Production and Reception

Abstract

This chapter outlines the film’s production, release and reception. It includes brief biographies for the key creatives (Piers Haggard, director; Robert Wynne-Simmons, writer; Marc Wilkinson, composer; Dick Bush, Director of Photography), a detailed history on the film’s inception and production, an account of the film’s release and its immediate reception, and a summary of its home release and its emergent cult status. This chapter concludes with a consideration of the film’s locations, the time setting for the film (an approximate early 18th Century) and a short discussion on the influence of Ingmar Bergman’s films on Satan’s Claw’s aesthetic and themes.