In the world of teaching, there is a magical book that has the power to ignite passion and enthusiasm in even the most lethargic educators. This book holds within its pages a secret power that can transform a teacher's classroom into a vibrant and engaging learning environment. However, the true power of this book lies not in its content, but in the willingness of the teacher to embrace its teachings. The teacher lethargic magic book is a metaphorical representation of the transformative potential that lies within every educator. It symbolizes the ability to breathe life into an otherwise dull and monotonous classroom. Just like a magician, a teacher can use this book to captivate the attention of their students and create a sense of wonder and curiosity.
Love witch 2016
Director: Anna Biller Run Time: 121 min. Rating: NR Release Year: 2016
Starring: Gian Keys, Jared Sanford, Jeffrey Vincent Parise, Laura Waddell, Samantha Robinson
Country: United States
Language: English
Cult 101 at Gateway Film Center
A celebration of the best cult films of all time.
About the film:
Elaine, a beautiful young witch, is determined to find a man to love her. In her gothic Victorian apartment she makes spells and potions, and then picks up men and seduces them. However her spells work too well, and she ends up with a string of hapless victims. When she finally meets the man of her dreams, her desperation to be loved will drive her to the brink of insanity and murder.
With a visual style that pays tribute to Technicolor thrillers of the ‘60s, The Love Witch (2016) explores female fantasy and the repercussions of pathological narcissism.
“Anna Biller has quickly established herself as one of the most exciting filmmakers of the past decade.”
Images courtesy of OscilloscopeAbout the filmmaker:
Anna Biller is an American filmmaker who creates unique, female-focused, highly visual films that explore the female gaze in cinema. Her first feature Viva (2007) played in film festivals all over the world and gained minor cult status, and her second feature The Love Witch (2016) won acclaim for its elaborate visual style and feminist themes, and has screened at numerous film festivals worldwide. The film earned her the Trailblazer Award and Best Costume Design at the Chicago Independent Film Critics Circle Awards, and appeared on many 2016 best-of-year lists. Biller has a BA from UCLA in art and an MFA from CalArts in art and film.
Halloween Horror Week: The Love Witch (2016)
That’s not our intro to Elaine (Samantha Robinson), the titular love witch of Anna Biller’s The Love Witch, but it’s sort of her thesis statement. She’s fled a bad marriage that came to a bad end (as did her husband, Jerry) and ended up in a small Northern California town to find love.
The glamourous Elaine has decided the best way to go about it is to shape herself into “just a pretty woman to love” – in other words, the perfect male fantasy. Her preoccupation has little to do with what she wants and rather what she believes men want. So of course, Elaine turns to witchcraft to accomplish this. And of course, it does not go at all according to her plan. There will be more bad ends to follow.
Writer-director-editor (among other roles) Biller’s The Love Witch occupies a delightful space between camp and high art. Biller’s film is self-aware – it’s at once romantic and serious, arch and hilarious, beautiful and tragic. The acting is performative and stylized but adds perfectly to the heightened reality this film evokes. There is a confident vision to this movie that few filmmakers would be able to pull off.
Biller famously spent years designing and fabricating the costumes and the sets as well as composing music and even hooking a rug to accomplish her singular vision. The movie’s aesthetics are a huge part of its appeal, giving it both a timeless and a time-displaced feeling. It’s not a pastiche nor a parody, but rather it creates its own world that draws you in. It will remind you of other movies you’ve seen – clearly, it’s been influenced by everything from Technicolor musicals to giallo to ‘60s melodrama – but it’s also like nothing else.
As the story unfolds, Elaine – all winged eyeliner and bright eyeshadow, shiny hair and seductive sweetness – sets her eyes clearly inferior men, such as Wayne (Jeffrey Vincent Parise), a professor; and the husband, Richard (Robert Seeley), of her friend Trish (Laura Waddell). They both immediately fall under her literal spell. But Elaine soon gets bored with them and their over-emoting. It’s not a surprise when they both eventually end up dead.
Flashbacks and voiceovers reveal the everyday abuse Elaine faced – from a husband who said she wasn’t doing enough to a father who said she was fat and unattractive. Even her initiation into her coven feels more male-dominated than a goddess-worshipping group should be.
In one scene, Elaine listens with caution as male witch leader Gahan (Jared Sanford) instructs two young women that “A woman’s greatest power lies in her sexuality” while in a burlesque club. In another, she pushes him away as he tries to kiss her breasts in a traditional greeting. This is all under the eye of fellow witch and friend, Barbara (Jennifer Ingrum), who allows it to go on. Elaine understands these are the people with who she’s chosen to align herself, but she still lingers on the outside.
It’s not until midway through the movie that we’re introduced to a police detective, Griff Meadows (Gian Keys), who is Elaine’s greatest love match and also the only man who doesn’t completely fall under her spell.
There’s an idyllic ride on horseback through the woods and then a mock Renaissance wedding between the two of them (it’s that kind of movie) but it’s in those scenes that show how far apart the two are – Griff, in the inner thoughts of his voiceover, refuses to completely fall in love with Elaine. Elaine, for her part, has decided he’s the one. She’s fallen under her own love spell, perhaps, and refuses to let Griff go, but making men love her is the power she has. It’s maybe the only power society has given her.
