Hi Ray. Again, a great post. I haven't seen this film and am only vaguely aware of the genre of "folk horror." However, what I do know of "folk horror" stems from a Doctor Who series starring Anthony Ainley as the Master: "The Daemons" from 1971, filmed in Wiltshire, and something that must be more or less in line with this and the other British folk horror films you reference.
From Wikipedia: "In the village of Devil's End, an archaeological dig is excavating the infamous Devil's Hump, a Bronze Age burial mound. A local white witch, Olive Hawthorne arrives to protest, warning of great evil and the coming of the horned beast, but she is dismissed as a crank. After watching a television broadcast about the dig the Third Doctor tells Jo that Miss Hawthorne is right – the dig must be stopped." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dæmons
Ainley must have been tired of haunted churches and muddy fields by the time the year was over. I was surprised to see Ainley and Wendy Padbury crop up in this post, for as a kid I was quite into Doctor Who.
(pushes glasses up nose) Actually, that was Roger Delgado as the Master. Ainley wouldn't do it until the '80s. But "The Daemons" pretty much fits the bill, and it never stops being odd to me that folk horror stories went so prime time so quickly. And it's REALLY odd that this particular film has so many Doctor Who connections. I can only assume there were practising witches in the higher echelons of the BBC.
It did pop up during the research, but too rich for my blood at the moment. Rest assured, I'll keep an eye out for it at a decent price. Tenser sounds like a fascinating guy.
I got lucky and found it randomly at a university library years back—didn't know anything about him really, and couldn't put the book down once I started. He's like a movie character.
Satan's Claw is on bloody PLUTO? I knew it was on YT (as is the commentary by the League of Gentlemen, and the lads are always good value) in a slightly ropey SD version, but there's something creepy about it just being there on Pluto to stumble across ...
I enjoyed it quite a bit, though the third act peters out, like you said. It's really too bad, a more vigorous end scene is all it really required. Perhaps Angel dies defending her dark lord (who despite the mandated trimming by the censors, she be obviously seen fellating him as they wait for Peter to skin his own leg during the ritual) and Behemoth's death is a bit bloodier. That would have been enough. Better? The townsfolk with their pitchforks become impossible to differentiate from the orgiastic Satanic revelers. But as it stands, it belongs with Witchfinder and Wicker Man. It's unapologetically salacious, but that's fine. So was The Witch!
All that being said, if I'd seen Cathy's murder scene as a child, I'm sure it would have jarred me. I was prepared for it, and it was still grueling with its anticipation and her sheer terror.
Absolutely brilliant stuff again 👏
Hi Ray. Again, a great post. I haven't seen this film and am only vaguely aware of the genre of "folk horror." However, what I do know of "folk horror" stems from a Doctor Who series starring Anthony Ainley as the Master: "The Daemons" from 1971, filmed in Wiltshire, and something that must be more or less in line with this and the other British folk horror films you reference.
From Wikipedia: "In the village of Devil's End, an archaeological dig is excavating the infamous Devil's Hump, a Bronze Age burial mound. A local white witch, Olive Hawthorne arrives to protest, warning of great evil and the coming of the horned beast, but she is dismissed as a crank. After watching a television broadcast about the dig the Third Doctor tells Jo that Miss Hawthorne is right – the dig must be stopped." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dæmons
Ainley must have been tired of haunted churches and muddy fields by the time the year was over. I was surprised to see Ainley and Wendy Padbury crop up in this post, for as a kid I was quite into Doctor Who.
(pushes glasses up nose) Actually, that was Roger Delgado as the Master. Ainley wouldn't do it until the '80s. But "The Daemons" pretty much fits the bill, and it never stops being odd to me that folk horror stories went so prime time so quickly. And it's REALLY odd that this particular film has so many Doctor Who connections. I can only assume there were practising witches in the higher echelons of the BBC.
OMG I am screwing up my Masters. I will have to get my TARDIS card revoked!
To be fair, they all have similar stylists in the original run! Not that it'll help you with the Whovians - they can be quite a prickly lot.
So it goes!
A quick google turned up a post with all the Doctor Who folk horror episodes. A the least I now understand this corner of genre a bit better! Thanks again https://www.room207press.com/2016/11/we-dont-go-back-18-doctor-who-awakening.html
If you can find it, Fab Press put out a biography of Tony Tenser, called Beasts In the Cellar, and it's a great read.
It did pop up during the research, but too rich for my blood at the moment. Rest assured, I'll keep an eye out for it at a decent price. Tenser sounds like a fascinating guy.
I got lucky and found it randomly at a university library years back—didn't know anything about him really, and couldn't put the book down once I started. He's like a movie character.
I've seen Witchfinder, but hadn't heard of this film. I just found it on Pluto TV. 👌
Satan's Claw is on bloody PLUTO? I knew it was on YT (as is the commentary by the League of Gentlemen, and the lads are always good value) in a slightly ropey SD version, but there's something creepy about it just being there on Pluto to stumble across ...
I've seen the other two of the "unholy trinity" but not this one. I'll remedy that this evening...
You may never want to see it again afterwards, but the more I mull on it, the more I love it.
I enjoyed it quite a bit, though the third act peters out, like you said. It's really too bad, a more vigorous end scene is all it really required. Perhaps Angel dies defending her dark lord (who despite the mandated trimming by the censors, she be obviously seen fellating him as they wait for Peter to skin his own leg during the ritual) and Behemoth's death is a bit bloodier. That would have been enough. Better? The townsfolk with their pitchforks become impossible to differentiate from the orgiastic Satanic revelers. But as it stands, it belongs with Witchfinder and Wicker Man. It's unapologetically salacious, but that's fine. So was The Witch!
All that being said, if I'd seen Cathy's murder scene as a child, I'm sure it would have jarred me. I was prepared for it, and it was still grueling with its anticipation and her sheer terror.