Daniel Kokotajlo’s impressive follow-up to his award-winning Apostasy is a brilliant adaptation of Andrew Michael Hurley’s acclaimed novel.
In 1970s Yorkshire, Richard and Juliette relocate to Richard’s childhood home, hoping the idyllic country surroundings will benefit their young son. However, a sudden tragic event drives a wedge through the family, which triggers Richard, an academic archaeologist, to bury himself in obsessively exploring a local folkloric myth.
Kokotajlo’s mysterious slow-burn folk horror feels tangibly of the moist Yorkshire earth, while evoking the spellbinding nature of great supernatural and occult horror films from the 70s. It is a wildly eerie piece, tightly stitched together with genuine chills and two bold, unflinching performances from Matt Smith and Morfydd Clark.
Extras
Presented in High Definition and Standard Definition
Newly recorded audio commentary by director Daniel Kokotajlo, production designer Francesca Massariol and sound designer Ben Baird
The Land Holds the Melody (2024, 23 mins): Starve Acre composer Matthew Herbert reveals his multi-layered approach to writing film music
There’s Something Out There (2024, 20 mins): author Andrew Michael Hurley discusses his novel Starve Acre and the landscapes of folk horror
Interviews with stars Matt Smith and Morfydd Clark (2023, 10 mins)
Interview with The Hare Team (2023, 16 mins): an insight into the work of creature effects supervisor Sharna Rothwell and lead puppeteer Aidan Cook
Behind-the-scenes footage (2023, 5 mins)
The sandwich scene (2024, 1 min): deleted scene with optional commentary from the director
The Hare, a Folk Song (2024, 1 min): actor Sean Gilder, who plays Gordon in the film, reads an extract from the Starve Acre novel
Behind-the-scenes gallery: a collection of photos and storyboard elements that shine a light on the production process
Stills gallery
Theatrical trailer
Newly created audio description track for the blind and visually impaired
Newly created optional English descriptive subtitles
**FIRST PRESSING ONLY** Illustrated booklet featuring new writing on the film by Professor Catherine Spooner, new writing on contemporary folk horror by Dr Adam Scovell and a text by director Daniel Kokotajlo
