The topic of witchcraft has been explored in several terrifying movies. But witches have always been a part of the genre, even before any form of visual storytelling was possible. The new teaser for the mediaeval horror movie Witch, written and directed by Craig Hinde and Marc Zammit, is the latest example of the genre’s enormous historic attraction. The film takes place in Dawnbrook, England in 1575, and centres on a man named William who, in order to save his and his wife’s life, must prove the innocence of his wife, who has been accused of being a witch, and seek down the real witch.
The video creates the mood for this struggle by showing us ominous images, providing us with compelling dialogue, and moving at a fast pace, all while making us feel like we’re racing against a magical clock. The film’s use of a mediaeval backdrop also helps it stand out from similar movies in the category. Each of the locales seen in the film has a lived-in vibe, adding to the eerie mood created by the dark, gothic shadow lighting. The atmosphere is heavy with a palpable sense of foreboding. Some of the imagery is familiar from other works in the subgenre, such as the use of cursed books, but the film really comes into its own with the grim concepts that are hinted at.
Obviously, you would do whatever in your power to defend your wife, but how far would you go to establish her innocence? This movie is asking its audience that very question. The historical period in Witch provides you with many fascinating topics to think about. The Salem Witch Trials are something that everybody living in the United States will be familiar with. Multiple films, including Robert Eggers’ masterwork The Witch, Rob Zombie’s Lords of Salem, and Fear Street: 1666, have featured American “witches” during the historical period. But unfortunately, this sort of wicked, bigoted sexism wasn’t exclusive to the United States. It was a global pandemic, and the trailer features a lot of oblique references, so it will be intriguing to see how the filmmakers interpret this English witch story.
The film’s terror might come from the time’s paranoia and very human wickedness, or it could go full supernatural with the “true witch” being absolutely physical. No one knows yet where Witch will go, but this teaser paints a disturbing picture of a search for answers fueled by dread. Fabrizio Santino, Sarah Alexandra Marks, Russell Shaw, Ryan Spong, Daniel Jordan, Mims Burton, Jane Hamlet, Anto Sharp, Ritchie Edwards, Nick Tuck, Nell Bailey, Danny Howard, Ella Starbuck, and Livvy Nicolae feature in this Skylark Vision film. A date for the release of Witch has not been set as of yet.