Thordur Palsson‘s “The Damned” is a 2024 horror masterpiece that was co-produced around the world and goes deep into Icelandic folklore and mental torture. The scary story takes place in a in —Iceland in the 1800s and was written by Jamie Hannigan from a story by Palsson. The movie stars Odessa Young and Joe Cole. The movie, which was made by Elation Pictures, Wild Atlantic Pictures, and Ley Line Entertainment, has a haunting atmosphere and look that come a lot from the remote and beautiful natural settings where it was filmed.
This article talks about the movie’s beautiful settings, its complex plot and what the cast and crew had to say about filming in Iceland’s harsh landscape.
The Damned’s Story
The Damned is a morality tale that turns into a scary psychological thriller. The story takes place in a small fishing village in Iceland in the 1800s. Eva, played by Odessa Young, is a young widow who takes over her late husband’s fishing boat and becomes an important person in the community. With icy water all around and snow covering everything, the town is a study in survival, and every choice matters.
The story starts with a haunting moral dilemma—a shipwreck happens off the coast of the village and—the people there have to decide if they are willing to risk their limited resources to save anyone who might be alive. As food and drinks from the wreckage wash up on shore, the moral questions get more complicated. Should they put their own survival first and save the stranded survivors?
Fear and superstition spread through the village, and the people’s choices have scary results. The scary shapes that guilt takes on come from Icelandic stories about the Draugr, who are the angry ghosts of drowned people. As the line between reality and supernatural fear blurs, Eva’s ability to lead is put to the test. The story ends with an intense psychological exploration of regret and survival.
Where was Thordur Palsson’s The Damned was filmed?
The stark, haunting beauty of Iceland is a big part of what makes The Damned’s atmosphere so great. The film’s ominous tone came a lot from the country’s remote landscapes—where principal photography began in 2023.
1. A Remote Icelandic Fishing Village
Thordur Palsson got ideas from a small fishing village where he was stuck in the snow for three months during the winter. The story took place in a remote area with bad weather and based on stories from local fishermen. The filmmakers carefully recreated the village, capturing the essence of life in the 1800s. The vast, snow-covered plains and rough coastline were very important in showing how weak the characters were and how powerful nature is.
“The isolation of a fishing village snowed in for the winter became a character in itself,” said director Thordur Palsson about how the world around the film affected the story. The myths of the Draugr, who were evil, rotting spirits, were a great way to look at guilt and survival.
The fact that Palsson had been stuck in a village in the winter himself gave the story more truth. He said that the folklore and stories from the villagers fed his imagination.
2. Treacherous Coastal Cliffs
Many scenes were shot on Iceland’s beautiful coastal cliffs. The tall rock formations and the sound of the crashing ice waves made the scene feel very dangerous. The scenes with the shipwreck and the villagers talking about rescue missions took place in these important places. Odessa Young said that the cliffs’ grandeur showed how her character Eva felt about herself: “She’s so small in this huge world, with no way out of the ocean’s grasp.” We were always cold because we were wearing layers, which made every step feel heavier. That physical pain made it easy for Eva’s emotional load to fall on it.
3. Snow-Covered Fields and Desolate Plains
It was hard to get things done when filming in Iceland. The crew had to deal with bad weather, short daylight hours and being in remote places. Even so, the natural environment became a co-star, which made the movie seem more real.
The film also used Iceland’s empty snowfields to show how alone the village was. These big, empty spaces stood for the moral and mental void the characters were in. During filming, cast members often talked about how hard it was. The cold temperatures and layers of clothing made it feel even worse.
It was hard to get things done when filming in Iceland. The crew had to deal with bad weather, short daylight hours, and being in remote places. Even so, the natural environment became a co-star, which made the movie seem more real. Emilie Jouffroy, the producer, said, “The landscape gave the film a rawness.” It was hard work, but the pictures speak for themselves.
4. Interior Sets: Traditional Fishermen’s Huts
Interiors were filmed in fishermen’s huts that had been rebuilt to look like they would have in the 1800s. Gas lamps, small rooms, and real props gave it a lived-in look that brought the villagers’ problems to life. The villagers’ tensions and rivalries came to the surface in the pub scenes, where they sang and argued.
When will Thordur Palsson’s “The Damned” come out?
The Damned will be shown in theaters for the first time—on January 3, 2025. With its atmospheric storytelling, rooted in Icelandic folklore and powerful performances—the film promises to leave a lasting impression on horror enthusiasts.
When you mix the harsh realities of survival with supernatural horror, The Damned makes for a scary, immersive experience. The hauntingly beautiful places where the movie was shot are just as important to the plot as the characters, solidifying the movie’s status as a modern horror classic.
