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George A. Romero is best known for inventing the modern zombie genre with *Night of the Living Dead*, yet he also created two lesser-known films: *There’s Always Vanilla* and *Season of the Witch*. Originally titled *Hungry Wives*, the film was intended to be an exploitation movie but failed upon its 1973 release. The studio marketed it as softcore porn, a claim that likely contributed to its lack of audience because the movie features minimal nudity, only one sex scene, and extensive dialogue. It became an undeniable flop until Romero’s later success with *Dawn of the Dead* sparked renewed interest in his work.

The original 130-minute cut of the film has been lost, though parts have been recovered to create a restored version that is 104 minutes long, expanding from the original 89-minute release. A major reason for its initial failure was that the distributor cut 40 minutes from the movie. Instead of softcore porn, Romero made a slow-burn feminist drama where the occult elements are almost incidental. The protagonist, Joan Mitchell, is trapped in an abusive marriage and unhappy with her role as a submissive housewife. She eventually turns to therapy and then to witchcraft in an attempt to escape her humdrum life.

The film has notable issues, including low production value made for just $100,000 (approximately $800,000 adjusted for inflation) and wildly uneven acting where some performers appear to be reading off cue cards. However, Romero’s directing offers a boldly progressive take on feminism for the time, creating a tense and sometimes hallucinatory atmosphere despite relying heavily on dialogue over action. The ending is somewhat predictable but extremely satisfying. *Season of the Witch* is currently available to stream on Mubi and Kanopy.