Wednesday 16 March 2016

The Witch - The scoop and digest

Like Corin Hardy's The Hallow, this premiered at Sundance last year.

Ralph Ineson - William
Anya Taylor-Joy - Thomasin
Kate Dickie - Katherine
Harvey Scrimshaw - Caleb
Ellie Grainger - Mercy
Lucas Dawson - Jonas

In 1630, a court finds a Puritan family guilty of crimes against the Commonwealth and banishes them from Christian plantation.

I'm pretty sure reason given is 'prideful deceit'.

Building farm on the edge of ominous wood, Katherine gives birth to another child.

Thomasin plays peek-a-boo with baby Samuel who mysteriously vanishes.

Kidnapper is soon revealed to be a witch and after murdering him off screen, blood and fat creates flying ointment which she rubs herself in.

Mercy speaks of the witch of the woods and Thomasin cruelly teases sister by declaring herself as thee.

With winter likely to consume harvest, William and Caleb go hunting but gun misfires allowing hare to escape.

Twins are seen playing with goat called Black Phillip and Katherine blames Thomasin for Samuel's disappearance.

Thomasin and Caleb sneak out in search for fruit and when same hare shows up again, dog gives chase.

Does mutt survive?

Put it this way, I don't think he'll be chasing sticks anytime soon...

Caleb stumbles upon cabin and witch disguised as a beautiful woman seduces.

In order to protect Thomasin, William admits to Katherine he stole silver cup and sold it for supplies.

A naked and clearly unwell Caleb returns and condition worsens.

His convulsions are apparently transferred to twins and prayer forces bloodied apple to be brought up.

It seems spell is lifted but after declaring his love to God, Caleb dies.

Twins add fuel to fire by accusing Thomasin of witchcraft, who retaliates by counter-accusing.

After all, it is they who speak to livestock.

Witch quenches thirst by guzzling on goat's blood and Katherine hallucinates Caleb holding Samuel.

She begins breastfeeding but in reality, raven viciously pecks at exposed mammary gland.

Ouch!

The following morning, William is horrified to find goats bled dry, twins missing and Thomasin bloodstained.

A few butts later, Black Phillip unexpectedly kills William.

Katherine attempts to strangle daughter, but is stabbed until dead.

Thomasin chats with Black Phillip who understands words falling off English tongue.

In humanoid form, Satan asks "Wouldst thou like to live deliciously?"

Without much hesitation, soul is sold presumably on the pages of Grimoire textbook.

She wanders naked deep inside woods and witnesses the ritualistic dance of Witches' Sabbath.

Coven begins to levitate and wearing a wicked grin, Thomasin joins them.

Robert Eggers directorial debut is a chilling tale of smoldering tension and sustained fear.

Adapted directly from archaic dialect, his fantastic script is delivered with incredible gusto from all concerned.

More often than not, youngsters in this type of film irritate.

Have no fear - performances are brilliant.

Without spilling much blood, imagery genuinely disturbs and the last half hour or so cannot be missed.

However, the real star is pure bleating evil.

'Charlie' was reportedly a nightmare to train and extremely dangerous.

Ineson's ribs suffered the brunt of serrated horns and spent the rest of a five-week shoot on painkillers.

Anyway, hope vicious bastard was given fresh grass to munch.

Comparing this to Jennifer Kent's nightmarish fairytale The Babadook isn't unjust and if that's not a compliment, I don't know what is.

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