Deconstructing The Witch With Anya Taylor Joy

In today’s episode we’re going to breakdown the success and important impact of 2015’s “The Witch”
while also diving deep into what this movie can tell us about finding our place in a world that otherwise doesn’t accept us. It’s a dark story, to be sure. But I believe it’s also a very personal story to the filmmaker behind it which makes for an interesting sense of relief and liberation by the time the credits roll. For those looking for an excess of gore and flashy kills, you may soon find yourself wandering beyond the slice and dice of slasher cinema and instead being taken on a more cerebral and psychological journey through the mind of Robert Eggars in his first directorial outing - The Witch.
WATCH OR OWN THE FILM HERE: bit.ly/3RCwkus
Written, Narrated, and Edited by Kier Gomes
Produced by John Fallon and Tyler Nichols
Executive Produced by Berge Garabedian
SERIES SYNOPSIS: DECONSTRUCTING is a monthly web series in which we choose one of your favorite horror movies and take it apart piece by piece (lovingly, of course) to see what makes it a classic. Each episode examines the origins, legacy and mysteries behind our beloved genre's most iconic titles... but we play fast and loose with the rules, so expect the unexpected!
For more HORROR MOVIE NEWS, visit: www.joblo.com/...
SUBSCRIBE for all the LATEST JoBlo Horror Originals Here: bit.ly/38TqIT1
#thewitch #blackadam #joblohorror

[@meenster2008]

One thing that makes this movie so great is that in order to keep track of it, you have to REALLY pay attention because of the Old English accents. And it pays off because this is the most rewarding film to pay attention to, imo.

[@brendandarkside1207]

Lmfao you think you're a clever American. Typically isolated and arrogant. Millions of people talk like that in northern england currently and you got no idea of what your heritage might have been. More ... You disrespect the actors in their authenticity. Omg.

[@chasehedges6775]

The Witch - One of the best films of 2016 and one of the best horror films I’ve ever seen.

[@shaylaw.7273]

I totally agree 😊

[@mangacomics1601]

Horrible ending.

[@banterj]

It is a movie you have to watch several times and there will still be something to explore.

[@danstvguy]

​@@mangacomics1601Tremendous ending. The ending made it a classic. Mesmerizing.

[@YourGraceMyLady]

I watched it when it first came out and I didn’t really like it. I just watched it again last night and I loved it.

[@kennethd4958]

Funny this video got released today... I just re watched The VVitch last night after not being able to decide what horror movie I wanted to watch... I will always sit down and watch The VVitch in it's entirety... one of the very best horror movies ever made.

[@pjhunt4135]

I am literally in awe of how good this movie was....perfection in every frame. Put anya and eggers on the map, deservedly

[@t0k3verse]

Eggers?

[@LiirThropp2687]

The attention to detail and how hard they worked to make sure even minor things were accurate for the time is very impressive. I love this film. I find it brilliant and very creepy. The sense of isolation and paranoia is top notch.

[@jaded5957]

I clicked on this video *so* fast. Great choice and great retrospective.

[@JoBloHorrorOriginals]

Much appreciated!

[@shaylaw.7273]

Same

[@krisnantoprayogosantoso4033]

I was misled by this video's title, I thought Anya Taylor Joy was going to give her commentaries about her experience filming that movie...

[@dingdongs5208]

Gotta do what you gotta do for the algorithm

[@MrCornrowz]

Was this supposed to be a deconstruction of the movie or a biography of the director? It took ten minutes to get to the part where you talked about the movie. All I’m saying is that it should have been a video about the director and how he models his movies on his life and not specifically about The Witch.

[@fournierman]

I was not really a fan of The VVitch when I saw it in theaters. I think part of the reason was since I had to focus so hard trying to see it due to the dark lighting, I could not really get into the film. Also, it seemed to move too slow for me. And I saw it after a long day at work. I might give it another try if I can find it in a local Redbox.

[@YourGraceMyLady]

It’s on hbomax

[@NoahofWill]

I'd like to make an observation from a different perspective: Thomasin wasn't really that much different from the rest of her family, she was just the most outspoken one, which accomplished the same effect of making her the black sheep. However, the main important thing to the rest of her family was that she was an unmarried young woman, therefore both vulnerable to the wiles of the devil and a potential vector for evil temptations and witchcraft. It's not stated as being a factor in the movie, but it WAS a common attitude in the time period: that unmarried young women are both vulnerable to and agents of the Devil. The family was having trouble growing enough food for winter thanks to crop rot cause by fungal infection (I remember hearing that Eggars himself said that's what happened but I could be wrong). As such, the reason they wanted to give Thomasin as a servant to a family in town was 3-fold: make it so that the family had fewer mouths to feed, get Thomasin to a safe place where she might even find herself a husband, and to get rid of a potential risk of evil in the home.

