The Wytch Files: Recent Episodes
The Wytch Files
The Wytch Files is a podcast that reviews books, comics, T.V. shows, and movies that feature themes involving the occult. Our goal is to showcase how popular media portrays witches, magicians, pagans and other occultists and to provide critical review and analysis of these portrayals from the prospective of a practicing occultist. The Wytch Files also hopes to find quality media that provide positive portrayals of the occult that can be recommend to the community.
Hello Friends! Today, I take a close look at A Dark Song, the 2016, independent horror film, written and directed by Liam Gavin. I examine the main ritual at the core of the film called the Abramelin operation to see how it measures up to the real world version. I also go through some brief history regarding the ritual and The Holy Guardian Angel at the center of the operation.
For further information regarding the film and other interesting occult tidbits, please check out the episode show notes:
https://thewytchfiles.blogspot.com/2023/10/twf-ep-32-dark-song.html
All music for the episode is provided by https://www.epidemicsound.com.
The individual songs and artists are:
Into Thin Air by Fabien Tell
Between Two Worlds by Farrell Wooten
Ventifacts by Anthony Earls
Fragile Whispers by Gavin Luke
Radiant Shore by Cobby Costa
Thin Air by Bill Ferngren
The Clearing by Golden Anchor
In the Absence of Light by Gavin Luke
Inner Spaces by Gavin Luke
Theme music X-Files Theme Parody by Mallon Khan.
If you're liking the show, please review it on your favorite podcast application.
The Wytch Files recommendations episode for the end of year plague times. The episode is chock full of favorites from movies, tv, comics, books, documentaries and podcasts, which contain occult themes or are occult adjacent. So, relax, grab a cup or glass of your choice beverage, take a seat and enjoy the episode. You may find some great new media or simply be reminded of an old favorite. All music for the episode is provided by Epidemic Sound.
The Craft: Legacy (2020) movie review and analysis of its major themes including its portrayal of witchcraft and magic.
Suspiria (2018) movie review, diving deep into the witches, magic, ritual, cosmology, and dance history! The focus is on the overall occult aspects and on dance as a magical system in the film.
Hello Friends! Welcome back to episode 28 of The Wytch Files! Today we are extremely pleased to bring you a review of Jim Henson's The Dark Crystal movie, released in 1982. For complete show notes, tons of links, and a YouTube playlist of related goodies visit https://thewytchfiles.blogspot.com and thewytchfiles.com. May you build your world in the light of the Crystal of Truth!
Join us in Ep 27 where we review The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina - season one, part one. This teen witch gets into all classic acts of witchcraft and dances along the edge of the mortal world and the Satanic Path of Night. We examine the rich, well written magic of CAOS, real life Satanism, and the evils of the Patriarchy. It's a devilishly good time! And be sure to check out all the links, music, and related videos in our show notes at https://thewytchfiles.blogspot.com/2019/04/ep-27-chilling-adventures-of-sabrina.html
Angels, Enochian magic, John Dee, spirits, and scrying mirrors! Requiem, the BBC/Netflix show takes center stage for this special Samhain review episode. So, grab a cuppa, get comfy and get transported into this darkly gothic and often creepy tale!
Tarot history, tarot de Marseille, and esoteric tarot! Final installment for The Fortune Teller review and the history of the tarot. This episode focuses on the development of the Tarot De Marseille and the esoteric tarot including the Rider Waite Smith and Thoth tarot decks.
Oracles of Wadjet, powerful female seers, ancient Egyptian tarot deck and tarot history are some of the interesting and fun themes discussed in a review of the novel "The Fortune Teller" by Gwendolyn Womack.
Ceremonial ritualists, mad scientists, fortune tellers, cardslingers, mavens of horror and more! This favorites episode shares some favorite witch and nerd media to celebrate the end of winter and the beginning of spring.
Hello my lovelies! In this episode, I take an in-depth look at the South Korean horror movie The Wailing directed by Hong-jin Na. I take a look at the Korean shamanism and magic featured in the movie.
The Good Witch Cassandra Nightingale brings her practical magic to the town of Middleton but first she'll have to face down Middleton's self-righteous, Queen Bee, Martha Tinsdale. In today's show, I take a look at the original The Good Witch Movie that spawned the Hallmark Channel franchise. I take a look at the witch and magic in this much loved TV movie.
Healer, Hag, Temptress, Earth Mother and Revolutionary! The Wytch Files reviews Pam Grossman and Tin Can Forest's book "What is a Witch" which explores the multifaceted archetype of the witch.
Doctor Who takes on three powerful witches, oh my! In this episode, I explore the witches and magic of the Doctor Who episode The Shakespeare Code starring David Tennant as the Tenth Doctor. This is the episode where our intrepid Time Lord and his companion Martha Jones meet the Bard and are magically put through the wringer by a trio of Carrionite Witches hellbent on world domination, namely our world! But fear not, The Doctor is on the case! I discuss everything from Elizabethan cunning folk to poppets and evaluate the veracity of the episode's magic. So, turn on your sonic screwdrivers and tune in to the episode!
