Happy Halloween!! Or if you are a witch, “Happy Samhain!” Samhain was an ancient Celtic celebration held on this night when the veil between this world and the next became thin and we could communicate with the spirits of the dead.
The image of the witch has been distorted over the centuries, so I am always in favor of films which show them in a good light. They are psychic alchemists, wise women, midwives and herbalists, my kind of gal!
I love movies about witches because they deal with the themes of the power of thought, working with plants to heal, using alchemy to transmute something into a magical element...this is basically describing how flower remedies work.
I overdid it on terrifying horror movies when I was young, which led to me sleeping with a knife and a can of Raid under my bed through my teenage years. Now I favor some levity, suspense and a lot of magic!
Rosemary’s Baby
A great film, witches or not. Some of my favorite acting performances. Ruth Gordon as the neighbor, Mia Farrow at the height of her gamine beauty. An absolutely hypnotic film I could watch over and over.
Practical Magic
Every healer/herbalist magical woman I love has this on her top ten. We all admit that we dream about having our own charming apothecary in a little seaside town, like the one in the movie. Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock are witch sisters living in a gorgeous Victorian house left by their witch aunts. This is all about learning about your personal power and how to use it wisely.
Bell, Book and Candle
A fun technicolor classic starring Kim Novak and Jimmy Stewart (the pair from Vertigo, another favorite). She’s gorgeous, he is bewitched. A study in the spell of romantic love. (OK for kids)
Another classic. Black and White featuring Veronica Lake being the cutest witch ever. This is the lightest of the witch movies and ok for kids who don’t mind black and white.
A great teen movie and 90’s cult classic with a cool soundtrack. Four teenage girls explore spells and witchcraft as they navigate the complicated dynamic of high school relationships. Our friend Zoe Lister-Jones has directed the new version called The Craft: Legacy. I’ll be watching that tonight!