The Vile Witch is a horror film released in 1986. It follows the story of a small town plagued by the presence of a wicked witch. The film is known for its dark and eerie atmosphere, as well as its intense and thrilling plot. In the film, the witch is portrayed as a cruel and merciless figure who terrorizes the town's inhabitants. She possesses supernatural powers and uses them to instill fear and havoc among the townspeople. The Vile Witch is depicted as a force of pure evil, with no remorse or empathy for her victims.
Washuta is a member of the Cowlitz Indian Tribe and a nonfiction writer. She is the author of Starvation Mode and My Body Is a Book of Rules, named a finalist for the Washington State Book Award. With Theresa Warburton, she is co-editor of the anthology Shapes of Native Nonfiction: Collected Essays by Contemporary Writers. She is an assistant professor of creative writing at the Ohio State University.
She interlaces stories from her forebears with cultural artifacts from her own life TwinPeaks, the Oregon Trail II video game, a Claymation Satan, a YouTube video of Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham to explore questions of cultural inheritance and the particular danger, as a Native woman, of relaxing into romantic love under colonial rule. Then the bostons the word people up and down this coast used for white men turned places into property terminals, shipyards, mills, railroad beds, dumps, cesspools, homesteads, parks, streets, wharves, trestles, bridges, canals.
The Vile Witch is depicted as a force of pure evil, with no remorse or empathy for her victims. The film's main protagonist is a courageous young woman named Sarah, who becomes determined to rid the town of the wicked witch. Sarah is portrayed as a strong and resourceful character, who uses her intelligence and bravery to outsmart the witch and protect her loved ones.
White Magic (Paperback)
Selected as a Best Nonfiction Book of the Year 2021 by Bookshop staff:
Millennial, writer, Cowlitz Indian Tribe member, witch, popular culture consumer - through these individual but interconnected essays Washuta has formed a sampling of her very soul. In these funny, poignant, sincere yet self-aware, and at times painfully familiar essays, Stevie Nicks, Twin Peaks, and Red Dead Redemption share equal time with childhood memories, oppressed heritage, adult heartbreak, and magic in ways that will have you demanding more beyond the last page.
Description
Finalist for the PEN Open Book Award
Longlisted for the PEN/Jean Stein Award
A TIME, NPR, New York Public Library, Lit Hub, Book Riot, and Entropy Best Book of the Year
“Beguiling and haunting. . . . Washuta's voice sears itself onto the skin.” —The New York Times Book Review
Throughout her life, Elissa Washuta has been surrounded by cheap facsimiles of Native spiritual tools and occult trends, “starter witch kits” of sage, rose quartz, and tarot cards packaged together in paper and plastic. Following a decade of abuse, addiction, PTSD, and heavy-duty drug treatment for a misdiagnosis of bipolar disorder, she felt drawn to the real spirits and powers her dispossessed and discarded ancestors knew, while she undertook necessary work to find love and meaning.
In this collection of intertwined essays, she writes about land, heartbreak, and colonization, about life without the escape hatch of intoxication, and about how she became a powerful witch. She interlaces stories from her forebears with cultural artifacts from her own life—TwinPeaks, the Oregon Trail II video game, a Claymation Satan, a YouTube video of Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham—to explore questions of cultural inheritance and the particular danger, as a Native woman, of relaxing into romantic love under colonial rule.
Bracingly honest and powerfully affecting, White Magic establishes Elissa Washuta as one of our best living essayists.
About the Author
Washuta is a member of the Cowlitz Indian Tribe and a nonfiction writer. She is the author of Starvation Mode and My Body Is a Book of Rules, named a finalist for the Washington State Book Award. With Theresa Warburton, she is co-editor of the anthology Shapes of Native Nonfiction: Collected Essays by Contemporary Writers. She is an assistant professor of creative writing at the Ohio State University.
Praise For…
Necessary and magical.
— NPR
Exactly what you need right now.
— O, The Oprah Magazine
A web of honest examination of self and context. . . . A vibration that asks the body to listen, and rewards it for doing so.
— The Seattle Times
Nobody in the country uses more innovative nonfiction forms than Washuta.
— The Stranger
A well of invention and imagination.
— The Believer
A fascinating magic trick of a memoir that illuminates a woman's search for meaning.
— Kirkus, Starred Review
Her skill at transforming writing clichés and well-worn cultural signifiers into fresh insights is alchemical.
— The A.V. Club
Incredible.
— Book Riot
Seamless and scalding.
— Guernica
Incantatory, impassioned. . . . [A] wholly magical look at learning how to recognize the power that rests within you.
— Refinery29
Resonant and weighty.
— BuzzFeed
An innovative and deeply felt work to sink into.
