This write-up covers the 2024 film The Devil’s Bath ( Des Teufels Bad ), a haunting period psychodrama directed by Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala.
**Review Title: A Haunting Descent into Despair – The Devil’s Bath (2024)
True to its name, this geothermal pool looks like a basin of toxic lime-green liquid. The vibrant, otherworldly hue is not dye or pollution; it is a result of high concentrations of . As groundwater seeps deep into the earth, it is superheated by volcanic magma. The water dissolves minerals like arsenic, antimony, and mercury from the surrounding rocks before rising back to the surface.
Origins and geology The pool formed where an underground spring meets a bed of volcanic rock. Over centuries, water scoured the softer layers, creating a bowl-like depression with steep sides. Iron-rich minerals give the water a darker tint, while tannins from surrounding vegetation deepen its color and lend a faint peat scent to the air. In winter the surface can appear oily and glass-smooth; in storm season it churns with sudden, unsettling currents.
: It addresses the "madwoman in the cottage" trope, the isolation of women in rigid societies, and the historical reality of mental health struggles [5, 13, 22]. Critical Acclaim : It was Austria's official selection for the Best International Feature the devils bath
Despite the danger, The Devil’s Bath remains a top tourist destination. Visitors marvel at the stark contrast between the lush New Zealand forest and this glowing, steam-shrouded pit of acid. It serves as a stark reminder that nature’s beauty is often a mask for extreme peril.
They immediately surrendered to the religious and legal authorities.
The Devil's Bath has been immortalized in literature, most notably in Thomas Hardy's novel "Tess of the d'Urbervilles" (1891). In the book, the lake is described as a place of dark, foreboding beauty, where the protagonist, Tess, has a fateful encounter. Hardy's vivid descriptions of the lake helped to cement its reputation as a place of mystery and intrigue.
The Devil’s Bath is a powerful reminder of the earth's raw, untamed chemistry. It challenges our perception of what a natural body of water should look like, trading pristine blues and reflections for an aggressive, glowing neon green. As part of the broader Wai-O-Tapu landscape, it offers travelers a rare opportunity to stand on the edge of an active volcanic system and witness the beautiful, toxic, and mesmerizing wonders created right beneath our feet. This write-up covers the 2024 film The Devil’s
The film is meticulously researched and based on real court records and executioner’s logs from Austria and Germany. Franz and Fiala drew from the book The Devil’s Bath: A History of Female Melancholy and Murder (by historian Kathy Stuart), which documents dozens of cases where women killed infants (often their own, but sometimes others’) specifically to be executed. These women believed that by committing a capital crime, confessing, and receiving last rites, they could bypass Purgatory and Hell entirely—since execution was seen as an act of atonement. The title refers to the folk belief that the devil’s bath (a stagnant, soul-sapping swamp) is where such desperate thoughts fester.
Upon its release, The Devil's Bath received overwhelmingly positive reviews from critics. It was hailed as a "punishingly bleak but mesmerizing portrait of female depression" and praised for its unflinching authenticity. Many drew comparisons to Robert Eggers' The Witch for its period accuracy, folkloric sensibility, and feminist themes. The film had its world premiere at the 74th Berlin International Film Festival on February 20, 2024, where it competed for the Golden Bear. It was later selected as Austria's official entry for Best International Feature Film at the Academy Awards.
: Because Catholicism taught that suicide led to hell, but confession and repentance after murder could lead to salvation, hundreds of people—mostly women—murdered others (often children) to achieve "suicide by proxy" via execution. Themes and Atmosphere 'The Devil's Bath' Review: Madwoman in the Cottage
Directors Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala did something radical. They researched actual court transcripts from Austria where women were suffering from what we now call severe postpartum depression and clinical melancholia. But in the 18th century, the church had a rule: Suicide is an unforgivable sin. If you kill yourself, you go to hell. But... if you kill someone else , and confess with a pure heart? You go to purgatory, or even heaven. As groundwater seeps deep into the earth, it
#DevilsBath #Waiotapu #NewZealandTravel #NaturePhotography #Geothermal #BucketList 'The Devil's Bath' Review: Madwoman in the Cottage
For the majority of people, "The Devil's Bath" is primarily known as the namesake of a critically acclaimed 2024 Austrian historical horror film. However, the story behind the movie is arguably more disturbing than anything a screenwriter could invent.
The most famous natural feature bearing this name is the located in the Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland in New Zealand . Unlike the dark and murky connotations of the film, this "Devil's Bath" is a strikingly vivid, almost neon-green lake.
“Devastating. It sits in the same unholy water as The Witch and Hagazussa —but is colder, more clinical, and somehow more heartbreaking.” — David Ehrlich, IndieWire