The Witches is a historical novel written by British author Roald Dahl and illustrated by Quentin Blake. It was first published in 1983. The story is set partly in Norway and partly in England, and features a young boy who stumbles upon a convention of witches while on vacation with his grandmother. He learns about their plans to turn all the children in England into mice and must work with his grandmother to stop them. The witches in the book are depicted as bald, with large nostrils and long, curved claws. They wear wigs and gloves to hide their true nature and often have a strong dislike for children.
The “witch” in each story is Mangano herself. In Visconti’s “The Witch Burned Alive,” Mangano stars as the bewitchingly beautiful Gloria, who is fabulously and horrifically deconstructed and vilified by her lady friends when she passes out from too much drink. As they pretend to remove her headdress and makeup to treat her illness, the women can’t help but make catty remarks about the lengths Gloria has gone to for beauty while the men verbally spar with one another—and their wives—in order to take advantage of Gloria. The end result is a brutal commentary on people—females, in particular—being taken advantage of and used as a commodity without regard to their personal feelings.
While the film is presented in its original Italian mono soundtrack English subs are available , Arrow has included the English language soundtrack for the Clint Eastwood episode, using his own voice. Things pick up with Rossi s The Sicilian Belle, where Mangano has her heart broken, setting off a chain reaction of escalating revenge and shotgun deaths in her small village.
They wear wigs and gloves to hide their true nature and often have a strong dislike for children. The protagonist, a young boy named Luke, is eventually turned into a mouse by the witches and must navigate the dangers of being a small creature while trying to outwit them. The Witches is known for its dark and humorous tone, as well as its vivid and imaginative descriptions.
Blindspot 2016: The Witches (1967)
I usually save the weirdest films for earlier on in my Blindspot series posts, and this film is no exception. The Witches (1967), also known in its native Italian as Le Streghe, is presented by Dino de Laurentiis. It is a film composed of five short films within, each by a different director. The films-within-films are as follows:
- “The Witch Burned Alive” is directed by Luchino Visconti and tells of a superstar actress who travels to a mountain resort, only to evoke jealousy from women and lust from men.
- “Civic Sense”, directed by Mauro Bolognini is a short story of a woman who offers to take an injured man to the hospital, through intense traffic in the bustling city of Rome.
- “The Earth As Seen By The Moon” is directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini, a comic story about a widowed father and his son who are looking for a new wife and mother; when they find a deaf-mute woman on the side of the road, hilarity ensues.
- “The Sicilian Belle”, by Franco Rossi, tells of a woman who confesses to her father of a man who makes a pass at her, and whose father seeks revenge in true Sicilian fashion.
- “An Evening Like The Others” is directed by Vittorio De Sica, and is where a bored housewife attempts to explain to her husband (played by Clint Eastwood) that he’s not as romantic as he used to be.
I chose to watch The Witches as part of my Blindspot series because it’s been on my radar for quite some time. I’m always intrigued by 60s Italian cinema, which seems to have a very strange sense of humour, killer music, and always the most beautiful costume design. I’m also determined to watch more films by Pier Paolo Pasolini this year, as all I’d seen of his work before The Witches was Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom (1975), which was an experience, to say the least.
The Witches is a funny kind of film. Each short film within the film as a whole has a distinctly different feel from the one before it, given the different directors. It feels like you’re watching different episodes of a very strange television series when watching, given that the one commonality between each short film is actress Silvana Mangano. Mangano gives a thoroughly versatile performance in each short film, to the extent where in some of the short films she appears initially unrecognisable, appearing to contort her body to suit each role. Being the one commonality between each short film, she carries the overall film well, with such a wonderful range of emotions and personalities – vulnerability, assertiveness, insanity, amongst many others. The Witches is truly an experiment in not only short film composition, but character acting and versatility.
