Image is from after the credits.
The following films seem relevant in order of relevance:
-The little hours
-Las brujas de Zugarramurdi
-The Master and Margarita
I discovered Ryan’s channel just recently, and am very interested in his work.
I honor and respect him, as he already eclipsed some of my favourite reviewers on YT. Nonetheless, I will disprove and/or disregard many portions of his 2 reviews.
His suggestions cleared my own, and so I present this post for him to witness and to do with as he pleases; perhaps to correct his own conclusions, or to initiate a conversation, et cetera.
P.S. – Sadly, I was finally running tired and was not dealing with symbology the amount I would like to or as I normally do. But it did not reflect on the result so it’s okay.
First I’d like to note that the titles in the film are made with a special effect that makes them appear moving as if from a candle flame lit nearby.
Such attention to details is due in any case, but here it allows for a better immersion and appreciation of the work done.
I do wish to see a similar effect done with other movies;
I think it is better for the eyes to try and read a text that is just a tiny bit shaky.
The Witch caught my eye immediately with its trailer.
It was cryptic, sweetly dripping with sticky fear that left me speechless.
This is indeed a terrifying movie that consists of many unspeakable scenes.
If you are somewhat experienced in the field of frightening movies, test your guts if you wish. For me, that kind of movie was almost too much to bear.
A bit on the film- it is a debut work, so the use of cinematography is not yet perfected, although it successfully delivers symbolism and focuses our vision in the frame.
The background research work is more than satisfactory – as it allows for a period-thematic movie that stands on the crossroads of family drama and mystic thriller.
With a typically misguided advertisement, it was misjudged by many.
We start with a court scene where we learn the only relevant context-
This family of Puritan Christians is now excommunicated from their homeland.
Save your knowledge of the original sin. This was intended as a jurisdictional investigation from the beginning and has very little to do with religion.
We shall use common sense.
I remember a parable that my father told me once: It was a repetition from his memory – about two proverbial animals; the rabbit and the fox.
So the rabbit comes into the fox’s den, where he is received with welcomes and all manners of hospitality.
So the rabbit says to the fox: comfort me. And the fox seats him in a comfortable chair.
Then he asks for a meal, and the fox cooks for him and treats him fair.
Perhaps there was another step somewhere along those lines,
but the story ended with the rabbit *asking* the fox to scare him.
The real secret here was to reveal the inherent need we sometimes have (Froid would call it Thanatos) to feel close to death, as to regain natural adrenalin with satisfaction of still being alive. It may be well considered rejuvenation.
Until you become an adrenalin addict.
A Flying Ointment:
I had recently watched a similar movie, also dealing with witches, called
“The little hours”, which is a comedy, in contrast.
It left me overall in a good mood, satisfied with a movie that could’ve done a lot worse.
The line connecting the the two films is the alleged practice of so-called witches in western europe at least since the middle ages:
a decoction of a plant named Belladonna.
This said mixture is actually very, very dangerous, easily lethal, and by the testimonies of those who used it as a recreational drug- the “trips” are so horrifyingly nightmarish, that none would wish to repeat the experience ever in their lives.
But it is also said to cause hallucinations, arousal and out-of-body experiences, which explains the imaginated “flight” while the subject was in fact lying on the ground, unconscious.
The whole premise of The Witch is the following equation:
“Delicious” = “Delirious”.
The three stages of corruption:
For this step of deduction, we have to keep in mind that there exists an inherent and natural moral code, independent of humankind.
This reflects on the steps of any type of corruption.
Just imagine if that girl Thomasine was treated in order to get her to betray her government.
First, the seducer is asking whether or not the girl would like the taste of butter.
Second, how would she fancy a bright dress and clothes as a new possession.
Third, If she would prefer to generally to live “happily ever after” or in his words- Deliciously.
Only in our case- the whole thing is absurd from the beginning, as the promised land is your typical routine of intoxications and further becoming a junkie who literally would kill for a dose.
What went under your nose –
It is the proposition that, where a family struggles with crops and general provision, an inhumane hag (and perhaps many others) seems to survive unnaturally.
The true contrast is, not god vs devil (not directly at least) but the shaking of conventional family values in the mind of the viewer; with repetitive showcasing the members as being unenlightened and poorly educated under the set cultural conditions- leading them into chaos, paranoia-driven group panic.
Notice that we have little to no information on the witch.
She’s just there to serve as the logical conclusion –
What was Thomasine to do if not to join a clique of witches?
Black Philip –
As the lead character notes herself, the devil is sometimes depicted as a he-goat.
I should put aside all the onomastics as not so important as this one-
Perhaps the only relevant reference to traditional christianic imagery and mythology.
Let me explain- When the christianic belief was presented into Rome, a typical renovation took place, renaming and repositioning the hierarchy of all former deities.
That’s how the devilish fiery imps turned into cute ridiculed fairies, while the god of the forests, Pan (or Bacchus), with his goat legs and horns, became the new impersonated devil.
It is by this deity’s name that we still call panic attacks.
It has to do with the greek and roman intoxication rituals;
altered states were achieved by consumption of red wine, dancing and sexual misbehavior.
So, to say that all the misfortune of the family was god’s doing is equally wrong as to say it was the devil. Not entirely true.
It was all a result of human condition in a stressful situation, group thinking gone wrong and the actual, de-facto near presence of a murderous psychopath.
Do not leave that witch unrelated.
C’est tout. Se tu.
SHUT-EYE CINEMA 
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