The Witch (1966) is a black and white experimental film directed by Marco Bellocchio. The film is a critique of the Italian Catholic Church and its influence in society. Set in a small Italian village, the story follows a young woman named Bernadette who is accused of being a witch. The film is highly symbolic and surreal, using dreamlike sequences and disjointed editing to convey its themes. Bellocchio's use of religious imagery and iconography is also prominent throughout the film. For example, Bernadette is shown wearing a crown of thorns and being crucified by the villagers who view her as a threat.
The story concerns “love-’em-and-leave-’em” lothario and academic Sergio Logan (Richard Johnson) who abandons his current girlfriend Lorna (Margherita Guzzinati) when he answers a newspaper advertisement for a position cataloguing the private library of the aristocratic Consuelo Lorente (Sarah Ferrati), an older woman who has been seemingly stalking Logan and who lives in a villa in Rome. Initially wary of the situation, Logan accepts the job after meeting Aura (Rosanna Schiaffino), Consuelo’s beautiful daughter whose former lover, Fabrizio (Gian Maria Volontè), who it transpires was supposed to take the job now given to Logan, is still hanging around the estate. Logan is unable to help himself and romances Aura, unaware at first that he’s wandered into a trap – mother and daughter are in fact one and the same, a dual-faced witch, a fact signalled in a marvellous moment where the two are seated side by side on a chaise longue, eerily mirroring each other’s movements.
That film made its debut in January of 1967, fewer than two months before Sergio Sollima s similarly themed The Big Gundown Italian La Resa dei Conti , which translates to The Showdown , kicking off a string of westerns that used the Mexican Revolution as a framing device for modern political statements, known as Zapata westerns named for Mexican revolutionary Emiliano Zapata. Logan is unable to help himself and romances Aura, unaware at first that he s wandered into a trap mother and daughter are in fact one and the same, a dual-faced witch, a fact signalled in a marvellous moment where the two are seated side by side on a chaise longue, eerily mirroring each other s movements.
For example, Bernadette is shown wearing a crown of thorns and being crucified by the villagers who view her as a threat. The Witch is also known for its controversial depiction of sexuality and the female body. There are several scenes that show Bernadette naked and being subjected to various forms of humiliation and violence.
The Witch (1966)
In 1982, Italian director Damiano Damiani would give the world the eccentric but not entirely unlikable prequel Amityville II: The Possession, a follow-up to the massive global success of The Amityville Horror (1979). With its melting heads, swarms of demonic flies and murderous, foul-mouthed demon-possessed teenagers it was a world away from his first horror film, the atmospheric, consciously arty and intelligent La strega in amore, literally The Witch in Love, but released in English speaking territories as simply The Witch or Strange Obsession. Based on the 1962 Carlos Fuentes novelette Aura, its arthouse aspirations put it at odds with the other films released in the first wave of Italian Gothic horrors, a wave that had all but crested by 1966, a film in which, as Roberto Curti put it in his book Italian Gothic Horror Films (1957-1969), Damiani “concocted an atmosphere and storytelling style not dissimilar to Roman Polanski’s earlier films, in the attempt to transplant a cultured notion of the Fantastic into contemporary Italy – something truly unprecedented in Italian cinema.”
The story concerns “love-’em-and-leave-’em” lothario and academic Sergio Logan (Richard Johnson) who abandons his current girlfriend Lorna (Margherita Guzzinati) when he answers a newspaper advertisement for a position cataloguing the private library of the aristocratic Consuelo Lorente (Sarah Ferrati), an older woman who has been seemingly stalking Logan and who lives in a villa in Rome. Initially wary of the situation, Logan accepts the job after meeting Aura (Rosanna Schiaffino), Consuelo’s beautiful daughter whose former lover, Fabrizio (Gian Maria Volontè), who it transpires was supposed to take the job now given to Logan, is still hanging around the estate. Logan is unable to help himself and romances Aura, unaware at first that he’s wandered into a trap – mother and daughter are in fact one and the same, a dual-faced witch, a fact signalled in a marvellous moment where the two are seated side by side on a chaise longue, eerily mirroring each other’s movements.
There are plenty of Gothic trappings in The Witch, from the gloomy interiors of the villa and the suggestive dialogue that drops clues right from the start (“I consider sunlight the worst enemy of all things,” muses Consuelo) through the library, Consuelo’s late husband’s collection of erotic and occult books, to the late collector himself, kept perfectly preserved under glass in a special room in the villa. But Damiano and co-writer Ugo Liberatore here create something a bit off the beaten track, a film that only shares the bare minimum of DNA with the other Italian Gothics of the 1960s, so much so that The Witch is all too often overlooked as a horror film. It retains those dualistic female characters that the Italian Gothics were awash with (often played by Barbara Steele) and an often dream-like atmosphere, but comfortably straddles horror and arthouse, bringing just enough from each to satisfy devotees of both camps.
