Something Wicked: Witchcraft in Movies, Television, and Popular Culture

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An anthology of essays that deal with Witchcraft and the figure of the Witch, as they have been presented in motion pictures, television, and popular culture, in order to understand how, why, and when the common anti-Witchcraft/ anti-Witch attitude evolved.

Mainstream tales of Witchcraft, including modern movies, novels, TV series, and other examples of our popular culture, more often than not express the traditional notion of a Witch as a wild, dangerous, untamable, nasty woman, obsessed with a desire for power to control all around her, in most narratives such a hunger presented as a negative. In truth, The Witch is a symbol of threatening evil only to those men and women who accept a conservative sensibility. For members of either gender who do not, The Witch is perceived as hero and role model.

This collection begins with the Biblical figure of Lilith, followed by Morgan le Fey from Arthurian legend/ myth in literature as well as in popular culture, followed by the more contemporary depictions of the Witch that start to appear in the 1960s; for example, in the Bewitched sitcom, the Star Wars franchise, Harry Potter, and even the television show Scooby-Doo. International depictions of the Witch are discussed, including Italys Dario Argentos films, Suspiria and Inferno. The final section of this collection focuses on the most iconic depictions of the Witch produced during the 21st century, including A Discovery of Witches, Penny Dreadful, Game of Thrones and the history of the Witch in films by the Walt Disney studio, from its origins more than a century ago to the latest releases, arguing that here, if perhaps surprisingly, we discover the most fair and balanced portraits of Witches in the history of film and TV.

Reviews

Doug Brode is an innovative and prolific scholar who is known for exploring new areas and taking unconventional angles. In Something Wicked, he and co-editor Leah Deyneka present a provocative look at witchcraft in popular media, acknowledging the ways in which witches evoke questions regarding marginalization, diversity, and disability. This book is invaluable for those studying inclusion in American culture and media * Kathy Merlock Jackson, Professor of Media and Communication, Virginia Wesleyan University, USA *
In the past we demonized them, hunted them down, tortured and hanged them, and burned them at the stake. To no effect. Nothing could suppress our fascination with witches and witchcraft. In this dynamic new collection by sharp-witted young scholar critics, we can examine the diverse and contradictory ways that popular culture has depicted the witches. In some trials we are rooting for them. * James MacKillop, author of The Oxford Dictionary of Celtic Mythology (2004), USA *
Smart and versatile, Douglas Brode and Leah Deynekas spell-binding collection is something wicked indeed, containing nineteen brand new discussions of witchcraft and wizardry in movies, television, and penny dreadfuls. Vital for researchers and enthusiasts, itsinsights into misogyny, magic, and transgressive behavior are accessible and engaging. Carefully researched, this book is a must-read for feminist and film scholars, mass media buffs, and fans of Witch-Lit. Its a must-have for anyone interested in the occult and the ubiquitous Wiccan in popular culture. * Sue Matheson, Professor, University College of the North, Canada *

Author Bio

Douglas Brode, now retired, was the Creator/Coordinator of the Film Classics Program for The Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University, USA. He is a novelist, screenwriter, playwright, film historian, multi-award winning journalist, and multi-award winning educator.

Leah Deyneka holds a masters degree in 19th-century literature from Kings College, London, UK, and has written extensively on literature, film, media, and popular culture.