Blood on Satan's Claw
Encyclopedia
Blood on Satan's Claw is a 1970 British horror film
made by Tigon British Film Productions
and directed by Piers Haggard
. The film was written by Robert Wynne-Simmons, with additions by Piers Haggard, and stars Patrick Wymark
, Linda Hayden
and Barry Andrews. It is set in 17th century England, and tells the story of a village taken over by demonic possession.
In his 2010 BBC documentary series A History of Horror
, writer and actor Mark Gatiss
referred to the film as a prime example of a short-lived sub-genre he called "folk horror", grouping it with 1968's Witchfinder General
and 1973's The Wicker Man.
with one eye and strange fur
upon it while ploughing a field. The local judge, Patrick Wymark, is asked to look at it, but the skull has vanished, and the judge disregards Ralph's supernatural fears. However, later many people in the village become affected by this supernatural power, including a young woman who sprouts a claw and children who behave oddly after finding a strange claw and start to grow patches of fur on parts of their bodies.
The farmer who first found the skull rides to a neighbouring town to find the local judge and bring him back to try and eradicate the evil. The judge does come back after having done some research in a book about witchcraft
. After getting some information about a future cult gathering of the evil children in the village, the judge takes some men to the spot, and they kill the satanic beast, whose remains had been dug up by the farmer at the start of the film, and who is responsible for the evil infecting the populace.
in Oxfordshire. Other scenes were filmed at Black Park
near Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, as well as at Pinewood Film Studios.
Actress Roberta Tovey
has an uncredited role as the coven member who lures Padbury's character to her death.
in 2007.
Horror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
made by Tigon British Film Productions
Tigon British Film Productions
Tigon British Film Productions or Tigon was a film production and distribution company founded by Tony Tenser in 1966. It is most famous for its horror films, particularly Witchfinder General and Blood on Satan's Claw...
and directed by Piers Haggard
Piers Haggard
Piers Inigo Haggard is a British film and television director, although he has worked mostly in the latter medium.He is the great grandnephew of H...
. The film was written by Robert Wynne-Simmons, with additions by Piers Haggard, and stars Patrick Wymark
Patrick Wymark
Patrick Wymark , was a British, stage, film and television actor.-Early life:Born Patrick Carl Cheeseman in Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire, England...
, Linda Hayden
Linda Hayden
Linda Hayden is an English film and television actress, best known for her roles in 1970s British horror films and sex comedies.-Career:...
and Barry Andrews. It is set in 17th century England, and tells the story of a village taken over by demonic possession.
In his 2010 BBC documentary series A History of Horror
A History of Horror
A History of Horror is a 2010 three-part documentary series made for the BBC by British writer and actor Mark Gatiss...
, writer and actor Mark Gatiss
Mark Gatiss
Mark Gatiss is an English actor, screenwriter and novelist. He is best known as a member of the comedy team The League of Gentlemen, and has both written for and acted in the TV series Doctor Who and Sherlock....
referred to the film as a prime example of a short-lived sub-genre he called "folk horror", grouping it with 1968's Witchfinder General
Witchfinder General (film)
Witchfinder General is a 1968 British horror film directed by Michael Reeves and starring Vincent Price, Ian Ogilvy, and Hilary Dwyer. The screenplay was by Reeves and Tom Baker based on Ronald Bassett's novel of the same name. Made on a low budget of under £100,000, the movie was coproduced by...
and 1973's The Wicker Man.
Plot
The film opens in 17th century England with Ralph Gower (Barry Andrews) uncovering a deformed skullSkull
The skull is a bony structure in the head of many animals that supports the structures of the face and forms a cavity for the brain.The skull is composed of two parts: the cranium and the mandible. A skull without a mandible is only a cranium. Animals that have skulls are called craniates...
with one eye and strange fur
Fur
Fur is a synonym for hair, used more in reference to non-human animals, usually mammals; particularly those with extensives body hair coverage. The term is sometimes used to refer to the body hair of an animal as a complete coat, also known as the "pelage". Fur is also used to refer to animal...
upon it while ploughing a field. The local judge, Patrick Wymark, is asked to look at it, but the skull has vanished, and the judge disregards Ralph's supernatural fears. However, later many people in the village become affected by this supernatural power, including a young woman who sprouts a claw and children who behave oddly after finding a strange claw and start to grow patches of fur on parts of their bodies.
