by Joseph Perry and Mike Imboden
In our “The Good, the Bad, and the Verdict” film reviews, Joseph and Mike give their thoughts on a slice of cinema. For this installment, it’s the documentary The Last Sacrifice by Rupert Russell.
Synopsis
Interrogating true crime's cultural impact, from murderous origins to modern revival. Exposing British society's prejudices and dark underbelly.
The Good
Joseph: I’m all about folk horror cinema, and the U.K. has a rich tradition of that subgenre. The Last Sacrifice explores the impact of and fascination with folk horror cinema there using the 1945 murder of Charles Walton as a modern starting point. It also discusses the popularity of witchcraft in the U.K. during the mid-20th century, as newspaper headlines and documentaries were frequent. Director Rupert Russell uses a wealth of clips from folk horror movies — fans of the genre, have your pens and paper ready to furiously jot down film titles — and archival footage including television and film documentaries to explore both the unsolved mystery of who killed Walton in such a grisly, unusual manner and why, and folk horror movies and books. It’s a fascinating deep dive.
Mike: Playing out like an extra long episode of Unsolved Mysteries, The Last Sacrifice deep dives into the mysterious murder of an elderly farmer, Charles Walton, delving into Satanic rites, folk horror, and many things in between.
There are tons of clips from movies such as The Witches (1966) and Blood on Satan’s Claw (1971) (to name just two), and old British documentaries from the early 1970s. This was a time when the subgenre was ripe with material and there’s plenty on display here (as well as ample amounts of nudity) as director Rupert Russell looks into the dark undercurrents of British society, especially those in smaller towns such as the ones where Walton met his grisly end.
I’m not a big fan of some folk horror, so my eyes glazed over a bit when the filmmakers detailed the parallels between Walton’s murder and the film The Wicker Man (1973), a movie that I find terribly overrated, but the depth of the analysis kept me intrigued if for no reason other than I wanted to know who would do in a old fella in such a horrifying manner as is described in the film. Was it part of a ritual or just a crime of circumstance? Or does the murder remain unsolved? Where’s Robert Stack when you need him?
The Bad
Joseph: Not necessarily bad, but the editing is often done at a rapid pace, and some clips are so short that trying to keep track of the titles is not always an easy task.
Mike: The overall feeling of The Last Sacrifice is a bit scattershot as it leaps from clip to clip, which are somewhat amusingly labeled as ‘Fiction’ for movies and ‘Fact’ for documentary footage. The story of Scotland Yard investigator Detective Fabian weaves in and out of The Wicker Man footage as the story presents different theories as to how old man Walton met his end, but other side stories dealing with witchcraft tend to derail it and take over for their own period of time. I think it may have served the film better to put a little distance between the different theories, giving each enough time to breathe.
The Verdict
Joseph: Folk horror enthusiasts, those interested in the occult, true-crime buffs, and viewers interested in British popular culture should all find plenty to enjoy with The Last Sacrifice. I give the film the highest recommendation for potential viewers who fit into any of those categories, and to film aficionados in general.
Mike: The Last Sacrifice is a folk horror fan’s dream come true, delving into the subgenre’s rich British history as it attempts to answer the question of who killed Charles Walton and, as one of the talking heads in the film questions, why?
The film, while rich and deep with a mix of film clips and old documentary footage gets a little muddled along the way which could be a bit bothersome to some viewers who like a little more polish to their edits. Still, it’s a fun ride that digs into aspects of the country’s past and sensationalist tabloids that some people might prefer were forgotten.
Stay tuned for a mid-credits epilogue!
The Last Sacrifice
Directed By: Rupert Russell
Written By: Rupert Russell
Starring: Geraldine Beskin, Gavin Bone, Janet Farrar
Run Time: 1h 32m
Rating: NR
Release Date: September 29, 2024 (United States)
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