[@hellucination9905]

Very good observations!

[@darkhymnsfromthecoldnorth]

Always loved this movie and it always baffles me when people don't like it.

[@totalpartykill999]

because it forces you to think and be patient, but people don't like doing that.

[@hellucination9905]

Most people are just lazy and aesthetically incompetent.

[@brion0220]

Robert Eggers is one of my favorite new directors. This and The Northman are both great watches. And I cant wait for Nosferatu.

[@nihilismistheonlyway4680]

Northman blew me away! It’s a shame it went under radar like it did. I’d say if anyone likes Braveheart you’ll definitely like Northman.

[@chasehedges6775]

@@nihilismistheonlyway4680💯💯

[@VaderPopsVicodin10]

Had no idea that he was going to make a version of "Nosferatu" .. yeah, that sounds like a win. Hell yeah.

[@joeodonnell921]

I'm sure it'll be great considering the director, but do we really need another adaption of it? Would it hurt someone to try something like 'a paradise lost' or 'dantes inferno '

[@chriswilson3126]

Whilst I love all the movies Eggers has made, the witch in my opinion is still the best.

[@ryanmclellan8740]

Love this movie. On my Halloween season watch list for sure.

[@gypsydildopunks7083]

Best horror movie in the last 10 years

[@billyrattlesticks6949]

I don't care what anyone says, I've been attacked several times by fans of this film so I'm used to it, it's boring as fuck. It is probably THE most uneventful, dull, painfully slow, artsy fartsy and outright boring things I've ever sat through and NO, for the 50th time Witch fanboys, I'm not a Marvel nerd and hate that whole genre, I go to watch a horror film to be scared or un-nerved and this did neither, it's an old world family drama at best. This film sucks balls, I went to the cinema to see it with a friend, he loved it and was probably the only one in there who did, coming out nearly everyone was complaining about how dull it was, I saw people leaving early before it had even finished and I've never seen that before. This is one of those films that's so dull, so uneventful that it's spawned it's own section of fans who try to convince themselves it's a deep, meaningful work of art, kind of like those art critics who stare at a messed up bed or a white painted house brick and ponder the deep meanings and artistic merits behind it, newsflash, there aren't any, it's a white brick and a messy bed. I hate this movie with a passion.

[@bibbicus3942]

I like the movie and I barely like anything. You seem like a non-thinker pretending to be a thinker....just like you've accused the art world of no underlying meaning. Stick to the marvel movies....no thinking required. I imagine that everything else is stupid before you understand it.

[@TheAnonymous-d4l]

me too its a yawn inducing fest

[@brycesuderow3576]

A lot of the Scottish royalty fled to the French after the Stuart dynasty rebellions failed. The original family name is STEWART but the French did not have the letter W in their alphabet. (Later, the French created the letter W by putting 2V’s next to each other. They called the letter W “Double V.”) So the name soon became spelled differently. It became STUART. That is how we remember a lot of confederate leaders and the way they spelled their last name. James, Ewell brown STUART.

[@unrealdevon]

I think i know what they were going for. And i prefer slow burn more than most. But this bored me so much, mainly because i just can't get into the Lore and setting. With that said It's really well made and and at times beautiful and you can really see this is a labor of love. But this just won't scare me. guess if you are religious and easily scared this is extremely scary?.

[@jamesstewart3771]

I want to live deliciously! I love this movie . One of the bast horror movies to come out in a long time . The best part was that it had no jump scares .

[@andevil777]

Saw it when it came out, and while i love me some old skool schlock fests, horror wise, i really appreciate the sense of dread and a great autumnal feel throughout.

[@nihilismistheonlyway4680]

Love this movie! Have DVD and named my black kitty adopted from shelter Black Phillip. Sweetest cat ever.

[@moondra3481]

❤

[@danyost3014]

I still say Black Philip was the best performance of 2016...What a great flick.

[@banterj]

IF “IDGAF” was a person,it would be black Phillip!…🤭🤭🤭…he just sat there acting deaf and mute while he watched them all self destruct with absolute GLEE!

[@dancochrane5577]

Not one word is mentioned in the film about the twins. The so-called scene where a witch is suckling at a goat, cannot be seen, distinguished in the film. It’s sound only. The director doesn’t even mention what happens to the twins in his commentary.

[@hellucination9905]

The video is just not good; it's not a deconstruction - it's just some background info plus trivia.

[@flobbergassy]

I still love this movie so much. Fantastic from start to finish. Every scene and every frame is so meticulously filmed. I'll never forget seeing it in the theater for the first time. It completely changed my movie path from low budget slashers and 80s goo-fests to indie, slow burn psychological horror.

