Sennentuntschi
When doing my deep dive into the folk tales of Europe a few years back, I came across an especially perverse and grisly example. In Switzerland, it is known as Sennentuntschi while those in Liechtenstein call it the Guschg Herdman's Doll. The gist of the story is the same regardless: A trio of herdsmen are isolated in the mountains for a season. To relieve their loneliness, they build a "wife" out of straw, sticks, and leftover clothes. Sometimes, she remains inanimate and other times the Devil brings her to life. Either way, the men mistreat their wife, mocking her, abusing her, and using her as a living sex toy. The details vary but one or more of the men are left alone with the doll for a short time. When the last herdsman returns, he finds the straw wife has skinned the other men and left their hides to tan on the shed. (If you grew up reading the "Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark" books, you might recognize this one, minus the scarecrow husbandry but decidedly not the gory ending.) Either way, the moral of the story remains the same: Treat your wife, straw or otherwise, with respect. Unsurprisingly, such a memorable tale has been adapted to film a few times. The most recent example was in 2010, from Swiss filmmaker Michael Steiner, released as simply "Sennentuntschi" in its home country but given the subtitle "Curse of the Alps" abroad.
In the modern day, the skeletal remains of several men are found in the Swiss Alps. The murder scene is quickly connected to a bizarre incident from the seventies: A priest was found hanged in a church, dead of an apparent suicide. Shortly afterwards, town sheriff Reusch finds a mute wild woman in the village. Her beauty enchants him, the local deacon accuses her of being of the devil (especially since she fears the crucifix), and her violent nature turns everyone else in town against her. The girl flees into the mountain. There, a man named Martin, running from the mysterious disappearance of his girlfriend, has joined the boorish Erwin and his mute nephew Albert to herd goats for the summer. After being told the story of the Sennentuntschi and drunkenly making their own, the men find the mute girl and assume she is the result of their ritual. The trio begins to treat her in a similarly ghastly fashion. Sheriff Reusch remains on the woman's trail, uncovering a cycle of abuse that goes back decades and a local conspiracy to cover it up.
Lately, there's been much discussion about the validity of recent horror films whose point mostly boils down to men being awful to women, in service of some sort of feminist message. So-called "Man Bad Horror" is nothing new, as the ancient vintage of the Sennentuntschi fable shows. Whether it is the place of men to tell such stories, especially when the abuse of women is so focused on, is another argument to have. "Sennentuntschi" was co-written by a woman, Stefanie Japp, but mostly fits the parameters of this oft-criticized style. There are several drawn-out sequences of sexual assault. Moreover, the titular character is not exactly the heroine of her own story. The film treats her just as frequently as an uncanny monster as it does a victim of violence. However, I do think “Sennentuntschi” has some interesting observations to make about the way men often treat women. Erwin and Martin are not newcomers to being awful, it is predictably revealed. They try and goad the child-like Albert into behaving in their manner, showing the generational effects of sexism. Sheriff Reusch shows a more benevolent but no less insidious form of sexism, treating the strange woman as a damsel to rescue and protect and ignoring her darker side until it's too late. This isn't only a “I Spit on Your Grave”-style narrative about proving dudes suck at the expense of a lot of scenes of a woman being brutalized.
Steiner's film is not content to be a mere retelling of the folk tale either. As the sheriff attempts to sneak the girl out of the town, he's accosted by a group of villagers who are only missing the torches and horses to be your classical angry mob. They all but directly state that they fear the woman because she's different. This is before Reasuch also discovers the local clergy's involvement in the story. This too feeds into the central theme, showing that sexism is an institutional problem that has its roots in the basis of our society. Some of these reveals are clever and add a little more to the story. Other times, I was left wondering if “Sennentuntschi” would have been a stronger film if it focused solely on the story of the girl in the mountains with the herders. The structure here is of a flashback within a flashback, which gets confusing by the end. This is especially true in the last act, as the story seems to be angling for a twist ending that never quite connects with the viewer. You know something is amiss when you have to read the Wikipedia article afterwards to actually grasp what meaning was being conveyed.
In general, it was hard to avoid the feeling that “Sennentuntschi” was trying a bit too hard throughout this viewing. The musical score is often overbearing, too loud and dramatic in moments that would have been better served by a subtler soundtrack. The visual direction often includes unnecessary tricks. We are talking sped-up zooms or weird digital effects, such as a swirling distortion filter during a moment meant to convey how everyone is drunk. The root of the story is strong and the ideas contained within are potent. The performances are quite good on the average. Roxane Mesquida has the right balance of otherworldly beauty and dangerous unpredictability as the wild woman. Andrea Zogg manages to make Erwin, a despicable character, somewhat sympathetic – or at least pathetic – without robbing him of his monstrous status. The cinematography is often lovely. When making a movie in the Alps, all you really have to do is hold the camera still to catch some beautiful images.
