Witchcraft concoction examination refers to the practice of inspecting and analyzing the potions and mixtures used by witches or those involved in the mystical arts. In many cultures and historical periods, witchcraft was seen as a dangerous and forbidden practice, and those suspected of being witches were subject to intense scrutiny and investigation. One aspect of these investigations involved examining the various concoctions and potions that witches were believed to create. The main purpose of witchcraft concoction examination was to determine the ingredients and effects of the potions created by witches. This examination process often involved skilled individuals known as witch hunters or inquisitors, who were considered experts in detecting and combating witchcraft. These individuals would carefully analyze the potions, looking for any signs of malicious intent or harmful ingredients.
These individuals would carefully analyze the potions, looking for any signs of malicious intent or harmful ingredients. To examine a witchcraft concoction, various methods were employed. One common technique was to visually inspect the potion, observing its color, consistency, and any visible particles or substances.
Häxan: the silent-era witchcraft film at 100
What witches do – and what’s done to suspected witches – is given sensational treatment in Benjamin Christensen’s 1922 silent film Häxan. A century later, it’s disturbing for even more reasons.
20 October 2022
Häxan (1922)Benjamin Christensen’s Häxan is sort of a documentary, and it’s the ‘sort of’ that makes it unlike any other film. The Swedish silent melds historical fact and folk superstition to explore ideas about witchcraft from ancient times, through the medieval period, and on up to 1922, when the film was made. Unknowingly, Christensen extended his examination 100 years into the future, as it’s almost impossible to watch without making comparisons to the present time. Today, Häxan’s horror lies less in its depictions of witches and witchcraft, and more in the fact that it depicts hundreds of years of the ongoing systematic oppression and abuse of women.
Upon its release, Häxan was instantly recognised as “unadulterated horror” by a critic at Variety, who added that, “wonderful though this picture is, it is absolutely unfit for public exhibition.” Häxan is still recognised as horror (it was included on the BFI ’s list of 10 great silent horror films), and though its graphic depictions of nudity and blasphemy are less of a novelty to modern audiences, the images are still disturbing. Christensen condemns the practice of inquisitions while simultaneously filming the resulting torture with a sort of glee. The images of beautiful women, stripped and strung up, are still used in material meant to titillate. In Häxan we see the atrocity of it, but we also see its allure.
Häxan begins with a study of the ancient origins of witchcraft. Gruesome woodcuts are displayed: humans boiled alive in cauldrons, demons pouring sulphur down men’s throats. A steam-powered mechanical representation of hell features animated fiends torturing live victims with forks, like a macabre vignette on a Disneyland ride. To punctuate that this is serious business, crucial details are highlighted by a hand – Christensen’s own – with an academic pointer, as if we are attending a lecture.
The next part of Häxan features live-action sequences, presented as pseudo-historical re-enactments of things witches were purported to do. It’s a curious technique, as these recreations of witchcraft rumours make them seem like fact. Local villagers blame every domestic difficulty on women, from cows that won’t give milk to stillbirths and house fires. Christensen doesn’t just depict the outcomes; he also depicts women in the act of their witchery. In a scene cut by Swedish censors, one old witch rips fingers from the hand of a dead thief to make one of her concoctions. We see young witches fly through the air on brooms and dance naked with the Devil.
It’s worth noting that Christensen himself plays the Devil in these scenes. The young women in the film who line up and kiss the Devil’s arse are kissing Christensen’s arse. The naked maiden who is lured by the Devil to the cemetery at night, where she falls to her knees at his feet, is lured by Christensen. The director wasn’t just intrigued by the perversions of witchcraft, but wanted to directly participate in them. This Devil is all the more frightening because he’s so obviously a real man, hairy and barrel-chested. His leering, tongue-wagging and miming of masturbation as he furiously works a butter churn are all the more repugnant because his actions are recognisable to any woman who has tried to walk down a street.
The film’s worst atrocities come into play with the introduction of the Inquisition, as we see innocent women betrayed by other women who want to save their own skin. The scenes of a beggar woman being tortured are harsh by any decade’s standards, and the extreme close-ups of her face, and the agony it betrays, are forerunners of Carl Dreyer’s The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928). These close-ups were also cut by early censors, which is a sign of how great the acting is – that mere faces were deemed shocking as they betrayed the severity of the torture so explicitly.
When the innocent Maria the Weaver is tortured until she can no longer stand, she admits to witchcraft, condemning herself to death as relief from her pain. Her confessions are worse than the original false charges. The sins she speaks of are absurd because she is simply rattling off the worst things she can think of: stomping on crosses, changing into a cat and defecating on church altars, boiling infants alive. Maria names names, and a title card tells us that every condemned witch would give 10 others away.
