Whether or not Robert Eggers‘ The Witch was overhyped is irrelevant to me. I’m not even sure why anyone bases their enjoyment level on what other people tell them. Growing up in Chicago I used to read Roger Ebert’s reviews religiously. In fact, I rarely agreed with him when it came to horror. The point is, as a fan of cinema, especially horror, I think you should form your own opinion. There’s no wrong or right answer; all that is real is how you emotionally connect to a film.
The backlash behind A24’s The Witch really bugs the shit out of me, especially because it shines a light on how little the general public understands about filmmaking. And it’s beyond insulting that there are people who hate Eggers’ film just because it was deemed “over-hyped”. Do you think that when Eggers was filming this indie production, assembled by various small investors, he was even expecting the sort of attention the film has received? This magical time in his life is a celebration, not just for him, but for independent cinema.
But I digress, especially since I already ranted about how important The Witch was for the horror genre. Right now I’m speaking to the readers who like the film as much as I do. In fact, I’m obsessed. It’s become part of my daily routine to watch some of the movie as I marvel in the accomplishment. There’s something to be said about everything going right for a filmmaker – from the acting down to the costume and sound design – that just makes me stop and stare in awe like it’s a Picasso hanging in a museum.
Part of my obsession led me to listen to the commentary track, something I never do (there just aren’t enough hours in a day). While it’s not the most riveting of conversations (maybe they needed Anya Taylor-Joy to join in), I did learn quite a bit. Here are some of the most interesting bits that I thought you guys would enjoy…
Baby Entrails
At the beginning of the movie, we see “The Witch” after she kidnaps the family’s baby right in front of Thomasin’s (Anya Taylor-Joy) very eyes. When we see her, she’s grinding something in a wooden vat and then proceeds to cover herself and a stick with blood.
Eggers confirms this is, in fact, the baby’s entrails, while also explaining that what you see it not a broomstick.
“She’s ground the baby’s entrails that will help her fly,” says Eggers.
There’s a lot of literature of evil witches making these flying “sticks” with unguents (another word for brew).
“The active ingredients was the entrails of unbaptized baby. She flies on a stick and not a broomstick…[they are] referred to as ‘poles.’ You’ll see that in Salem a lot.”
Peekaboo
The Witch originally opened with the peekaboo sequence, referenced above, but Eggers felt they needed more about the family to set up the story.
“We knew even less about family,” Eggers revealed. “It would have made for a very good jarring opening but we needed more scope and understanding of the family’s past.”
Dedication to Authenticity
Eggers revealed that it still bothers him that you can see Anya Taylor-Joy’s earring holes, especially in HD, and wishes that he had “CG’d them out.” Talk about dedication to authenticity, especially since they’re barely visible.
Eggers’ Reoccurring Dream
There’s a scene in which Caleb (Harvey Scrimshaw) finds his way to one of the Witch’s huts and is seduced. The sequence stemmed from a recurring dream Eggers used to have.
“While it’s a cinematic cliché, it’s also a recurring dream I had as well,” he stated.
He also revealed that this was Scrimshaw’s first kiss, which was with an Australian Victoria Secret model (Sara Stevens).
Bonus: The “old” hand you see in the bottom screencap is a trick shot that sneakily used an old woman’s arm in place of Sara’s).
What’s with the Hare?
Eggers urged viewers to Google search “witch” and “hare” to understand the significance behind the hare’s constant cameos. From what we can tell, the hare was either the Witch or one of her creations that was used to either spy on the family (this is more likely the crow) or steal from them.
