SIDEWORLD - DAMNATION VILLAGE
Reviewed by Tracy Nicholas
As part of Rubicon Film’s Sideworld documentary series, Damnation Village continues to deliver the fascinating stories and high quality production that this team is becoming known for. However, this third episode dispels any concern that the series will become formulaic in its delivery, as so many documentary series tend to do. Though each episode in this series is a stand-alone experience, a through line emerges for the series as a whole with the soundtrack and visuals creating a world that is unsettlingly familiar to the ongoing observer. That being said, the pacing and focus of this episode creates a fresh experience rather than just providing new stories in the same format.
There is still a decent mix of brief tales and more in depth explorations, but the first two thirds of this episode travels at such a breakneck pace that the viewer should be prepared to buckle in and enjoy the ride. Previously, the team provided a delivery that had the feel of storytelling around a campfire with a slow and easy build. Here we are led from occurrences to sightings to speculation of origins at a pace much more reminiscent of a ghost tour docent trying to pack as many stories in to the experience as the villages hold. Part of the reason this is possible lies in the sheer volume of unusual occurrences in each of these very limited geographical locations. Spotlighting only three villages, Pluckley, Prestbury and Eyam, the focus is less on the overall theme of a unifying topic as in previous episodes and more on why these areas are supernatural hotspots. It isn’t the villages per se that are the topics of interest, but rather why these points on the globe seem to attract so many uneasy spirits.
The visuals are again stunning and evoke the unsteady landscape of a vaguely ominous dream in which you don’t know if each step you take is bringing you toward a full-fledged nightmare or back to a reality where you can shake off your unease. The color palate is for the most part muted greys and sickly greens, but the occasional wash of red will indicate more horrifying secrets are about to be revealed. The historical images used are layered with the landscapes, creating an impression that these stories and the villages in which they reside are intertwined in a way we cannot fathom.
For those that are a fan of the original artwork by Todor Popov featured in previous episodes, you will not be disappointed. These original pieces continue to create an eerie bridge spanning the gap between the feel of old woodcut art and his piercing glimpse into the humanity of his subjects. The soundtrack features a mix of ominous guttural sounds and troublesome noises that cannot be identified tied together with uneasy tones that somehow manage to combine into an undertone of unsettling music.
At the start of the episode, the Pluckley stories come at the viewer quickly and can be enjoyed as a series of small vignettes you might hear in a walking tour around town. There is a bit of detail around an influential local family, but even those tales seem unrelated except for by way of lineage. It seems much the same when we move to Prestbury, Gloucestershire. Here, we are told, there are supernatural occurrences in almost every home and public space. Indeed, there are dozens of unique sightings and stories within a 3 kilometer radius.
Don’t be fooled, though - this is not just a laundry list of hauntings. As in previous episodes, there is a larger view to be considered. We are asked to examine why these small villages seem to attract so many paranormal occurrences. Why are some spots on the planet seemingly hotbeds of spectral activity? This is less of a philosophical discussion and more of an exploration of various theories around this question and it frames the stories in a context that illuminates how people have historically tried to reason through this dilemma. This, along with first person narratives of various stories throughout, helps us place a human connection to the otherworldly happenings.
As the episode heads into the final location, the storytelling slows down to unravel a long but worthwhile history of the town of Eyam and its heroic inhabitants. It would be unfair to provide detailed spoilers here, as part of the enjoyment of this story is the masterful way that writer Jonathan Russell and director George Popov reveal the human stories that lie beneath the overarching tale of sacrifice.
Overall, Damnation Village is an excellent addition to the Sideworld series and beckons the viewer deeper into the mysterious stories that exist beyond the mundane.
Reviewed by Tracy Nicholas
As part of Rubicon Film’s Sideworld documentary series, Damnation Village continues to deliver the fascinating stories and high quality production that this team is becoming known for. However, this third episode dispels any concern that the series will become formulaic in its delivery, as so many documentary series tend to do. Though each episode in this series is a stand-alone experience, a through line emerges for the series as a whole with the soundtrack and visuals creating a world that is unsettlingly familiar to the ongoing observer. That being said, the pacing and focus of this episode creates a fresh experience rather than just providing new stories in the same format.
There is still a decent mix of brief tales and more in depth explorations, but the first two thirds of this episode travels at such a breakneck pace that the viewer should be prepared to buckle in and enjoy the ride. Previously, the team provided a delivery that had the feel of storytelling around a campfire with a slow and easy build. Here we are led from occurrences to sightings to speculation of origins at a pace much more reminiscent of a ghost tour docent trying to pack as many stories in to the experience as the villages hold. Part of the reason this is possible lies in the sheer volume of unusual occurrences in each of these very limited geographical locations. Spotlighting only three villages, Pluckley, Prestbury and Eyam, the focus is less on the overall theme of a unifying topic as in previous episodes and more on why these areas are supernatural hotspots. It isn’t the villages per se that are the topics of interest, but rather why these points on the globe seem to attract so many uneasy spirits.
The visuals are again stunning and evoke the unsteady landscape of a vaguely ominous dream in which you don’t know if each step you take is bringing you toward a full-fledged nightmare or back to a reality where you can shake off your unease. The color palate is for the most part muted greys and sickly greens, but the occasional wash of red will indicate more horrifying secrets are about to be revealed. The historical images used are layered with the landscapes, creating an impression that these stories and the villages in which they reside are intertwined in a way we cannot fathom.
For those that are a fan of the original artwork by Todor Popov featured in previous episodes, you will not be disappointed. These original pieces continue to create an eerie bridge spanning the gap between the feel of old woodcut art and his piercing glimpse into the humanity of his subjects. The soundtrack features a mix of ominous guttural sounds and troublesome noises that cannot be identified tied together with uneasy tones that somehow manage to combine into an undertone of unsettling music.
At the start of the episode, the Pluckley stories come at the viewer quickly and can be enjoyed as a series of small vignettes you might hear in a walking tour around town. There is a bit of detail around an influential local family, but even those tales seem unrelated except for by way of lineage. It seems much the same when we move to Prestbury, Gloucestershire. Here, we are told, there are supernatural occurrences in almost every home and public space. Indeed, there are dozens of unique sightings and stories within a 3 kilometer radius.
Don’t be fooled, though - this is not just a laundry list of hauntings. As in previous episodes, there is a larger view to be considered. We are asked to examine why these small villages seem to attract so many paranormal occurrences. Why are some spots on the planet seemingly hotbeds of spectral activity? This is less of a philosophical discussion and more of an exploration of various theories around this question and it frames the stories in a context that illuminates how people have historically tried to reason through this dilemma. This, along with first person narratives of various stories throughout, helps us place a human connection to the otherworldly happenings.
As the episode heads into the final location, the storytelling slows down to unravel a long but worthwhile history of the town of Eyam and its heroic inhabitants. It would be unfair to provide detailed spoilers here, as part of the enjoyment of this story is the masterful way that writer Jonathan Russell and director George Popov reveal the human stories that lie beneath the overarching tale of sacrifice.
Overall, Damnation Village is an excellent addition to the Sideworld series and beckons the viewer deeper into the mysterious stories that exist beyond the mundane.