THE CRAFT
US, 1996, 101 minutes, Colour.
Robin Tunney, Fairuza Balk, Neve Campbell, Rachel True, Skeet Ulrich, Christine Taylor, Breckin Meyer, Cliff De Young, Assumpta Serna, Helen Shaver.
Directed by Andrew Fleming.
This is a bit of a po-faced drama of teenage witches at your local high school. They tend to be a vindictive lot - not that the other characters in the plot are very interesting or attractive lot either. There is a deal of hocus-pocus with a CD rock score that makes you wonder about any serious intention behind the movie and what the makers are trying to palm off on their feminine teenage audience. Ultimately, there is a dire warning ending about the evil effects of black magic. The theme and treatment have obviously caused concern to the Offices of Classifications. Silly.
1.A film about witchcraft? The popularity of the theme in the 90s? A film about witchcraft for young audiences? Television programs: Buffy, Charmed …?
2.The school setting, the city, the Catholic overtones, statues, Mass? The absence of Catholicism in the practical life of the characters? The transition to witchcraft, non-belief in church, belief in old gods, spells, books? The credibility of witchcraft in the world today? Young people and their attraction?
3.The title, the focus on spells, Nancy and her investigations, her powers? The books, Lirio and her shop, her advice?
4.The focus on Sarah, her coming to the city, her relationship with her father, her dead mother? Going to school, isolated, the crass comments in the French class, her being spurned by the three girls? Her discussions with Chris? The meeting with the girls, the bonds between them? Her own powers, getting the pencil to stand on its point? Becoming more involved with the girls and their spells, the date with Chris? Nancy and her malicious gossip, turning Chris against her and vice-versa? Sarah at home, the difference from the times with the girls? Her becoming more involved, going to the shop, practising the spells, the effect on Chris and his infatuation? Laura and her hair falling out? The information about the equal reaction to what they were doing? Sarah and her concern about Chris, the date with him and his attack on her, knowing that it was not him? The party, seeing him with Nancy, the spell and his falling to his death? The episode with the man and the snakes in the house, following her in the streets, his being run over – and the girls claiming that they killed him?
5.Nancy, leader, mad? Her power, relationship with Chris, her jealousy? Dominating Bonnie and Rochelle? Her decisions about Sarah? The bonds, going to the shop, buying the books, the incantations? The ritual in the forest, completing the four points of the compass? Their pledge to each other? Her spells, destruction?
6.Bonnie and Rochelle? Their personalities? Dominated by Nancy? Followers? The spells, Rochelle and Laura and the racial taunts? Her hair? Bonnie and the operation on her back? Their friendship with Sarah?
7.Chris, at school, the footballer, attracted to Sarah, the discussions, going out, the rumours spread by Nancy? Hostility, the spell and his infatuation? Following Sarah, the date, in the car, his attack? At the party, resisting Nancy, her transforming herself into Sarah, Sarah catching them? His death?
8.The other young men and women at the school, Mitt and his crass remarks, the other boys? The girls? Laura, her crowd and clique, her racism, the spell and her hair falling out, her wig at the party?
9.Lirio, her shop, the girls coming to see her, her explanations? Sarah and her desperation, the discussions, the counterbalance? Discovering her mother was a witch?
10.The final confrontation, the television news, the plane crash and Sarah’s father being killed? Later revealed as a practical joke? Nancy, the attack, the attempts on Sarah’s life? Sarah and the snakes in the house, her imagination? Slashing her wrists – and the past? The confrontation and Nancy’s being defeated? Her going to the asylum? Finally seeing her in a straitjacket? Bonnie and Rochelle, their attempts to make peace, their apologies, Sarah controlling them?
11.The credibility of the characters and plot? As a fantasy? For young girls taking it as actual fact and true?
