Witch Hunt

Set in 1950s Hollywood, this story takes place in a world where magic is a common part of daily life. Private investigator H. Phillip Lovecraft is an outlier who refuses to use supernatural powers in his work. He is hired by actress Kim Hudson to investigate her husband, but the case turns into a murder investigation. As Lovecraft searches for the killer, he finds himself entangled in a conflict involving a witch and an ambitious senator who wants to ban magic to protect American values. The detective also discovers that an old enemy is behind the events.

Directed by Paul Schrader, this TV movie is the 10th of 23 films in his directing career, following Light Sleeper and preceding Affliction. The cast features Dennis Hopper in the lead role, alongside Penelope Ann Miller, Eric Bogosian, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Julian Sands, and Valerie Mahaffey. Produced by Pacific Western and HBO Films from a screenplay by Joseph Dougherty, the film blends elements of fantasy, horror, and mystery. Audience reception has been mixed, with a rating of 5.5/10 on IMDb based on 2,000 votes and a score of 5.1/10 on TMDB from 50 votes.