Witchcraft has been a prominent part of human history, existing in various forms and beliefs throughout the ages. From ancient civilizations to modern society, the concept of witchcraft has intrigued and frightened people. The practices, beliefs, and persecution of witches have evolved over time, with societal attitudes often shaping the perception and treatment of those accused of practicing witchcraft. In ancient civilizations such as Mesopotamia and Egypt, witchcraft was deeply intertwined with religion and magic. Priests and priestesses were believed to possess supernatural powers and could perform rituals to manipulate natural forces and spirits. These individuals were revered and respected, often acting as intermediaries between gods and humans.
He returned to Denmark in 1935 and made four talkies for Nordisk. The first three were well-received, addressing themes such as divorce and abortion. He then spent a year working on his pet project, a new espionage thriller. However, the 1942 film Damen med de lyse Handsker (The Lady with the Light Gloves) was out of touch with the sentiment in Nazi-occupied Denmark. According to film scholar Arne Lunde, the Copenhagen premiere was “met with disbelief and derisive laughter.” Two years later, Christensen tried to find financing for a new film, with no success. The government offered him a pension running a small cinema in the suburbs of Copenhagen, which he did for 15 years until his death in 1959.
Christensen s performance was universally praised; one Berlin newspaper wrote that his death scene belongs among the very few great masterpieces of the art of film acting. After turning down a contract with the American company Vitagraph, Christensen directed and starred in another successful film, Hævens nat Increasing Night , 1916 , about the vengeance sought by a wrongfully convicted man.
These individuals were revered and respected, often acting as intermediaries between gods and humans. As Christianity spread throughout Europe during the Middle Ages, the perception of witchcraft shifted dramatically. Witchcraft became associated with devil worship and was considered a heretical practice.
Witchcraft Through the Ages (1968)
As a huge sucker for both cinematic depictions of witches and the surrealist horrors of beat generation author William S. Burroughs, I was always predestined to enjoy Witchcraft Through the Ages at least a little bit. An experimental work assembled by beat filmmaker Antony Balch, Witchcraft Through the Ages re-interprets the landmark 1922 documentary Häxan for the druggy counterculture crowd of the late 60s. Satanism has a long history with hippie culture thanks to folks like Anton LaVey, so it makes sense that Balch would want to revive one of the great early cinematic works that depicts the Devil in the flesh for the stoners of his era. The spirit of Witchcraft Through the Ages is closely aligned with the dark times of the 1990s when outlets like Turner Classic Movies “colorized” black & white films to appeal to young audiences’ disinterest in outdated formats. Balch similarly punches up Häxan by shortening its runtime, soundtracking its imagery with the weirdo jazz of Daniel Humair, and lessening its challenge as a silent film by employing Burroughs, one of history’s greatest voices, to narrate. With jazzed up dialogue in its updated intertitles and a 77min runtime designed to maintain even the most drugged out of attention spans, Witchcraft Through the Ages feels like Balch tricking young weirdos into eating their Landmark Cinema vegetables by emphasizing the already-present exploitation film pleasures of its imagery. Häxan already openly gawks at the visual stimulation of witchy & Satanic iconography; Witchcraft Through the Ages pushes those cheap thrills just slightly further to de-emphasize its more educational endeavors. The only shame is that with Burroughs on hand to enhance Haxan director Ben Christensen’s already potent imagery, it could have done so much more than that.
As blasphemous (to God and to cinema) as Witchcraft Through the Ages appears to be from the surface, it’s a surprisingly tame work. Burroughs’s narration sticks fairly close to Häxan ‘s original narrative, just at an accelerated pace. He even opens the film with the detailed history of how ancient Egypt believed the universe to be physically structured, just barreling through the details, maintaining the gist but wasting no time. That history lesson, along with later challenges to how The Church & The State have long used accusations of witchcraft to control & oppress, fit right in with the writer’s usual pet topics (especially in relation to his Western Lands trilogy). The disappointing thing is that Ben Christensen’s original film is already a timelessly powerful work on its own, so it feels pointless to have someone as cosmically talented as Burroughs on hand if he’s just going to color within the lines. I can happily listen to the author rattle on about Inquisitions, “old biddies,” torture, The Devil’s children, and “showing respect for Satan by kissing his ass” for hours, but Balch should have been smarter in allowing Burroughs’s voice to pervert the material. Whenever Burroughs isn’t talking & Humair’s jazz is allowed to overpower the soundtrack, Witchcraft Through the Ages feels intellectually pointless. Any personally-curated soundtrack synced up with Christensen’s original film would have the same effect, maybe even doing less to undercut the already-present sex humor & skip over minutes of Christensen’s eternally demonic imagery. Balch seems content to split the time evenly between Hunier’s jazz & Burroughs’s voice, which is just as much of a mistake as guiding his narrator to stick to the original intent of the script. In many ways, Witchcraft Through the Ages is not nearly blasphemous enough.
