The witch characters in literature and folklore have always held a unique and captivating allure. Often portrayed as wise, mysterious, and powerful, these female figures have intrigued audiences for centuries. From the Wicked Witch of the West in "The Wizard of Oz" to Circe in Greek mythology, these characters have been depicted in various forms across different cultures. One common representation of a witch character is that of an old woman with magical abilities. These characters are often seen as healers, herbalists, or practitioners of dark magic. They possess knowledge of herbs, potions, and spells that can either help or harm others.
Filmmaker Pierre-Luc Vaillancourt in attendance!
These magickal films are exploring various realms of consciousness, challenging the nature of cinema by their singular artistic visions, esoteric sensibilities and remarkable metaphysical insights. Its most popular myth remains branded on its flag, an iconographic depiction of an eagle eating a snake atop a nopal that dates back to the Aztec decision to settle in Teotihuacán present-day Mexico City.
They possess knowledge of herbs, potions, and spells that can either help or harm others. Examples of such characters can be found in fairy tales like "Hansel and Gretel" and "Sleeping Beauty." On the other hand, there are also younger and more seductive witches in literature and pop culture, such as the character of Morgana in the TV series "Merlin.
Magical spectacle theater
FANGS
Aka Anyab.
Dir. Mohammed Shebl, 1981.
Egypt. 100 min.
In Arabic with English subtitles.
THURSDAY, JUNE 2 – 5:00 PM
SATURDAY, JUNE 11 – 10:00 PM
FRIDAY, JUNE 17 – 7:30 PM
TUESDAY, JUNE 28 – 10:00 PM
The Arab Spring and aftermath has yielded an accompanying wave of essential social realist film documents. But where, you ask, are all the Middle Eastern disco vampires now? Those occupied a special part of the early 80s — namely the exhilarating Egyptian ultra-camp triumph that is FANGS.
The premise — a young couple attempt to shelter from a storm at a creepy castle only to have their lives changed forever — may have been lifted straight from THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW (along with the dance numbers, professorial framing device, and disembodied lips intro sequence). But however much director Mohammed Shebl may have worn his love of that cult icon on his sleeve, his ambitious and wildly imaginative attempt to transcribe it into contemporary 1981 Egypt makes for something wholly his own. Black magic, singing vampires in spangles, Egyptian pop cameos, awkward climbing Dracula sequence, implausible fog machine deployment, a shockingly banging original electrofunk soundtrack by the film’s co-writer (fleshed out with bizarre soundtrack cues lifted directly from American movies of the time), kinetic on-screen animation effects — it’s all here.
In a memorable postmodern tangent the film even turns aside into social commentary to prove the existence of the ordinary “vampires of Egyptian society”, wherein Dracula pops up in various mundane roles (price-gouging plumber, opportunistic cab driver, etc) to continue haunting the leads decades into the future. If there’s any doubt about what sort of film world we’re in, it’ll be settled in the first minutes, when our protagonists’ relationship is established via an outside-the-window-serenade, with a bunch of random joggers in knee socks and shorts leaping in as back-up dancers. All of which serves, as well, as a strange reminder of the much relaxed social climate that prevailed in Egypt 30 years ago. (In his next film, Shebl would even work in cuts from a Divine video to establish the appropriate vibe at a club scene.)
Mohammed Shebl, an iconoclastic radio personality and filmmaker who died young 20 years ago, was a bit of a glorious outlier in the Egyptian film world. Over the course of four features he fought a one-man war to jump-start the Egyptian horror film industry, which sadly never quite caught on with audiences and critics. But besides his own subsequent films, brimful of love for the likes of EVIL DEAD and NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET, he did manage to inspire a brief generation of surreal ghost stories and tales of the Egyptian Weird, most sadly untranslated and unseen in the west. His debut FANGS, however, has been translated and provides an ecstatic, essential window into a rarely seen side of Arabic cinema.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17 – 7:30PM
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18 – 7:30PM
" These witches use their beauty, charm, and powers of manipulation to achieve their goals. They are often depicted as the villains or antagonists in stories, using their powers for personal gain or to cause harm to others. In some stories, witches are portrayed as complex and morally ambiguous characters. They possess a combination of good and evil traits, making them intriguing and relatable. For example, the character of Elphaba in the novel "Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West" challenges the traditional portrayal of witches as pure villains. She is portrayed as a sympathetic character with understandable motives and a desire for justice. Overall, witch characters in literature and folklore offer a rich and diverse portrayal of women who possess supernatural powers. They challenge societal norms and expectations, often defying traditional gender roles. Whether they are portrayed as benevolent healers or malevolent sorceresses, these characters continue to captivate and enchant audiences with their fascinating qualities..
Reviews for "Unveiling the Dark and Mysterious Nature of Witch Characters"
1. Sarah - 1/5 - I found "The Witch Characters" to be extremely disappointing. The storyline was weak and the characters were underdeveloped. I couldn't connect with any of them, and their dialogue felt forced and unnatural. The whole concept of witches in the story seemed irrelevant and added nothing to the plot. Overall, I was left feeling bored and uninterested throughout the book.
2. James - 2/5 - I had high hopes for "The Witch Characters" based on the reviews I had seen, but unfortunately, it fell short for me. The writing style was confusing and disjointed, making it difficult to follow the storyline. The witches themselves were presented as one-dimensional characters with no depth or motivations. I wanted to see more complexity and exploration of their powers and struggles, but it was lacking. The book had potential, but ultimately failed to deliver a captivating witch-focused story.
3. Emily - 2/5 - As a fan of supernatural themes and witchcraft, I was excited to read "The Witch Characters." However, I found it to be poorly executed. The pacing was slow, and the plot lacked excitement and originality. The witches themselves were stereotypical and lacked substance, making it difficult to connect with or care about their journey. The book had potential, but it failed to deliver a compelling witch story that would leave a lasting impact.
4. Michael - 1/5 - "The Witch Characters" was a major letdown. The writing was bland and lacked any sense of imagination or creativity. The witches' abilities and personalities were barely explored, leaving them feeling like empty shells. The plot was predictable and offered no surprises or twists, making it a tedious read. Overall, I found this book to be a complete waste of time and would not recommend it to anyone looking for an engaging witch-themed story.
5. Rebecca - 2/5 - I was excited to dive into "The Witch Characters," but unfortunately, it didn't live up to my expectations. The writing was mediocre, and the witches lacked depth and complexity. The storyline felt scattered and disconnected, leaving me confused at times. Overall, it was a forgettable read that failed to fully explore the potential of its witch characters.