(This was written in the early 90's right after the Roald Dahl movie came out. The movie has since disappeared, and life has moved on, but one never knows if the principles discussed below will be important at some point soon again...)

The film entitled The Witches, directed by Nocolas Roeg and produced by Jim Henson Productions, is based upon the children's story written by the British writer, Roald Dahl. I have not read the book upon which this tale is based. I have, however, just come from seeing the movie.

Be forewarned that this review, due to the nature of the material discussed, WILL reveal the final denoument of the film. If you do not wish to know how this film turns out, then don't read this review. I am writing this review and the attendant comments on the basis of what this movie may mean for us, as Witches. I am concerned with the public perception of what our religion means.

As one would expect of a Jim Henson production, this is a well-executed movie that follows well on the heels of Dark Crystal and Labyrinth. The world is a much poorer plase after Henson's untimely and unfortunate death earlier this year. Jim Henson was a man noted for imagination and creativity, and I believe most of us will miss him. From a mundane standpoint, this movie is very well handled and creative, although younger children may well be intimidated by the darker moments.

Luke is a young child who is first told of witches by his grandmother (a very warm and sympathetic character, despite her attitude towards witches) -- witches, according to her experience, hate children and wish to remove them from the world. For one thing, these witches have sensitive noses, and children just simply smell bad, somewhat like fresh dog feces (an analogy made in the film). Otherwise, there doesn't seem to be a rationale for this hate. In effective detail, Grandma tells Luke what happened to her childhood friend, Erika, who was captured by a witch. The grandmother believes that all witches are like this. Witches are headed by a Grand High Witch, who controls the path the rest take. There seem to be no male witches around. Witches also have a purple glint to their eyes, which may be caught if one looks at them just right (which occasioned those Witches of us in the audience to check each other's eyes... naw, no purple glints... dang!)

Anyhow, with one thing or another, the grandmother and Luke end up spending some time in a resort hotel with a convention of people attending a Prevention of Cruelty to Children conference. Turns out that the conference is a cover-up for the meeting of all the witches of England, who have gathered to plot to how to destroy all the children of England. Seems that the Grand High Witch has concocted a brew (Potion Eighty Six) which turns people into mice. She plans to feed it to all children, and if adults get it by mistake, well, that is just too bad. At this point, the whole storyline gets silly enough that the fear factor is gone -- the witches are done up camp-style, with the Grand High Witch transforming into the stereotypic, long-nosed hag with painful-looking fingernails. Anyhow, they find Luke (who'd been eavesdropping), and force his tranformation into mousehood. Actually, he made a pretty good mouse. As a mouse, Luke was still capable of speech, and human intelligence.

Eventually, with the help of the grandmother, Luke managed to dump a vial of the poison into the soup served to the convention at the hotel, and all the witches (minus one, who broke with the others, and left the dinner before dining) turned into mice, and were set upon by the hotel staff in paranoic horror, evidently killing all the witch-mice. Luke was taken home by his grandmother, still in mouse form. Together they plotted going to New York, in order to do in all the witches of America (showing an address book of New York witches they'd obtained -- we looked quickly, but didn't recognize any names, thankfully...)

At any rate, the last British witch reappeared, and changed the mouse back into a child, proving herself to be a real friendly, well-meaning person (who'd apparently renounced her witch-hood, except to revert children from mousehood to humanhood). Not incidently, I think, she also happened to be the most photogenic and blonde of the lot. I don't know -- the witchery stuff grew too silly to take seriously as the movie proceeded -- perhaps it is the subtle message that bad is dark and ugly and that good is pretty and blonde that is the more dangerous than anything said in this movie about the Craft. I'm tired of the bad guys wearing black hats.

Overall impressions: I have very much mixed emotions. After the bit with Erika, I don't think the rest of the movie holds much danger and misinterpretation for the Craft. Yes, it deals with the old and exaggerated stereotypes of Witchcraft. As such, like it or not, this is a part of folklore. We've chosen the name "Witch" for ourselves, for a multitude of complex reasonings. And the stereotype includes the hateful hag motif, and all the old fairy-tales which predate the modern Witchcraft movement. The Roald Dahl tale is drawn from the earlier sources. And the tale takes on a "silly", obviously unrealistic hue once we reach the convention hotel. This is all fine by me. As far as adults are concerned, no one is going to believe this is what we are (and if they do, they've already got problems well before they got to this movie...) This movie cannot by any stretch of the imagination be fodder for fundamentalists, of whatever stripe. Besides, at least one witch is ultimately not like the others, which means that not ALL witches are evil -- their powers may be used for good. (I understand this message goes counter to the original storyline, but since I have not yet read the book, that's only hearsay.)

