The Outcasts

[MichaelB]

BFI Flipside presents…a previously unavailable Irish folk horror written and directed by the writer of Blood on Satan’s Claw. Set in an isolated rural community in pre-famine Ireland when poverty and magic were rife, The Outcasts sees introverted farm girl Maura (Mary Ryan) discover a magical world of the imagination through ‘a wild, ungodly man’, the mysterious wanderer Scarf Michael (Mick Lally). When she is accused of witchcraft she turns to her own supernatural powers for protection. Director Robert Wynne-Simmons combines horror, earthy drama, dreamlike fantasy and tragedy to produce this intelligent and visually stunning directorial debut. Once billed as the first Irish feature film in 50 years, but hardly seen in the last 40 years, this new 2K restoration by the Irish Film Institute marks the first time The Outcasts has been available on Blu-ray.

• New 2K restoration by the Irish Film Institute
• Newly commissioned audio commentary by Diane Rogers
• Interview with director Robert Wynne-Simmons
• Image gallery
• **FIRST PRESSING ONLY** Booklet including director’s statement and new writing on the film by the BFI’s Vic Pratt
• Other extras TBC

[jlnight]

Screened twice on Channel 4 in 1984 and 1988 as part of the Film on Four strand. The first of those screenings was on 14/06/84, so just about a week ago but 40 years back! Judgement of Albion was included on the Legend of the Witches/Secret Rites release.

There must be loads of other Film on Fours that would qualify for a Flipside release like this and Remembrance.

[Finch]

BFI interview with Robert Wynne Simmons

Warning: does contain spoilers

[MichaelB]

Worth noting upfront that Paul Duane* is unusually qualified to interview Wynne-Simmons, as he's not only an Irish filmmaker himself but has also made his own distinguished contribution to the Irish folk-horror genre with the recent All You Need Is Death (which I can warmly recommend).

(Pronounced "Dwan", incidentally, not as you might instinctively assume; the pronunciation mutated when the name crossed the Atlantic.)

[What A Disgrace]

Full specs.

• New 2K restoration by the Irish Film Institute
• Newly commissioned audio commentary by Dr Diane A Rodgers
• Writing Folk Tales (2024, 9 mins): a newly recorded interview with director Robert Wynne-Simmons
• The Fugitive (1962, 31 mins): Robert Wynne-Simmons’ first film with an outsider at its heart is this dark tale of violence, guilt and retribution shot on 8mm film amidst Mods and Rockers violence on the backstreets of ‘60s Brighton
• The Outcasts in Pictures (2024, 15 mins): a gallery of stills from the film with audio commentary by director Robert Wynne-Simmons
• The Wanderings of Ulick Joyce (1968, 5 mins): this distinctive animated short by Gillian Lacey was inspired by Irish folk tales, and was made with the assistance of the BFI Production Board
• *FIRST PRESSING ONLY** Booklet including director’s statement, new writing on the film by the BFI’s Vic Pratt, an archive essay by Dr Diane A Rodgers and recollections of The Fugitive by Robert Wynne-Simmons