This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( March 2023) ( Learn how and when to remove this template message) Set in the early 18th century, this is a time when the beliefs and customs of folklore and old Paganism still held firm and Christian fears of witchcraft and Satanism were at the height of hysteria, beliefs combining and conflicting, with the English Civil War and England's witch trials still in living memory. Exploring the epidemic qualities of terror and hysteria, which we've witnessed so often throughout history and continue to this day, Wynne-Simmons crafts an atmospheric narrative of compelling and creeping dread. To many, the plot of this audio drama may seem like an old tired storyline, but keep in mind when this was originally written for the screenplay there wasn’t much like this. In many ways, while not the first film considered to fall under the folk horror banner, the original Blood on Satan’s Claw was one of the most influential. As I discussed in my review of a recent documentary on the genre, most horror movies do nothing for me anymore. I don’t find that slasher films have aged well, and “jump scare movies” are nearly unwatchable and boring. I’ll take a good story of modernity vs tradition over any of that because sometimes ancient evils once thought stamped out are more “scary” than a loud noise or a flashing light. Whilst this book is released under an imprint of Liverpool University Press, Evans-Powell’s delivery gives it greater appeal. Not just for students and scholars, it is accessible, and of interest to wider fans (and even detractors) of The Blood on Satan’s Claw– a film which, although not entirely devoid of flaws (in my opinion it would be better had the fiend itself not be seen outright, but just vaguely depicted in shadows – and for the ending to have been drawn out longer, as it seems a tad rushed), is an important piece of both folk horror and British film history and, indeed, a disturbingly mesmeric artistic creation. An important addition to the Devil’s Advocates catalogue, and one concisely and extremely well provided by its author.

To me, this recording most resembles a 1970s Hammer horror movie -- the vauge setting, the overblown language, and rather silly plot. However, it worked then -- goodness knows how -- and it works now, with the added bonus of nostalgia. Related: Harvest Home : The 1973 Pagan Horror Classic that Laid the Groundwork for Stephen King's "Children of the Corn" I’m under contract to write a book for The Devil’s Advocates series. This set of brief books is focused on horror films. This particular volume is on the lesser known British film, The Blood on Satan’s Claw. I’ve reacted to both the film and the book on my blog ( Sects and Violence in the Ancient World). This book is a great introduction to the movie and it brings out several aspects of it that I had missed watching it on my own. The Blood on Satan's Claw was acquired by the American distribution company, Cannon Films, who released it theatrically in the United States in the spring of 1971, with a New York City opening taking place on 15 April 1971. [1] It went on to screen frequently in the American drive-in theater circuit throughout the remainder of 1971. [b] Possessing a WITCHFINDER GENERAL-type atmosphere, helped immeasurably by Mark Wilkinson's truly beautiful score, this tale of superstition and a Satanic contagion that exhibits itself as an ugly, hairy patch on the skin (motivating alternate title SATAN'S SKIN) is evidence of solid horror-making afoot.PDF / EPUB File Name: Blood_on_Satans_Claw_-_Robert_Wynne-Simmons.pdf, Blood_on_Satans_Claw_-_Robert_Wynne-Simmons.epub

I'm partial to these rural horror stories about communities collectively engaging with the devil, but not necessarily when they take the premise so straightforwardly as this. This audio drama has a very nice soundscape and better acting than most audiobooks, and on a scene to scene level the writing is good enough. The problem is that overall, despite the witchy trappings, it has the mentality of a very unimaginative slasher movie. The devil possesses practically all of the kids in town almost immediately, and the middle 80% is just a sequence of the same "kid getting murdered" scene playing out over and over again without much escalation or character building or mythology to build a more interesting context for them to fit into. It relies heavily on familiar tropes to get right into its business and get right out of it as soon as it's time to stop, without any particular narrative tissue in between. Moreover, while there are some kind of neat touches, a lot of the specific expression of the devil is either boring, problematic, or just dull. My favorite part about the community aspect of these stories is that the devil gets to be a social lever exploiting internal conflicts and prejudices, and this devil has exactly 0 of that subtlety or charisma.

The story is a rare example of diving headlong into the action done right. It spends little time establishing the status quo prior to its disruption, but instead gives a general impression of what it might have been prior to the supernatural horrors which stalk the land. While in many cases this could have been abrupt, the audio drama uses a strong cast and a building sense of dread to hook the listener very early on.

This digital audio exclusive stars Mark Gatiss and Reece Shearsmith, alongside the original film's Angel Blake, Linda Hayden. Gatiss and Shearsmith are both huge fans of the original film, even recording a commentary for the DVD release. This adaptation stars Mark Gatiss and Reece Shearsmith, alongside the original film's Angel Blake, Linda Hayden. Gatiss and Shearsmith are both huge fans of the original film, even recording a commentary for the DVD release.Flower curtains open as the sun rises at noon, and people with animal masks prey upon trespassers as spring makes way to summer. There is blood dripping like strawberry jam on your fingers and the group chants to honor your work. That, my friends, is folk horror—bloody and ritualistic terror thriving by day.

BLOOD ON SATAN'S CLAW, an evocative title if ever there was one, accomplishes everything it sets out to do. With the younger cast, Haggard dedicated two weeks prior to the shoot to hold rehearsals. [12] Filming [ edit ] The ruined Saint James Church in Bix Bottom was the setting for some of the film's most dramatic sequences

A farmer ploughs the land in 18th century England. The earth turns and reveals a strange corpse of a beast that disturbs the eye and chills the blood. The village youth believe they are possessed by the beast, whipped up into demonic fervour. Is their ringleader Angel (Linda Hayden) a witch, or a dangerous troublemaker who the elders need to suppress?