I started this list after stumbling across Mike Nichol's
"A Neo-Pagan
Filmography". His list is superb, but only includes films released through
1989. After searching the Internet to see if anyone had picked up where Mike left
off (and discovering that no one had), I decided to take on the challenge.
Some people lament the fact that Hollywood has yet to produce a "really
good Pagan film". Unfortunately, a movie about what Pagans and Wiccans
really do and how they really live probably wouldn't make money. Sensationalism
sells ... (See the
Goat and Candle essays for more on this subject.)
Finding these movies will be easy in many cases. Video stores are the obvious
first stop. You should also check your local public library's collection; it's
often amazing what they have! If all else fails, check the
Facets website to see if the film is available for rent there. You'll pay
more than you would at your local video store, but if you get a bunch of friends
to share the rental fee, it will be worth it. (If you want to know whether a
film is currently available in VHS or DVD, The
Internet Movie Database or Facets will
tell you.)
Puck's Feature Film List is a work in progress. I'll be adding to it regularly,
so check back often!
Your feedback is always welcome. If there's a film you'd like to see on this
list, e-mail me
and tell me why you think it should be included.
What's Listed and Why
I've included films which deal not only with overtly
Pagan themes, but also with our relationship to nature, with the magick that
we work every day just by living, with the strength of personal beliefs, and
with the power of community. I go into more detail about my choices in the films'
descriptions. I have generally omitted horror and "Gothic witchcraft"
films, partly because I don't feel that they're representative of Paganism today
(though they're often entertaining, especially in ways the filmmakers never
intended), and partly because I don't like watching them. (I have a photographic
memory and, given the choice, would prefer not to replay violent or gory scenes
in my head.) I have intentionally omitted films covered in Mike Nichols' excellent
list (see below: A
Neo-Pagan Filmography), though I've listed some pre-1990 films which he
didn't include.
You'll note that several subtitled foreign films
are included. I encourage you to rent them and take the plunge, even if you
don't like subtitles; the films are excellent and you'll be well rewarded.
Films that I have viewed are marked with this
symbol:
Films that are appropriate for children are marked with this symbol:
Puck's Feature
Film List
(Film titles are hyperlinked to their entries in
The Internet Movie Database. Alternate forms
of film titles are listed in parentheses next to the films' release dates.)
Antonia's
Line (Antonia; 1995; US release, 1996; Dutch with English subtitles)
This film follows 4 generations of independent, brilliant, strong-minded and
self-sufficient women on their Dutch farm after WWII. Their hard work and
love (in all its forms and orientations!) sustain themselves and their extended,
"found" family. The film says a lot about the power of love and
tolerance, and the pragmatism of women's inner knowledge. Feminist in the
most positive sense. Winner of the 1995 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language
Film.
I
Married a Witch (1942)
Stars Veronica Lake, Fredric March, and Robert Benchley. The spirits of a
witch (Lake) burned [sic] at "Roxford", Massachusetts, and her sorcerer
father come back to life and haunt March, a descendant of the man who condemned
her. The witches are more mischievous than evil, though, and much fun ensues
as Lake manages to shred March's imminent wedding AND ensure that he's elected
governor! Love conquers all, with Lake and March falling hard for each other
(aided by the love potion Lake brewed up and swallowed by mistake). Witty,
silly, and quite racy for its day. Kids will probably think it's funny, but
won't understand the humor.
Kiki's
Delivery Service (Majo no takkyubin; 1989; US release, 1998)
Another animated film from Hayao Miyazaki (maybe he deserves his own section
of the list!). Kiki is a young witch who supports herself by running a flying-broom
delivery service.
My
Neighbor Totoro (Tonari no Totoro; 1988)
Animated Japanese film by Hayao Miyazaki. Two young girls and their father
move to the country, where the children meet furry "totoro" (nature
spirits) of various sizes. (Incidentally, the Totoro don't exist in Japanese
folklore or religion. They're Miyazaki's creation, based on elements of Shinto
nature belief.) The girls also ride the Catbus -- a live bus in the form of
a cat. (Take my word for it!) The adults in the film have a positive attitude
towards the children's experiences with the Totoro and other "supernatural"
beings.
Princess
Mononoke (Mononoke Hime, 1997; US release, 1999)
Epic Japanese anime (directed by Hayao Miyazaki) about Ashitaka, a young warrior
who, in seeking to free himself from a curse, finds himself in the middle
of a conflict between the ruler of an iron-working town and the forest gods
(led by Princess Mononoke) who rule the iron-rich land. Rated PG-13 for violence
and gore. (An animated film, but not for kids!) The film's theme is the relationship
between humans and the land (in this case, the forest). Spectacular animation,
complex characters, superb screenplay and score. Also evident is Miyazaki's
trademark ability to mix humor and seriousness. Neil Gaiman (of "Sandman"
fame) wrote the screenplay for the English version (which is excellent, by
the way, both in the script and in the voice casting). (If you want to know
more about Hayao Miyazaki and his films, check out the Hayao
Miyazaki Web: http://www.nausicaa.net/miyazaki/)
The
Secret of Roan Inish (1994) (older children)
A young girl is sent to live with her grandparents on the Irish coast in the
late 1940s. There, she hears a local legend about a family ancestor said to
be a selkie -- a seal woman -- and uses this knowledge to solve a family mystery.
