On the latest episode of Dead Talk Live, Viz and Sallie Harmsen discuss the Shudder original horror film Moloch.

Starring as Betriek, Harmsen’s character must navigate an unfolding mystery, attacked one night by an entity on a secluded peat bog. She describes Moloch as a “compilation of folktales,” the Dutch production taking cues not only from the Bible but also a rich history of boogie-men and pagan rites from northern Europe’s past, most notably their legacy of bog bodies. 

Director/writer Nico van den Brink and co-writer Daan Bakker build a character burdened by her past, cursed by a supernatural force. This small Dutch town harbors a secret, unearthed bodies pointing to signs of ritualistic murder, one that no one dare expose. “The curse is keeping them there,” Harmsen says, though Betriek must break the vow of silence to learn the truth.

Betriek’s struggle frames the narrative. The story is rich with atmospheric gloom signifying the doom the character cannot escape. “She’s trying to become a person of her own, starting another life.” Family trauma and blood ties play a large role, the spirits of the town clinging to a bloodline, holding the family prisoner.