A family in 1630s New England is torn apart by the forces of witchcraft, black magic and possession.A family in 1630s New England is torn apart by the forces of witchcraft, black magic and possession.A family in 1630s New England is torn apart by the forces of witchcraft, black magic and possession.
Daniel Malik
- Black Phillip
- (voice)
- (as Wahab Chaudhry)
Viv Moore
- Lead Coven Witch
- (as Vivien Moore)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaAccording to cinematographer Jarin Blaschke, the film was shot mostly with available and natural light.
- GoofsThe desperately poor family is shown eating by the light of multiple candles. Candles were extremely expensive in colonial New England and would have been used very sparingly.
They're not that desperately poor. They have a horse, goats, chickens, some kind of sawmill to have sawed boards for their buildings. Although wax candles were expensive, they could make bayberry candles cheaply.
- Quotes
Thomasin: Black Phillip, I conjure thee to speak to me. Speak as thou dost speak to Jonas and Mercy. Dost thou understand my English tongue? Answer me.
Black Phillip: What dost thou want?
Thomasin: What canst thou give?
Black Phillip: Wouldst thou like the taste of butter? A pretty dress? Wouldst thou like to live deliciously?
Thomasin: Yes.
Black Phillip: Wouldst thou like to see the world?
Thomasin: What will you from me?
Black Phillip: Dost thou see a book before thee?... Remove thy shift.
Thomasin: I cannot write my name.
Black Phillip: I will guide thy hand.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Film '72: Episode #45.3 (2016)
Review
Featured review
Effective Film with a Rich Atmosphere
The Witch (2015)
*** (out of 4)
Extremely well-made horror film set in New England during the 1600s as a family moves away from a colony and starts a new life in a house on the edge of some woods. One day the oldest daughter Thomasin (Anya Taylor-Joy) is watching her baby brother when something from the woods takes the child. Soon the family is torn apart by witchcraft.
Writer-director Robert Eggers' THE WITCH is the latest horror movie that is getting raves from critics and fans and it's also the newest movie to be called the "scariest of all time." I'm not going to sit here and say the movie scared me because it really didn't. With that said, THE WITCH really was a refreshing throwback to various European horror films from the late 60s and early 70s where atmosphere was the most important thing.
I really respected that Eggers tried to deliver a religious horror film that didn't deal with cheap shock effects and needless over-the-top exorcisms. There's really not any graphic violence or gore either. Instead of going for these cheap jump scares the director instead builds up a terrific setting and slowly plays out the action. The film clocks in at just over 90 minutes and rest assure that every single second is well-made, effective and it slowly builds up to its conclusion. I'm sure mainstream teenage viewers won't enjoy such a slow build-up but adults should enjoy this.
The atmosphere is certainly the selling point of the movie. I thought the director made you believe that you were watching something taking place in the 1600s and there's no question that the entire cast does a very good job in their parts. The atmosphere is certainly rich and thick and manages to set the film apart from most of the horror movies out there now. As I said, I wasn't scared by THE WITCH but it did a good job at slowly building up the drama and it plays out extremely well.
*** (out of 4)
Extremely well-made horror film set in New England during the 1600s as a family moves away from a colony and starts a new life in a house on the edge of some woods. One day the oldest daughter Thomasin (Anya Taylor-Joy) is watching her baby brother when something from the woods takes the child. Soon the family is torn apart by witchcraft.
Writer-director Robert Eggers' THE WITCH is the latest horror movie that is getting raves from critics and fans and it's also the newest movie to be called the "scariest of all time." I'm not going to sit here and say the movie scared me because it really didn't. With that said, THE WITCH really was a refreshing throwback to various European horror films from the late 60s and early 70s where atmosphere was the most important thing.
I really respected that Eggers tried to deliver a religious horror film that didn't deal with cheap shock effects and needless over-the-top exorcisms. There's really not any graphic violence or gore either. Instead of going for these cheap jump scares the director instead builds up a terrific setting and slowly plays out the action. The film clocks in at just over 90 minutes and rest assure that every single second is well-made, effective and it slowly builds up to its conclusion. I'm sure mainstream teenage viewers won't enjoy such a slow build-up but adults should enjoy this.
The atmosphere is certainly the selling point of the movie. I thought the director made you believe that you were watching something taking place in the 1600s and there's no question that the entire cast does a very good job in their parts. The atmosphere is certainly rich and thick and manages to set the film apart from most of the horror movies out there now. As I said, I wasn't scared by THE WITCH but it did a good job at slowly building up the drama and it plays out extremely well.
helpful•3520
- Michael_Elliott
- Mar 10, 2016
Details
Box office
- 1 hour 32 minutes
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