[@SEKTORRRR]

Young Anya Taylor Joy to me was One heeeeell of a beauty. she witched me for real😅❤ her appearence in this movie,just woww i fell in love in a blink of an eye 😅❤

[@chrishealton3830]

Have you seen her in the northman? Came out in 2022. She’s amazing in it.

[@Starrydarry8]

I only ever say the V-Vitch when pronouncing it 😂

[@andevil777]

Saw it when it came out, and while i love me some old skool schlock fests, horror wise, i really appreciate the sense of dread and a great autumnal feel throughout.

[@moondra3481]

When i was watching (CLAP) The Menu is was driving me nuts what film I saw her in before...so I was catching up on your vids saw this title and had my AHA! Moment she was in the vvitch!❤. She is such an incredible actress. I love this film.

[@jrr2480]

I enjoyed the movie 🎥 for its atmosphere and design. Though a friend of mine who saw it with me at the theater 🎭 didn't like the movie, I'm glad that he decided to see it with me at the time.

[@justin188541]

Fun facts: Split with Anya by M. Night Shyamalan, Old with Thomasin McKenzie by M. Night Shyamalan. Thomasin McKenzie starred with Anja Taylor Joy in Edgar Wright's Last Night in Soho. Anya plays a character named "Thomasin" in The Witch. Coincidence? I think not.

[@njmfff]

I remember watching this movie and thinking Anya will be a bit of a player in couple of years, and I am glad I wasn't wrong. She is one of the last few actresses that will actually make me want to see the movie, as she usually picked good projects. Well except that super hero movie I guess, but she was easily the best thing about that movie too.

[@bibbicus3942]

I didn't see this until recently. Wasn't sure how I felt about it the first time through, but the more times I watched it, it grew on me. Every time my wife gives me shit about anything I simply say, "Black Phillip said I can do what I like." Shuts her down every time. Oh....and I refer to the title as Va-Vich.

[@poppyseeds1844]

I love the intimacy of the family/witch scenes compared with the new country's wide spaces, and I certainly appreciate Eggar's research into his subject. It's a beautifully made film and I've seen it multiple times, except I didn't see at the end how the family undercuts itself by doing unto Tomasin as others did unto them. Great analysis in a rather compact form. A+ all around!

[@geeshep4836]

Anya taylor-joy I Love Her In Both Split And The Witch. I Saw This On HBOMAX Last Year And TUBI Back In 2021.

[@banterj]

Finally!!…one of my favorite movies…the kind of research I have done to process this movie and Hereditary,you would think I was seeking the cure for cancer…it is such an intelligent movie.

[@johnnydub237]

I feel like this could have been 20 minutes longer. Great stuff.

[@waynemcauliffe-fv5yf]

Nothing supernatural just a killer maimed by supernatural belief

[@martar49]

This movie was so boring.

[@Hellbentmedia]

I Love this Film

[@Emulous79]

If Lovecraft was immortal he would have loved this movie, I think.

[@brendandarkside1207]

Oh so you like some random author

[@smathew8810]

The most impressive fact about the movie is that it was made for only 4 million dollars.

[@wstine79]

This movie was shot very creepy.

[@chasehedges6775]

Soooo true. It’s disturbing

[@JSLifting97]

Looking forward to this 👌👌

[@nihilismistheonlyway4680]

Excellent video! I could have easily watched a 2 hour video on this subject! 😍

[@JoBloHorrorOriginals]

Means a lot. Thank you!

[@VaderPopsVicodin10]

​@@JoBloHorrorOriginalsWould definitely welcome long form retrospectives.. but that's just me 😅.. I love long form videos.

[@orhanamin1347]

And this is from A24, Eh?

[@Dr_1212]

Never saw this

[@rebelleparrish4937]

Double v's vvitch Everytime I chuckle

[@quark6766]

It`s a work of art. Love it.

[@helgageraldine513]

Love this movie! It's like Hereditary with its slow-burn pace, bleak storyline, and an epic ending. Unfortunately, not many people I know appreciate this movie because they thought it was boring. So I'm really happy to see fans in the comments loving it as much as I do.

[@angelvasquez1592]

Do Dario argento's Inferno 1980

[@NotMorganFreeman.]

I really like this movie and others like it, especially when I get tired of watching "by the numbers" horror. The color pallet and the sense of dread throughout the entire thing, but I swear the older Anya Taylor Joy gets, the more she looks like an alien grey.

[@YourGraceMyLady]

Are you serious. She’s gorgeous

[@bibbicus3942]

She really does look like an alien. I like some of the movies she's in, but I find her creepy-looking and unattractive. Pretty good actor though.

[@ExMachina70]

Do what you love and you'll never work a day in your life.

[@emmapeterson1740]

can you just like get to the point in ur videos

[@totalpartykill999]

i hope Eggers keeps making movies like this one.

