THE LAST SACRIFICE
****
Directed by Rupert Russell.
Starring Jonathan Rigby, Leila Latif, Janet Farrar.
Documentary, UK, 94 Minutes, Certificate TBC.
Reviewed as part of Pigeon Shrine FrightFest Glasgow 2025
Just when you thought you had your fill of documentaries examining folk horror, let alone THE WICKER MAN, along comes Rupert Russell with the wildly entertaining and fantastically edited THE LAST SACRIFICE, receiving its UK premiere at this year's Glasgow FrightFest. Beginning with an in-depth look at the murder of Charles Walton in 1945 it ends up as an examination of a nation whose insular nature could be attributed to something even more sinister that lurks within not only its inhabitants but the land itself.
Long regarded as the last ritual murder in Great Britain, Charles Walton’s mysterious death in 1945 captured the nation's interest with lurid newspaper headlines grabbing the attention of readers who would pore over the gory details of the elderly farmer's demise and the mysterious circumstances surrounding it. Attracting the likes of Robert Fabian, the Scotland Yard detective whose powers of deduction made him a household name, the case still remains unsolved, attracting more investigations and wild eyed theories as to what exactly was going on in the seemingly sleepy village of Meon Hill where Mr Walton resided and met the wrong end of a pitchfork.
Far much more than a true crime documentary, Russell examines the effects of this singular murder case by taking a look at the societal elements that surrounded it. Through his keen eye he sketches out, with the aid of a trove of fantastic footage culled from vintage horror films and eye opening television news reports, an ever increasing feedback loop where rumour and hysterical speculation, mainly emanating from Walton’s murder, goes onto influence popular culture. Cult favourites including THE WITCHES and CURSE OF THE CRIMSON ALTAR are just a couple of these lurid technicolour horrors, which then feed back into influencing the countries culture in ever more fascinating and disturbing ways.
All of this on its own is fascinating enough before we get to the undeniable parallels that can be drawn between the case and what is perhaps the ultimate example of folk horror; THE WICKER MAN. Insular communities with strange beliefs and a straight laced and ultimately mystified agent of the law being two of the most obvious examples, but Russell draws even more comparisons with the state of the nation itself, both at the time and beyond. With the help of editor Alexander McNeill, the documentary makes these similarities in a striking and often hilarious fashion; one particular example being a gentleman in the 1970's who claims to have met the devil and being very taken with his appearance before a quite extraordinary exorcism that seems more designed to remove his scalp than an actual spiritual expulsion displaying this country’s talent for deeply odd behaviour.
This general oddness that we take for granted or pass off humorously soon takes a more sinister turn as further parallels are made and even more mind-boggling details of the Walton case are revealed. Russell, whose father Ken made a name for himself examining such paranoia and hysteria with THE DEVILS in particular, may stretch incredulity at some points and completely ignores Scottish and Welsh mythology, focusing exclusively on the English strand. These slight niggles aside this is seriously entertaining and enlightening stuff. It packs so much insight, theory and commentary into its ninety minute running time that it feels so much longer, but in a satisfying way.
After all of this make sure to stay seated during the end credits for a coda that brings everything to a close by shining a light on the sinister influence of Meon Hill on a completely surprising subject. It is too funny and surprising to spoil here so make sure to catch this if the opportunity arises.
Iain MacLeod
