1 / 8
ERA
Did you know
Released 6 years ago.
MoodPlayr · trivia#01
Spell
"Evil tales have their roots."
2020 1h 31m EN
😐
6.4
MID
★6.4TMDB · 473
ThrillerHorrorFantasy
Synopsis
Spoiler shield
A father survives a plane crash in rural Appalachia, but becomes suspicious of the elderly couple who take him in to nurse him back to health with the ancient remedies.
“Evil tales have their roots.”
Cast
Omari Hardwick
Marquis T. Woods
Loretta Devine
Eloise
John Beasley
Earl
Peter Butler
Dr. Holt
Lorraine Burroughs
Veora Woods
André Jacobs
Wyman Thatcher
Tumisho Masha
Sheriff
Ri-Karlo Handy
Marquis's Father
Credits
Behind the camera
- Director
- Mark Tonderai
- Writers
- John Erasmus, Kurt Wimmer
- Languages
- English
- Countries
- South Africa, United States of America
Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.
Did you know?
Fun facts 🍿
2 / 8
WORLD
Did you know
International production across 2 countries: South Africa, United States of America.
MoodPlayr · trivia#02
3 / 8
ERA
Did you know
Directed by Mark Tonderai, shot by Jacques Jouffret. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
MoodPlayr · trivia#03
4 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Original score by Ben Onono. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
MoodPlayr · trivia#04
5 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Editor Sarah C. Reeves shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
MoodPlayr · trivia#05
6 / 8
CAST
Did you know
Omari Hardwick and Loretta Devine and John Beasley carry the top of the cast.
MoodPlayr · trivia#06
7 / 8
FACT
Did you know
Marketing tagline: "Evil tales have their roots.".
MoodPlayr · trivia#07
8 / 8
WILD
Did you know
IMDB entry: tt10736580 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
MoodPlayr · trivia#08
Cinephile deep dive
The take
Mark Tonderai directs. Jacques Jouffret behind the camera. Ben Onono scores. Sarah C. Reeves cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in South Africa, United States of America. Dialogue in English.
Trivia
Things worth knowing
- 1Released 6 years ago.
- 2International production across 2 countries: South Africa, United States of America.
- 3Directed by Mark Tonderai, shot by Jacques Jouffret. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
- 4Original score by Ben Onono. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
- 5Editor Sarah C. Reeves shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
- 6Omari Hardwick and Loretta Devine and John Beasley carry the top of the cast.
- 7Marketing tagline: "Evil tales have their roots.".
- 8IMDB entry: tt10736580 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
- 9Classified under 14 themes, including "prisoner", "escape", "cult", "appalachia".
The technical file
- Cinematography
- Jacques Jouffret
- Original score
- Ben Onono
- Editing
- Sarah C. Reeves
- Production design
- Paula Loos
- Costume design
- Danielle Knox
- Makeup / hair
- Nadine Prigge
- VFX supervisor
- Cordell McQueen
- Sound
- Jeffrey A. Pitts
- Stunt coordinator
- Grant Powell
- Runtime
- 91 min · 1h 31m
- Aspect ratio (typical)
- 1.37:1 (Academy)
- Status
- Released
- Box office
- $500,104
- Original language
- EN
- Certification (US)
- R
- IMDB
- Spell (2020)
Also by
Mark Tonderai
Stills · wallpapers
Selected frames
Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.
Trailers & featurettes
Watch the pieces
Community reviews
What people are saying
- yahyaharyantoo★ 2/10
I'm sorry, this movie doesn't spark joy it better to be a short film. the characters don't have any logic. idk perhaps its a fiction? when you're trapped in a room and the police came, and you have a visual. what you gonna do? screaming?? I would make an ear-splitting noise to get the police's attention, man. the climax isn't that peak. the reunion doesn't satisfy you enough. you guys just chill like it's normal and you're used to this situation. I'm sorry, I just disappointed. but the story is good. interesting. but the execution doesn't pay well.
Production companies
Who made it
Paramount Players
US
- LI
LINK Entertainment
- MC
MC8 Entertainment
Radar Pictures
US
Key crew
- Stunt CoordinatorGrant Powell
- Stunt CoordinatorVernon Willemse
- Stunt CoordinatorLeander Lacey
- StuntsDaniel Fourie
- StuntsCraig Fox
- StuntsJames Frost
- StuntsGary Joshua
- StuntsMarius Smegils
- StuntsMichael Solomon
- StuntsCaprice Masinga
- StuntsClint Andre Abrahams
- StuntsMutuale Masambombo
- StuntsZahir Carlie
- StuntsClint Jacobs
- StuntsToni Jean Erasmus
- Set DresserColin Chirwa
- Set DresserShaughn Steenkamp
- Set DresserThomas Leppan
- Set DresserAimee Pullon
- LeadmanStephan Fourie
- Art Department CoordinatorNadia Brown
- Storyboard ArtistJohn Erasmus
- Graphic DesignerMarcus Stamps
- DraughtsmanBernard Geldenhuys
Themes & keywords
What it's about, really
- prisoner
- escape
- cult
- appalachia
- backwoods
- ceremony
- faith healer
- voodoo doll
- appalachian mountains
- plane crash
- rural setting
- cannibalism
- blood moon
- violence
Release history · US
When it landed
- Theatrical (limited)2020-10-30R
- Digital2020-10-30R
- Physical2021-01-12R· DVD & Blu-Ray
Also known as
International titles
- KouzloCZ
- FeitiçoBR
- อาถรรพ์มนตราTH
