The Blood on Satan's Claw
After a landsman in 18th century England discovers a corpse covered in fur buried in a field, the town becomes infected by "the devil's skin," leading the local children to engage in demonic rituals and criminal behavior.
Why it matters
A seminal entry in British folk horror, The Blood on Satan’s Claw blends rural dread with unsettling pagan menace to explore communal decay and innocence corrupted.
- One of folk horror’s foundational texts, predating and informing the folk revival sparked by films like The Wicker Man.
- Piers Haggard’s direction crafts an eerie, atmospheric 18th-century village steeped in naturalistic dread and creeping hysteria.
- Practical effects and makeup deliver grotesque yet grounded visions of possession and transformation.
- Slow-burning and deliberately paced — not for those craving nonstop thrills, but a rich, immersive descent into folklore and black magic.
Director
3 horror films in catalog
Cast
Horror DNA
Gore
43
Slow Burn
83
Psychological
43
Supernatural
100
Creature
55
Disturbing
100
Fun Factor
17
Cerebral
71
Survival
66
OccultSacrificeWitchcraft
