Every year around this time, we dust off our favorite movies about witches and indulge in a little spooky fun. From humorous fare like Hocus Pocus to scarier flicks like The Blair Witch Project, these movies and TV shows run the gamut—which is great news for people who hate horror films but want something Halloween-adjacent. But which witch depictions have the stamp of approval from real-life witches? Spoiler alert: The Craft? Yay! American Horror Story: Coven? Not so much.
We tracked down three witches to give us the tea potion on the most authentic (and bullshit) portrayals of witches in pop culture history. And their answers will surprise you. Who knew Hermione Granger was getting it right all along? (Answer: IRL witches, that's who.)
But before we dive in, let's get to know the women we talked to:
Gabriela Herstik is a witch and writer currently living in Los Angeles. She interns for Vivienne Westwood and covers witchcraft for Nylon, Vice's Broadly blog, and The Hoodwitch, among other places. She realized she was a witch at 11 years old. "I had always been interested in spirituality and the occult," Herstik said. "...When I got a deck of faery oracle cards in sixth grade for Hanukkah, I was led to witchcraft and knew immediately that it’s where I belonged. Witchcraft feels like coming home. "
Amelia Quint is a horoscope columnist and writer from South Carolina who created The Midheaven, an online astrological guide. She came to witchcraft after years of feeling different. "My mother recognized my unique temperament—if reluctantly—and gifted me a book on highly sensitive people when I was around 13," she said. "It was something I took for granted, probably due to my religious upbringing, until I went to college. After some spooky dreams and meetings that felt like more than just chance, that’s when I realized that this was more than just a quirky personality trait. I investigated the history of witchcraft and understood there was a name for what I was: a witch."
Bri Luna is a Los Angeles and Seattle-based witch who started The Hoodwitch, an online resource for modern mystics that has more than 100,000 followers on Instagram. Luna is a mother now, and she admits the parents at her child's school are intrigued by what she does. "They know that I am a witch and they love it," Luna said. "The other parents are always asking me advice about crystals or astrology. I find it endearing."
Here is what these ladies had to say about Hollywood's witchcraft hijinks:
Who do you think is the most realistic witch in pop culture?
GH: I think Hermione [Granger from the Harry Potter series] is pretty amazing as far as working hard and honing your craft.
AQ: Elphaba in Wicked is surprisingly relatable! Green skin aside, she struggles with the same things modern-day witches face. She’s a rebel and outsider who fights for what she loves, even when the public doesn’t understand her.
BL: Kris Jenner. I’m serious! She has to be a witch. Have you ever seen her infomercials? She endorsed ritual manifestation candles at one point in her career. [I'm] totally serious. You have to Google it.
What is the most inaccurate depiction of witches you’ve seen in pop culture?
GH: I think the witches in American Horror Story: Coven. I mean, they’re obviously meant to be fake, but for some reason, AHS: Coven drove me nuts—and I love AHS. And as far as covens go, there's a high priestess and a high priest, not a supreme. Witches do have gifts, but the powers aren't defined like [they are in AHS]. I was just annoyed by the incest and rape and the fact that the clothing was so "witchy" that I stopped watching it. I'm probably angrier at the plot more than anything else.
AQ: The White Witch in The Chronicles of Narnia might be the worst offender. Besides the fact that segregating magick [not to be confused with performance "magic"] into “black” as evil or “white” as good has offensive racial undertones, the idea that her character only exists to tempt children, turn people to stone, or lead Narnia into eternal winter isn’t exactly flattering! Most witches in pop culture have at least some tiny thread of real witch folklore woven into them, but there’s nothing here.
BL: Just about every film to date on witches. I’ve seen just about all of them. The hit show American Horror Story: Coven really rubbed me the wrong way. They were beyond disrespectful in their portrayal of the iconic voodoo queen of New Orleans, Marie Laveau. This woman’s work is legendary! She created a legacy of magick and healing, especially for black people. This show portrayed her as a nasty, spiteful monster that killed children, which is so far from the truth. It was really disappointing; they had a great wardrobe, but other than that, it was awful.
What is the most accurate depiction of witches you’ve seen in pop culture?
GH: As far as Neo-Paganism and Wicca, The Craft actually get some stuff right as far as rituals go, calling the quarters, and casting the circles. But it leaves out the fact that Wiccans also honor Goddess and that black and white magick [not to be confused with "magic"] isn’t real. Magick doesn’t work that way.
AQ: The most accurate depiction of witches in pop culture I’ve seen recently is The Witch, directed by Robert Eggers. The folklore in this film runs deep and is spot on. It’s a really gorgeous depiction of the witch’s ability to break out of oppressive structures. Like lots of things in witchcraft, it’s more symbolic than literal, and there are so many layers of meaning.
BL: There’s no one size fits all for what a witch is or what she’s ”supposed to be.” That’s the beauty of the witch: She’s whatever she wants to be, which means that the dynamic is going to vary from witch to witch.
