The sooty witch handbook is a guidebook designed for witches who specialize in working with soot and ashes in their magical practices. This unique type of witchcraft involves harnessing the power and energy of soot and utilizing it to cast spells, perform rituals, and create charms. The handbook provides a comprehensive introduction to the art of sooty witchcraft, starting with the basics such as the different types of soot and their properties. It explains how to collect and prepare soot, highlighting the importance of maintaining cleanliness and safety when working with it. Furthermore, the handbook delves into the various techniques and methods used by sooty witches. It covers topics such as soot divination, where witches interpret patterns and shapes formed by soot to gain insight into future events or to answer questions.
Antiques dealer Robert played by Mark Eden, discovers that his brother has disappeared whilst he is on a business trip, Robert takes it upon himself to search for his sibling. He ends up at an old manor house which is owned by the Morley family, the current owner played by Christopher Lee, invites Robert to stay at the house whilst he carries out his investigations, but these are fruitless. It is not long before Robert becomes aware that the Morley family are obsessed with a legend that surrounds the Manor and the history of the family. The Black Witch of Grey marsh is an ancestor of the family that was burned at the stake many years before, but it is soon apparent that the Witch Lavinia played by Barbara Steele very much influences the Morley’s and her presence is still firmly felt.
His score for THE CURSE OF THE CRIMSON ALTAR is an atmospheric one, the composer utilising apprehensive but at the same time dramatic music to underline the more unnerving sequences and then drawing on his considerable experience within the pop easy listening world to fashion a tuneful theme that enhanced scenes between the leading man and lady and also infused an atmosphere of calm into the proceedings, which effectively lulled the watching audience into a false sense of security, thus giving the moments of horror a greater impact. It s not surprising with our beautiful Victorian appearance, typically English interior, and stunning location and grounds oh, and did you know we apparently have a resident ghost.
It covers topics such as soot divination, where witches interpret patterns and shapes formed by soot to gain insight into future events or to answer questions. It also explores different types of spells and rituals that can be performed using soot, ranging from protection spells to curses and blessings. The handbook provides step-by-step instructions for performing these spells and rituals, ensuring that even novice sooty witches can follow along.
CURSE OF THE CRIMSON ALTAR.
The 1960’s in my opinion was the golden age for British made Horror movies. Yes. When we think of horror films from that period we invariably go straight to Hammer film productions. But there were as we know more to the genre than what came out of Hammer studios. A classic example is WITCHFINDER GENERAL (1968) directed by Michael Reeves and starring Vincent Price. Its interesting to point out that composer Paul Ferris’s music for the movie which is the property of De Wolfe music was originally released on a long-playing record for promotional purposes with a view to it being played on radio stations, on the B or flip side of the record was the music from another De Wolfe owned soundtrack for another classic British horror movie that was also in cinemas in 1968. On viewing THE CURSE OF THE CRIMSON ALTAR recently it is true to say that it probably does not stand the test of time as well as WITCHFINDER GENERAL, but it is still part of the horror genre from that period which is now considered as cult cinema alongside titles such as THE BLOOD BEAST TERROR from the same year and BESERK, EYE OF THE DEVIL and THE SHUTTERED ROOM from the previous year and taking into consideration the wealth of horror movies made during the 1960’s I suppose the film does have something about it to be remembered at all and also to have attained a cult status in later years. It was movies such as this that were the inspiration for later British entries in the form of stylish and disturbing BLOOD ON SATANS CLAW (1971) and the excellent THE CRY OF THE BANSHEE (1970).
But, CURSE OF THE CRIMSON ALTAR, does pale effectively when compared to the examples I have mentioned.
The musical score for THE CURSE OF THE CRIMSON ALTAR was composed and conducted by British musician/composer/arranger Peter Knight. Knight was the veritable chameleon when it came to his musical skills and was active and popular within many varying genres of music. During his career he worked with THE MOODY BLUES, PETULIA CLARK, HARRY SECOMBE, TOMMY STEELE, NANA MOUSKARI, THE BATCHELORS, VAL DOONICAN, JUDITH DURHAM, THE MOODY BLUES, THE CARPENTERS, CLIFF RICHARD, SCOTT WALKER and LULU.
As well as acting as musical director on popular TV shows for DICK EMERY, BRUCE FORSYTHE, MORECOMBE AND WISE, BENNY HILL, BERNARD CRIBBINS, LANCE PERCIVAL, THE LAST GOON SHOW OF ALL and many others. He was also active in the scoring of television programmes and series, which included THE BOUNDER and HOME TO ROOST. Knight was much in demand as an orchestrator and conductor working with composer Trevor Jones on the film scores THE DARK CRYSTAL and SAVAGE ISLANDS and orchestrating the music for the mini series THE LAST PLACE ON EARTH. He also had a long association with French Maestro Philippe Sarde and conducted and orchestrated many of his scores, QUEST FOR FIRE, GHOST STORY, TESS and COUP DE TORCHON amongst them.
Peter Knight was born in Exmouth, Devon on June 23rd, 1917, he is probably well known in general for his numerous recordings with his orchestra which were of the easy listening variety. The composer being responsible for arranging and producing a completely orchestral album of the famous SGT PEPPERS album originally recorded by The Beatles. He also worked on the vocal arrangements for THE KINGS SINGERS and his arrangement of YOU ARE A NEW DAY became a best seller in the United States. The composer began his career in the mid-1950’s when he began to work for ITV in the UK, becoming the musical director on SPOT THE TUNE in 1956. His association with ITV and in-particular Yorkshire TV, endured until 1986 when he worked on popular sit-com series such as HOME TO ROOST and DUTY FREE.
