Director: Lucky McKee
Screenplay: David Ross
Starring: Agnes Bruckner, Marcy Turner, Emma Campbell, Bruce Campbell, Patricia Clarkson, Lauren Birkill, Rachel Nichols, Marcia Bennett
Country: USA
Running Time: 91 min
Year: 2006
BBFC Certificate: 15
There’s nothing nicer when the weather draws in, the leaves begin to turn orange and bats and ghosts pop up on shop shelves across the country than putting on a film with a specific vibe. The vibe I’m talking about, of course, is the “Autumn” horror movie – not specifically a film set on or around the big event itself, Halloween, but a film that evokes that very specific vibe of crispy leaves, wooly hats and spooky things in the woods. Lucky McKee’s directorial debut, The Woods, fills that gap very nicely and Arrow are, as we enter the Autumn season, giving it a Blu-ray release.
The Woods tells the story of Heather (Bruckner), a teenage girl with a troubled past who is sent to an all girls boarding school by her parents following an incident at her old school. Nestled alongside a woods that the girls are forbidden to go in, Heather manages to find a friend in Lauren (Turner) and an enemy in the school bully Samantha (Nichols) but the strange behaviour of the teachers and horrific dreams and visions lead her to believe that there is something more to this school than meets the eye – and it’s all tied to the mysterious woods…
The first thing that came to mind around 15 minutes into The Woods was the fabulous Addams Family series Wednesday, currently streaming its second season on Netflix. Its similar vibes of a remotely located school full of weirdos and mysterious happenings lands it very firmly in the “Autumn” movies category, but as the story progressed I was also reminded of another film set in an all girls boarding school – Dario Argento’s superb classic, Suspiria. Admittedly this was also by way of Mean Girls with the specific flavour of bullying dished out to Heather, but those first two films stuck very heavily in my mind until the credits rolled.
The Woods is very much a folk horror, even though some viewers may argue it’s a little light on the horror aspect. Lucky McKee is probably best known for 2011’s The Woman, a much darker film, but The Woods is far more spooky and atmospheric. Its plot does have one or two slightly predictable twists that manages to offset this predictability with a healthy slice of weirdness and some fantastic production design. In fact, it’s the visuals that stand out most from the film, with the school being a character in itself. The building feels almost dilapidated, its rooms cracked and unkempt with tendrils and vines from the nearby trees protruding through walls and windows, leaving the viewer with the uncanny sense that nature is trying to invade every shot. The 1960’s setting and the gorgeous earthy colour really drives this home and, even though the film can’t quite shake the very typical early 00’s feel that it has, particularly with some of its younger cast members, it’s definitely very visually striking.
The cast itself is fairly strong, however, with Bruckner selling the lead role of Heather as a girl who uses her rogue attitude to hide some deep seated trauma, while Turner plays her friend Lauren as a girl with a secret who knows more about the school than she’s letting on. The teachers are center stage, though, with Patricia Clarkson leading the pack as the disarmingly charming Ms Traverse, and Marcia Bennett playing a more sinister hand as the cruel Ms Mackinaw. We also have an appearance from horror stalwart Bruce Campbell which evokes a few Evil Dead nods and winks that are most definitely intentional.
Overall, The Woods is a fun ride if a little pedestrian for the most part with some pacing issues in the first couple of acts. As mentioned, though, there is a slightly predictable twist here, but it plays out in a somewhat unexpected way leading into a rather crazy finale which gives the cast a chance to extend out of the roles they’ve established and delivers more on the horror premise. It’s a satisfying film and should prove to be a great Autumnal watch for those looking for that witchy, fall feeling in October – best accompanied with a hot cup of pumpkin spice with the lights down low.
LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS
- High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation
- Original lossless DTS-HD MA 5.1 soundtrack
- Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
- Brand new audio commentary by director Lucky McKee and critic Walter Chaw
- Into the Woods, a brand new video interview with Lucky McKee and storyboard artist Vanessa McKee
- You Don’t Own Me, a brand new video interview with actress Agnes Bruckner
- Storyboard Gallery, a brand new featurette showcasing Vanessa McKee’s original storyboard artwork for the film
- 10 Days on Set, never-before-seen behind-the-scenes footage from the film set, sourced from Lucky McKee’s personal archive
- Trailer
- Image gallery
- Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Vanessa McKee=
- Illustrated collectors’ booklet featuring new writing by Walter Chaw and Mia Boffey
Arrow have delivered a great set here with this limited edition Blu-ray, packing in some brand new commentaries and interviews with the cast and crew providing some great insight into the making of the film, as well as a lovely slipcase cover with some new artwork and a collectors booklet which we sadly did not get a chance to look at.