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Originally Posted by ilduclo
so, I saw the VVitch, I'd say pretty poor in a lot of ways. Really decent acting, good cinematography and a real nice sound track. The story is s'posed to be from period chronicles, but it was a really poor representation of most of Calvinist thought, and was seen thru a very modern sensibility. A very modern treatment of childhood vs how they were seen back then, and a total lack of Indians, who played a huge part in the outlook of these early settlers. Just read Young Goodman Brown or Cotton Mather for a real representation.
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Well, remember though, it's not supposed to be a great historical film. It's a horror film framed in pretty well-researched pre-colonial history.
It's not about the big social picture in terms of Native Americans — though they are in the film. It's about paranoia and hysteria, and the scariness of Puritan belief. And yes, it's viewed through a modern lense, but less so than a lot of films. In the sense that it uses hindsight and modern social psychological theory to illustrate how fucked up that period was for individuals, it definitely does take a modern approach. But I don't think that's really a valid critique, because it's a horror film and in the film the horror is that particular period in human history.
I thought it succeeded at what it was trying to do.
I did not like the dead dog scene though. Sweet Jesus. I can't hack that shit. I feel like that kind of violence should be detailed on the rating explanation, along with "horror/fantasy violence" and "adult themes" and "disturbing imagery" it should say "animal violence." Seriously. That 2-second scene almost ruined the movie for me. I almost threw up in my mouth.
I can watch people get sliced up and butchered all day long, but there are a few things I can't take, and animal violence is one of them. Rape is another.
Overall though, one of the best and most original horror films in recent years.