The History of the Magix Hat and Wand

By admin

The magic hat and wand are two iconic symbols often associated with the world of magic. These props have been used in countless performances and are synonymous with the abilities of a magician. The magic hat is a traditional accessory worn by magicians during their acts. It is typically tall and cylindrical in shape, often made of a black or dark-colored fabric. The hat is used as a vessel for various magical tricks. For example, a magician may pull an object out of the hat that seemingly appeared out of thin air.

Witchcraft concoction examination

For example, a magician may pull an object out of the hat that seemingly appeared out of thin air. This trick is often referred to as the "hat trick" and is a staple in many magic shows. The magic wand is another integral prop in the world of magic.

Häxan: the silent-era witchcraft film at 100

What witches do – and what’s done to suspected witches – is given sensational treatment in Benjamin Christensen’s 1922 silent film Häxan. A century later, it’s disturbing for even more reasons.

20 October 2022

Häxan (1922)

Benjamin Christensen’s Häxan is sort of a documentary, and it’s the ‘sort of’ that makes it unlike any other film. The Swedish silent melds historical fact and folk superstition to explore ideas about witchcraft from ancient times, through the medieval period, and on up to 1922, when the film was made. Unknowingly, Christensen extended his examination 100 years into the future, as it’s almost impossible to watch without making comparisons to the present time. Today, Häxan’s horror lies less in its depictions of witches and witchcraft, and more in the fact that it depicts hundreds of years of the ongoing systematic oppression and abuse of women.

Upon its release, Häxan was instantly recognised as “unadulterated horror” by a critic at Variety, who added that, “wonderful though this picture is, it is absolutely unfit for public exhibition.” Häxan is still recognised as horror (it was included on the BFI ’s list of 10 great silent horror films), and though its graphic depictions of nudity and blasphemy are less of a novelty to modern audiences, the images are still disturbing. Christensen condemns the practice of inquisitions while simultaneously filming the resulting torture with a sort of glee. The images of beautiful women, stripped and strung up, are still used in material meant to titillate. In Häxan we see the atrocity of it, but we also see its allure.

Häxan begins with a study of the ancient origins of witchcraft. Gruesome woodcuts are displayed: humans boiled alive in cauldrons, demons pouring sulphur down men’s throats. A steam-powered mechanical representation of hell features animated fiends torturing live victims with forks, like a macabre vignette on a Disneyland ride. To punctuate that this is serious business, crucial details are highlighted by a hand – Christensen’s own – with an academic pointer, as if we are attending a lecture.

The next part of Häxan features live-action sequences, presented as pseudo-historical re-enactments of things witches were purported to do. It’s a curious technique, as these recreations of witchcraft rumours make them seem like fact. Local villagers blame every domestic difficulty on women, from cows that won’t give milk to stillbirths and house fires. Christensen doesn’t just depict the outcomes; he also depicts women in the act of their witchery. In a scene cut by Swedish censors, one old witch rips fingers from the hand of a dead thief to make one of her concoctions. We see young witches fly through the air on brooms and dance naked with the Devil.

It’s worth noting that Christensen himself plays the Devil in these scenes. The young women in the film who line up and kiss the Devil’s arse are kissing Christensen’s arse. The naked maiden who is lured by the Devil to the cemetery at night, where she falls to her knees at his feet, is lured by Christensen. The director wasn’t just intrigued by the perversions of witchcraft, but wanted to directly participate in them. This Devil is all the more frightening because he’s so obviously a real man, hairy and barrel-chested. His leering, tongue-wagging and miming of masturbation as he furiously works a butter churn are all the more repugnant because his actions are recognisable to any woman who has tried to walk down a street.

The film’s worst atrocities come into play with the introduction of the Inquisition, as we see innocent women betrayed by other women who want to save their own skin. The scenes of a beggar woman being tortured are harsh by any decade’s standards, and the extreme close-ups of her face, and the agony it betrays, are forerunners of Carl Dreyer’s The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928). These close-ups were also cut by early censors, which is a sign of how great the acting is – that mere faces were deemed shocking as they betrayed the severity of the torture so explicitly.

