Synopsis:
When a mysterious corpse is accidentally dug up by a boy in a small town, a group of local teens starts acting very strangely. The adolescents, led by a girl named Angel (Linda Hayden), are convinced the corpse was once possessed. Hoping to get in touch with the devil through the body, the teens act out a series of demonic rituals that causes a stir among the townspeople. When word of the satanic activity spreads, certain parents start trying to lock up the kids behind the spooky stunts.
My thoughts:
For the fans of the original "Wicker Man", "The Witch" and "Midsommar", the 1971 "The Blood on Satan's Claw" is a must see. One of the themes in this folk horror gem is peer pressure among teens. A bit of historical context: adolescence was not considered a separate phase in a person's life. Once you reached puberty, you were married off and on your way to start procreating. What we see in this movie is a community of students in a church-based school. So we get some school dynamic with its hierarchy - not something you encounter often in films with a historical setting. The female antagonist and ringleader, a 17th century of Alicia Silverstone, uses her natural - and supernatural powers - to drive her peers into a satanic cult and sacrificing them one by one. One cliche comment from the critics that always makes me roll my eyes is that "men are afraid of female sexuality." Why does it always have to be male authority figures against demonic temptresses? Can we leave wokery out of sorcery for once?
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