Blood on Satan's Claw Audio Commentary

Описание: The Blood on Satan’s Claw (1971), originally released as Satan's Skin, is a seminal British period supernatural horror film directed by Piers Haggard and regarded as a cornerstone of the "folk horror" subgenre, alongside Witchfinder General (1968) and The Wicker Man (1973). Set in early 18th-century England, the film explores themes of paganism, repressed sexuality, and the unsettling, ancient nature of the rural landscape.
The story begins when Ralph Gower (Barry Andrews), a local farmer, unearths a bizarre, deformed skull covered in fur and featuring a single intact eye while plowing his field. He reports the find to the local Judge (Patrick Wymark), but when they return to the field, the skull has vanished, leaving only a mysterious, claw-like growth in the dirt. Despite the rational skepticism of the adults, a dark, malevolent force begins to possess the village youth.
Led by the charismatic and increasingly sinister Angel Blake (Linda Hayden), the children and teenagers of the village fall into a demonic frenzy. They fall under the influence of this "fiend" and start to perform pagan rituals, gathering in a ruined church to worship the evil entity. A key part of their ritual involves collecting pieces of "Satan's skin" that begin to sprout on their own bodies—hairy, monstrous patches—which they seem to feel compelled to grow and protect.
As the influence spreads, the previously innocent children turn to rebellion and violence, including the brutal, ritualistic murder of a young girl, Cathy Vespers (Wendy Padbury), whose brother attempts to intervene. Angel Blake manipulates the situation, attempting to seduce the local vicar and framing him for the children's erratic, murderous behavior. The village is thrown into a state of fear, with adults struggling to understand or control the violent, pagan uprising of their children.
The tension culminates in a witch-hunt-style confrontation when the Judge returns from London, having realized that a supernatural blight has taken over the community. The adults, finally armed with the knowledge of the demonic presence, confront the children at their sanctuary. In the dramatic finale, the Judge battles the evil forces—symbolized by a now physically manifested monstrous limb—using a specially constructed sword to sever the "claw" and destroy the entity.
The Blood on Satan's Claw is known for its atmospheric, unsettling portrayal of rural life, its haunting folk-baroque score by Marc Wilkinson, and its exploration of the tension between modern, Christian authority and ancient, naturalistic paganism. It is often interpreted as a commentary on the generational gaps and anxieties of the late 1960s, wrapped in a 17th-century aesthetic.