When the innocent Maria the Weaver is tortured until she can no longer stand, she admits to witchcraft, condemning herself to death as relief from her pain. Her confessions are worse than the original false charges. The sins she speaks of are absurd because she is simply rattling off the worst things she can think of: stomping on crosses, changing into a cat and defecating on church altars, boiling infants alive. Maria names names, and a title card tells us that every condemned witch would give 10 others away.

Häxan (1922)

At Häxan’s close, we are told that women accused of witchcraft were often suffering from mental illness, and in this enlightened time of 1922 we can commit them to institutions instead, and treat them with psychiatry. Christensen presents their difficulties and the ‘modern’ treatment as sort of a “Gee whiz, look how lucky we are today” coda. With our own present-day hindsight, this ending is as disturbing as the rest of the film, because we know how women have historically been treated in institutions. Even worse is the assertion that instead of seeing the Devil, women of the 1920s believe they are visited in the night by celebrities, or even their own doctors. The film considers these fantasies, concocted by disturbed minds, but today we know that women have sometimes been abused by doctors. The scene of a psychologist coming into a terrified woman’s bedroom at night is meant to show us that the woman is deranged, but the effect is chilling. (The psychologist, perhaps unsurprisingly at this point, is also played by Christensen.)

Häxan went on to heavily influence future filmmakers, most notably in films like The Passion of Joan of Arc, but its shockwaves also ripple through folk horror witch-hunting films such as Witchfinder General (1968) and Twins of Evil (1971). The film’s most powerful impact, though, is cultural. Each generation of women’s experiences mingle with the history of female persecution and become a new extension of it. Häxan is, ultimately, not merely a witchcraft film, and not fixed in time. It’s a kind of living documentary, and we’re all part of it.

In Dreams Are Monsters: A Season of Horror Films is in cinemas across the UK and on BFI Player now.

Häxan screens with a live score by Nick Carlisle at Queen’s Film Theatre, Belfast, on 24 November.

Magix hat and wand

It is a long, thin rod often made of wood or metal. The wand is used by the magician to perform various enchantments and illusions. It is often waved in a specific manner to create the illusion of magic happening. For instance, a magician may wave the wand over an object, and instantly transform it into something entirely different. The wand serves as a tool that channels the magician's power and helps them perform their magical acts. Both the magic hat and wand play significant roles in creating a sense of wonder and intrigue for audiences. They are symbols of the magician's power and ability to transcend the laws of the natural world. These props are not only visually appealing but also help to enhance the overall performance of the magician. In addition to their use in magic tricks, the magic hat and wand also hold symbolic meanings. The hat, for example, represents mystery and the unknown. It symbolizes the hidden powers that the magician possesses. On the other hand, the wand symbolizes control and authority. It is a representation of the magician's ability to manipulate their surroundings and perform extraordinary feats. Overall, the magic hat and wand are essential elements in the art of magic. They are not only tools that help the magician perform their tricks, but they also serve as symbols of power and mystery. These props have captivated audiences for centuries and continue to be a crucial part of the magical world..

Reviews for "Exploring Different Styles of Magix Hats and Wands"

1. Sarah - 2/5 - I was really excited to try the Magix hat and wand, but I have to say I was quite disappointed. The hat didn't fit well on my head and felt flimsy. The wand didn't work as smoothly as I had hoped and kept getting stuck. Overall, it just didn't live up to my expectations and ended up being a waste of money.
2. John - 1/5 - This product was a total letdown. The hat didn't come close to fitting on my head, and the wand felt cheaply made. But the worst part was that it didn't work properly. No matter how many times I tried, the wand failed to perform any magic tricks. I would not recommend this to anyone.
3. Emily - 2/5 - I was really excited to receive the Magix hat and wand as a gift, but unfortunately, it did not meet my expectations. The hat was too small and uncomfortable, and the wand felt flimsy. Additionally, the magic tricks that this set claimed to do were not impressive at all. I was left feeling underwhelmed and wishing I had received a different gift instead.

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