Few movies are as straightforwardly bleak as The Devil's Bath. Set in the mid-18th century, and based on historical records, the German-Austrian horror drama is as nihilistic as they come, and flies in the face of most modern, metaphor-heavy "prestige" horror. There's no sleight-of-hand involved in its depiction of depression and psychological malaise. Its melancholy is disguised as neither ghoulish shadow nor chilly atmosphere — though there's plenty of fog to be found — but rather, the film's portrayal of despondency is bold, direct, and upsetting in ways that may not suit most audience's tastes.
