Now available from Severin Film’s
This box set is massive, MASSIVE. 13 discs, a ton of features and short films, more extras than one can watch, and a fantastic book. This is a set for folk horror fans with something for everyone for which quick reviews for each of the films can be found below.
To The Fire You Come at Last (2023)
A beautiful black and white film where 17th century men carry a coffin to its resting place on a path filled with folk tales. The film here looks amazing, beautifully shot and makes great use of the darkness and light. The acting is a bit uneven, but everyone is at least decent to good. The story, separated in chapters, works well while touching upon themes of grief, punishment, and regret. This is a slow burn and a bit too long for its own good.
We Have Always Found Ourselves in the Sea (short film) (2017)
A man lives at a summer resort in winter where loneliness and time to think abound, when he receives a visitor, familiarity may be more overtaking than loneliness. This film has a lovely look of muted colors and ocean presence. There is almost no dialog and great sound design which occasionally gets taken over by the sound of the waves. The acting is touching and the story moves at its own pace.
Our Selves Unknown (2004)
Unfortunately, migraine-inducing due to image quality and style. Silent film, full screen, unfortunately unwatchable for this viewer.
Psychomania (aka The Death Wheelers) (1973)
A motor-gang leader ends his life due to his Satan-worshipping mother and finds his way back to life, pushing his cohorts to do the same. Following a long intro, the film picks up and becomes an interesting take on lost youth, angst, need for belonging, and grief. The film is not for everyone and comes with massive trigger warnings due to themes and content. The acting good, the cinematography is nice, but the pace is on the slower side.
The Enchanted (1984)
A film about two worlds, that of humans and that of magic and the Enchanted is where the two cross. The film here is a slow burn and one that drags at times. The acting is decent, the ideas played with are interesting: magic, human life, witchcraft, cult, etc. There is a trigger warning for dog death. The ending is not fully explained (or this viewer missed something).
Swimmer (short film) (year hard to find online)
A dark and grainy short film about a man swimming in a pond who is also a sculptor. He tells his story in what feels like a segment to a 1970s PBS tv (for Quebec kids, it feels like a grown-up Passe-Partout segment). The score works well, the cinematography is dated but interesting, the voice over is a bit bland but that could be due to the age of the film.
Who Fears the Devil (1972)
In this Silver John tale, a grand-father challenges the devil and must duel him at guitar, years later, his grandson finds his own challenges while roaming the area. This one is a sloooooow burn. Not much happens, yet it’s somehow fascinating. The acting is decent, there is a stop motion bird/monster thing that is lovely. Entertaining enough if one can deal with the deathly slow pace.
The White Reindeer (1952)
A favorite in the set, this horror fairytale is fascinating to watch with its stark contrast black and white cinematography, the luminous white reindeer, and the lead female character. This film is a whole mood and easy to get lost into. The cinematography is fascinating, the acting matches the story and the era being good and oddly magical. This one is a must see.
A Witch Drum (short film) (1982)
This interesting artsy animation film takes a man who is guiding reindeers and shows as he does his work while fearing a witch in the moonlight. This short film is, for lack of better words, super pretty. The imagery is beautiful, the artistry on display is fantastic and fascinating. The story is simple, there is no dialog, and the score if great. This is how to make a fascinating short that keeps the viewer involved throughout.
The Nightside of the Sky (short film)
A super old, damaged print makes it hard to watch and follow the story. For those without strobe light sensitivities it should be ok. Images of nature, sound is almost haunting.
With the Reindeer (short film) (1947)
Documentary short film about the herding of reindeer. Interesting subject matter, a bit dated but still fascinating. Well-shot and narration informative. Trigger warning: Reindeer ears cut on screen.
Edge of the Knife (2018)
First Haida language feature film, it follows a family as they prepare provisions for their village. The film is set in the 1800s and includes no modern (or even modern to 1800s) technology. It is an interesting watch with solid acting with a few flat bits here and there and some disturbing sequences. The cast makes the most of it and the use of their native language is interesting. The cinematography is good and helps show the land well. The film as a whole almost feels like a documentary.
Haida Carver (short film) (1964)
A short film documentary on a man who carves Haida Totems. This is an old-school style documentary shot in full screen so likely for television back in the 1960s. It is well-shot and keeps a detachment from the subject by keeping things factual only and not imposing any views on what is filmed, simply showing the life of a carver and his ancestors. A solid short film that has a lot to say about a very niche subject and keeps it all interesting.
Nalujuk Night (short film) (2021)
A more recent entry in the set for the short films, this one shows winter celebrations for a family in Nain, Canada. Their traditions are shows including a being that comes to reward and punish people according to their behaviors. This one almost feels like a Christmas films showing that similar traditions have existed in different cultures around the world for a long time. The rewards connect to Santa and the punishment connect to Krampus for those more used to these traditions. Well-shot and well-lit, it makes great use of its dark scenes while creating mood. A short note: The subtitles are tiny and hard to read.
Born of Fire (1987)
Exotic mysticism or maybe mythic exoticism takes center stage in the UL production that is interest in how it is shot and gives a view on other beliefs while being imperfect. At times the film feels like a view on what is happening and at times it feels a bit voyeur or like it’s trying too hard to show something predetermined. The film looks great and makes great use of darkness, fire, and the acting is decent. It’s interesting enough to check out more than once.
Towers of Silent (short film) (1975)
Mystical, mythical, magical, and dark, this short film about grief and post death rituals of purification and regeneration looks interesting in its full screen ratio, black and white, full of grainy goodness. The film interesting and makes for a view into a culture most are not familiar with. The story does lose steam quickly, but it is still interesting enough for at least one watch. Trigger warning: Dog Death
QÂF (The Secret Montain) (short film) (1985)
A short film that gathers nature images to music, going from one location to another, taking the viewer with it along the way. Not a lot happens, and it somehow manages to drag while being a short film. It is well-shot but loses the interest too soon.
Io Island (aka Ieoh Island) (1977)
An island inhabited by women who make a living as commercial divers is soon put into chaos by a man leading to questions about the past, the present, the future, and legacy. This slow burn is fascinating to watch with great acting and solid cinematography. It’s a beautiful film with a water ghost that only takes men who have mistreated women, sort of as a vengeance. The way the story is brought to the screen makes the most of its script and the performances by the cast. This one is a solid entry here and one worth a few rewatches.
The Present (short film)
An interesting animation film that sadly didn’t fully stick to the memory here which is unfortunately as what has stuck is it’s look and how it was animated making it something to be seen.
Scales (2019)
In a small village where a daughter from every family must be sacrificed to the sea, a young girl finds her way and her life through this and more in a dark folk fairytale that is both interesting and too long for its own good. The story is slow here and a few cuts would help it greatly. However, some of the sequences are dreamlike and make up for the moments that feel too slow. The acting her is a bit bland, but some of the story makes up for it.
Kindl (short film) (2016)
A woman dies at sea while on a beach visit with her children and mother where she went swimming and encountered a group of men willing to kill for entertainment. Soon, the finds her way back and roams the ocean and eventually the city. This film plays with themes of misogyny, sexism, homophobia, loss, grief, victim blaming, and the establishment’s lack of care. The film here is really interesting visually while underwater and the story gets more interesting in its second half after a first half that loses steam. The look is good, the acting is solid, and the story mostly works.
The extras here are too numerous to list, but the fact that most of the films, features or short films, have a commentary is commendable and makes for a very worthwhile box set. Of course, there are a ton of other extras here including a stunning book and so much information on each film, it’s almost dizzying.