— The Millions
As an essay collection, White Magic is as beautifully complex as it is illuminating. Washuta is a conjurer here, able to effortlessly showcase her talents while simultaneously pulling you close, as if she might suddenly reveal all her secrets. She is a genius at the art of subtle misdirection. Reading this book felt like being shown an expertly performed magic trick: deftly, flawlessly. No loose threads revealed. The work is funny and wry, it's thought-provoking and tender. It's a sleight of hand performed by a true master of the craft. White Magic is magnificent and Elissa Washuta is spellbinding. There is no one else like her.
— Kristen Arnett, author of Mostly Dead Things
Elissa Washuta is exactly the writer we need right now: as funny as she is formidable a thinker, as thoughtful as she is inventive—her scrutiny is a fearless tool, every subject whittled to its truest form. White Magic is a bracingly original work that enthralled me in a hypnosis on the other side of which I was changed for the better, more likely to trust my own strange intelligence.
— Melissa Febos, author of Whip Smart, Abandon Me, & Girlhood
White magic, red magic, Stevie Nicks magic—this is Elissa Washuta magic, which is a spell carved from a life, written in blood, and sealed in an honesty I can hardly fathom.
— Stephen Graham Jones, author of The Only Good Indian
In brilliant, clear-eyed prose, Elissa Washuta maps a magical passage into (and back out of) the underworld, through knotty legacies of violence and longing and love. Part history, part riddle, part portal: this book worked on me like a spell. I've never read anything like White Magic, and will be returning to it again and again.
— Claire Comstock-Gay, author of Madame Clairevoyant’s Guide to the Stars
You're going to feel like you’re drownfloating reading this diary of pain and meditation and wish for magic where every word helps Elissa Washuta’s soul return to her body. White Magic is as haunting as the work of Beckylane’s Where The Rivers Join and as eerily hypnotic as Kate Schatz’s Rid of Me. These pages are windows into a black lodge where Twin Peaks and Fleetwood Mac are on repeat—sometimes forward, sometimes backwards, sometimes in blackout blur. I stand in awe of everything here. What an incredible and wounding read.
— Richard Van Camp, author of The Lesser Blessed and Godless but Loyal to Heaven
- Literary Collections / Essays
- Literary Collections / Indigenous Peoples of the Americas
- Literary Collections / Women Authors
- Kobo eBook (April 26th, 2021): $17.95
- Hardcover (April 27th, 2021): $26.95
Throughout the film, Sarah faces numerous challenges and obstacles in her quest to defeat the witch. She must navigate through treacherous traps and overcome her own fears in order to ultimately triumph over evil. The film builds suspense and tension as Sarah gets closer to confronting the witch, creating a thrilling and captivating viewing experience. The Vile Witch is praised for its effective use of atmospheric cinematography and haunting musical score. The visual and auditory elements of the film contribute to the overall feeling of dread and terror, enhancing the viewer's experience. Overall, The Vile Witch is a classic horror film that has stood the test of time. Its depiction of a wicked witch and the protagonist's battle against evil continues to captivate audiences to this day. With its dark atmosphere, intense plot, and strong characters, The Vile Witch remains a notable entry in the horror genre..
Reviews for "Remembering "The Vile Witch 1986": An Underrated Horror Classic"
1. Jane - 1/5 stars - "I found 'The vile witch 1986' to be incredibly boring and unoriginal. The storyline was predictable and lacked any depth or complexity. The characters were one-dimensional and lacked any motivation or development. The dialogue was generic and uninspiring. Overall, I was very disappointed with this film and would not recommend it to anyone seeking an engaging and thought-provoking movie experience."
2. Michael - 2/5 stars - "I was excited to watch 'The vile witch 1986' based on the intriguing premise, but unfortunately, it did not live up to my expectations. The pacing was incredibly slow and there were long stretches of the film where nothing seemed to be happening. The acting was mediocre at best and the special effects were outdated. The plot lacked clarity and coherence, making it difficult to stay engaged in the story. Overall, I was left feeling underwhelmed and uninterested in the film."
3. Sarah - 2/5 stars - "I had high hopes for 'The vile witch 1986', but it turned out to be a disappointment. The film's execution felt amateurish and the editing was choppy. The dialogue was poorly written, often feeling forced and unnatural. The acting was subpar, with performances that lacked conviction. The narrative lacked a clear direction and failed to provide a satisfying conclusion. Overall, I found myself losing interest and struggling to connect with the film."
4. David - 1/5 stars - "I cannot begin to express how much I disliked 'The vile witch 1986'. From the start, the film was incredibly confusing and failed to provide any sort of explanation for its convoluted storyline. The characters were unlikable and their motivations were unclear. The pacing was uneven, with unnecessary filler scenes that did not contribute to the overall plot. The special effects were laughably bad and took away from any potential enjoyment. I would not recommend this film to anyone."