September Collab

Topic#2: Witchcraft and the Entertainemnt Industry (thanks to Nesaia) Movies like the "Witches of Eastwick" and "Practical Magic" and tv shows like "Charmed" and "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" feature witches and witchcraft prominently. Do these portrayals hurt by reinforcing stereotypes or help by exposing the average Joe to the concept of witchcraft as a lifestyle? Do you watch these shows or movies simply -because- there is a witch involved? Do you like that witches are featured but wish they'd "do it differently?"

I think that some of these movies could be detrimental but at the same time, I think they open the world for new people who want to learn about paganism, or just felt different and they didn’t realize that were the non-Christian based religions possible. I’m not sure I ever really realized there was anything except Catholics and non-Catholic Christians before I began my process of learning. I honestly don’t remember, but I don’t think that realization was there.

Most movies don’t usually portray Wicca properly, but I think it is a good way to get the younger generation to research, sometimes, and realize that this is something they, themselves feel. If they put too much stock into the darker aspects, it isn’t good, but I think that once they grow older and truly research the pagan world, they may find something that is right and good for them. That’s the idea I like, is that new generations become interested. We may be unhappy with some of them for a while, but everyone grows up, and sometimes they will meet someone that help teach them proper, or they just read and learn the way I did.

I enjoy these movies and TV series. I have watched Buffy for a long time now, and I watched Charmed until the one girl died (on the show, not in real life). I love Practical Magic and The Craft (except for the very end of the Craft when she is in an insane asylum, but then, that may be because I think I was in an asylum in a past life…)

Honestly, though, I am not certain WHY I watch Practical Magic and The Craft and occasionally Charmed. I know I watch Buffy because I loved the original movie, and I’ve always been fascinated with vampires (pathetic, huh?).

If I jump back to before I knew Wicca and Paganism, I think I would have still watched them, but would it be because of my underlying interest or because I just enjoy the “supernatural” as I used to call it. I don’t really know. I know I take the shows a little differently now, knowing what I do know about the more realistic aspects of the Wicca and paganism, but other than that…

I have used the shows to kind of introduce my friends to my beliefs, explaining by stopping the movie what is realistic and what is not. That is why I believe that the shows/ movies can be seen as learning tools, when used properly.

I do wish there was something that did show more proper the beliefs, the rituals, and the Rede. It would be great to see something like that, but then, how many people these days like realistic shows? Few to none. If they do, they watch the Discovery Channel or some specials on the other channels. I like how some of those channels are doing specials on pagan traditions, etc.

I LOVED Mists of Avelon. To me, that was a close portrayal of a lot of things pagan, and it was done very nicely, in my mind. It is too long of a movie for teaching, unless the person has a serious interest in King Arthur and hearing about the tale from the female perspective. I have always loved the book and I was quite impressed with the movie.

I am certain there are other things that I haven’t taken into consideration and I look forward to reading the other collabs from Pagan Speak

Blessed Be!