Paragon Arts International, 1986
starring: Tawny Kitaen, Todd Allen, Stephen Nichols and J.P. Luebsen
written and directed by: Kevin Tenney

the plot: An already tense party turns even more awkward when Brandon Sinclair (Nichols) whips out a Ouija board and encourages his hosts Jim (Allen) and Linda (Kitaen) to try using it. Jim, a med-school dropout turned construction worker, balks, but Linda jumps at the chance to make contact with a spirit. That spirit turns out to be David, a young boy who died years before in Jim and Linda’s apartment. Things get weird fast, with the board flying off Linda’s lap and Brandon’s car tires all exploding, and the party ends abruptly. Over the next few days, Linda continues to play with the board, and her interactions with David become increasingly violent. Meanwhile, a construction site accident kills one of Jim’s friends, and the accumulation of bizarre happenings convinces Brandon that David’s spirit has a malevolent fixation on Linda. Jim, formerly Brandon’s best friend, refuses to believe in all the occult happenings, even after an impromptu séance goes horribly awry. As Linda becomes further entangled with the ouija board, Jim and Brandon discover that it is a long dead warlock named Malfeitor (Luebsen), and not David, who wants to use Linda’s body as a gateway back into the world.

why it’s good: As if “The Exorcist” weren’t lesson enough, “Witchboard” provides ample evidence that Ouija boards just shouldn’t be messed with. As the first venture of writer/director Kevin Tenney, it’s a solid effort. While the spiritual antics remain the focus of “Witchboard,” the real tension comes from the strained relationship between Jim and Brandon, a pair of characters that are pleasantly off-type. At first glance, Jim’s a bonehead construction worker and Brandon’s a shallow yuppie, but as “Witchboard” moves along, each reveals a surprising amount of depth for a couple of B movie characters. As for Tawny Kitaen, she’s little more than eye candy, which is all well and fine, but not all that interesting. It’s entirely possible that, much like the alleged curse surrounding “The Exorcist,” “Witchboard” is partially responsible for Kitaen’s current status as a celebrity train-wreck. If anything, “Witchboard” is a bit too serious and a bit too much like “The Exorcist,” and Tenney draws out plot points that are all too obvious. A subplot involving an amiable detective convinced that Jim is behind all the murders also sort of meanders and isn’t really necessary when Malfeitor, who looks like a cross between Rasputin and Nick Nolte in that embarrassing post-DWI mugshot, is running around swinging axes. “Night of the Demons,” Tenney’s second film, has all the cheesy charms of “Witchboard” but without all the seriousness.

why you should own it: “Witchboard” is good, but “Night of the Demons” is the clear winner among Tenney’s film oeuvre. Anchor Bay’s DVD is light on features, so renting “Witchboard” is your best bet.