The DVD is presented in anamorphic widescreen and in some ways has never looked better.  The reds of Richard's uniform are very bold and the English countryside looks wonderful.  The picture does occasionally have some nicks and scrapes, but for a film of its age this is not too unexpected.  Two versions are encoded on the disc, a director's cut, and an export (or continental) version.  What is somewhat jarring is that in assembling the director's cut, the producers of this disc have had to gather a number of scenes from substandard sources.  This is stated in a title card before the version is played, but it is still rather jarring to see a very good DVD image suddenly switch to what looks like a grainy VHS.  The film was heavily censored (note: in the UK) and most of the VHS quality scenes are of a violent nature (though they seem tame by current standards).  The export version features an alternate scene with Stearne, a villager, and some topless bar wenches that is in good shape.  The same scene is in the director's cut, but the wenches are topped.  This export version also features the violent scenes in the same VHS quality.  I appreciate what the producers have done to make these scenes available and can understand why pristine elements were not available, but I might have liked it better if a third cut were offered that featured only the material of full DVD quality. 

This version also restores Paul Ferris' excellent score (replaced by a synthesizer score for US home video).  American prints also have Price reading Poe's poem, The Conqueror Worm over the opening and closing credits, to cash in on the popular Poe series.   I prefer the UK version of the opening where the hanging of the witch is carried out in eerie silence.  In the US version Price's voice doesn't seem to gibe with the grim proceedings taking place.   The US version also changed the title card to Matthew Hopkins: Conqueror Worm. This DVD restores the original UK title, Matthew Hopkins: Witchfinder General.