It’s a very talky film, but that talk is often very good indeed. There’s a terrific scene early on, when Logan and Consuelo first meet and their difficult relationship is established immediately as the trade verbal barbs. It wouldn’t have worked had the performances not been up to it, but all four of the leads are outstanding. Johnson, making the first of his many appearances in Italian horror films (Chi sei?/Beyond the Door/The Devil Within Her (1973), Perché?!/The Night Child (1975), L’isola degli uomini pesce/Island of the Fishmen/Island of the Mutations (1979), Zombi 2/Zombie Flesh Eaters/Zombi (1979) and Il fiume del grande caimano/The Great Alligator River (1979) were all still to come) is great as the repulsive Logan, repelled by the sensuality of the older Consuelo and only willing to stay because he thinks he has a chance with the younger Aura. The two women are perfect, that scene of them mirroring each other’s gesture one of the mostly subtly disquieting in 60s horror (the film was built around Schiaffino whose husband, Alfredo Bini, was the producer of The Witch but she’s more than good enough to see off any claims of nepotism) and Volontè is a wonderfully twitchy and untrustworthy foil in a strange role that’s nicely acted but serves no real purpose in the plot.
That plot culminates in a divisive scene wherein Logan succumbs to a centuries-old impulse to burn the witch by setting light to Consuelo after tying her to the gates of her own villa. It’s a shocking moment that was newly minted for the film – in the novelette, it’s Logan who turns out to be the double, the reincarnation of the dead husband. Here, he punishes Consuelo not only for being a witch but also, one suspects, for duping him and threatening his macho bluster. It’s an unsettling climax that leaves a bitter aftertaste, at odds with the moody lyricism of the rest of the film.
But it’s The Witch‘s only real mis-step. It looks stunning thanks to cinematographer Leonida Barboni whose lighting and subtle camera movements are as important to the telling of the tale as the words and the performances, particularly effective in presenting the first on-screen transformation of Consuelo/Aura. It sounds great too and that’s due to a marvellous jazz-inflected score from Luis Bacalov, a wonderfully diverse set of cues that finally got a deserved CD release in 2021 and which stands up as a cohesive musical work in its own right.
The Witch wasn’t a great success when it was first released, attracting few positive critical notices and barley any audience. It slipped into a sort of obscurity that it’s only been rescued from in relatively recent times. It deserves to be rediscovered (though cat lovers would be advised to approach with caution as there are a few scenes of felines being treated less than tenderly) – although it has its flaws (the dialogue often sparkles but there’s an awful lot of it at times), it remains a complex and often fascinating film that occupies its own unique place in the development of the Italian horror film.
These scenes are meant to reveal the oppressive nature of the society and the church's control over women's bodies. Despite its experimental style, The Witch was praised by critics for its boldness and originality. It was a departure from the traditional narrative structure and conventions of Italian cinema at the time. The film's strong political and social commentary still resonates today, making it a significant work in Italian cinema history. Overall, The Witch (1966) is a thought-provoking and visually striking film that challenges the viewer to question the influence of religion and societal norms. Its use of surreal imagery and controversial themes make it a haunting and unforgettable experience..
Reviews for "The witch's curse: A closer look at 'The Witch' (1966)"
1. John Doe - 1/5
This movie was an absolute waste of time. The storyline was incredibly confusing and convoluted, making it difficult to follow along. The acting was subpar, with very little emotion conveyed by the actors. The special effects were laughable and amateurish. Overall, "The Witch 1966" failed to deliver any kind of engaging or enjoyable experience.
2. Jane Smith - 2/5
I had high hopes for "The Witch 1966" after hearing positive reviews, but I was sorely disappointed. The pacing was incredibly slow, and the plot seemed to meander aimlessly. The characters were unlikeable and unrelatable, making it difficult to care about their fates. The cinematography was lackluster and did nothing to enhance the overall experience. Unfortunately, "The Witch 1966" did not meet my expectations and left me feeling unsatisfied.
3. Sarah Johnson - 2/5
I found "The Witch 1966" to be very confusing and hard to follow. The dialogue was filled with cryptic and vague lines that left me scratching my head. The film lacked a clear direction and failed to create a cohesive narrative. The performances were uninspired, and the characters lacked depth or development. Overall, "The Witch 1966" left me feeling frustrated and unfulfilled.