Bell, Book and Camera: A Critical History of Witches in American Film and Television

by Heather Greene

Overview

The witch as a cultural archetype has existed in some form since the beginning of recorded history. Her nature has changed through technological developments and sociocultural shifts--a transformation most evident in her depictions on screen.

This book traces the figure of the witch through American screen history with an analysis of the entertainment industry's shifting boundaries concerning expressions of femininity. Focusing on films and television series from The Wizard of Oz to The Craft, the author looks at how the witch reflects alterations of gender roles, religion, the modern practice of witchcraft, and female agency.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781476632063
Publisher:	McFarland & Company, Incorporated Publishers
Publication date:	04/26/2018
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	242
File size:	9 MB
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Heather Greene is a freelance writer, journalist, and managing editor of The Wild Hunt, a news journal for the Pagan, Witchcraft, Heathen communities worldwide. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia.
Heather Greene is a freelance writer, journalist, and managing editor of The Wild Hunt, a news journal for the Pagan, Witchcraft, Heathen communities worldwide. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments deletevi
A Woman Unleashed: An Introduction
One ◆ In the Beginning (1896–1919)
Two ◆ Wild Women, Vamps and Green Skin (1919–1939)
Three ◆ War and Weird Women (1939–1950)
Four ◆ Toward a New Hollywood (1951–1967)
Five ◆ Horror and the Fantastic (1968–1982)
Six ◆ The Satanic Panic (1983–1999)
Seven ◆ A New Witch Order (2000–2016)
A Woman Unleashed: Revisited
Chapter Notes
Bibliography
Index

Editorial Reviews

a thoroughly detailed and a wonderful read...wonderful enjoyment”—The Horror Times; “eminently readable and nicely illustrated”—popcultureshelf.com; “the only book on the subject that you’ll ever need...[Greene’s] research skills are in full swing here, and she provides a definitive guide to the subject of witchcraft in American television and film...massively comprehensive...very well written and easy to read...informative, intelligent, and entertaining...excellent”—For Puck’s Sake; “Greene supplies a long-awaited comprehensive guide to the American cinematic and televisual witch”—Frames Cinema Journal.

From the Publisher