The Blood on Satan's Claw (1971)

Why so much hype?

Better Late Then Never

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

There is just so much movie here. For some it may be too much. But in the same secretly sarcastic way most telemarketers say the phrase, the title of this one is particularly apt.

Fabulous and early English 70s horror, very much in the vein of Wicker Man and if it doesn't quite have that magical something the often inferior film does have, it does have considerable blood and guts. Set very much in the English countryside, this haunting and scary tale drags us into all sorts of horror, both perceived and actual. We never quite see the devilish being, cleverly avoided with harsh and frantic close-ups and discordant sound, but we get a wince inducing 'devil's skin' removal scene and many a violent act. We also get to see much more pleasant young female skin and some crazy and believable woodland set witchcraft scenes. I'm not sure I liked the 'oldie world' language moments and one or two of the births acting stalwarts were a bit lacking but overall everyone dealt very well with an excellent script and confident direction with splendid editing.

Blood on Satan's Claw, while obviously suffering from a few narrative lapses and abrupt transitions (probably due to editing) is a fine little movie. Like it's Tigon-backed predecessor Witchfinder General, this succeeds in capturing the medieval period splendidly, and the diabolic goings on are cleverly contrasted with the pastoral setting.The film also manages to be original in a way few of its contemporaries manage. It handles its shock moments very well and remains a disturbing entry in the British horror field. I should mention that some viewers might find what amounts to a rape scene a little too distressing. The shocks and gore moments are mainly done by implication or quick cuts away, so it's the suggestion as much as what you see that makes it work.The plot at times is a little hazy for the first time viewer; but essentially the demon Behemoth (pronounced BEY-AH-MOTH) is churned up by a plough and spreads some sort of infection amongst the rural community, driving a girl mad on her wedding eve (never explained) and growing various parts of itself on the younger members of the community. These are gradually used to make a composite of the demon.As silly as this may sound committed performances from the actors - Linda Hayden and Michelle Dotrice especially - and some narrative obscurity actually makes it work. With an excellent music score and a brilliant realised medieval rural England Blood On Satan's Claw has retained its position as a Cult favourite. Memorable and atmospheric and well worth seeing.

The Blood on Satan's Claw isn't a Hammer production--but it should be! Exhibiting many of Hammer's trademark features--the Gothic setting, a diabolic threat that lives on the border of civilization, a complex hero with touches of darkness in his character, and a beautiful temptress--The Blood on Satan's Claw was actually a Tigon effort, and one that in many ways surpassed contemporary Hammer releases. In fact, the quality of The Blood on Satan's Claw is so fine, and the thrills it induces so powerful, that one can't help wondering just why the Gothic horror picture was on its way out. Few of the slasher films that would permeate the genre in the coming years can hold a candle to this picture.The Blood on Satan's Claw is a tale of an ancient evil reborn. A farmer unwittingly plows up a strange corpse, but the alien body disappears before the local judge can investigate. Soon, terrible things begin to happen, and the local youth seem to have all gone over the edge, perhaps into witchcraft. The Judge, played to perfection by Patrick Waymark, is a flawed individual, to say the least. He is dedicated to doing the right thing, true enough, but he is also harsh, cold, haughty, and judgmental. He is also very reluctant to concede that what he considers to be superstition is at work in his village even after evil begins to manifest itself in some very conspicuous ways, and only begins to realize the truth when it is very nearly too late.The other exceptional performance in the film belongs to the lovely Linda Hayden, who the previous year had starred in Hammer's Taste the Blood of Dracula. Hayden plays the young woman who becomes the leader of the strange cult which infects most of the village youth, and it is she who orchestrates much of the terror which ensues. Her character, ironically named Angel, is a seductress of a particularly haunting power, and it's hard to conceive of any actress from that era playing the part any better.The story does move a bit slowly, but the drama unfolds with conviction and a realistic touch which many more explosive films lack. The ultimate climax, in which the villagers square off against the coven of witches and their demonic master, is perhaps a bit of a letdown in that it's over very quickly, but when the final credits roll the viewer is still left with a very satisfied feeling. Frightening and atmospheric as only a Gothic can be, The Blood on Satan's Claw is a well-acted and produced horror picture that should appeal especially to fans of Hammer productions.

The Blood of Satan's Claws (1971) *** (out of 4) Effective horror film set in 17th century England as the children and teenagers of a small village are turning themselves over to Angel (Linda Hayden), a beautiful girl who is teaching them witchcraft. THE BLOOD OF SATAN'S CLAWS is one of the most respected horror films from Britain and it's easy to see why. While the story itself isn't anything to write home about, I've always thought that you could take an unoriginal idea and turn it into something special as long as it was well-made. There's no question that the entire witchcraft sub-genre was overused during this period as drive-ins were full of pictures dealing with Satan but this one here ranks as one of the best because on a technical level it's nearly brilliant. Director Piers Haggard does a terrific job in his duties and he really manages to make this an eerie, creepy and at times disturbing film. There's some minor use of violence but the majority of the eeriness comes from the style of the film and how Haggard manages to milk every scene for all its atmosphere. The entire movie really does feel as if you're in the 17th century and the scenes with the beast were quite effective. The first hour of the movie really manages to feature some creepy material and especially the killings and the scenes that simply feature the claws. Another major plus is Hayden who is simply terrific in her role as the seductive leader. Patrick Wymark is also very good in his part as the judge. Editor Richard Best, cinematographer Dick Bush and the music by Marc Wilkinson are all extremely effective and help make the movie what it is. THE BLOOD ON SATAN'S CLAW could have benefited from a better or at least more original story but there's still no doubt that this is a prime example of how good the genre could be.