The Witch [Blu-ray]

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nesting" place next to an ominous forest which may remind some of a similar sylvan environment in M. Night Shyamalan's The Village. In another elision which is initially a bit dijunctive seeming, there's Note: moving away from the projector to the Philips to compare HDR10 and Dolby Vision layers, we get a slightly darker overall image in the DV layer but very little other significant differences between them. There’s a touch more colour saturation in the sky at that shot previously mentioned at 3 minutes from the DV layer and in some comparison photos taken (not with appropriate equipment it must be said), the DV layer had a slightly cooler look it - although to the eye and in motion, these differences were for the vast majority of the time negligible. The designed muted and desaturated colour scheme renders any real differences to these two HDR variants almost moot. The Witch (2015) is a stylish and creepy horror film from director Robert Eggers. It stars Anya Taylor-Joy and Ralph Ineson.

And while, yes, they had sought to escape religious persecution (or at least religion defined by others, which they may have perceived as Strange and unsettling things begin to happen -animals turn malevolent, crops fail, one child disappears and another seems to become possessed by an evil spirit. With suspicion and paranoia mounting, daughter Thomasin is accused of witchcraft. New England, 1630. Upon threat of banishment by the church, an English farmer leaves his colonial plantation and relocates his family to a remote plot of land on the edge of an ominous forest—within which lurks an unknown evil. Strange and unsettling things begin to happen —animals turn malevolent, crops fail, one child disappears and another seemsto become possessed by an evil spirit. With suspicion and paranoia mounting, daughter Thomasin is accused of witchcraft. Based on Eggers’ darker interests while growing up near Salem, The Witch is a masterpiece of a film that can easily be interpreted as a family drama, a tale of religious puritanism and resisting sin and temptation, and, well, a horror film about witches. Much of the tension around the film comes from the isolation the family is placed in and the struggles they have to make sure they have enough food while still keeping to their own values. side of things) a goat being used, both of which suffuse the film with almost Jungian levels of meaning. The "intrusion" of the supernatural,The "folktale" element obviously plays into this depiction, but since everything is shown more or less "realistically", there doesn't initially new life in a land that held promise but also immense difficulties. As writer-director Robert Eggers mentions in the commentary included on creates a very discomfiting mood, one that becomes increasingly hard to shake as the intentionally minimalist story proceeds.

Robert Eggers: Highlights include how the filmmaker was inspired by life in New England, the changing face of witches onscreen, the importance of set design, how he got into directing and how the puritan intelligentsia’s need to write everything down helped him to craft the script. (26 minutes) BFI London Film Festival Q&A with Robert Eggers, Anya Taylor-Joy, Ralph Ineson and Producer Jay Van Hoy the sky, do have a somewhat more vivid appearance in this version, but not by leaps and bounds. There's a really interesting moment at circa 7:30, perhaps ironically) give the film a rare feeling of authenticity, as if some long ago banished history had suddenly sprung to life and been We reviewers have learned the hard way that it's often dangerous to review a film with any religious leanings whatsoever, as it's virtually

New England, 1630. Upon threat of banishment by the church, an English farmer leaves his colonial plantation and relocates his family to a remote plot of land on the edge of an ominous forest-within which lurks an unknown evil. Before vengeful Vikings and farting lighthouse keepers, there was The Witch. Robert Eggers’ tale of New England witchcraft and puritan living was deemed an instant classic as soon as it was screened and is still affecting horror as a genre today. Just in time, then, for a brand new 4K restoration to once again showcase the acclaimed film to the masses.

Many if not most of us who grew up in the United States were inundated with probably unrealistic views of the pioneers who initially settled Curbing the story in favour of thematic cohesion means the film will not be for everyone. Indeed, I can see many an impatient punter giving up and thinking it a bore. Yet for those that like to immerse themselves in a layered piece it’ a hugely rewarding in its joint appreciation of horror and human frailty. Importantly The Witch also carries the distinction of being the first classic of 2016. As per the 2015 release, It Follows, it’s obviously premature to label it a contender for scary movie of the year. Yet if this doesn’t make people’s top five horror movies of 2016 it’ll only be because of how damn good everything else is. William is trying to be as pious and strong as possible, and Katherine is straining to be away from civilisation for so long, especially after the loss of Samuel. This subsequently puts more pressure on Thomasin, who does many of the jobs around the farm including looking after the twins, who themselves resent her, which then results in her accidentally convincing them that she herself is a witch. Thomasin is also victimised by Katherine, not least because she is becoming a woman, and Katherine fears she is leading the family away from their ways to something much more sinful.certain you're going to end up offending or alienating someone who either doesn't agree with the religion being portrayed, or how a particular Second Sight Films are bringing out The Witch 4K UHD + Blu-ray Limited Edition this month in the UK.

Louise Ford’s editing is fantastic and the structure of the film helps with the intensity and impending doom of the piece. The picture also looks fantastic, with Jarin Blaschke’s cinematography capturing the grey mood of the location the family is living in, and also the sense of natural light coming from a time when everything was candlelit. Mark Korven’s musical score also has a great impact, with the composer using a lot of similar period instruments to create a score that feels like a living part of the film, a mechanism of dread that constantly lies below the surface, insidiously. For as long as I can remember — or more specifically, since first discovering Avery Crounse's 1983 underrated Eyes of Fire— I've found horror tales surrounding early American settlers and smalltown British villagers of the 17th or 18th Century to be the most terrifying and scariest to ironically enjoy. The stories always center around the fear of the unknown or a dark entity lurking in the forest, the occult and pagan traditions, and even cannibalism. intentionally small scale The Witch. This pastoral horror story, given the subtitle A New England Folktale, reminded me in a way nation, with the Pilgrims and other initial settlers coming off as freedom fighting revolutionaries who escaped religious persecution to forge a

Conclusion

Plot: What’s it about? Video: How’s it look? Audio: How’s it sound? Supplements: What are the extras? The Bottom Line Plot: What’s it about? attempting to ferret out signs from the Divine in the workings of Nature, not always to felicitous results. The Witch plies a somewhat familiar 17th century environment, albeit with a spooky supernatural air wafting through the misty woods, and that "folktale" element tends to Selected items are only available for delivery via the Royal Mail 48® service and other items are available for delivery using this service for a charge. Witch seems to be less concerned with any "hidden meanings" than in an almost cold and calculating portrayal of some Early Americans