In general, there's a lot of elements working in “Sennentuntschi's” favor. I wouldn't call it a bad or misguided film. However, the need to add a lot of flashy visuals to the presentation or to make the story less straight-forward in its telling works against what strengths it has. Steiner has about fourteen other movies and TV shows on his resume but I haven't seen any of them – though his next feature, “The Swiss Miss Massacre,” has caught my eye based on that title alone – so I can't say if this is his style or an aberration in his filmography. I'm also intrigued to check out the previous adaptations of this folktale, especially the German version from 1989. For its flaws, “Sennenthuntschi” is worth a watch, an intriguing update of a classical tale. [6/10]
In the modern day, the skeletal remains of several men are found in the Swiss Alps. The murder scene is quickly connected to a bizarre incident from the seventies: A priest was found hanged in a church, dead of an apparent suicide. Shortly afterwards, town sheriff Reusch finds a mute wild woman in the village. Her beauty enchants him, the local deacon accuses her of being of the devil (especially since she fears the crucifix), and her violent nature turns everyone else in town against her. The girl flees into the mountain. There, a man named Martin, running from the mysterious disappearance of his girlfriend, has joined the boorish Erwin and his mute nephew Albert to herd goats for the summer. After being told the story of the Sennentuntschi and drunkenly making their own, the men find the mute girl and assume she is the result of their ritual. The trio begins to treat her in a similarly ghastly fashion. Sheriff Reusch remains on the woman's trail, uncovering a cycle of abuse that goes back decades and a local conspiracy to cover it up.
Steiner's film is not content to be a mere retelling of the folk tale either. As the sheriff attempts to sneak the girl out of the town, he's accosted by a group of villagers who are only missing the torches and horses to be your classical angry mob. They all but directly state that they fear the woman because she's different. This is before Reasuch also discovers the local clergy's involvement in the story. This too feeds into the central theme, showing that sexism is an institutional problem that has its roots in the basis of our society. Some of these reveals are clever and add a little more to the story. Other times, I was left wondering if “Sennentuntschi” would have been a stronger film if it focused solely on the story of the girl in the mountains with the herders. The structure here is of a flashback within a flashback, which gets confusing by the end. This is especially true in the last act, as the story seems to be angling for a twist ending that never quite connects with the viewer. You know something is amiss when you have to read the Wikipedia article afterwards to actually grasp what meaning was being conveyed.
In general, there's a lot of elements working in “Sennentuntschi's” favor. I wouldn't call it a bad or misguided film. However, the need to add a lot of flashy visuals to the presentation or to make the story less straight-forward in its telling works against what strengths it has. Steiner has about fourteen other movies and TV shows on his resume but I haven't seen any of them – though his next feature, “The Swiss Miss Massacre,” has caught my eye based on that title alone – so I can't say if this is his style or an aberration in his filmography. I'm also intrigued to check out the previous adaptations of this folktale, especially the German version from 1989. For its flaws, “Sennenthuntschi” is worth a watch, an intriguing update of a classical tale. [6/10]
For want of a tiddy, a sequel was lost. Or at least its director anyway. Going off completely unsubstaniated rumors posted on the IMDb trivia section, Kevin S. Tenney and the producers of “Witchboard 2” argued a lot over his unwillingness to force his lead actress to do a nude scene. This, supposedly, is why Tenney would not be involved in a third “Witchboard” film. If true, this might explain why he didn't direct the two “Night of the Demons” sequels that Blue Rider Pictures also made in the nineties. I'm betting this is probably bullshit though. At least any differences between the two entities had been worked out by 1997, when Blue Rider co-produced Tenney's “Pinocchio's Revenge” and he provided the script for “Night of the Demons 3.” I guess that would've been after 1995, when “Witchboard III: The Possession” would arrive on video store shelves. Until Arrow or Vinegar Syndrome gives us the definitive Blu-Ray box set of “Witchboard” movies full of commentaries and interviews, I guess the veracity of these behind-the-scenes tidbits will remain in the discussion.