[@DNOstalgia]

Great work as always 😊😊

[@DNOstalgia]

Double toasted always referred to it as the v vitch too 😊😊😊

[@marcelinomedina3232]

I love this movie! Great video!

[@wadewilson8011]

So it's safe to say that Kier Gomes (TF kind of name is THAT?) Is the Black Sheep of horror movie fans. According to your description in the beginning.

[@dirkjewitt5037]

"The Witch" was an incredible experience to sit through. Robert Eggers is a gifted director.

[@lopirobinson1991]

The point of the film when I watch it is that she would be the type of innocnet girl who would be marked as a witch back then. She tries to be good but has a will. So she actually becomes one lol Fitting. The Witch could smell her a mile away and sunk her hooks into that free spirit.

[@tammy6610]

It dragged too much.

[@bibbicus3942]

A live baby is butchered within the first 10 minutes. Maybe you should stick to still photos....this may not be your medium.

[@tammy6610]

@@bibbicus3942 your the first horror movie snob I've ran into. I guess whatever makes you get that high of feeling better then someone else will do for you.

[@courtney2410]

Song @8:40 ?

[@barcodebattler2587]

I bought the witch and a field in England as a double bill for my parents they work very well together

[@SplitLocked01]

This movie is one of the greatest art horror films to date. But IMO it should have ended after Anya Taylor Joy's character kills her mother and sits down at the table and after a moment of silence cuts to black. And saved the coven of witches ending for like a director's cut/alternate ending.

[@lobos9182]

Overrated

[@imustbecrazy5626]

Satanic movie. But Satan don't exist.

[@paulannable3734]

Do yourself a favour and check the definition of ‘fiction’

[@ScratchArkkitehti]

A moment of silence for Anya's buccal fat.

[@nihilismistheonlyway4680]

Idk why young girls are getting that darn surgery. It (buccal/face fat) naturally decreases with age so now they’re all gonna look weird and warped in their 40’s.

[@Linkous12]

She unfortunately lost more shape than that. Blame Hollywood beauty standards.

[@deraykrause4517]

Yeah she's starting to look like one of them Grey aliens.

[@brendandarkside1207]

Oh no. She's like 21 in this movie

[@justaguy7230]

I respect this movie, had a very creepy atmosphere and acting was amazing, just didn’t do it for me , but I see why people love it. Maybe I’ll try it again someday.

[@VaderPopsVicodin10]

This film was excellent 👌🏻 I remember the first time watching it and I was mesmerized throughout. The acting, the cinematography, the direction, Score..all top-tier.

[@BethPerry-r5f]

A. Hare/rabbit

[@gauge6513]

Its a bad art movie that people love because they are pretentious.

[@bibbicus3942]

Like a bad critique from a pretentious person.

[@nickelsey4712]

I say it like Va Vitch.

[@pineapplemoon9049]

The less money you have to make a movie the better the movie.

[@billyrattlesticks6949]

You've obviously never seen The Amazing Bulk or Fungicide I take it?

[@pineapplemoon9049]

@@billyrattlesticks6949 I haven’t and you’ve never seen The Evil Dead or The Texas Chainsaw Massacre

[@pineapplemoon9049]

@@billyrattlesticks6949 Where can I find those films you mention?

[@billyrattlesticks6949]

@@pineapplemoon9049 Look them up, they're pretty easy to find. They're f*cking shite. 🤣🤣🤣 But hey, if you manage to get some enjoyment from them, more power to you lol

[@elidragom]

hereditary directly took so much from this & did it better

[@elidragom]

i had to skip thru so much of this movie cuz it didn’t build tension.also didn’t miss anything vs heriditary

[@vickonstark7365]

👍🏼

[@JrobAlmighty]

Waited to watch it until a couple of years ago and it's so amazing. Adding it to the October Halloween list

[@StephenFinski-en5pz]

I’m not talking meaning or anything. I thought she gave the baby to the witch and also took part in eating little bro and sis. Also always kinda heard you have to eat a child or baby don’t remember to fly.

[@hellucination9905]

Doesn't make any sense. You need to pay better attention.

[@deraykrause4517]

I always pronounce it as the "vivitch" because it annoys people who like this overrated movie. I call the movie se7en "see seven en" for the same reason. You're not being clever movie, you're just being pretentious.

[@masterseal0418]

The Witch: A movie where Cidolfus and his wife get booted from the religious group they originally took part in; their baby gets kidnapped by a supposed witch, so they suspect Mario Movie Peach to be one of the culprits, and everyone in the same family, including Cidolfus and Mario Movie Peach slowly lose their sanity as more of the kids wound up disappearing then dead. That's the whole film summed up in one comment, thank you for reading!