A magical film, full of Irish storytelling and traditions, people with "the
sight", and the wonder and strangeness of the sea and its creatures.
The soundtrack is based on traditional Irish music and instrumentation. Rated
PG.
Sorceress
(Le Moine et la Sorcière; 1987; French with English subtitles)
A heresy-hunting monk confronts the local wise woman/herbalist in a medieval
French village. A wonderful and earthy film.
Spartacus
(1960)
That rarity of rarities, a completely Pagan ancient epic, set in the first
century BCE. Personal ideals and integrity confront cynicism and corruption
in pre-imperial Rome, as the gladiator slave Spartacus leads an uprising of
fellow slaves against the forces of the Roman Republic. Excellent script,
score, cast, and battle sequences. The cast includes Kirk Douglas, Laurence
Olivier, Charles Laughton, Tony Curtis, Jean Simmons, and Peter Ustinov, with
many other superb actors in character roles. Directed by Stanley Kubrick.
(Trivia: Both Howard Fast, author of the novel on which the film was based,
and Dalton Trumbo, the film's screenwriter, were victims of the McCarthy blacklists.)
The 1991 restored version includes the notorious Olivier-Curtis bathing scene,
as well as other material cut when the film was originally released, and when
it was re-released in 1967. Rated PG-13 for sexual and violent content. Winner
of four Academy Awards in 1961. Rent this film in letterbox if you can!
Tuck
Everlasting (1980) (older children)
What if you could live forever? That's the focus of this charming, modestly-produced
film (based on Natalie Babbitt's young-adult novel) about a young girl's encounter
with a mysterious and wonderful family, the Tucks. The central theme is the
natural cycle of life and death, and (presented subtly) why death is necessary
and not to be feared. There's also the theme of tangible wealth vs. non-tangible
riches. The greedy stranger in the yellow suit is eager to make a lot of money
from the Tucks' secret, but the Tucks know its true worth (to their sorrow)
and have a different view of what's valuable in life. Filmed in upstate NY
(Buffalo-Niagara region) using non-professional actors. The production and
acting shine with the sincerity of all involved. A gentle, poignant film.
(Video is out of print. Check your local public library for it.) [Note: a
major-studio remake is in production as of 4/2001 and is scheduled to be released
in 2002. Cast includes William Hurt, Sissy Spacek and Ben Kingsley. Directed
by Jay Russell, apparently a young director (has only made 2 films to date).
Info at IMDB: http://us.imdb.com/Title?0283084]
)
Coming Attractions (upcoming films of interest to Neopagans)
The
Mists of Avalon (2001; cable mini-series, TNT. Info at TNT's website:
http://tnt.turner.com/movies/tntoriginals/mists/)
Starring Angelica Huston, Julianna Margulies and Joan Allen. Directed by Ulrich
Edel, who also directed the 1990 TV series "Twin Peaks". To be aired
in two parts: Sunday, July 15, and Monday, July 16, 2001.
The Lord of the Rings: The
Fellowship of the Ring; The
Two Towers; The Return of the
King
(3 films to be released in 2001-2003. Official website: http://www.lordoftherings.net/index_flat.html)
We've all been waiting for someone to film Tolkien's trilogy and do a proper
job of it. It looks as though our wait is over. Directed by Peter Jackson,
all three films in the trilogy were shot at the same time and will be released
one per year, beginning in late 2001. The casting is superb, with such standouts
as Ian McKellen as Gandalf, and Christopher Lee as Saruman. I have high hopes
for this project!
Links to Other
Websites
The Internet
Movie Database
A superb reference tool for film research. Searchable by film title, director,
actor, and so on.
Facets
If it's available on VHS or DVD, Facets should have it. They also have a rent-by-mail
service -- good to remember, if your local libraries and video stores don't
have the films you want.
A
Neo-Pagan Filmography
Created by Mike
Nichols, this is an excellent and eclectic list of films released before
1990 with Pagan, Pagan-related, and supernatural themes. Included are plot
summaries, technical notes, and the author's criteria for selecting the films
in the list.
Goat
and Candle: Magick and the Movies
Great 3-part essay on the depiction of magick and magick-workers in film.
Mentions many specific films along the way.
The
Original "Wicker Man" Home Page
A good site, marred by annoying red type on a golden yellow background. Contains
links to other "WM"-related sites.
The
Various Versions of the Wicker Man
Discusses material shot for the film but not used, and why the film was released
with various running times. (Can we hope to see a "restored" version
of "Wicker Man" someday?)
