31 Days of Halloween: The Woods (2006) – Join the Coven!

It’s Day 3 of 1428 Elm’s 31 Days of Halloween, and today we’re looking at the time period flick from Lucky McKee, the 2006 horror movie The Woods.

The Woods is a creepy, little witch story set in New England during the 60s. This is the perfect film for hot chocolate and a cold, dark autumn night. Starring Agnes Bruckner, Patricia Clarkson and Bruce Campbell, this indie horror flick is guaranteed to haunt your dreams.

“We have a certain way of doing things here. And you better find out what that way is or there will be serious consequences.” – Ms. Traverse

Suburban Rebel

The Woods – Agnes Bruckner – Courtesy of United Artists, Cinerenta Medienbeteiligungs KG, Furst Films

Ah, the 60s. Everything seemed so serene, full of white picket fences and hope. However, for Heather Fasulo (played with incredible sincerity by Agnes Bruckner), it is everything but that Norman Rockwell painting. Most of her problems involve her uptight snobby shrew of a mother Alice (played to the hilt by Emma Campbell) who is the queen bee of the household.

She is more concerned about what the neighbors think of her than her own daughter. Joe, her long-suffering father (a wonderfully restrained performance from Bruce Campbell) seems to be sleepwalking through his existence so he doesn’t have to deal with his unbearably domineering wife.

Heather is the real casualty in this suburban melodrama. While everything appears copacetic on the outside it is definitely turbulent behind the walls of the Fasulo household. After Heather sets a tree on fire, her parents weary of her rebellious ways, send her packing to an exclusive boarding school in the woods.

Light as a Feather, Stiff as a Board

The Woods – Patricia Clarkson – Courtesy of United Artists, Cinerenta Medienbeteiligungs KG, Furst Films

Falburn Academy appears to be a good choice for Heather to learn that her actions have consequences. In many ways, it looks like a postcard for genteel girls much like an Ivy League institution or a finishing school. Ms. Traverse, the headmistress (Patricia Clarkson at her calm and refined best) welcomes her to the school with all of the warmth of an icicle.

To add insult to injury, it would appear that Heather already incurs the wrath of Falburn’s most popular girl, Samantha (Rachel Nichols). When sticking up for her only friend Marcy (Lauren Birkell) in the cafeteria, Samantha gets in her face and makes it quite clear who rules the roost. Although, Heather is feisty and isn’t one to back down.

Meanwhile things get exceptionally weird when she submits to a series of “tests” to see if she has special abilities. What Heather soon learns is that she possesses the talent to move objects with her mind. She makes a pencil stand on end one day while she is bored in class.

Heather begins to understand that things aren’t what they seem at the Academy. When she is told the story of the three witches that killed the headmistresses in the school’s past she is seriously disturbed. To make matters worse, her fellow students start disappearing.

While Heather tries to understand what is happening, Samantha approaches her and confirms that the school is run by a coven of witches. She also tells Heather that she called her father to tell him that the milk was poisoned so that she could escape. Before she can get any further, Ms. Traverse discovers her and the girls are separated.

I Put A Spell on You

The Woods – Bruce Campbell – Courtesy of United Artists, Cinerenta Medienbeteiligungs KG, Furst Films

Later on, Samantha is discovered hanging from a noose in the cafeteria. When Heather’s parents show up, her father Joe is irate. Ms. Traverse begs him to reconsider his actions but he is adamant that Heather is going home.

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While en route to their residence, it seems as if the Fasulo’s are lost. Immediately, Alice starts haranguing Joe. In the midst of telling her to be quiet, the car goes careening off the road and into a ditch.

Of course, Alice starts in on Joe again when out of the blue, the car is mysteriously flipped. Alice is dragged out of the car by the trees. When Joe tries to assist her, she kicks him in the head and knocks him out.

Things are only going to get progressively worse once Heather and her father are taken to the hospital. Ms. Traverse drags Heather back to Falburn and then proceeds to curse Joe. He becomes catatonic.

At the school, Heather descends into a nightmare. The teachers reveal that they are indeed witches and that she must help them complete their diabolical plan to switch bodies with their students because their spirits have been trapped in the woods for years.

While all the craziness is going on at the Academy, Joe isn’t faring so well at the hospital. Something breaks him out of his catatonic state. He vomits up black goo and twigs which causes him to be among the living again. Before he can be noticed, he manages to steal away without getting caught. He heads into the night to rescue his daughter.

The Talent

I don’t want to give away the ending. As a matter of fact, that may be the only thing that I find lacking in this effort by director Lucky McKee. It may be disappointing to some viewers but it is definitely not a deal breaker.

Others might find the narrative of this film to be boring because there aren’t jump scares every ten minutes. This is a slow, calculated burn type of deal. You actually have to pay attention and follow the plot.

It is no secret that I am a fan of psychological horror and this fits my criteria. The performances are stellar. Patricia Clarkson is a magnificent character actress who floats effortlessly between all the genres. Prior to this film, I wasn’t aware of Agnes Bruckner but I was impressed with her mastery of her character. I had no problem believing her internal struggles as Heather.

As for Bruce Campbell, it is a pleasure seeing him play a father. If you go into this movie thinking he is going to be Ash or a Sam Axe type, think again. In his role as Joe Fasulo, he exhibits a range that some of his fans might not think he is capable of.

His performance is quiet, it is believable and for the limited amount of screen time that he has, he makes the most of it. This man is talented and is at the top of his game. He doesn’t need to be wielding a chainsaw in every single role.

Next: 31 Days of Halloween: Mindwarp, Fangoria’s dystopian blood fest of horror

The Verdict

If you enjoy old school style horror stories, then The Woods is for you. It is the perfect movie to enjoy in a dark room on Halloween night.

Have you seen The Woods? What did you think of it? If not, does it sound like a movie you would enjoy? Please feel free to let us know your thoughts in the comment section below. We want to hear from you!