Much like “The Devil's Doorway,” “The Possession” has no direct connection to the previous films, save for the premise of a ouija board acting as an conduit for an evil spirit to take over a living person. Out-of-work commodities broker Brian is living with his more successful anthropology professor girlfriend, Julie. A chance encounter sees Brian being invited into the apartment of their land lord, Mr. Redman. He introduces him to the ouija board that provides stock trading tips. A few days later, Redman gifts Brian his ring, informs him that he's infertile, and leaps to his death right in front of him. Another incident, involving a loan shark, sees Brian spilling his blood on the ouija board. Suddenly, the otherworldly stock information pays off, making Brian and Julie very rich. The board starts to creep Brian out after that and he attempts to destroy it. He is electrocuted in reaction and his heart stops. When he awakes, his personality is notably different. He is charismatic but cold, not to mention sexually aggressive and obsessed with having a child. Slowly, Julie begins to realize that an evil entity has taken over Brian's body, trapped his spirit in limbo, and will not stop until he's fathered a demonic off-spring.
Among the many of the differences between “Witchboard III” and its predecessor is that this installment was filmed in Canada, not in California. Our director here was Peter Svatek, who would go onto direct “Bleeders,” “Sci-Fighter,” and a whole bunch of made-for-TV stuff. That gives “The Possession” the distinct air of Canadian-lensed, nineties cheese. This is certainly not without its charms. The climax features some hilariously bad digital effects and a decent looking rubber demon. The death scenes are moderately fun. A lepiodopterists has his body staked with the same little spikes he pins his butterflies with. A guy impaled on a coat rack ends up looking like a horn demon. A glass shower door being used as a guillotine is cool too. However, most of “Witchboard III” is devoted to a sleazy jerk giving people dirty looks and making shit fly around with his mind. Not much fun. When paired with the soft focus, elaborately positioned sex scene and the repeated reference to breeding, it creates an uncomfortable ambiance.
“Night of the Demons” was a Kevin Tenney directed feature that managed to succeed without his guiding hand. (For at least one movie, anyway.). Maybe if “Witchboard III” had a lunatic like Brian Trenchard-Smith behind the camera, maybe its less-than-promising ingredients could have been turned into a fine, cheesy stew. Instead, the result is leaves the viewer uninspired. The production company got their nudity, as they wanted, but were apparently not so impressed with the final results as to give it even a routine theatrical release. Thus, one surprisingly clever eighties B-movie beget a better-than-expected sequel before dying in the depths of the nineties direct-to-video mines. That's how it goes sometimes, I guess. [5/10]
The third episode of “Alien: Earth” proves that this show can actually be a compelling horror series when it stops and focuses for a minute. The first third of “Metamorphosis” focuses on Wendy and Joe, the robotic little sister going off to rescue her brother from the big bad Xenomorph. The resulting sequence, of her discovering him stuck to the inside of a butcher's freezer, while the alien lurks around outside, is well done. The confrontation that results is quite tensely put together, better than the previous monster sequences in the last two episodes. When she hooks the alien by its interior second jaw, that was something I hadn't seen before in this franchise. It concludes with Wendy successfully decapitating the Xenomorph, though off-screen. This does reek of “look at how tough my new character is!” fantasy writing but at least she's properly injured afterwards. The relationship between the brother and sister is still probably the most fruitful story thread the show has right now.
The rest of the episode focuses on the fall-out of these events. Of the Prodigy scientists digging into the alien eggs and other lifeforms they have uncovered. Of Morrow the cyborg getting in contact with Yutani, establishing a connection with one of the Lost Boys, and trying to worm his way into his trust. The show's attempts to develop the rest of the hybrid children into characters we actually care about is slow going so far. The interaction between Smee and Slightly in the egg chamber focuses on both boys being literal children in grown bodies. They trade many “bros” and comment on each other swearing. I can see what is being attempted here, of trying to make these future robot children seem relatable. The result is more annoying than anything else. The scenes concerning another one of the Lost Boys attempting to talk with Boy Kavalier does not interest me in the least.
The subplot about the trillionaire reveals an unavoidable gap in logic in “Alien: Earth's” story. Why would anybody send a bunch of experimental robot children on a highly dangerous mission to retrieve technology from a rival corporation? The obvious answer is that Boy Kavalier, like most of the billionaires in today's age, is a dumb-ass. This is made apparent in the sequence where he walks up to one of the Xenomoprh eggs without any protection or safe-guards. I know the characters in this show don't have forty years of movies, comic books, and video games to inform them of how these creatures work. Nevertheless, you would expect security to be tighter around these clearly alien lifeforms. All of this becomes a bit more explainable if, also like our real life billionaires, Boy Kavalier has an unwholesome fixation on young people. This seems to be somewhat implied in what he says in a few scenes.
