The Love Witch
“All my life I’ve been tossed in the garbage except when men wanted to use my body. So, I decided to find my own power. And I found that power through witchcraft. That means that I take what I need from men and not the other way around!” - Elaine
The Love Witch is a seductive and unsettling story that follows Elaine after a recent heartbreak. The film bathes in a technicolor dream from the opening scene, and it is almost unbelievable that it was filmed in 2016. Cinematography wise, it's hard to say that it could be any better. Along with how it's filmed, Samantha Robinson as Elaine was captivating from the opening line. Without her, the intoxicating and seductive themes would hardly be seen. She absolutely needs to be in more films!
Now, if you are still reading and somehow missed all that I said above, if you are looking for a modern movie to watch with the family, you are in some trouble. The pacing at times is slow, but it is what the story is trying to tell. An indie film in every way, that a ‘cinephile’ will absolutely appreciate, but a casual film watcher would ask ‘why would anyone ever watch that?” It pushes the boundary of a seductive movie that you would want to be conscious of who you are watching it with, but does it extremely artistically. From the first relationship Elaine is in, you can see the blending of comedy and horror, but does fall into an issue with over the top corny dialogue. Everything included in this movie is deliberate from the director, but that doesn’t necessarily mean great. As I stated, it does drag at times and is limited by the story it's trying to tell. Overall, for cinephiles with a taste for ‘weird cinema’, The Love Witch is a cinematic treasure. It's an amazing nod to classic cinema with a dash of classic horror. The film's deliberate pacing causes the film to drag some, but it lets you really engage in what it is trying to tell. It might not be for most, but for those who appreciate a film that pushes boundaries, it's a must-watch.
-J
