The VVitch. (A New England Folktale).

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Checkman

Getting older and balder
May 9, 2007
902
1,989
Idaho
An effective horror movie. Beyond the obvious themes of evil, good, religious fanaticism and sexual repression the movie shows just how difficult life was for those early families who ventured out ,beyond the Pale if you like, into the wilderness. Isolation, fear (fear of starvation as well as the unknown), superstition, ignorance and religious hysteria could be a potent witches brew (see what I did there?) that was probably responsible for many an outbreak - such as the Salem Witch Trials.

However the movie makes it clear that the evil is real, but is the evil successful because the family weakens itself by not being true to God's Word? Exactly why is the family banished at the beginning? What has the father done? Is the family vulnerable because the family hasn't truly obeyed God's Word? Could it be the settlement was correct to drive the family out because the family was just bad? Then again the movie is subtitled "A New England Folktale". Perhaps it's a cautionary tale to warn people not to stray beyond the protective walls of the settlement. See this is what happens to rebels and malcontents.

Well whatever the "meaning" of the movie it's beautifully produced. Evidently the director and his production designer did a fair amount of research to ensure the movie had the correct look for the 1630's right down to using natural light. Even the credits are stylized to resemble font from an early printing press. An intelligent and unsettling Halloween movie.
 
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Dana Jean

Dirty Pirate Hooker, The Return
Moderator
Apr 11, 2006
53,634
236,697
The High Seas
An effective horror movie. Beyond the obvious themes of evil, good, religious fanaticism and sexual repression the movie shows just how difficult life was for those early families who ventured out ,beyond the Pale if you like, into the wilderness. Isolation, fear (fear of starvation as well as the unknown), superstition, ignorance and religious hysteria could be a potent witches brew (see what I did there?) that was probably responsible for many an outbreak - such as the Salem Witch Trials.

However the movie makes it clear that the evil is real, but is the evil successful because the family weakens itself by not being true to God's Word? Exactly why is the family banished at the beginning? What has the father done? Is the family vulnerable because the family hasn't truly obeyed God's Word? Could it be the settlement was correct to drive the family out because the family was just bad? Then again the movie is subtitled "A New England Folktale". Perhaps it's a cautionary tale to warn people not to stray beyond the protective walls of the settlement. See this is what happens to rebels and malcontents.

Well whatever the "meaning" of the movie it's beautifully produced. Evidently the director and his production designer did a fair amount of research to ensure the movie had the correct look for the 1630's right down to using natural light. Even the credits are stylized to resemble font from an early printing press. An intelligent and unsettling Halloween movie.
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