I think my favourite of the short films was “The Earth As Seen From The Moon” by Pasolini. It’s a comic short, beginning with a humorous introduction written by Pasolini himself, and an unfortunate tombstone with a lot of spelling errors etched on it. The story is weird and overtly silly in an almost pathetic manner, with some very colourful and comical costume design. This is in contrast with some of the other shorts which can be delivered deadpan or in a melodramatic manner. There’s so much variety to be found in The Witches, but Pasolini’s short is the only one with a really silly sense of humour. As for which short film was my second favourite, it would probably be a tie between “The Witch Burned Alive” and “An Evening Like The Others”; strong female roles which bookmark the film, and display excellent performances by Mangano. The short films are set to music by classic Italian composer Ennio Morricone which recalls a very specific place and time; so European, so 60s.
The Witches is an adventure in absurdism, rendered in true 60s Italian style. Each short film is very different compared to the one before it, but each is enjoyable in their own way. Some may say that the sum of this film’s parts doesn’t amount to much, and that it is largely nonsensical; which could be true. But it’s a truly interesting film, experimental in style, continually testing its own boundaries in terms of storytelling, humour, and the portrayal and interpretation of female characters. Sylvana Mangano is the strong backbone of this film, eminently watchable, you can’t take your eyes away from her. It’s well worth also checking out a boyishly young Clint Eastwood in the final short film; this film being released just after the third and final of his epic spaghetti western Dollars Trilogy. For a strange and enjoyably vintage film-watching experience, look no further.
4/5
I couldn’t find a trailer for this, but view some footage from the film of Sylvana Mangano dancing here.
One of Arrow Academy’s most recent releases is a case in point. It’s an arthouse film. It’s also an anthology. It’s also a quintessentially 1960’s Italian film. And it’s entitled The Witches, though it has nothing to do with sorcery, witchcraft, or ugly, green-faced women stirring cauldrons of boiling liquid. First of all, it will probably alienate a certain group of viewers who will be expecting, based on the title, a horror film. Second, just how many American viewers are truly interested in 1960’s Italian arthouse omnibus films? You see what I mean.
It has been praised for tackling serious themes such as fear, bravery, and the power of storytelling. The book was adapted into a film in 1990, directed by Nicolas Roeg and starring Anjelica Huston as the head witch. Despite being published over 30 years ago, The Witches remains a beloved and popular book, often found on lists of recommended reading for children. Its enduring popularity can be attributed to its timeless themes, engaging storytelling, and memorable characters. It continues to captivate readers of all ages and is considered one of Roald Dahl's most enduring works..
Reviews for "The Witches (1967) and the Allure of the Occult"
1. John - 2/5
I was really disappointed with "The Witches 1967". The film had such great potential with an intriguing storyline and talented cast, but it fell flat. The pacing was incredibly slow, making it difficult to stay engaged in the plot. Additionally, the special effects were incredibly dated and unconvincing, which took away from the overall experience. I had high hopes for this film, but unfortunately, it just didn't deliver.
2. Sarah - 2/5
"The Witches 1967" left a lot to be desired. The acting was mediocre at best, with wooden performances from most of the cast. The characters lacked depth and development, making it hard to connect with them on any level. The plot itself was confusing and disjointed, with numerous plot holes that went unresolved. Overall, I found the film to be a lackluster experience that failed to live up to its potential.
3. Emily - 1/5
I regret wasting my time watching "The Witches 1967". The film was incredibly slow-paced and seemed to drag on forever. The storyline was convoluted and made little sense, leaving me feeling confused and uninterested. The special effects were laughably bad, and the makeup for the witches was more comical than scary. I would not recommend this film to anyone looking for a thrilling and engaging experience. Save yourself the disappointment and skip watching "The Witches 1967".
4. Mike - 2/5
I found "The Witches 1967" to be quite underwhelming. The performances were lackluster and unconvincing, making it hard to feel any emotional connection to the characters. The plot was predictable and lacked any real depth or originality. Additionally, the pacing was incredibly slow, making it difficult to stay engaged throughout the film. Overall, "The Witches 1967" failed to leave a lasting impression and was forgettable at best.