A concern might reasonably be voiced by those people raising children in the Craft -- these children are schooled with other children, who make take on the fear of witches as voiced in this movie. This is, indeed, a valid point of concern, especially if the Wiccan child is being raised in an open environment. One good witch at the end may not make a difference to fellow classmates, especially if the Wiccan family isn't composed of people who are blonde and pretty, and especially if the child speaks of his or her family. Children often scapegoat, and one more excuse to do so is certainly one more excuse to do so. And it may well encourage a fear of Witches in the young that they may carry with them. Children these days perhaps really don't need to feel that yet someone else is out to rub them out. [Ed. Note: Yes, this line was written back in the early '90's.] There are a lot more real dangers to children than ugly creatures who pull off their human skins and change children to mice.

It is noted here that the grandmother wore earrings that looked remarkably like Thor's hammers, and that in the opening scene, we see her with a candle mold in the shape of a five-pointed star. It may be worth noting that the symbols we use (the pentagram, the athame, etc.) were not associated with the Dahl version of witches. One witch does wear a witch's garter, but that is an obscure reference. Of course, I am well aware of the fact that this movie would never have been released had the "witches" been called "methodists" or "jews" -- at least not as a major budget presentation from a reputable studio.

What do I suggest? Well, the movie is out there. It isn't actually a bad movie. I suggest that, if you are concerned, that you go see the movie before passing judgement. You may decide that the fuss will blow over quickly (the showing I saw on a Saturday night was poorly attended), and that nothing need be done, which is certainly a valid choice. You may decide that the movie is no threat, which is also a valid viewpoint. Or, you may decide that appropriate action is required. I suggest you not actually work to ban the movie, nor stand around picketting its existence. For one thing, standing out on the streetcorner trying to keep people from seeing a movie leads to the opposite effect. People want to see what a controversy is about for themselves. I do this myself: the last movie I rented was The Last Temptation of Christ. I appreciate being able to make up my own mind. Allow other people that respect. Don't block passage into this movie. Ethical principles, most importantly, dictate respect.

What I'd suggest, if one is concerned about the message this film brings (primarily in the early parts), and wants to do something, is that one or two Witches, Pagans, or other concerned folk stand outside the theatre, welcoming people into the theatre -- handing out information about what Witches are really about, without forcing people to take the handout, or making it inconvenient for people to enter the theatre. Please, no massive demonstrations -- a couple of people at each theatre is better than a herd at one theatre. The handout should state that this movie is a fantasy, based on fantastic and mythologic ways of viewing witches, and is valid seen only in that light; but that Witchcraft as now known is a religion filled with respect for the Earth, and with respect for children of all types, etc. Such a handout should be written simply and in layman's terms, and not more than a page in length. If you are feeling ambitious, you may want to write up a second version geared to the children who stand to be most affected by the events portrayed in the movie. I cannot overemphasize that any information should be handed out in a spirit of friendship and enjoyment -- not of antagonism.

One of my favorite slogans reads "Ignorance Breeds Fear". And remember: those of you who protest the threats made against Salman Rushdie; against the banning of books by J.D. Salinger and Mark Twain; against the vendetta against The Last Temptation of Christ -- please don't be hypocritical when it comes to your own causes. Having an ideology or a belief doesn't make what you do in its name right. Encourage people to go -- informed. Let us stamp out censorship in our lifetime. Remember that even Salman Rushdie released a statement decrying the British ban against the decidedly defamatory Islamic movie recently created out of hatred of him. Remember that freedom of expression needs MUST be applied to all forms of speech, not just the ones we pick and choose. For freedom to be more than a phrase, we cannot send our creative endeavors through a meat-grinding committee of Political Correctness from any political direction. Rather, education appears to be the most useful and ethical way to proceed on these issues.