Witchhammer (1970)
“Kladivo na carodejnice”
I found out about Witchhammer
while reading my Czech and Slovak Cinema book. It interested me because first off, I love
learning about witch hunts and am really not familiar with any witch hunts in
any other place than the US. Secondly, it was directed by Otakar Vávra who was known as one the most historical directors to
come out of Czechoslovakia. He used actual transcripts from cases and trials
for the 17th century witch fiasco in Czechoslovakia, which is really
interesting to me.
However, “despite [Vávra’s] early involvement in the avant-garde, he
soon argued that film was an immature art form and consequently evolved a
‘system’ or approach heavily dependent on literature. In a sense, the
screenplay or the source material plays a dominant role.” This caught me off
guard because even though I completely understand that literature is an
important art medium, I don’t understand how film can be considered a lower or
more immature art form especially coming from a well known director. All art
mediums have different aspects to them to make them stand apart from each
other. As far as literature versus film goes, literature plays a heavy part in
the filmmaking process with scripts and inspiration; however, you can write
literature without film just as you can make film without literature. You don’t
necessarily need a formatted script to use film as a tool to convey a feeling
or meaning. Also, it’s interesting that nowadays, the roles have started
switching by film becoming inspiration for literature. My badass surrealist
chick director, Vera Chytilová “moved in quite other
directions”.
Witchhammer recounts
the 17th century witchhunts of Czechoslovakia while specifically
dealing with torture. I love the cover of this film features a quote that
states, “…erotic…daring…a black mass of nudity”. If that’s not enough for you
to watch it, then there’s something just not right with you. Regardless of if
the movie is accurate or “good” in general, that quote is hilarious. That’s
just some straight up bold marketing. Witchhammer
really explores the issue of torture in interrogation. Just about anyone is
going to state they’re guilty when they are put through the right amount of
pain. And how can you prove your innocence when by denying it, you’re going
against God?
One of the main characters is a
Deacon, who is completely against the witch trials. The character who is
pushing the trials is a foreigner to the Czech town and is getting paid by the
profits of the “witches’” property after they are found guilty and burned at
the stake. This movie is a great example of how religion can so easily control
the masses. Without question or contest, everyone, save the deacon, goes along
with the witch craze just trying to fly under the radar enough to not be
accused of association with the Devil.
I can’t really remember a
character in American witch storytelling who thinks in the same way as the
Deacon in this film. My favorite quote of his in the film is,
“Do you care nothing about science or law? You are putting
us back 100 years!”
Yes, people would say they’re
innocent or that torture doesn’t really find truth, but this very logical
thought process of “what about science and law? We are way past this…” seems to
be missing. Sure, the Deacon states that he is against the trials, but not in a
traditional manner. He more of just rolls his eyes and dismisses the notion of
them. His character really sums up the feeling the audience gets while
watching, “really…? Are you serious? Really?”.
As far as costuming, dialect
(assumingly), and setting goes, this film is definitely 17th
century. However the interaction with the Deacon is extremely modern to me.
Even the fact that they use the term “deacon” instead of “priest” seems more
progressive. Through the whole movie, the viewers really feel like they’re
taking crazy pills. Because of the Deacon basically dismissing the whole notion
of witchcraft makes it feel like it could happen in 1970 (actual release date).
What would happen in today’s society if another witch hunt happened? Are we
having homosexual hunts? We already have ethnicity hunts in the US, right? In a
hundred years, will we look back on today’s history and get the same reaction
as I got to this film, “What the fuck are you talking about? What the fuck is
going on?!”