Häxan (1922)At Häxan’s close, we are told that women accused of witchcraft were often suffering from mental illness, and in this enlightened time of 1922 we can commit them to institutions instead, and treat them with psychiatry. Christensen presents their difficulties and the ‘modern’ treatment as sort of a “Gee whiz, look how lucky we are today” coda. With our own present-day hindsight, this ending is as disturbing as the rest of the film, because we know how women have historically been treated in institutions. Even worse is the assertion that instead of seeing the Devil, women of the 1920s believe they are visited in the night by celebrities, or even their own doctors. The film considers these fantasies, concocted by disturbed minds, but today we know that women have sometimes been abused by doctors. The scene of a psychologist coming into a terrified woman’s bedroom at night is meant to show us that the woman is deranged, but the effect is chilling. (The psychologist, perhaps unsurprisingly at this point, is also played by Christensen.)
Häxan went on to heavily influence future filmmakers, most notably in films like The Passion of Joan of Arc, but its shockwaves also ripple through folk horror witch-hunting films such as Witchfinder General (1968) and Twins of Evil (1971). The film’s most powerful impact, though, is cultural. Each generation of women’s experiences mingle with the history of female persecution and become a new extension of it. Häxan is, ultimately, not merely a witchcraft film, and not fixed in time. It’s a kind of living documentary, and we’re all part of it.
In Dreams Are Monsters: A Season of Horror Films is in cinemas across the UK and on BFI Player now.
Häxan screens with a live score by Nick Carlisle at Queen’s Film Theatre, Belfast, on 24 November.
The inquisitor would then compare these observations to known witchcraft recipes or descriptions, trying to identify any telltale signs of a malicious intent. Another method of examination involved smell and taste. The inquisitor would carefully sniff the potion, noting any unusual or noxious odors that could indicate the presence of harmful ingredients. In some cases, the inquisitor would even ingest a small amount of the potion, closely monitoring their own physical reactions for signs of poisoning or other adverse effects. The examination of witchcraft concoctions was often accompanied by various rituals and prayers, aimed at protecting the inquisitor from any potential harm or demonic influence that the potion might possess. These rituals were seen as necessary precautions, as witchcraft was believed to have supernatural powers and could cause harm to those who attempted to investigate it. In summary, witchcraft concoction examination was a crucial part of the investigation and prosecution of suspected witches. Through careful analysis and observation, inquisitors sought to uncover the true nature of the potions created by witches. This examination process often involved visual inspection, smell, taste, and even ingestion of the potion, all in an effort to determine its ingredients and effects..
Reviews for "The Transformation of Witchcraft Concoction Examination Over Time"
1. Sarah - ⭐⭐ - I was really excited to try the "Witchcraft concoction examination" but was completely disappointed. The experience was lackluster and didn't live up to the hype. The potions we were given to taste were bland and uninteresting. The overall atmosphere was also quite underwhelming with minimal decorations or interactive elements. I wouldn't recommend this experience to anyone looking for a fun and immersive witchcraft experience.
2. John - ⭐⭐⭐ - The "Witchcraft concoction examination" fell short of my expectations. While the concept seemed intriguing, the execution was a letdown. The event felt disorganized and rushed, as if little effort was put into planning and organizing the different activities. In addition, the potions we sampled lacked creativity and tasted like generic fruit juices. I expected more authenticity and a captivating atmosphere, but unfortunately, this experience fell flat.
3. Emily - ⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Although the "Witchcraft concoction examination" had potential, it failed to deliver a truly immersive experience. While I appreciated the effort put into the set design and the engaging host, the potions themselves were rather lackluster. I anticipated a diverse range of flavors, but most of them tasted the same. Furthermore, the event felt overcrowded, making it difficult to fully enjoy the activities and engage with the host. Overall, it was an average experience that didn't live up to its promising concept.
4. David - ⭐⭐ - I was incredibly disappointed with the "Witchcraft concoction examination." The event felt more like a marketing gimmick rather than an actual exploration of witchcraft. The potions we sampled were underwhelming, lacking any distinct magical elements or flavors. The price was also quite steep for what was essentially a mediocre tasting event. I expected more depth and mystery, but unfortunately, it fell short of my expectations.
5. Jessica - ⭐⭐⭐⭐ - While the "Witchcraft concoction examination" had some positive aspects, it didn't quite hit the mark for me. The potions were mildly interesting, but I expected more creativity and variety. The event lacked a cohesive narrative or storyline, which left me feeling disconnected from the experience. Additionally, the timing of the different activities felt rushed, and I would have appreciated more time to truly immerse myself in the atmosphere. Overall, it was an okay experience, but nothing particularly memorable or extraordinary.