History Film / BlackDeath

** Witch-hunts did not become a common phenomenon in Europe until the 15th century. On the other hand, outright apostates like the villagers would have been killed indeed, regardless of whether they practiced witchcraft or not. It's also very unlikely any person at the time would completely disbelieve in God. Everyone grew up immersed in a religious environment, and most of the Catholic Church's trouble came not from people who were irreligious, but rather from people who enthusiastically believed in some heresy that contradicted fundamental doctrine.

* DownerEnding: [[spoiler:''Yes.'' Every one of the men investigating the village dies, with the exception of Wolfstan and Osmund, the latter of whom has killed was forced to kill his drugged wife under the belief that she had been resurrected by Langiva, and goes on his own one-man crusade, hunting down and killing women he suspects of witchcraft in a search for the witch responsible for his lover's death.]]

* SlutShaming: The men try this on Langiva, screaming "whore" when she presides over their captivity, even though she's done nothing even ''remotely'' sexual in her treatment of them, or anyone else for that matter (in fact, there's no sex or even nudity in the film, period). Most likely it's just a go-to insult toward any woman in that era.
** It indeed was the gravest insult to any woman throughout the Middle Ages. In fact, unfounded slandering like that could be subject to prosecution (especially if it came from another woman).

** Witch-hunts did not become a common phenomenon in Europe until the 15th century. On the other hand, outright apostates like the villagers would have been killed indeed, regardless of whether they practiced witchcraft or not. It's also very unlikely any person at the time would completely disbelieve in God.

%%* DownerEnding

* NoGoodDeedGoesUnpunished: A woman who tried to protect her village with a blessing got accused of being a witch. Doubles as [[spoiler: IdiotBall, as even pretending to use magic is a bad idea among the superstitious folk in the times like this]].

* AFatherToHisMen: Wolfstan.

** The abbot says that Osmund is a mere novice, but it's rather implausible that Osmund would still be a novice at his age. Granted, it took four or five years to become a monk, but those given to the church would have become novices when they were perhaps seven. The fact that Osmund hears someone's confession at one point implies that he is a monk, since a novice would not be qualified to do that.*
* Nobody in the 14th century would refer to a man Osmund's age (the actor was 27 at the time, [[OlderThanTheyLook and could pass for 18 at best]]) as a "boy", since the concept of adolescence didn't really exist yet and males were considered to be legal adults after age twelve or so.

* TheBlackDeath: [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Obviously]].

* ChekhovsGun: The cage.

* DownerEnding: Good God, yes.

** ... Bordering on BlackAndBlackMorality on all sides.
* HolierThanThou

* LadyLand

* MissionFromGod: Ulric.

* SecretlyDying: [[spoiler: Ulric.]]

* TakingYouWithMe: [[spoiler: Ulric]].

* UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans

One of the primary themes of the film is total uncertainty with how one interacts with the world, abounding with cases of MaybeMagicMaybeMundane. The whispers in the woods may be demons, it may be highwaymen. The village witch may be in league with Satan, she may just know how to brew poisons. The town may be warded, it may just be isolated. The plague may target the unrighteous first, everyone may be damned together.

In 1348, the Bubonic Plague sweeps through England. Frightened, many people blame witches or their own sins. Osmund, a novice in a monastery, volunteers to guide knight Ulric and his men to a village, which the plague has not reached at all and is therefore suspect. What the knights do not know is that Osmund volunteered to have a chance to see his girl.

One of the primary themes of the film is total uncertainty with how one interacts with the world. The whispers in the woods may be demons, it may be highwaymen. The village witch may be in league with Satan, she may just know how to brew poisons. The town may be warded, it may just be isolated. The plague may target the unrighteous first, everyone may be damned together.

In 1348 the Bubonic Plague sweeps through England. Frightened, many people blame witches or their own sins. Osmund, a novice in a monastery, volunteers to guide knight Ulric and his men to a village, which the plague has not reached at all and is therefore suspect. What the knights do not know is that Osmund volunteered to have a chance to see his girl.

* SeeYouInHell

* WhatASenselessWasteOfHumanLife: The whole damn thing, whether people are dying from TheBlackDeath or the {{WitchHunt}}s that follow.

** The abbot says that Osmund is a mere novice, but it's rather implausible that Osmund would still be a novice at his age. Granted, it took four or five years to become a monk, but those given to the church would have become novices when they were perhaps seven. The fact that Osmund hears someone's confession at one point implies that he is a monk, since a novice would not be qualified to do that.
** People also talk about friars and monks as if they're synonymous, when it's as big as the difference between a policeman and a fireman.
** Osmund must have the smallest tonsure (shaved crown) and the largest monks' cell in Christendom.

** Nobody in the 14th century would refer to a man Osmund's age (the actor was 27 at the time, [[OlderThanTheyLook and could pass for 18 at best]]) as a boy, since the concept of adolescence didn't really exist yet and males were considered to be legal adults after age twelve or so.

* ArtisticLicenseHistory: Some pointers borrowed from WebVideo/{{Lindybeige}}:

** The abbot says that Osmund is a mere novice, but it's rather implausible that Osmund would still be a novice at his age. Granted, it took four or five years to become a monk, but those given to the church would have become novices when they were perhaps seven.

** A monk would be qualified to hear someone's confession, but not a novice. People also talk about friars and monks as if they're synonymous, when it's as big as the difference between a policeman and a fireman.

* BurnTheWitch

''Black Death'' is a 2010 movie from Christopher Smith (director of ''Film/{{Creep 2004}}'', ''Film/{{Severance}}'' and ''Film/{{Triangle}}''), starring Creator/SeanBean, Eddie Redmayne and Creator/CariceVanHouten.

