BELLA IN THE WYCH ELM
Reviewed by Tracy Nicholas
Hear an interview with the director in Episode 118 here
Bella in Wych Elm is a short film that explores the mystery of a woman’s skeletonized remains found in the hollow of a wych elm in Hagley Wood, Hagley in Worcestershire, England in 1943 and the theories of how she came to be there. The film opens with the mystery of four boys bird-nesting in the woods who discover a human skull inside a tree trunk. The authorities are brought in and find that it is in fact a complete skeleton, minus one hand found a short distance away. Once the details of this discovery and investigation are presented, the film goes on to explore all the possible theories of who this mysterious woman might have been and how she came to her demise. The narration by Tatty Dave Jones sets the tone of ghost stories told around a campfire, as excited to scare his listeners as they are to be scared. It begins with the enigmatic “Bella’s Melancholia” written by Craigus Barry, which strikes a balance between a children’s rhyme, a dark poem and a riddle. Part of what makes this film so intriguing are the various styles of the cinematography. The black and white film begins with the crackling feel of a World War II reporting newsreel. However, we soon know this is a different sort of report entirely. Many scenes begin clear and in focus, but as the darker mysteries begin to unfold, a greying of the edges starts to threaten, eventually leading to a tunnel vision by the time a given scene plays out. Other scenes, such as the boys exploring the woods has a found footage feel to it, while scenes that involve witchcraft, voodoo and insanity have a jerky feel of a psychedelic trip gone wrong. One story even used the slow motion and exaggerated expressions that are found in silent films.
The theories are varied, from Nazi spies to voodoo sacrifices to black magic and moonlight rituals. Mysterious graffiti begins to appear asking who put the woman in the elm tree – puzzling because the writers seem to know the woman’s name was Bella. There is an enigmatic writer, Quaestor Jones, who follows the story for more than a decade, trying to unravel the mystery, to no avail. The speculation about the woman herself was just as hotly debated. What was the manner of her death? Was she a prostitute in the wrong place or a cabaret singer that was in reality an undercover spy for the Nazis? Was she merely an unfortunate caught by travelers to be used to create a Hand of Glory who were unable to complete their dark ritual?
The original music by The Worrisome Ankletrout has an old fashioned feel to it that evokes melancholy, fear, madness and intrigue in turn. It helps the viewer to step back in time, although in places it somewhat overwhelms the voice over narrative making it difficult to follow some parts.
The film was slightly confusing at first as it was unclear that this was an exploration of various theories of how and why this woman came to be in the elm and I was trying to piece together a coherent narrative. However, once it was clear that these were various possibilities and it was not building to an overall story, I just went along for the trip to discover the theories and speculation of who put Bella in the wych elm.
All in all, this is an entertaining and compelling look at this mystery turned local legend.
The Midnight Hour
The Midnight Hour is a hilariously campy companion piece to Bella in Wych Elm from Carnie Films that adds some perspective on how theories and rumors of mysterious events develop into local legend. The premise of the short is that long lost episodes of a 1970s documentary series have been unearthed, allowing us to see the insights of one Dr. Balden Cross on otherworldly occurrences and supernatural activities. Dr. Cross is the founder of the Para-Theological and Metaphysical Research Institute and the host of the show. As the host his persona is a wonderful combination of a mischievous Vincent Price with a macabre Jack Black. He relishes trite phrases such as “a student of the dark arts” with such delight that it seems he believes the joys of indulging in fervent and complete belief far outweigh the loss of dignity that a more discerning scholar might fall prey to. After all, as the good doctor explains, in the world of the supernatural sometimes the “chains of accuracy are severed and allow the stories to soar on the charms of imagination”. We are further treated to the historian Sheila Fosdyke who sports cat eye glasses, a groovy sweater and deep confidence as a subject matter expert despite her lack of any real theories or conclusions.
The main set is a heady mix of wooden paneling, gothic decor and dark, heavy oversized furniture but there is plenty of scholarly striding about in cemeteries as well. The music by the “Pieri Sonic Sound Studio” has the groovy 60s feel of a Theremin being played with great passion and adds to the irreverent fun that this short provides.
While all of this is entertaining, there is an interesting observation within that adds depth to the main film. Our doctor reveals that he himself has seen otherworldly and unexplainable things and that “In such cases, does folklore cease to be and instead become matter of fact?” Watching this part of The Midnight Hour handed me an “aha” moment in which I suddenly understood the progression from weird facts through multiple theories, all the way to local legend. This little piece is great fun but also has something valuable to say about how local legends are born.
I sincerely hope that we will be treated to more of this series. I want to hear any number of theories that Dr. Cross has to share.