The farmer who first found the skull rides to a neighbouring town to find the local judge and bring him back to try and eradicate the evil. The judge does come back after having done some research in a book about witchcraft
Witchcraft
Witchcraft, in historical, anthropological, religious, and mythological contexts, is the alleged use of supernatural or magical powers. A witch is a practitioner of witchcraft...
. After getting some information about a future cult gathering of the evil children in the village, the judge takes some men to the spot, and they kill the satanic beast, whose remains had been dug up by the farmer at the start of the film, and who is responsible for the evil infecting the populace.
Locations
The ruined church in the film is at Bix BottomBix, Oxfordshire
Bix is a village in the civil parish of Bix and Assendon in South Oxfordshire, about northwest of Henley-on-Thames. The village is about above sea level in the Chiltern Hills.-History:...
in Oxfordshire. Other scenes were filmed at Black Park
Black Park
Black Park is a Country Park in Wexham, Buckinghamshire, England to the north of the A412 road between Slough and Iver Heath. It is managed by Buckinghamshire County Council...
near Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, as well as at Pinewood Film Studios.
Cast
- Patrick WymarkPatrick WymarkPatrick Wymark , was a British, stage, film and television actor.-Early life:Born Patrick Carl Cheeseman in Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire, England...
as The Judge - Linda HaydenLinda HaydenLinda Hayden is an English film and television actress, best known for her roles in 1970s British horror films and sex comedies.-Career:...
as Angel Blake - Barry Andrews as Ralph Gower
- Michele DotriceMichele DotriceMichele Dotrice is an English actress best known for her portrayal of Betty, the long-suffering wife of Frank Spencer, played by Michael Crawford, in the BBC sitcom Some Mothers Do ’Ave ’Em, which ran from 1973 to 1978....
as Margaret - Wendy PadburyWendy PadburyWendy Padbury is a British actress from Warwickshire, England. She is most famous for her involvement in various Doctor Who projects....
as Cathy Vespers - Anthony AinleyAnthony AinleyAnthony Ainley was an English actor best known for his work on British television and particularly for his role as the third Master in Doctor Who. He was the fourth actor to play the role of the Master, and the first actor to portray the Master as a recurring role after the death of Roger Delgado...
as Reverend Fallowfield - Charlotte MitchellCharlotte MitchellCharlotte Mitchell is an English actress and poet.She was once the girlfriend of Peter Sellers, hence her occasional appearances on The Goon Show in the 1950s. Charlotte Mitchell was married to actor Philip Guard and is the mother of 3 children, actors Christopher Guard and Dominic Guard and...
as Ellen - Tamara Ustinov as Rosalind Barton
- Simon WilliamsSimon Williams (actor)Simon Williams is an English actor known for playing James Bellamy in the period drama Upstairs, Downstairs. Frequently playing upper-class roles, he is also known for playing Dr...
as Peter Edmonton - James Hayter as Squire Middleton
- Howard Goorney as The Doctor
- Avice LandoneAvice LandoneAvice Landone was a British actress who appeared in British television and film. She was born in Quetta, British India in 1908 and made her screen debut in the 1948 film My Brother Jonathon. Between 1970 and 1972 she played the role of Margaret Brown in the television series Man at the Top...
as Isobel Banham - Robin DaviesRobin DaviesRobin Davies was a Welsh television and film actor.-Early life:Robert Richard Davies was born in Tywyn, Wales and was educated at Gladstone Park School. He trained to be an actor at the Ada Foster Stage School....
as Mark Vespers - Godfrey JamesGodfrey JamesGodfrey James is an English actor.His film appearances include: Witchfinder General, Blood on Satan's Claw, The Oblong Box, The Land That Time Forgot, Séance on a Wet Afternoon and At the Earth's Core....
as Angel's Father
Actress Roberta Tovey
Roberta Tovey
Roberta Tovey is an English actress and singer who has appeared in many films and television programmes. One of her better-known roles was that of Susan, the granddaughter of Dr. Who in the 1960s films Dr. Who and the Daleks and Daleks - Invasion Earth 2150 AD...
has an uncredited role as the coven member who lures Padbury's character to her death.
Soundtrack
The film's soundtrack was composed by Marc Wilkinson. It was released on CD and limited edition vinyl LP by Trunk RecordsTrunk Records
Trunk Records is a British independent record label, which specialises mainly in lost film scores, unreleased TV music, library music, sexploitation and kitsch releases...
in 2007.