The Blood on Satan's Claw isn't a Hammer production--but it should be! Exhibiting many of Hammer's trademark features--the Gothic setting, a diabolic threat that lives on the border of civilization, a complex hero with touches of darkness in his character, and a beautiful temptress--The Blood on Satan's Claw was actually a Tigon effort, and one that in many ways surpassed contemporary Hammer releases. In fact, the quality of The Blood on Satan's Claw is so fine, and the thrills it induces so powerful, that one can't help wondering just why the Gothic horror picture was on its way out. Few of the slasher films that would permeate the genre in the coming years can hold a candle to this picture.
The Blood on Satan's Claw is a tale of an ancient evil reborn. A farmer unwittingly plows up a strange corpse, but the alien body disappears before the local judge can investigate. Soon, terrible things begin to happen, and the local youth seem to have all gone over the edge, perhaps into witchcraft. The Judge, played to perfection by Patrick Waymark, is a flawed individual, to say the least. He is dedicated to doing the right thing, true enough, but he is also harsh, cold, haughty, and judgmental. He is also very reluctant to concede that what he considers to be superstition is at work in his village even after evil begins to manifest itself in some very conspicuous ways, and only begins to realize the truth when it is very nearly too late.
The other exceptional performance in the film belongs to the lovely Linda Hayden, who the previous year had starred in Hammer's Taste the Blood of Dracula. Hayden plays the young woman who becomes the leader of the strange cult which infects most of the village youth, and it is she who orchestrates much of the terror which ensues. Her character, ironically named Angel, is a seductress of a particularly haunting power, and it's hard to conceive of any actress from that era playing the part any better.
The story does move a bit slowly, but the drama unfolds with conviction and a realistic touch which many more explosive films lack. The ultimate climax, in which the villagers square off against the coven of witches and their demonic master, is perhaps a bit of a letdown in that it's over very quickly, but when the final credits roll the viewer is still left with a very satisfied feeling. Frightening and atmospheric as only a Gothic can be, The Blood on Satan's Claw is a well-acted and produced horror picture that should appeal especially to fans of Hammer productions.
The Blood on Satan's Claw is a tale of an ancient evil reborn. A farmer unwittingly plows up a strange corpse, but the alien body disappears before the local judge can investigate. Soon, terrible things begin to happen, and the local youth seem to have all gone over the edge, perhaps into witchcraft. The Judge, played to perfection by Patrick Waymark, is a flawed individual, to say the least. He is dedicated to doing the right thing, true enough, but he is also harsh, cold, haughty, and judgmental. He is also very reluctant to concede that what he considers to be superstition is at work in his village even after evil begins to manifest itself in some very conspicuous ways, and only begins to realize the truth when it is very nearly too late.
The other exceptional performance in the film belongs to the lovely Linda Hayden, who the previous year had starred in Hammer's Taste the Blood of Dracula. Hayden plays the young woman who becomes the leader of the strange cult which infects most of the village youth, and it is she who orchestrates much of the terror which ensues. Her character, ironically named Angel, is a seductress of a particularly haunting power, and it's hard to conceive of any actress from that era playing the part any better.
The story does move a bit slowly, but the drama unfolds with conviction and a realistic touch which many more explosive films lack. The ultimate climax, in which the villagers square off against the coven of witches and their demonic master, is perhaps a bit of a letdown in that it's over very quickly, but when the final credits roll the viewer is still left with a very satisfied feeling. Frightening and atmospheric as only a Gothic can be, The Blood on Satan's Claw is a well-acted and produced horror picture that should appeal especially to fans of Hammer productions.