Robert Eggers on 'The Witch', Familial Trauma, and the Supernatural

The voice of the father is glorious, he should do voice acting.

if Eggers can continue to make films like this he's going to change the genre, ppl won't settle for less.

Robert Eggers, thank you. For a decade I had thought horror genres were lacking originality, in terms of cinematic techniques of course. Enough with the jump scares, shitty cgi creatures, and clichè endings. Mr. Eggers did an amazing job!! The dialogue was well perfomed, especially by the father and daughter. Loved the cinematography and the score! Robert Eggers is a director to look out for in the years to come.

As someone who lives in New England, I am amazed at how well this director understands the emotions that can be felt in regards to its history. Its a place that has rock walls, gravestones and relics from early settlers. These emotions are especially noticeable when the colors of the leaves change and halloween comes along. New England can be a very spooky place during the fall, but is also inexplicably exciting and enticing. And let me tell you watching this movie, I felt that this director completely encompassed these emotions and captured them so beautifully. There's a claustrophobia to this picture that makes me think of hiking in the New Hampshire woods and wondering who was here a few hundred years ago. This film is absolutely a work of art because I experienced every single emotion Eggers was trying to portray and it frightened me and also excited me. In my opinion the movie is partly about the family's struggle, but even more so about the setting and mood. 10/10 wonderful job, pumped for the next film he makes. I also live close to that museum in Lee, NH he talked about. I'm gonna check it out since he mentioned it!!

Best movie I have seen so far this year. Haunted me for days. The breakdown of the family was the saddest and scariest part because you knew they loved each other, The cruelty of the situation was gut wrenching. Plus the film is just gorgeous-the visuals, sound, and dialogue just totally drew me in. Hope people can make time to see this movie. A24 is having a great year. Room was a masterpiece as well.

God I love this movie. The dialogue is beautiful. The cinematic features are dark intense and if it's like you're actually breathing the scene.

I am rather late to the party, only watched the movie last month but cannot stop thinking about it. Absolutely beautiful and masterful storytelling. What Eggers says in this interview regarding writing the dialogue really distinguishes the movie for me, as well as the way it does not utilise horror cliches, but rather tells its story in such a wonderful folk-tale way. I’m German, so grew up with Grimm’s Fairytales and this movie gave me exactly the vibe I have been craving in such a regard. Just, so good.

This movie was reminiscent of The Crucible, Nathaniel Hawthorne, The exorcist and ....something original! I wish more movies were like this gem. 10/10

These questions really REALLY didn't segway at all... "Satan gives me that power-" "Let's talk about casting" Good god.

I did not realize this was his first full length film.  Impressive.  Another young promising director is always a good thing!

Seems like everyone can be a reporter for horror art movies. His passion for what he does saved the interview.

What I respect most about of him, like few filmmakers/storytellers, is the fact that he creates movies for himself. Like Bong Joon-Ho said at the 92nd Academy Awards, "The most personal is the most creative." - Martin Scorsese

I am a hardcore horror movie lover and find it extremely difficult to find anything that genuinely scares me today. Jump scares are not scary, slash and gore is not scary. When I saw this in the theatre, my heart was pounding and full of dread and I was so stressed out by the movie's end. Lots of people said it was boring and the only explanation for that is they are used to those stupid lazy jump scares that offer little and fleeting gratification. So if you want the sense of doom and sliw creeping dread kind of scare, this will def work. The Babadook is also pretty good.

Robert Eggers is my hope for the new generation of horror films. Loved what he did with The Witch and I love his dark twist. Can’t wait for his other projects.

Some people say this movie is slow, but honestly I lost track of time. This movie is captivating. I'm not at all a film snob, I hardly ever watch arthouse movies, but I know a good movie when I see one. This is one. This obviously stands well above regular movies.

For everyone dissapointed in The Babadook(like me). THIS is the film that The Badabook was praised as being. It was dark, unnerving, sad, and yet you will walk out of the theater on cloud nine because of how great of a film it was. I've never even thought of giving a standing ovation before, but this movie made me want to.

Does vice have any adults on their staff?

nice to see she put her best Adidas jumper on for the interview.

I actually got to check out the film and I'm just going to say that a lot of people will HATE the film. This is not a film that a mainstream audience can really appreciate. It isn't for someone that has a very restricted understanding of what "horror" is. Luckily I caught a screening of it with an audience that was supportive of what was going on on the screen. The film was pretty wicked and I found it to be highly disturbing.

i can spot anyone deep into the occult, and i can definitely tell this guy is a practicing witch. that was the entire reason he said no comment to supernatural experiences, and how he takes it more seriously than directing.