You can't explain why with any degree of detail so i don't really take the opinion seriously
you put the burden of proof on others because you can't justify one way or the other
except it isn't "my" ending, it's the implication of several parts in the film (the visions replacing Dafoe with the white haired Pattinson ring a bell?)
look at you hidingThe Blood on Satan’s Claw (1971)
Despite the dreadful, cheesy title, this film is up there with some of the best examples of 'folk horror' (indeed, it is typically considered one of it's progenitors). As such, it is a film which effectively plays upon the psychological disconnect between the superstitious past and supposedly rational present. There is a real element of horror in the film too of course. It is literally about a ploughman uncovering the earthly remains of Satan and thereby unleashing the forces of evil upon this godly 17th century village. However, I think the film is interesting more because of it's broader themes than as a frightening film. Indeed, like a lot of 70s horror, by current standards it is not particularly 'scary' at all. Although don't get me wrong, there are some scenes which are deeply uncomfortable and unsettling, though not 'scary' in any sense.
In any case, I think there is something a bit cheap and a bit boring in the modern expectation that the only purpose of "horror" is to make you jump, or your heart pound. Horror, to me at least, works best when the frightening, supernatural elements have effective interplay with the other dramatic, or thematic components. In fact it's these other elements which are often most important. In this film there are also important themes of reason and rationality vs superstition and ignorance (witch hunting for instance), of class divisions, sexuality, and so on. Some of it is subtle, yet still present. All of this is bound up within this folkloric horror tale and within the purely dramatic elements. In it's depiction of Village hysteria and it's association with 70s folk horror it obviously draws some connection with Witchfinder General (1968), among others.
Blood on Satan's Claw is not a perfect film, but it is effective at creating a general mood or atmosphere, grounded by it's setting in the 17th century. It also evokes a particular sense of place, very much rooted in the English countryside. Of course, it is also rooted in English/British folklore and a sense of the past. This countryside setting is not idyllic, but a source of malevolence. The evil which is unearthed comes from the land and the soil itself. Like all great folk horror, it is a film which successfully explores the inherent anxieties and disconnects between the pre-modern and (post)modern worlds.
you never delivered your unpacking of the ending and now you want to lead discussion elsewhere
The Blood on Satan’s Claw (1971)
Despite the dreadful, cheesy title, this film is up there with some of the best examples of 'folk horror' (indeed, it is typically considered one of it's progenitors). As such, it is a film which effectively plays upon the psychological disconnect between the superstitious past and supposedly rational present. There is a real element of horror in the film too of course. It is literally about a ploughman uncovering the earthly remains of Satan and thereby unleashing the forces of evil upon this godly 17th century village. However, I think the film is interesting more because of it's broader themes than as a frightening film. Indeed, like a lot of 70s horror, by current standards it is not particularly 'scary' at all. Although don't get me wrong, there are some scenes which are deeply uncomfortable and unsettling, though not 'scary' in any sense.
In any case, I think there is something a bit cheap and a bit boring in the modern expectation that the only purpose of "horror" is to make you jump, or your heart pound. Horror, to me at least, works best when the frightening, supernatural elements have effective interplay with the other dramatic, or thematic components. In fact it's these other elements which are often most important. In this film there are also important themes of reason and rationality vs superstition and ignorance (witch hunting for instance), of class divisions, sexuality, and so on. Some of it is subtle, yet still present. All of this is bound up within this folkloric horror tale and within the purely dramatic elements. In it's depiction of Village hysteria and it's association with 70s folk horror it obviously draws some connection with Witchfinder General (1968), among others.
Blood on Satan's Claw is not a perfect film, but it is effective at creating a general mood or atmosphere, grounded by it's setting in the 17th century. It also evokes a particular sense of place, very much rooted in the English countryside. Of course, it is also rooted in English/British folklore and a sense of the past. This countryside setting is not idyllic, but a source of malevolence. The evil which is unearthed comes from the land and the soil itself. Like all great folk horror, it is a film which successfully explores the inherent anxieties and disconnects between the pre-modern and (post)modern worlds.
another post of stalling to avoid the question
you're not this thread's moderator, it's not my problem if you can't discuss films in the film thread