After the town turns on Elaine for being a witch, Griff, despite his better judgment (and his judgment of her), saves her. However, Elaine knows his true colors – and more importantly, he knows hers. So, of course, she has no choice but to stab him to death. Heartbroken, with his blood on her hands, she dreams of her fantasy – being loved, being carried off by her prince on a white horse.
Trish said to Elaine early in the movie, “It sounds like you’ve been brainwashed by the patriarchy.” As much of a gorgeous, brightly-colored delight as The Love Witch is, it reveals the darkness under the surface of so much beauty and glamour. We’ve all been brainwashed by the patriarchy. The question The Love Witch leaves us with is what we’re going to do about it.
- Tags: anna biller, gian keys, jared sanford, jeffrey vincent parise, jennifer ingrum, laura waddell, robert seeley, samantha robinson
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Just like a magician, a teacher can use this book to captivate the attention of their students and create a sense of wonder and curiosity. But what is this magic book and how does it work? The magic lies in the teacher's ability to connect with their students on a deep and meaningful level. It requires a genuine interest in their students' lives and a willingness to go above and beyond the traditional lecture-style of teaching.
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Anna Biller
Anna Biller’s The Love Witch, despite being made in 2016, has an uncanny timelessness. Through her distinct art direction and production design, Biller created a sumptuous cinematic world that operates according to its own logic, building upon that crafted for her 2007 debut feature Viva. The story is of a woman named Elaine (Samantha Robinson), recently moved to a small town in California, who practices witchcraft in the hope of meeting the man of her dreams. Using potions and spells to make men fall in love with her, she initially performs for them the role of a submissive and docile female, only to become bored and turned off by each man’s cloying obsession with her, and so she kills them. It’s a unique femme fatale story with a campy undertone, whose look—employing shiny plastic wigs, stage make-up, and costumes crafted with bright, synthetic materials—lands somewhere between a pulpy B-movie from the 1960s, a spoof like Beyond the Valley of the Dolls (1970), and the lush Technicolor musicals of Jacques Demy.
The Love Witch begins with an archetypal scene: a woman is driving down a coastal road in a red convertible, her jet black hair hardly moving despite the car’s rapid speed and open top, as her right hand, nails painted red, lights a cigarette. Like one of Hitchcock’s blondes, Elaine has a hard yet enigmatic glint in her eye. In another scene that takes place inside her Victorian-style apartment, in which Elaine is concocting her potions, each detail of the props and set, aflush with burning red candles and Pagan imagery, has been arranged as carefully by Biller as have the precise rituals performed by Elaine. With her spells and voodoo, Elaine—like Biller—ends up as a kind of auteur directing her own life.
In every aspect of the film’s production, Biller leans into artifice. Instead of attempting impossible authenticity, she draws attention to the highly constructed and coded nature of cinema, gender, and romance. She plays with tropes in order to observe some biting truths, and uses studio lighting, painted scrims, and extravagant costumes to bring the viewer further into her idiosyncratic world.—Gracie Hadland
The book serves as a guide, providing teachers with strategies and techniques to create an engaging and interactive learning environment. The main idea of the teacher lethargic magic book is that the power to create a dynamic classroom lies within the teacher themselves. It is not a magic spell or a quick fix, but rather a mindset and commitment to excellence in teaching. By embracing the principles outlined in this book, teachers can transform their classrooms into spaces where students are excited to learn and explore. In conclusion, the teacher lethargic magic book represents the potential for greatness that lies within every educator. It highlights the importance of creating a dynamic and engaging learning environment that fosters a love for learning in students. It serves as a reminder to teachers that they have the power to make a difference in the lives of their students, and that with the right mindset and commitment, they can create truly magical classrooms..
Reviews for "The Lethargic Teacher's Journey to Empowerment: Unleashing the Magic of Books"
1. Jane Smith - 1 star
I was extremely disappointed with "Teacher lethargic magic book". The storyline was weak and uninteresting, and the characters were poorly developed. The writing style was lackluster and failed to engage me as a reader. I found myself bored and struggling to finish the book, as it lacked any excitement or originality. Overall, I would not recommend this book to anyone looking for an immersive and captivating read.
2. John Thompson - 2 stars
"Teacher lethargic magic book" was a letdown for me. The concept of a magic book in the hands of a teacher sounded intriguing, but the execution fell flat. The pacing was slow, and the plot lacked any real depth. The writing seemed forced and awkward, making it difficult for me to become invested in the story or the characters. While there were a few moments of potential, they were overshadowed by the overall mediocrity of the book. I was hoping for a more exciting and inventive read, but unfortunately, this book failed to deliver.
3. Sarah Johnson - 3 stars
I had high hopes for "Teacher lethargic magic book", but unfortunately, it didn't live up to my expectations. While the concept was unique, the execution felt rushed and underdeveloped. The plot had potential, but it lacked proper pacing and failed to fully engage me. Additionally, the characters felt one-dimensional and lacked depth, making it hard for me to connect with them. Overall, the book had some interesting moments, but it ultimately left me feeling unsatisfied and wanting more.
4. Michael Anderson - 2 stars
"Teacher lethargic magic book" was a disappointment for me. The writing style was unimpressive and failed to engage my interest. The story seemed disjointed and lacking in direction, making it difficult to follow. The characters were forgettable and lacked any real development, leaving me feeling disinterested in their fates. I was hoping for a magical and captivating read, but unfortunately, this book did not deliver.