SEASON OF THE WITCH
US, 1973, 104 minutes, Colour.
Jan White, Ray Laine.
Directed by George A. Romero.
Season of the Witch (Jack's Wife, Hungry Wives) was the second film made by George A. Romero. He made an impact with his small-budget Night of the Living Dead at the end of the 60s. At the end of the 70s he made the classics Day of the Dead and Dawn of the Dead as well as a number of other horror thrillers.
This film is small-budget, uses unknown actors, is made without finesse and polish. It focuses on an ordinary suburban wife, mother, Catholic, who is bored with life, is tormented by nightmares, especially with her husband leading her wearing a dog-collar. At a party, she meets a woman who reads tarot cards. She is intrigued by the discussion on witchcraft, buys some books, begins to practise it, is finally initiated as well as having a sadistic affair with a schoolteacher.
The film looks its age, especially with the hairstyles and fashions of the early 70s. It also indicates how, at this time, many people began to be interested in what later became New Age fads. The dabbling in witchcraft has a damaging effect on the personality of the woman - even though she continues to live an ordinary suburban life. As with his zombie films, George A. Romero wants to comment through the horror genre on the emptiness of contemporary American life.
1. The films of George Romero, horror genre, comments on American society?
2. The quality of this film, performances, cinematography, editing? A very talkative film? Dramatic, melodramatic? The dreams? Horror aspects?
3. The various titles, especially Jack's wife, with reference to Joan Mitchell and how she saw herself?
4. The portrait of Joan Mitchell, the initial dream, her being subjected to her husband, her ordinary home life, the ignoring by her daughter, her husband and his ordinariness, love for Joan, going on business trips? The party, the woman with the tarot cards, Greg? Her going to see Greg, his humiliating answers to her at the school? Her hearing about witchcraft, becoming interested, going to the shop, buying the ingredients for spells and for books? Her practising witchcraft? Her continued dreams, especially her nightmares and her husband's response? The spell on Greg? His coming, her violence towards him, the sexual encounter? Her antagonism towards him? Her discussions with the tarot card woman, the initiation and the witchcraft? The rituals? Her continuing with the witchcraft, her ordinary life, the women friends, their chatter, her being part of their world? The portrait of an ordinary woman, bored, intrigued by New Age mysteries, succumbing to them?
5. Joan's husband, his work, devotion to her, care for her? The contrast with Greg, encountering him at the party, the proposal, his laughing at her, calling her "Mrs Robinson"? Her summoning by power of witchcraft, the sexual encounter?
6. Joan's friends, talk, parties, social life? Her being bored with this? The woman with the tarot cards? The discussions, intrigue? The women continuing on their way? The further discussions with the tarot card woman, the experience of the initiation?
7. The credibility of this kind of plot, reflecting reality - or a heightened fantasy commenting on American social life?
