“Set
in England during the unstable and
barbaric 14th Century when lives were
cheap and the country dangerously
obsessed with superstition, Black Death
paints a bloody and horrific portrait of
the times around the outbreak of the
devastating bubonic plague...” DEATH HAS CAST A DARK SHADOW OVER Mediaeval England in the shape of a plague
more cruel and more pitiless than war. But increasingly there are those who
believe that it not the punishment from God the priests claim, but the work
of the devil and his witches. Fear of the unknown is unleashing a horrific backlash
against anyone suspected of consorting with evil.
In 1348 there is talk of a Godless village that has escaped the tendrils of
the Black Death and that is ruled by a demon. The Bishop sends his envoy, a
courageous knight called Ulric (Sean Bean: Lord Of The Rings), and a
group of mercenaries to venture out to the remote marsh to find this village
and to flush out a necromancer who is reputed to be bringing the dead back to
life.
At a monastery, Ulric asks the Abbot if there is a monk who will act as a guide.
But when young monk Osmund (Eddie Redmayne: Elizabeth, Golden Age) volunteers
to lead them across the marsh, he has a hidden agenda and he is setting out
on a path that will be far removed from the pious monk he appears to be. "Even
if you survive," the Abbot warns Osmund, "the world out there will change you."
In an apocalyptic world full of fear and suspicion and where to dare to be different
can bring untold suffering, Ulric sets out to discover if the village has truly
forgotten God and whether the life-giving necromancer really is a demon.
It is a perilous journey fraught with unknown danger and Ulric has little idea
of what nameless terror they may have to face or indeed whether they will return
from their quest. All he has is faith that God travels with them and a desire
to rid the world of His enemies.
If Ulric and his men do manage the journey across the marshes to the Godforsaken
place they seek, will they be prepared for whatever fate awaits them? How will
they know the village and will Osmund find his lost love and Ulric recognise
the threat against them?
With death at every turn, will anyone get out alive? Thrilling and intriguing,
Black Death is a darkly haunting tale of a land riddled with pestilence
and superstition. A terrific film but be warned: it is sometimes grisly, gruesome
and bloody. Perhaps a little too horrifically explicit and I would have preferred
those sights and sounds to be edited out, particularly in a film that wasn't
given an 18 Certificate.
Black Death has an all-star cast that features John Lynch as Wolfstan; Tim
McInnerny (Severance) as Hob; Kimberley Nixon as Averill; Andy Nyman
as Dalywag; David Warner (Planet Of The Apes) as The Abbot; Johnny Harris
as Mold; Emun Elliott as Swire; Tygo Gernandt as Ivo; Jamie Ballard as Grift;
Nike Martens as Elena and Carice van Houten (Valkyrie) as Langiva. Director
of Photography is Sebastian Edschmid; Music is by Christian Henson; Screenplay
is by Dario Poloni; Produced by Robert Bernstein, Douglas Rae, Jens Meurer and
Phil Robertson. Directed by Christopher Smith (Triangle; Severance).
•
Journey
into hell with Black Death as it brings an action-packed odyssey into
evil onto Blu-ray and DVD, courtesy of Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, on
18 October 2010. Certificate: 15 | RRP: Blu-ray £22.99; DVD £15.99 | Running
Time — Blu-ray: Approximately 101 Minutes; DVD: Approximately 97 Minutes.
Both the Blu-ray and the DVD contain special features, including the Bringing
Black Death to Life Featurette. The Blu-ray is packed with hours of exclusive
features, including director's commentary, interviews with cast and crew, behind-the-scenes
footage and a photo gallery.
Special Features
DVD: Bringing Black Death to Life Featurette | Original Theatrical Trailer.
Blu-ray only: Bringing Black Death to Life Featurette| Original Theatrical Trailer
| Commentary with Director Christopher Smith | Deleted Scenes (with optional
commentary) | Behind the Scenes Footage | Photo Gallery | Interviews with Cast
and Crew | Interviews with Director Christopher Smith | Interview with Producer
Jens Meurer | Interview with Producer Phil Robertson | Interview with Sean Bean.
"Thrilling and intriguing, Black Death is a terrific, darkly haunting
tale of a land riddled with pestilence and superstition" —
Maggie Woods, MotorBar
“Set
in England during the unstable and