Plot:
Chanting begins in the small village of White Wood. The townsfolk are carrying torches and demand that Elizabeth Selwyn be burnt as a witch. She cries for Jethro
Kaine to help her. Well, he denies her.
She is tied to a stake and set afire. The townsfolk claim she killed Abigail Addams? Townsfolk are still chanting about burning the witch.
Suddenly, it is Christopher Lee chanting the burn the witch which is far creepier than a mob doing it. Professor Driscoll is telling of the death of Elizabeth Selwyn and how
the townsfolk were vindictive. Bill Maitland, a student in the class, smarts off. His girlfriend, Nan Barlow, is far more believing of Professor Driscoll’s story. She has to do a
research paper and wants to go to White Wood to pick up a new feel for a paper.
Professor Driscoll gives her directions to White Wood. She tells her brother, Richard, about her plans. Richard is a scientist and can’t believe the lectures of Driscoll’s
witch history.
Later, at the malt shop, Bill is complaining about Nan spending time on her research paper rather than being with him. Bill and Rich aren’t able to talk her out of going.
Later, Nan is on a foggy road. Asking for directions, a gas attendant tries to warn her off. Further down the road, she picks up a hitchhiker, who looks like Jethro. Nan
explains she is researching witchcraft.
Arriving in the foggy White Wood, they pull up to the Raven’s Inn. The hitchhiker disappears. Nan is greeted by Mrs. Newlys, who looks exactly like Elizabeth
Selwyn. The inn doesn’t have any room, until Nan mentions that Professor Driscoll sent her. We see the hitchhiker in the background.
Nan unpacks in her room.
Newlys and the hitchhiker are talking. Many have come from long distances. The festivities have been prepared.
Nan takes a walk and heads to the abandoned church only to find it not quite so abandoned. She talks with the reverend who tries to warn her to leave before it is
too late.
A number of the townsfolk are watching her. Suitably creeped out, she heads into an antique shop. The owner, Patricia, has only been back a few weeks and reveals
her grandfather is the Reverend. Nan asks about witchcraft. Patricia mentions that Professor Driscoll’s family is from White Wood, too. Patricia finds a book about
witchcraft rites in New England and offers to lend it to Nan.
Back at the inn, Nan is reading the book late into the night. She gets curious about the trap door in her room. Hearing noises, she gets Newlys who explains the trap
door is locked and underneath has been converted to a foundation.
Later, several couples are dancing in the inn.
Lottie, the mute maid of Mrs. Newlys, is about to write a note to Nan when she is stopped. Nan mentions some of her notes to Mrs. Newlys. Plot specific ceremony
notes ensue about human sacrifice.
Newlys threatens to throw Lottie out if she keeps disturbing the guests.
Nan gets dressed to join the other guests when they suddenly vanish pretty fast. Newlys reveals the other guests went to a service on Candlemass Eve. Nan starts
thinking about the rites of sacrifice on Candlemass Eve.
Back in her room, Nan realizes her bracelet is gone and finds a dead bird just like the victim in the ceremony. She spots a group marching across the cemetery. Curiosity
getting the better of her, she pries the trap door open.
In the tunnel, a number of witches grab her. Nan cries for help as she is placed on the altar and surrounded by the coven. Newlys claims to be Elizabeth Selwyn as she
drives the knife down.
Cut to a birthday party, where Bill is waiting for Nan. Rich arrives. Neither of them has heard from Nan for 2 weeks. Rich tries to call the Raven’s Inn at White
Wood. However, there is no such place. They decide to call the cops.
Newlys returns the book on witchcraft rites to Patricia. The police question Patricia about Nan before asking Mrs. Newlys.
Patricia finds a paper in the book.
Bill gets a call from the police. Apparently, Patricia checked out 2 weeks ago. Rich is going to have a talk with the good Professor Driscoll.
Elsewhere, Professor Driscoll is sacrificing a bird when his doorbell rings. Rich is paying a visit and mentions how Nan is missing for the past 2 weeks. Driscoll mentions he
is from White Wood and knows about the Raven’s Inn. He tries calming Rich down who’ll find Nan or what happened to her.
Patricia arrives as Rich leaves. Small talk ensues with the good professor Driscoll. He starts getting huffy when she asks about the address of Nan’s family. She found
something of Nan’s and will give him something to Rich.
Bill, Rich, and Patricia examine Nan’s locket. She tells that Lottie gave it to her and didn’t want Mrs. Newlys to know it was gone. Patricia has to return to White Wood. Rich
will come by soon.
Foggy driving ensues. Pat picks up the hitchhiking Jethro. Apparently, he knows something of her. In White Wood, he vanishes out of Pat’s car.
Jethro and Newlys discuss who the next victim is: Patricia.
Rich heads to White Wood and foggier driving ensues. He stops at the gas station to get directions.
Later, Bill stops by the same gas station for directions. On the road, the burning Elizabeth Selwyn on a stake flies at him. He crashes his car and barely gets out alive.
Rich gets a room at the Raven’s Inn and asks Mrs. Newlys about Nan. Newlys is lying like a cheap rug.
Taking a walk, the townsfolk are giving Rich the evil eye. He stops by to talk with Patricia. Rich looks at the book, Nan was studying earlier.
Lottie tries to leave a not for Rich. However, she gets caught by Newlys and Jethro who chokes the mute servant.
Reverend Russell, Patricia’s grandfather, meets with Rich and tells him of Satanism and the fight against witches in White Wood. Eternal life is given to those who sacrifice
2 girls a year on Candlemass Eve and the Witches’ Sabbath which is tonight. Rich leaves to talk with Newlys again.
Patricia is convinced Nan’s disappearance is connected with the sacrifices. Reverend tells her not to see Rich again tonight. The face of evil has many forms. She finds a
dead bird in drawer, and the front door is marked. Reverend warns her to leave. However, her car won’t start.
She calls Rich at the inn before being disconnected. He rushes back and can’t find her. The dying Reverend Russell tells that the witches have Patricia and how to
fight them.
Rich finds Bill and carries the injured man to his car. Rich gets his revolver out for action.
Heading for the cemetery first, Rich goes back to the inn. Finds the trapdoor, he enters the tuna and find s Lottie’s body.
In the coven room, Professor Driscoll appears out of the shadows. Rich opens fire to no avail. He distracts the 3 witches so Pat can escape. Taking the tunnel, she
and Rich arrive in the cemetery and are surrounded by the rest of the coven.
Patricia is dragged to another altar. Newlys has here knife ready.
Bill crawls to the cemetery. Rich yells at him to use the shadow of cross. Bill finds a cross but is stabbed in the back.
The dying Bill carries the cross closer. He invokes God to destroy evil. Suddenly, the witches start catching fire.
Rich gets Pat as Bill dies. Rich and Pat chase after Newlys. They find her in the inn but the witch has aged several hundred years and is completely mummified.
