The Curse Upon the Obra Dinn The Obra Dinn, a merchant ship, set sail from London in 1802. It was bound for the Orient with over 200 tons of goods and a crew of 51 men. However, the ship mysteriously disappeared and was presumed lost at sea. It wasn't until five years later that the ship reappeared on the shores of Falmouth, England under strange circumstances. When the ship was discovered, there was no sign of the crew except for a few corpses. The ship was in a state of disarray, with blood-soaked decks and evidence of a struggle.
The ship was in a state of disarray, with blood-soaked decks and evidence of a struggle. The authorities boarded the ship and discovered a journal belonging to an insurance adjuster named William Davenport. The journal detailed the events that occurred on the ship, as well as the fate of the crew.
Watch: Robert Eggers “The VVitch”
For the horror-obsessed New Englander, there’s really only one film to come out in the last year that deserves a proper evening viewing during the final days of our spooky season – Robert Eggers’ “The Witch”.
“The Witch” is a mid-1600s period piece following a puritan family in New Hampshire who, for mysterious reasons, were exiled from their community. Throughout the beginning portion of the film, we see the family battling the unforgiving, unsettled deep New Hampshire terrain, forced to reckon with rural New Hampshire’s unforgiving soil and punishing weather. It is in this remote, dark and ominous wood where the family has a truly disturbing run-in with a…well, you get the idea.
The film’s original title was “The VVitch: A New England Folktale”, which perfectly captures what’s so disturbing about the film – its authenticity, familiarity, and believability. The truly horrific moments in “The Witch” have little to do with gore, jump scares or spooky theme music. “The Witch” terrorizes viewers with its pensiveness, its ambiance, and chilling depictions of an old world where a benevolent God of th e New Testament i sn’t the only governing force. The film slowly leads you through a story about loss, faith, man versus nature, and mysticism. We helplessly watch in horror as characters make damning decisions out of desperation and exhaustion, leading to an end that must be seen, not explained, in order to be fully understood.
All these elements of the film are intensified if you’re a New Englander. Everyone’s heard of the Salem Witch trials, but folks from New England have a special connection with that sordid time in our history. It’s a part of our cultural consciousness, and is uniquely embedded in the physical spaces we still move through today. It’s safe to say that most of us have some sort of spooky, inexplicable story related to the menacing woods on a New England neighbor’s property.
Still from “The Witch”, 2015
Though he personally does not identify as a practicing witch, New Hampshire native Robert Eggers is still a great person to tell this story since he understands how New Englanders are connected to this disturbing history. The director uses his relationship with the subject matter as a motivator, aestheticising it, albeit a bit stereotypical, through precise recreation and familiar storytelling, as he told The AV Club, “…My earliest nightmares were about witches, and witch nightmares led to an interest in witches since forever. New England’s past was always very much a part of my childhood consciousness. If you grew up in rural New England, it was unavoidable, with the dilapidated colonial farmhouses and so on. But I had my own idea of New England’s mythic past, and the woods behind my house seemed haunted by the past to me.”
Apart from the familiar story and the setting, the film feels real. It’s well known that Eggers spent nearly four years on-and-off researching every aspect of the film. Eggers ensured that everything from the hand-stitched clothing to the dialogue, lifted, in most cases, directly from journals and court transcripts, were authentic not solely for the sake of realism, but to ensure an immersive viewing experience. “I have to really bring them back to the 17th century when that existed.” said Eggers, “I have to get all the details right in order for you to actually believe. It’s not just accuracy for its [own] sake.”
You can watch Robert Eggers “The Witch” on several streaming platforms now, or head to your local library and snag the DVD for free.
You might be a white witch if you:
According to the journal, the crew members started to exhibit strange and aggressive behavior shortly after setting sail. They would mutter incoherent words and act irrationally. The captain tried to maintain order, but soon the entire crew descended into madness. The journal described how crew members started attacking each other, resulting in casualties. Eventually, only a few crew members were left alive. The cause of this madness was believed to be a curse. The Obra Dinn had stopped at a small island called Nuku Hiva, where the crew came into contact with an idol that was believed to have magical powers. It is believed that the idol cursed the crew and caused the chaotic events that unfolded on the ship. The crew members who survived were either killed by their fellow crew members or died from unexplained causes. The curse upon the Obra Dinn remains a mystery to this day. Some believe it was a supernatural force, while others think it was a result of a hallucinogenic substance or a contagious disease. Whatever the cause, the events that occurred on the ship serve as a chilling reminder of the dangers that lie in the unknown. The Obra Dinn has since become a legend in maritime history. The ship and its cursed crew have captivated the imaginations of many, and the story has been passed down through generations. The mystery of the curse upon the Obra Dinn continues to intrigue and fascinate people, even centuries later..
Reviews for "The Award-Winning Success of The Curse Upon the Obra Dinn"
1. Michael - 2/5 stars - I was really excited to play "The Curse upon the Obra Dinn" after hearing all the hype surrounding it, but I was ultimately disappointed. The unique art style and concept were intriguing, but the gameplay fell flat for me. The puzzles were overly convoluted and difficult to solve, leading to frustration rather than enjoyment. Additionally, the lack of guidance or hints made it frustratingly easy to get stuck and spend too much time on certain parts. Overall, while the game had potential, it didn't deliver an engaging and enjoyable experience for me.
2. Sarah - 1/5 stars - I found "The Curse upon the Obra Dinn" to be incredibly boring and tedious. The monochromatic visuals and repetitive soundtrack became tiresome after a short while. Moreover, the narrative lacked depth and failed to captivate my interest. The game heavily relied on trial and error, which felt more like a chore than a puzzle-solving experience. I ended up quitting halfway through as I couldn't bear to continue playing. Overall, "The Curse upon the Obra Dinn" didn't live up to the hype for me and left me feeling incredibly underwhelmed.
3. Robert - 2/5 stars - I had high hopes for "The Curse upon the Obra Dinn" as a fan of detective games, but I found myself disappointed in the execution. While the concept of identifying the crew members' fates through frozen moments in time was intriguing, the gameplay quickly became repetitive and monotonous. The lack of character development and flat dialogue made it difficult to connect with the story or the individuals on the ship. Additionally, the controls felt clunky and the overall pacing of the game was slow. Unfortunately, I didn't find "The Curse upon the Obra Dinn" to be a satisfying or enjoyable experience.