Once upon a time, way back HERE we got a Name That Trauma from Dexterpie that went a little something like this:
Hello Kindertrauma, I'm trying to find a movie that I saw as a child. It had two witches in it. The ugly witch was good and the pretty witch was bad. The pretty witch could turn into animals and ended up burning the ugly witch's house down. I'm pretty sure the movie was in black and white. Any help would be appreciated, I've been looking a long time!
-Dexterpie
Sadly though, this was one of those rare instances when are readers could not provide the answer. All seemed lost but then a happy ending finally materialized! Dexterpie found his own movie and it's the Roger Corman directed 1957 flick, THE UNDEAD! I'll let Dexterpie describe the movie further…
I saw this movie as a child. I liked it because it had witches. Since then for thirty or fourth years I've been trying to find it. Not even the internet could help. One horror movie buff suggested I was thinking of The Blue Bird. A Shirley Temple movie. Puh-leeze. Another suggested Hocus Pocus. The fools.
This psychiatrist hypnotizes a hooker so he can travel in time through her. Confusing. But it is done. And Satan is there. A couple witches. This pretty girl needs help. Who will help? Meg Maude, the ugly old crone witch living in a witches cottage in the woods? Or Lydia the beautiful shape shifting witch who is not so nice. Hint: do not judge a book by its cover.
Made in 1957 it's got a whole lot of shit going on. They cut off heads in this movie like it's going out of style. It has satanic dancers.
The owls in the trees turn into lizards. Then into an evil imp and a cat. The cat turns into pretty Lydia. Billy Bartley is her evil imp. She wants the innocent girls man and is framing her for being a witch.
Time travel. Witches. Imps. Satan. A singing grave digger.
She has to decide. Does she die here as a witch tonight and live future lives? Or does she live and marry her beloved but never live again in future lives?
Every bit as wonderful as I could have remembered it.
-Dexterpie
Wow, Dexterpie! That sounds great! Thanks for keeping us up to date on your Name That Trauma! Folks, if you want to check out THE UNDEAD, it looks like it's free on most major streaming services (Tubi, Pluto et el)!
OK, you can't just say, "I found it." without describing HOW you found it. What journey led to the discovery of your long-sought film?
Dexterpie:
I just looked at your original NTT post and, well, you might have led with the psychiatrist hypnotizing the hooker instead of the good witch/bad witch stuff! Holy smokes – this sounds wild! I'll be watching later today if it is indeed streaming free like Unk says.