs, an uncle who is "creepy" and is trying to raise a druid witch from the dead?  In the end the druid witch takes over the life of the returning woman.  I probably saw this moving 20 years ago.  I really have no clue as to the actors or anything that is helpful in finding the title.  I have googled and googled.  I sure hope you are familar with some of the clues I have given you.  I would like to see this moving again.  Thanks in advance for your time and help
Becca

ANSWER: Hi Becca,

Can't say for sure, but this sounds like the 1976 film "Burnt Offerings", starring Oliver Reed,  Karen Black, Burgess Meredith, etc. A plot summary from imdb.com follows:

"Haunted house chiller from Dan Curtis has Oliver Reed and Karen Black as summer caretakers moving into gothic house with their young son. The catch? The house rejuvenates a part of itself with each death that occurs on its premises."

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0074258/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burnt_Offerings_%28film%29

Here is the film's trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oswKV2DZZAU

The DVD can be purchased from Amazon.com, eBay, etc.

All the best,
Ryan

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Ryan,
Thats not it, my movie was set in England or Ireland with no recognizable actors and there was an actual druid witch, not just a haunted house?  
Dont give up...plz
thanks
Becca

ANSWER: *UPDATE - Found the trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jUjKdtvI_M&feature=related

Hi Becca,

Hmmm... How about 1998's "Trance" (aka "The Eternal: Kiss of the Mummy"), with Christopher Walken? It's only 12-13 years old, but the synopsis fits.

Imdb page: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0158011/.

The only excerpt from this film I could find online is the following Youtube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wCHNBuyfVU.

DVD available on Amazon.com, here: http://www.amazon.com/Eternal-Kiss-Mummy-Rachel-ORourke/dp/B00000IXC2

If this aint the one, let me know and I'll keep looking for ya.

Cheers!
Ryan

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Yippie!  and in only two trys with my lousy clues!!!
Thanks Ryan!
Becca

Answer
Hey Becca,

Glad to hear "Trance" is the film you were looking for. I hadn't heard of it prior. Will have to check it out some day, especially seeing as how Walken is in it. Also, this movie's director, Michael Almereyda, made an earlier flick called "Twister" (1988) that sounds like it could be worth checking out. It's apparently one of Jim Jarmusch's favourite films, and stars a pretty interesting cast inc. Harry Dean Stanton, Crispin Glover, and William S. Burroughs, among others.

Your clues / memories provided, by the way, were more helpful than what most folk manage to come up with. If you have any other flicks stuck in your head that you can't pin down, let me know.

Enjoy the movie!
Ryan