Reviewed by Tracy Nicholas
Hear an interview with the director in Episode 118 here
Bella in Wych Elm is a short film that explores the mystery of a woman’s skeletonized remains found in the hollow of a wych elm in Hagley Wood, Hagley in Worcestershire, England in 1943 and the theories of how she came to be there. The film opens with the mystery of four boys bird-nesting in the woods who discover a human skull inside a tree trunk. The authorities are brought in and find that it is in fact a complete skeleton, minus one hand found a short distance away. Once the details of this discovery and investigation are presented, the film goes on to explore all the possible theories of who this mysterious woman might have been and how she came to her demise. The narration by Tatty Dave Jones sets the tone of ghost stories told around a campfire, as excited to scare his listeners as they are to be scared. It begins with the enigmatic “Bella’s Melancholia” written by Craigus Barry, which strikes a balance between a children’s rhyme, a dark poem and a riddle. Part of what makes this film so intriguing are the various styles of the cinematography. The black and white film begins with the crackling feel of a World War II reporting newsreel. However, we soon know this is a different sort of report entirely. Many scenes begin clear and in focus, but as the darker mysteries begin to unfold, a greying of the edges starts to threaten, eventually leading to a tunnel vision by the time a given scene plays out. Other scenes, such as the boys exploring the woods has a found footage feel to it, while scenes that involve witchcraft, voodoo and insanity have a jerky feel of a psychedelic trip gone wrong. One story even used the slow motion and exaggerated expressions that are found in silent films.
The theories are varied, from Nazi spies to voodoo sacrifices to black magic and moonlight rituals. Mysterious graffiti begins to appear asking who put the woman in the elm tree – puzzling because the writers seem to know the woman’s name was Bella. There is an enigmatic writer, Quaestor Jones, who follows the story for more than a decade, trying to unravel the mystery, to no avail. The speculation about the woman herself was just as hotly debated. What was the manner of her death? Was she a prostitute in the wrong place or a cabaret singer that was in reality an undercover spy for the Nazis? Was she merely an unfortunate caught by travelers to be used to create a Hand of Glory who were unable to complete their dark ritual?
The original music by The Worrisome Ankletrout has an old fashioned feel to it that evokes melancholy, fear, madness and intrigue in turn. It helps the viewer to step back in time, although in places it somewhat overwhelms the voice over narrative making it difficult to follow some parts.
The film was slightly confusing at first as it was unclear that this was an exploration of various theories of how and why this woman came to be in the elm and I was trying to piece together a coherent narrative. However, once it was clear that these were various possibilities and it was not building to an overall story, I just went along for the trip to discover the theories and speculation of who put Bella in the wych elm.
All in all, this is an entertaining and compelling look at this mystery turned local legend.
The Midnight Hour
The Midnight Hour is a hilariously campy companion piece to Bella in Wych Elm from Carnie Films that adds some perspective on how theories and rumors of mysterious events develop into local legend. The premise of the short is that long lost episodes of a 1970s documentary series have been unearthed, allowing us to see the insights of one Dr. Balden Cross on otherworldly occurrences and supernatural activities. Dr. Cross is the founder of the Para-Theological and Metaphysical Research Institute and the host of the show. As the host his persona is a wonderful combination of a mischievous Vincent Price with a macabre Jack Black. He relishes trite phrases such as “a student of the dark arts” with such delight that it seems he believes the joys of indulging in fervent and complete belief far outweigh the loss of dignity that a more discerning scholar might fall prey to. After all, as the good doctor explains, in the world of the supernatural sometimes the “chains of accuracy are severed and allow the stories to soar on the charms of imagination”. We are further treated to the historian Sheila Fosdyke who sports cat eye glasses, a groovy sweater and deep confidence as a subject matter expert despite her lack of any real theories or conclusions.
The main set is a heady mix of wooden paneling, gothic decor and dark, heavy oversized furniture but there is plenty of scholarly striding about in cemeteries as well. The music by the “Pieri Sonic Sound Studio” has the groovy 60s feel of a Theremin being played with great passion and adds to the irreverent fun that this short provides.
While all of this is entertaining, there is an interesting observation within that adds depth to the main film. Our doctor reveals that he himself has seen otherworldly and unexplainable things and that “In such cases, does folklore cease to be and instead become matter of fact?” Watching this part of The Midnight Hour handed me an “aha” moment in which I suddenly understood the progression from weird facts through multiple theories, all the way to local legend. This little piece is great fun but also has something valuable to say about how local legends are born.
I sincerely hope that we will be treated to more of this series. I want to hear any number of theories that Dr. Cross has to share.