In the classic tale of "The Wizard of Oz," the wicked witch holds a significant role as the primary antagonist. Throughout the story, the witch's menacing presence creates suspense and drives the plot forward. Her primary goal is to prevent Dorothy and her companions from reaching the Emerald City and attaining their hearts' desires. The witch is depicted as a powerful sorceress, capable of casting spells and summoning her flying monkeys to do her evil bidding. In her pursuit of Dorothy, she demonstrates her cunning and vindictiveness, using any means necessary to stop the young girl and her friends. Despite her frightening reputation, the wicked witch is ultimately revealed to have vulnerabilities.
Thomasin insists that she knows nothing of how the boy disappeared. But as the family grieves the infant’s absence, it’s hard for them to not entertain the possibility that perhaps Thomasin herself is … a witch. Those suspicions only increase when Caleb soon vanishes, too, while he’s with Thomasin in the woods they’ve been forbidden to set foot in.
She then wanders naked into the forest to find a coven of other similarly unclothed witches who are performing an ecstatic rite around a fire before they begin to levitate. The entire family watches, all visible in the shot, as Thomasin stares up at her father and pledges love, respect and reverie for the God which by all accounts should protect them, if their beliefs are to be validated.
Despite her frightening reputation, the wicked witch is ultimately revealed to have vulnerabilities. Water proves to be her greatest weakness, causing her to melt away when inadvertently splashed on her. This weakness adds an element of surprise to the story as Dorothy accidentally discovers how to defeat her.
Desires of Blood in the Folktale Horror of The Witch (2015)
There are some movies that just feel dangerous. As if they’re capable of anything. Movies that seem to be constructed more of dread than plot. Nightmarish windows into a different world, foreign to us perhaps, but altogether believable. For all their alienation, these stories become ones you live in, whether you want to or not.
I saw The Witch (2015) theatrically on its opening weekend after hearing nothing but stellar word of mouth from its tour on the festival circuit. I didn’t know much about it walking in, but my expectations were high. Either way, I was ready for something scary.
That was what the trailer had promised, after all. With its discomforting soundscape, dour color pallet and hyperbolic pull-quotes, the several minute marketing tool had succeeded in convincing the general public that The Witch was a game-changer. With that in mind, we bought our tickets and sat ourselves down in the crowded theater for what would hopefully deliver on the promise of the hype.
Silence followed the closing credits as those in the theater exited in silence. The tone was distinctly different than it had been at the start, excitement had twisted into something more closely related to uncertainty and anticipation emerged as deep-seated dread. It wasn’t that the movie had failed us, no, it was that it had delivered every last bit on the promise of its promotional materials.
Still, from the looks of confusion and dissatisfaction on some of the people’s faces, bolstered by additional commentary which began to sprout in the lobby, the film was not what many had expected. Of course, the definition of a scary movie can vary dramatically from person to person. Some define a horror film by the amount of loud, intermittent sound cues it contains, the effectiveness of which are measured by the presence or lack thereof of inadvertent leaps from seats throughout. Others opt to focus on plot and character content when determining the strength of a horror project, demanding bloodshed, monsters, killers or some other unholy presence.
And yet, are not the very best horror movies defined by the mood and tone they’re able to create? The carefully mounting dread permeating each frame as it flickers by the viewer’s watchful eye? The Witch is a film that plays in that space of dread and tone, crafting an intricate, lived-in world that feels raw and exposed, predatory toward the sort of innocent who might be willing to trust it.
Everything about the production engrossed my senses. The visuals were stimulating and distinct, the landscape and production design completely disappearing into 1630’s New England. The dialogue played so accurately that I could scarcely understand it, their puritan colloquialisms neighboring on foreign language at times. And the titular threat of the witch was so sparsely revealed and her evil so deeply felt that I shudder just thinking about the handful of scenes in which she’s featured.
On top of that, the film offers important social commentary that, although applies to a time and a place far removed from our own, is incredibly relevant. Following the plight of one accused girl named Thomasin, judged in the eyes of her family and forced to watch idly as everything she knows and loves is stripped away, The Witch serves as a strikingly poignant metaphor for the cost that must be paid when a patriarchal society attempts to force a young woman into submission, a command which she cannot reasonably obey.
Many scenes serve to embody The Witch’s visceral energy and potent ability to deeply unsettle, but when I think back on those elements which made it successful, my mind drifts to the scene in the attic. It’s there, when the family gathers around Caleb, a young boy agonized under the affliction of the evil witch, where the unspoken feelings of the group boil to the surface. A quiet and yet bombastic moment in the film, it’s here that dark fears are confirmed and the end creeps ever closer to those suffering on screen.
From clear and poetic words on the page to the projected visual verse, Robert Eggers crafts the sequence from the ground up, carefully plotting the emotionality and feel of the moment with his words well before the camera began to roll. Carrying the script through with superb performances, haunting visual effects and brilliant staging, this scene serves as the perfect representation as to why the film is so successful as a whole.
Some movies feel dangerous and that day in the theater I recognized that unique brand of unsettling discomfort. This is one of those scenes that illustrates exactly why that was.
The character of the wicked witch stands as a symbol of fear, representing the obstacles that one must overcome on the journey towards self-discovery. She serves as a reminder that there will always be challenges along the path, but with courage and determination, one can conquer even the most formidable adversaries. In conclusion, the wicked witch in "The Wizard of Oz" plays a crucial role in the narrative. Her villainous actions create tension and drive the story's conflict. Ultimately, she serves as a reminder that conquering fear is an essential part of any journey towards self-realization..
Reviews for "Behind the Mask: The Human Side of the Wizard of Oz Witch"
1. John - 1 star - I really did not enjoy "The Witch is Dead Wizard of Oz". The storyline felt disjointed and lacked any real depth. The characters were one-dimensional and I couldn't connect with any of them. The dialogue was also very cliché and irrelevant at times. Overall, I found the book to be a waste of time and would not recommend it to anyone.
2. Sarah - 2 stars - "The Witch is Dead Wizard of Oz" was a disappointment for me. I had high hopes for a unique twist on the classic Wizard of Oz story, but unfortunately, it fell flat. The pacing was slow, with too many unnecessary subplots that did not contribute to the overall story. Additionally, the writing style was confusing and hard to follow at times. While there were some interesting ideas, they were not executed well. Overall, I was left unsatisfied and would not read this book again.
3. Emily - 1 star - I found "The Witch is Dead Wizard of Oz" to be a complete letdown. The characters lacked development and their actions felt forced. The plot was predictable and lacked any surprises. Additionally, the writing style was dry and did not engage me as a reader. I was expecting a fresh take on the Wizard of Oz, but instead, I was left feeling uninterested and bored. I would not recommend this book to anyone looking for an exciting and engaging read.
4. Michael - 2 stars - "The Witch is Dead Wizard of Oz" did not live up to my expectations. The story felt disjointed and often went off on tangents that were unrelated to the main plot. The main characters lacked depth and were difficult to connect with. The dialogue was stiff and unrealistic, making it hard to become fully immersed in the story. While there were some interesting elements, they were overshadowed by the overall lackluster execution. I was hoping for a more captivating read and was ultimately disappointed.
5. Jessica - 1 star - I was highly disappointed with "The Witch is Dead Wizard of Oz". The story felt lacking in originality and failed to bring anything new or exciting to the classic Wizard of Oz tale. The narrative was slow-paced and often dragged on without any significant development. The characters were forgettable and lacked depth, making it hard to care about their fates. Overall, it was a tedious read that I would not recommend to others.