There's also hints of a bizarre grooming relationship in the scenes of Morrow reaching out, via digital voice link, to Slightly and trying to win him over. Morrow might be one of the more interesting characters in the show.The character is mercenary in his focus, determined to do nothing but complete his mission of returning the alien to his boss. That makes him an obvious villain but you kind of relate to the guy anyway. It's revealed that he's been in hyper-sleep on a space mission for sixty years. Everyone he once knew is dead and he has nothing left in his life than this job. Babou Ceesay has some hard-boiled gravitas in the role, which makes him more than simply a punch-clock baddie. Though I'm kind of digging Timothy Olyphant's Spock-act as the hyper-logical and cold android. Whether “Alien: Earth” can turn this tangled mass of plot threads into something more compelling remains to be seen. [6/10]
There's also hints of a bizarre grooming relationship in the scenes of Morrow reaching out, via digital voice link, to Slightly and trying to win him over. Morrow might be one of the more interesting characters in the show.The character is mercenary in his focus, determined to do nothing but complete his mission of returning the alien to his boss. That makes him an obvious villain but you kind of relate to the guy anyway. It's revealed that he's been in hyper-sleep on a space mission for sixty years. Everyone he once knew is dead and he has nothing left in his life than this job. Babou Ceesay has some hard-boiled gravitas in the role, which makes him more than simply a punch-clock baddie. Though I'm kind of digging Timothy Olyphant's Spock-act as the hyper-logical and cold android. Whether “Alien: Earth” can turn this tangled mass of plot threads into something more compelling remains to be seen. [6/10]
As long as the public's fascination with the supernatural has existed, tabloid publishers and TV producers have been eager to capitalize on it. As I've said in the past, however, interest in UFOs, flying saucers, alien abductions, and government cover-ups was truly peaking in the nineties. In 1991, a team of producers – including, bizarrely, Henry Winkler – would debut a hour-long special on the Fox Network entitled “Sightings: The UFO Report.” The presentation was popular enough to spawn two follow-ups, on the topics of ghosts and psychic phenomena, before “Sightings” became a regular series. For a year on Fox, two in syndication, and two on the Sci-Fi Channel, host Tim White would keep a straight face while “reporting” on all manner of nonsense. It was essentially “Unsolved Mysteries” but spooky bullshit all the time, including interviews with contactees and re-enactments that were either ridiculous or terrifying.
But we're getting ahead of ourselves. Let's go back to “The UFO Report.” The special is broken into two halves. The first presents the four different types of alien encounter, with corresponding evidence of varying degrees of credulity. The first kind – a sighting of an alien vessel – is accompanying by eye-witness reports, grainy videos, and dark photographs of lights in the sky. The second kind – evidence left behind of alien life – tries to make the case for thoroughly debunked “proof” like crop circles and cattle mutilation. The segment about the third kind – sightings of actual aliens – is devoted entirely to a guy claiming he saw his dad talking to the Roswell aliens when he was a kid. The fourth kind – going aboard an alien craft and interacting with them – is largely composed of interviews with abductees talking about their experience. The second half of the special is making the case for a government cover-up of evidence of alien life, with much focus on people who have supposedly been silenced by G-men after reporting on UFOs. (Though not so silenced they can talk about it on a TV show.)
It is very easy to dismiss all of “The UFO Report” as crazies and con men trying to sell you on their claims. However, this is modern American folklore and that deserves closer examination. “Sightings” brings up the same point that all of “Ancient Aliens” would be founded on, pointing out depictions of flying machines in ancient paintings and glyphs. This is not proof of extraterrestrials so much as it is proof that the need to believe in invisible beings is an intrinsic part of the human psyche. People gaze up at the sky and see flying saucers in stars, comets, reflections of lights, radio towers, and helicopters because we long for there to be more in heaven and Earth than is dreamt of in philosophy and science. People describing their nightmarish encounters or awe-stricken recollections of alien abduction represents folklore being such a powerful force that it becomes a living fantasy for some. Moreover, taken simply as a creaky horror show re-posted decades later to Youtube from a flickering VHS recording, “Sightings” is creepy fun. Those photographs and recordings of something or other in the sky are kind of spooky. So are hearing people claim, with absolute conviction, that they were taken aboard a UFO and experimented upon. Whether you take “Sightings” as mere camp, analog horror artifact, or a fascinating slice of modern folklore, “The UFO Report” is still so very watchable. There's a reason TV like this is called “junk food.” It's bad for you but you can't eat just one. [7/10]
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