【#TheWitch】 #RobertEggers #AnyaTaylorJoy #RalphIneson #KateDickie #HarveyScrimshaw #America #movie #cinema #ウィッチ #シネマおっさん #おっさんシネマ その141 1630年ニューイングランド、ウィリアムとキャサリンの夫婦は、敬けんなクリスチャンとして5人の子どもたちと森の近くにある荒地へとやって来た。しかし、赤ん坊が何者かに連れ去られ、行方不明となってしまう。「魔女」をテーマに、家族が次第に狂気の淵へと転落していく姿を描くファンタジーホラー。魔女と疑われる娘役に「スプリット」「ミスター・ガラス」でヒロインを務めたアニヤ・テイラー＝ジョイ。 「ライトハウス」のロバート・エガース初監督作品。 トーンを控えた美しい画。丁寧な設定、キャスティング。良質なホラー作品です。 https://www.instagram.com/p/CSp4HWApe_7/?utm_medium=tumblr

The VVitch: A New-England Folktale (2015) 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑🌑🌑 . . . . . . . . #2015 #movie #cinema #film #films #actor #moviestar #cap #hollywood #instagood #thevvitch #anyataylorjoy #roberteggers #harveyscrimshaw https://www.instagram.com/p/ByfJusLpm4p/?igshid=612z9lwxbudw

The VVitch: A New-England Folktale (2015) 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑🌑🌑 . . . . . . . . #2015 #movie #cinema #film #films #actor #moviestar #cap #hollywood #instagood #thevvitch #anyataylorjoy #roberteggers #harveyscrimshaw https://www.instagram.com/p/ByfJmQaJ3bA/?igshid=flck8a5dihdh

Thoughts : The VVitch (2016)

In my continued growing appreciation of the horror film, I am realizing that we are in the midst of a horror renaissance of sorts.  For The VVitch, we are not only given the blessing of a period-specific horror masterpiece, we are watching a brilliant and bold debut film from director Robert Eggers.

A Puritan era family finds themselves outcast from their community over a dispute in the interpretation of the New Testament.  William (Ralph Ineson), along with his wife Katherine (Kate Dickie), establish a farm on the edge of the woods.  Their oldest daughter Thomasin (Anya Taylor-Joy) watches the twins Mercy (Ellie Grainger) and Jonas (Lucas Dawson) and the baby Samuel (Axtun Henry and Athan Conrad Dune) while helping around the land and home.  Caleb (Harvey Scrimshaw), the oldest son, sticks by William’s side as the situation gets bleaker for the family.  While tending to Samuel, Thomasin’s world is rocked when he disappears literally from under her briefly closed eyes, presumably taken by a witch in the woods.  The family, in the grips of the tragedy and the terror beset upon them, slowly comes apart at the seams in the most horrible manner of circumstances that only Puritan era families can.

For a debut film, Eggers has created a piece of art that most veterans would be envious of.  Everything was handmade in the manner of the times, and the film was shot completely with natural lighting and candlelight.  The film’s dialogue was heavily influenced by journals and court records from the time, becoming an amalgamation that works extremely well for the film in the sense that you find yourself removed from modern times, but the dialect gives you enough to understand exactly what’s going on in the story.  The rhythm of the dialect and language lulls you into the proper state of mind for the unsettling nature of the experience to really get at you in a deep and impacting manner.

It’s truly a wonder that the film came out as immaculate as it did, all things considered.  The lion’s share of the cast is young children, animals play a key role in the film, and as previously mentioned, all natural lighting or candlelight was used.  The film excels, however, in establishing its lore well enough to start unveiling the underlying darkness of the unknown.  The series of events may be nearly impossible to explain, but their impact is completely tangible... the impact left on the family is undeniable.  By the film’s end, you feel as if you’ve been hit by a bomb too beautiful to move away from.

Anya Taylor-Joy shows a command of presence in this film so haunting that you are captivated throughout.  Ralph Ineson plays the rock of the family, staying completely strong and determined as hell unfolds around him.  By contrast, the coming undone of Kate Dickie is quite the emotional rollercoaster, specifically the painful shades.  Ellie Grainger and Lucas Dawson are quite unsettling as the twins, constantly having deep impact on the proceedings they are not mature enough to comprehend or process.  Harvey Scrimshaw gives a heartbreakingly powerful performance as Caleb.  Wahab Chaudhry and Charlie, in tandem, are chilling as Black Phillip.

This is the best pure horror film I have seen in years.  Most everyone is familiar with the lore of the witch, and this movie does not have intentions of expanding on the lore.  What it does, however, is capture it in a manner not yet seen or experienced on the big screen.  Definitely worth the time if you’re looking for a movie that will stick with you.