What are the biggest things pop culture gets wrong about witchcraft?
GH: That witches honor Satan. Some do, but that’s not what witchcraft is for the most part. I hate when the media portrays witchcraft as “black” and “white." "Black magick” and “white magick” don’t exist. Energy just is—black repels and white absorbs. Saying one is good and one is bad is wrong and inherently racist. Also, witch gender is neutral. Men can be witches! We don’t worship Satan. We don’t sacrifice babies. We don’t curse anyone who messes with us—well, most of us don’t, anyway. Everyone has the potential to be a witch. It's not that you have to be “chosen.” It’s a title for everyone to claim. It just comes easier to some people.
AQ: The biggest thing pop culture gets wrong about witchcraft is that it’s associated with Satanism. While there are some witches who worship Satan or practice Satanism, the two are completely separate. Unfortunately, when you conflate the two, it can trigger Satanic panic-style fears that in no way resemble what we do. Most witches believe in the Wiccan rede, which says, “An ye harm none, do what thou wilt," or karma of some sort. That central belief means we aren’t going to care unnecessary harm to ourselves or others. We promise.
BL: Just about everything.
What are the biggest things pop culture gets right about witchcraft?
GH: That witches are powerful, intuitive, magical beings who are great at manifesting. A lot of us live in tune with the cycles of the year and love the moon, the cosmos, and nature. Also, we do perform magick! And we do use spells.
AQ: The biggest thing pop culture gets right about witchcraft is its power. Yes, witchcraft is powerful, and that can be intimidating or even scary. And yes, that power should be treated with respect. It’s always the characters who approach the act of magick as a game or that cast spells for the wrong reasons who end up in trouble. The ones who practice, carefully, are the ones to emulate.
BL: I’ll let you know once it happens.
How would you like to see entertainment portray witches in the future?
GH: Correctly—and that means more than just white girls. Every indigenous culture has some form of witchcraft. I want to see different forms of witchcraft and voodoo and hoodoo represented accurately. It’s not all white girls using crystals and praying to Lilith. I don’t want to see that. And witchcraft isn’t just a fashion statement—it is a path that takes work and practice and knowledge to master. I hate that Hollywood dilutes that.
AQ: I’d love to see a more independent witch—one who doesn’t have to rely on a family heritage of witchcraft or a coven of witches—portrayed in entertainment. So many practitioners these days are solitary, and it would be great for them to have some representation!
BL: I would personally like to see more representation for majestic women of color. We’ve seen plenty of whimsical and ethereal white witches and Goddesses throughout magical film and television witch history. It would be great to finally see a well-made, large-budget film made about witchy Goddesses of color! Also, [get] rid of the stereotypes and demonization of African spirituality in film.
Who is your favorite pop culture witch of all time?
GH: I think Sabrina [from Sabrina the Teenage Witch], honestly. I loved that show! I love Sarah Jessica Parker in Hocus Pocus. I think she’s fabulous and lovable and cute. But I also love the witch in The Witch, and all the witches in that movie. I love how they’re portrayed as the "classic scary witch" because of the fact that they’re empowered women (who also happen to sacrifice babies).
AQ: The Weird Sisters in Macbeth are my favorite pop culture witches because they’re timeless. Their spooky, “Double, double, toil and trouble” scene may be the genesis point for a lot of modern stereotypes, but when you look a little deeper, you see that they’re also extremely powerful. They live on the edge of society, in the space between reality and magick. That’s what real witches do. And ultimately, their prophecies come true!
BL: Endora [from] Bewitched. Not only was she sassy, she was stylish and totally knew that her daughter’s husband, Darren, was an oppressive jerk and did anything she could to give him hell. I love that she encouraged Samantha to be a strong, proud witch.
What is your favorite witch movie of all time?
GH: All the Harry Potter movies. The Witch is [also] amazing and undervalued.
AQ: I’d have to say The Wizard of Oz. Both Glinda and the Wicked Witch captured my heart at a young age, as did the colorful world they inhabited. Their costumes were lovely, but beyond that, I was intrigued by their relationship and motivations. Sometimes the reasons why someone would use magick are as fascinating as the magick itself.
BL: I love The Craft, for nostalgia’s sake. Next would be Hocus Pocus.
What is your favorite witch TV show of all time?
GH: Sabrina the Teenage Witch. I love her.
AQ: It’s not a witch TV show per se, but growing up, Sailor Moon was my favorite magical television show! Each main character on the show is inspired by the astrology of a different planet, and I actually learned a lot about the way the stars affect people’s personalities from watching it. Plus, who doesn't want to wear an adorable sailor suit?
BL:Bewitched, of course. I wasn’t ever a fan of Buffy or Charmed.
Source: http://www.glamour.com/story/real-witches-explain-what-movies-and-tv-get-wrong-and-right
Reviewed by Unknown
on
10/14/2016
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