A line formerly associated with the now-defunct (and sadly so) BCI label, Code Red DVD has thankfully decided to pick up the “Exploitation Cinema” series of double feature releases, even carrying over the same packaging design. While the previous Exploitation Cinema releases were hit or miss in terms of print source and quality, Code Red picks up the series on a high note, with a newly restored version of a drive-in curio paired with a marvelous grindhouse title they have previously issued as a standalone special edition.

Shot in Texas in 1969 and released in 1970, MARK OF THE WITCH starts with tightly shot (hiding budget limitations) pre-credit sequence that takes us back to a 17th Century outdoor execution. A dark-haired woman accused of witchcraft named Margery of Jourdemain (Marie Santell, who displays the expected over-hammy antics) is hung after ranting and raving revenge in what resembles a dime-store recreation of the BLACK SUNDAY opening. After that, we are treated to an absurd hymn (sung by Trella Hart and written by the lead actress) which is performed over the credits.

In the modern setting, Professor Mac Stuart (Robert Elston) is a brainy proffesor at a hip university. One of his cute and innocent students, Jill (Anitra Walsh) picks up an ancient “red book” at a book fair, and later brings it to the happening campus party at Professor’s Mac’s pad. After distracting the young partygoers from their beer swigging and idle chit-chat, the lights are turned down, and Jill reads an incarnation from said book. Nothing appears to have happened, but Jill is now possessed by witch Margery, and she later proves it to Mac by killing his dog, and later combusting his pet bird in a cheap parlor trick which convinces her gushing boyfriend Alan (Darryl Wells). Now in the shapely body of a sweet coed, Margery convenes her coven by doing an exotic dance in the woods, and begins to knock off some of the students in a sacrificial manner. Mac and Alan are at her mercy, but they spend the hours trying to defeat her in what leads to a climatic showdown of good against evil.

MARK OF THE WITCH is admittedly inept, but a dated, groovy attempt at the witchcraft genre that some will find amusing and fairly watchable. Though rated “GP” at the time of its release, there are a few bits of blood, but it’s mainly safe drive-in fare for the curious. Anitra Walsh is very sexy, and she pulls of the transition from naïve student to wicked witch nicely, although sometimes she comes off like a secondary character lost in a time warp on an episode of BEWITCHED. Marie Santell makes an daunting witch, even though her screen time is limited, and Robert Elston and Darryl Wells do their best at fighting evil, although their act resembles a mediocre imitation of Roger Perry’s and Michael Macready’s monster-hunting duo in the same year’s COUNT YORGA, VAMPIRE. There are also some psychedelic camera effects, and the final shot reveals a twist ending.

The real surprise here is that Code Red has unearthed the long-lost camera negatives for this transfer, and the subsequent end results definitely show. Presented widescreen at 1.78:1 with anamorphic enhancement, the picture boasts bright colors and a clean image and film dirt and debris are minimal. The mono audio also comes off sharp and clean. Best yet is the fact that the camera negatives reflect a longer R-rated cut of the film (it was obviously trimmed to get that youth-friendly “GP”), so there’s now some nudity on display in the form of Anitra Walsh’s lovely bare breasts. Retromedia had previously released MARK OF THE WITCH (on a double-disc with THE BRIDES WORE BLOOD), but the transfer was taken from a well-worn theatrical print of the “GP” version; Code Red’s newer DVD release can be deemed definitive.