** Witch-hunts did not become a common phenomenon in Europe until the 15th century. The usual scapegoats during the 14th century black death were the Jews, who were long before suspected of poisoning wells and spreading diseases among Christendom. On the other hand, outright apostates like the villagers would have been killed indeed, regardless of whether they practiced witchcraft or not. It's also very unlikely any person at the time would completely disbelieve in God.

* ArtisticLicenseHistory: Some pointers borrowed from Lindybeige:

* HollywoodCostuming: Sticklers will have a field day, again courtesy of Lindybeige. The usual ahistorical studded leather bondage gear that's supposed to be leather "armor" is present. You can see modern materials and fasteners such as pop-rivets on some costumes, and knitted fabric painted to look like chain mail.

** In real life, plague doctors didn't start wearing those masks with a bird beak to hold herbs until the 16th century.

''Black Death'' is a 2010 movie from Christopher Smith (director of ''Film/{{Creep}}'', ''Film/{{Severance}}'' and ''Film/{{Triangle}}''), starring Creator/SeanBean, Eddie Redmayne and Creator/CariceVanHouten.

* TheDungAges: During most of the scenes you can practically feel the dirt under your fingernails. You can certainly see it on the characters! Even individuals whose social status or occupation would require that they be well-dressed and groomed look very scruffy and disheveled.

* RealIsBrown: Folks of all conditions are depicted wearing very drab clothing, and the monastery is shown as bare-walled and austere, whereas real-life medieval people were fond of colorful clothes and filled the insides of their religious buildings with painting.

** The abbot says that Osmund is a mere novice, but it's rather implausible that Osmund would still be a novice at his age. Granted, it took four or five years to become a monk, but those given to the church would have become novices when they were perhaps seven. A monk would be qualified to hear someone's confession, but not a novice. People also talk about friars and monks as if they're synonymous, when it's as big as the difference between a policeman and a fireman.

* TheOphelia: [[spoiler: Subverted in that Averill was drugged, perhaps]].

* ArtisticLicense: While otherwise historically accurate, the fundamental premise is wrong: Witch-hunts did not become a common phenomenon in Europe until a hundred years later. The usual culprits during the black death were the Jews, who were long before suspected of poisoning wells and spreading diseases among Christendom. On the other hand, outright apostates like the villagers would have been killed indeed, regardless of whether they practiced witchcraft or not. It's also very unlikely any person at the time would disbelieve in God.

* AwesomeButImpractical: The saw-toothed short sword wielded by Mold would get stuck in someone's ribcage; not what you'd want to happen during a melee. However, short, similarly notched daggers called sword-breakers were present during the period, usually as a main-gauche in place of a parrying dagger. The notches are meant to catch an opponent's blade in order to follow up with the main weapon.

* TheDungAges: A believable version of this trope. The village is suspiciously idyllic, but during most of the other scenes you can practically feel the dirt under your fingernails.

In 1348 the Bubonic Plague sweeps through England. Frightened, many people blame witches or their own sins. Osmund, a novice in a monastery volunteers to guide knight Ulric and his men to a village, which the plague has not reached at all and is therefore suspect. What the knights do not know is that Osmund volunteered to have a chance to see his girl.

* AFatherToHisMen: Wolfstan

* TheAtoner: [[spoiler: Ulric probably. As it is likely that he had been at the battle of Crecy, where their opponents had been slaughtered instead of being given a mercy strike. He does give one to the woman accused of being a witch]].

* CruelAndUnusualDeath: [[spoiler: Ulric's death (torn apart by horses)]] is horrific. Such punishment or its equivalent was historically reserved only for [[spoiler: high treason and regicide]] mainly because it was considered extremely cruel.

** Ulrich claimed that he killed the accused witch quickly in order to prevent her from [[BurnTheWitch death by burning]] - a far worse fate.

* NothingIsScarier: [[spoiler: No demons, no witchcraft (maybe), just people turning on people in times of desperation. The ending is a crushing example of this.]]

* TakingYouWithMe: [[spoiler: Ulric]]

* FaceDeathWithDignity: [[spoiler: Ulric]].

* HollywoodAtheist: Hob, (and possibly the other villagers) who declares there is in God, heaven or hell. His work is performing {{human sacrifice}}s of Christians that refuse to give up their faith ([[MortonsFork though those who do are still killed out of view]]). Langiva may be one too, as Hob is her follower, although her speech is more ambiguous between this and [[NayTheist denouncing God]] [[GodIsEvil as evil]].

* HollywoodAtheist: Hob, (and possibly the other villagers) who declares there is in God, heaven or hell. His work is performing {{human sacrifice}}s of Christians that refuse to give up their faith ([[MortonsFork though those who do are still killed]]). Langiva may be one too, as Hob is her follower, although her speech is more ambiguous between this and [[NayTheist denouncing God]] [[GodIsEvil as evil]].

* HollywoodAtheist: Hob, (and possibly the other villagers) who declares there is in God, heaven or hell. His work is performing {{human sacrifice}}s of Christians that refuse to give up their faith ([[MortonsFork though those who do are still killed]]). Langiva may be one too, as Hob is her follower, although her dialogue comes more ambiguous between this and [[NayTheist denouncing God]] [[GodIsEvil as evil]].

* HollywoodAtheist: Hob, (and possibly the other villagers) who declares there is in God, heaven or hell. His work is performing {{human sacrifice}}s of Christians that refuse to give up their faith. Langiva may be one too, as Hob is her follower, although her dialogue comes more ambiguous between this and simply [[NayTheist denouncing God]] [[GodIsEvil as evil]].