Theoretically, there’s a better version of this movie that plays like a 77min poem. If Burroughs were allowed to run wild with narrated, on-topic witchy versions of his cut-ups experiments like The Ticket that Exploded as a counter-balance to Christensen’s presented-as-is imagery, Witchcraft Through the Ages would stand a much better chance as a worthwhile perversion of (the far superior) Häxan instead of just a fascinating footnote. As is, it already kind of works like cut-ups: the results of the experiment are often fruitless, but when all elements at play line up just right, it feels like a work of cosmic genius. I’m not sure if Balch’s respect for Häxan dictated that he maintain its intended, educational effect in this jazzy update or if this idea was just hastily slapped together without proper thought given to the exciting ways it could go rogue. Either way, Christensen’s witchy imagery & Burroughs’s authorial voice are undeniably more impressive as separate entities than they come across as in this post-modern collaboration. That doesn’t mean that Witchcraft Through the Ages isn’t a fun, fascinating watch. A frenetic, jazzed up runthrough of Häxan featuring William S. Burroughs is just an inherently exciting idea, one that leads to many stray moments of brilliance even in its surprisingly well-behaved adherence to tradition. A more chaotic, poetic version of this same collaboration could have lead to something much more transcendent, however, a cinematic version of real life witchcraft.
supported by 21 fans who also own “Häxan: Witchcraft Through The Ages” Another great release by A.V. 25 minutes of pure dark tranquility. This is the kind of Dungeon Synth I like. Murmuur go to album
The Church demonized witches, resulting in widespread persecution and the infamous witch trials. This period, known as the witch hunts, saw countless individuals, mostly women, accused of witchcraft, tortured, and executed. The Renaissance brought about a renewed interest in witchcraft, shaped by new philosophical and intellectual movements. With the publication of works like "Malleus Maleficarum" in the 15th century, belief in witches as a threat to society increased. This fueled another wave of persecution, often led by the Inquisition. Witchcraft became seen as a dangerous, punishable offense, and trials continued well into the 18th century. During the Age of Enlightenment, rationality and skepticism gained prominence, leading to a decline in witch trials and the gradual erosion of belief in witchcraft. However, pockets of superstition and fear persisted, particularly in rural communities. Folk beliefs and customs related to magic and witchcraft endured, although the severity of persecution diminished. In modern times, the perception of witchcraft has shifted significantly. With the rise of neopagan religions, such as Wicca, witchcraft has been reimagined as a peaceful and nature-oriented practice. It has gained acceptance as a legitimate religious belief system and is protected under freedom of religion laws in many countries. Witchcraft has also experienced a resurgence in popular culture, with witches portrayed in books, movies, and television shows as powerful and often heroic figures. This has contributed to a growing fascination with witchcraft and the inclusion of witchcraft elements in contemporary spirituality. In conclusion, witchcraft has maintained a complex and evolving presence throughout history. From its ancient roots in religious practices to its demonization during the witch hunts, and its modern reconceptualization as a legitimate belief system, witchcraft continues to capture the human imagination. Whether feared or revered, witches and their practices have fascinated society for centuries and will likely continue to do so in the future..
Reviews for "Witchcraft and the Elements: Harnessing the Power of Earth, Air, Fire, and Water"
1. Sarah - 1 star
I was extremely disappointed with "Witchcraft through the Ages". The documentary tried to cover so much ground in such a short amount of time that it felt incredibly rushed and shallow. It barely scratched the surface of the history of witchcraft, and I found myself wanting more depth and detail. Additionally, the narration was dry and monotonous, which made it difficult to stay engaged. Overall, I would not recommend this documentary to anyone looking for a comprehensive exploration of witchcraft.
2. Michael - 2 stars
I had high hopes for "Witchcraft through the Ages", but unfortunately, it fell short of my expectations. While it did provide some interesting information about the origins and evolution of witchcraft, the documentary lacked structure and cohesiveness. It jumped between different time periods and regions without providing enough context or explanation. This made it difficult to follow and left me feeling confused. I also found the visuals to be quite dull and uninspiring. Overall, I was left wanting more depth and a clearer narrative.
3. Emma - 2 stars
I found "Witchcraft through the Ages" to be quite underwhelming. The documentary had a promising premise, but the execution was lacking. The pacing was uneven, with some parts feeling incredibly slow while others felt rushed. There were also several moments where the information presented felt questionable and lacked proper sources or evidence. I wish the documentary had taken a more critical and analytical approach to its subject matter. Instead, it felt like a surface-level overview that barely scratched the surface of the complexities of witchcraft throughout history.