His score for THE CURSE OF THE CRIMSON ALTAR is an atmospheric one, the composer utilising apprehensive but at the same time dramatic music to underline the more unnerving sequences and then drawing on his considerable experience within the pop/easy listening world to fashion a tuneful theme that enhanced scenes between the leading man and lady and also infused an atmosphere of calm into the proceedings, which effectively lulled the watching audience into a false sense of security, thus giving the moments of horror a greater impact. It is something of a mystery as to why the score has never been released commercially, seeing a Knight was a popular figure within the world of music and because of the popularity of the movie at the time of its release and because the music is already in the library of De Wolfe music, maybe it will be a future project for the company, after all it did only take then forty-five years to release WITCHFINDER GENERAL. Knight died on July 30th, 1985.
THE CURSE OF THE CRIMSON ALTAR is a movie that at times ends up exasperating the watching audience rather than being entertaining, this is not because it is a bad movie although many critics and cinema goers at the time of its release had mixed feelings about it, because of its rather muddling and at times disjointed storyline. Released under the Tigon films banner, which was the brainchild of Tony Tenser and had already had success with WITCHFINDER GENERAL followed this release up with the less successful BLOOD BEAST TERROR, assigned the director of BLOOD BEAST TERROR Vernon Sewell to the movie which was to the disappointment of many who believed it should have been Michael Reeves who took the helm on the film. One would have thought with a cast that included iconic figures such as Boris Karloff, Christopher Lee, Barbara Steele and Michael Gough that the production could not fail, and maybe the finished movie would have been a more focused and cohesive if Reeves had directed.
Antiques dealer Robert played by Mark Eden, discovers that his brother has disappeared whilst he is on a business trip, Robert takes it upon himself to search for his sibling. He ends up at an old manor house which is owned by the Morley family, the current owner played by Christopher Lee, invites Robert to stay at the house whilst he carries out his investigations, but these are fruitless. It is not long before Robert becomes aware that the Morley family are obsessed with a legend that surrounds the Manor and the history of the family. The Black Witch of Grey marsh is an ancestor of the family that was burned at the stake many years before, but it is soon apparent that the Witch Lavinia played by Barbara Steele very much influences the Morley’s and her presence is still firmly felt.
Since 1961 (when we first appeared in an episode of the TV series, The Avengers), The Grim’s Dyke has often been used as a TV and Film location. It’s not surprising with our beautiful Victorian appearance, typically English interior, and stunning location and grounds (oh, and did you know we apparently have a resident ghost?).
It emphasizes the importance of intention and focus when working with soot, as well as the ethical considerations of using this powerful tool. Additionally, the sooty witch handbook features a section on advanced techniques and practices. This includes information on creating personalized soot marks or sigils, which can be used to enhance spellcasting or to create personal symbols of power. It also introduces the concept of soot elementalism, where witches learn to commune with and harness the energy of the element of fire embodied in soot. Throughout the handbook, there are anecdotes and stories shared by experienced sooty witches, providing inspiration and insights into the possibilities of sooty witchcraft. These stories serve as reminders that sooty witchcraft is a personal and intuitive practice, requiring creativity and adaptability. In conclusion, the sooty witch handbook is a valuable resource for any witch interested in incorporating soot and ashes into their magical practices. It serves as a comprehensive guide, providing both theoretical knowledge and practical instructions. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced witch, the sooty witch handbook offers inspiration and techniques to elevate your craft..
Reviews for "Exploring the World of Kitchen Witchcraft with the Sooty Witch Handbook"
1. Jane D. - 2/5 - I was really excited to get my hands on the "Sooty Witch Handbook" as I am a huge fan of fantasy and witchcraft. However, I was sorely disappointed. The writing was lackluster and often felt repetitive. The characters were one-dimensional and lacked depth, making it hard for me to connect with them. Additionally, the plot was predictable and offered no surprises. Overall, I found the book to be a letdown and not worth the hype.
2. Mike K. - 1/5 - The "Sooty Witch Handbook" was a complete waste of my time and money. The writing was amateurish at best, filled with grammatical errors and inconsistent pacing. The author's attempt at world-building was half-hearted, leaving me confused and uninterested in the magical realm they were trying to portray. Furthermore, the plot was disjointed and lacked coherence. I struggled to even finish the book, and I cannot recommend it to anyone.
3. Sarah L. - 2/5 - As an avid reader of fantasy novels, I had high hopes for the "Sooty Witch Handbook." Unfortunately, it fell flat for me. The concept was intriguing, but the execution was poorly done. The writing was mediocre and lacked descriptive language, which made it difficult for me to visualize the magical settings and immerse myself in the story. The character development was also lacking, and I found it hard to care about their journey. Overall, the book did not live up to my expectations, and I would not recommend it to fellow fantasy lovers.
4. John M. - 3/5 - The "Sooty Witch Handbook" had some interesting ideas and potential, but it failed to deliver. The pacing was uneven, with slow parts dragging on and quick jumps between scenes that left me disoriented. The writing style was average, but I felt that the author could have delved deeper into the magical aspects of the story. Additionally, the dialogue felt forced and unnatural, making it hard for me to connect with the characters. While the book had its moments, it ultimately left me wanting more depth and polish.