Blood on Satan's Claw

The Blood on Satan's Claw

1971

Director- Piers Haggard

Music- Marc Wilkinson

Cast- Linda Hayden, Patrick Wymark, Barry Andrews, Wendy Padbury, Michele Dotrice, Anthony Ainley, Tamara Ustinov

            

     At first pass this movie may seem like one of the better Hammer productions and with good reason. It has the 18^th century rural setting so popular in Hammer films. Several of the actors and actresses have appeared in other Hammer films, particularly its two leading stars; Barry Andrews starred in Dracula has Risen from the Grave and Linda Hayden in Taste the Blood of Dracula. In fact, both Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee were considered for the role that eventually went to Patrick Wynmark.

            But this wasn’t a Hammer film. Other than The Devil Rides Out, I don’t think Hammer produced anything as literate as this movie. As soon as you hear the beautiful, haunting score by Marc Wilkinson you know you’re in for more than your typical witchcraft movie.

            A farmer (Barry Andrews) uncovers the remains of some beast while plowing his field. He fetches the local Judge (Wynmark) to see the monstrous remains but they have disappeared. The beast seems to have reconstituted itself and attacks a young couple. The beast’s influence manifests itself in its victims by the development of a hairy claw.

            At this point the movie shifts focus from the beast to its influence on the local villagers, particularly the children. The kids begin to turn evil and worship the creature. They are led by Angel Blake (Hayden). Angel is a lolitaesque girl who tries to seduce the town’s preacher and when unsuccessful, accuses him of rape. Kudos to the make-up department. Hayden’s appearance transforms subtly through the film, making her seem feral, perhaps mirroring the beast. The children follow her as a high priestess and their cult is as deviant as any group of adult devil worshipers. At one point they lure one of girls from the village into a trap where she is raped and murdered.

            The Judge, who was initially skeptical of a supernatural influence is now convinced that the devil is among them. He leads the villagers in a confrontation against the monster and its cult.

            The movie excels in so many ways. As previously noted, the musical score is excellent. Linda Hayden, who was a hapless swooning maiden in Dracula, is a full-fledged menace in this film. A lot of credit goes to her for selling the character; a sexy, deadly, teenage girl that is wholly devoted to evil. Also, the occult aspects are not the refined rituals we have come to expect. Absent are the candles and pentagrams. The magic practiced by the children is more primal and real; sex and death on a grand, chaotic scale.