For all the info & links check out the complete notes at thewytchfiles.blogspot.com
In this episode, we are very pleased to bring you an episode regarding the divine Third Eye Film Festival. We take a closer look at the magick behind a handful of the films from TEFF's talented roster of filmmakers who were featured during their recent NYC event in December 2016.
Third Eye Film Festival is getting ready to do it all again from May 27th to May 28th in New Orleans, LA at Bar Redux Nola! If you are in the New Orleans area please be sure to check the festival out!
The short films being reviewed are:
Tik-Tik
Gifted
Entering the Flesh Again
In the Cards (A Very Dramatic Film)
The Other Side of the Witching Hour
The Strange Case of Emily Grey
For all the info & links check out the complete notes at thewytchfiles.com
Hello, darlings! In this episode we bring you the "ghoul that put the boob back into boob tube," Elvira!
Elvira, Mistress of the Dark is a 1988 comedy horror film directed by James Signorelli. Cassandra Peterson plays the role of horror hostess Elvira in the character's feature film debut. The screenplay was written by Cassandra Peterson, John Paragon and Sam Egan.
Local late-night horror hostess Elvira quits her job after being sexually harassed by the TV Station owner and finds herself in a lurch to cover the expenses for her dream gig, her own Vegas show. A telegram serendipitously arrives announcing her inheritance from an unknown Great Aunt in Massachusetts. Elvira travels with high hopes only to arrive in a conservative hostile town and be the new owner of a dog, a book, and a run-down victorian house.
Fallwell, Massachusetts is a "decent" community. They are ultra conservative, with NO FUN ALLOWED. The town name a riff on Jerry Falwell, prominent contemporary televangelist preacher and member of the Moral Majority movement - many of whom were majorly immoral!
In the episode we talk about the use of language in magic and magical alphabets, like the Enochian or Angelic language of John Dee. Aaron Leitch discusses this magical language in his article The Tongue of Angels. If you are interested in learning more about magical alphabets, Nigel Pennick's book "Magical Alphabets" is a good place to start.
Elvira's great-uncle Vincent uses the energy of the lunar eclipse to fuel his grand rite to become the Master of Dark. Lunar eclipse magic and folklore is discussed in this post by Patti Wigington.
Elvira's great-aunt Morgana is a great example of an ancestral spirit. Honoring the ancestors and the dead is an important aspect of many pagan spiritual paths. You can read more about it in our complete show notes at TheWytchFiles.com. This great post also discusses setting up ancestral altars and rituals.
Algonquin (a/k/a Gonk) is Elvira's Mohawk-sporting, punk rock poodle familiar. Sara Anne Lawless' blog post introduces us to animal familiars. Emma Wilby's book "Cunning-Folk and Familiar Spirits" is a good book to explore the relationship between witches and their familiars in early modern Britain. England has a rich history of phantom black dogs and you can read a little about the lore and legends of the black dog via links in the show notes.
Elvira wears a family ring that not only functions as conductor for her magic but also functions as an amulet. Amulets have a long history in magic. While most people are familiar with objects as amulets, pieces of written text was also used as amulets. This movie is full of boob humor but in the ancient Roman world the phallus symbol had some interesting uses including warding.
And the Queen of Halloween is still going strong! Cassandra Peterson still stunning as Elvira at age 65, thanks to good clean living, a vegetarian diet and regular exercise. For all the latest Elvira news, head to the official website elvira.com.
Until next time, unpleasant dreams....
Hello and welcome back to the show! Today, we tackle our second comic book episode and we have some really good books for you to check out!
First up, is the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina published by Archie Comics and written by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa with art by Robert Hack. Your mother's favorite teenage witch comic is now a juicy Satanic gothic horror story set in the 60s! With titles like Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and Afterlife with Archie, Archie Comics have created some of the best horror comics out there right now.
Spell on Wheels published by Dark Horse is the next comic book featured in the episode. This book is written by Kate Leth with art by Megan Levens. It's evocative of the 1990's era witch movies and shows, with a quirky sense of humor featuring kick ass leading ladies. This fun road trip will make you feel nostalgic and leave you wanting to know more about the three young witches and their beautiful friendship.
Our last featured comic book is Black Monday Murders published by Image Comics. Black Monday Murders is written by Jonathan Hickman and art by Tomm Coker. It is a supernatural crime noir story full of evil bankers, blood magic, and illuminati level secrets. The book features some pretty nasty biblical angels and demons such as Mammon and Abaddon which seem tailor made for the financial world. Be sure to also read these insightful interviews with Jonathan Hickman and Tomm Coker about the story. It's JUICY.
COMICS TO WATCH: Harrow County, Brutal Nature, Brutal Nature: Concrete Fury, American Gods: Shadows, Songs for the Dead, Life, Death & Sorcery, Heathen, and The Circle.
For tons of links a YouTube playlist of related goodies check out our show notes at thewytchfiles.com!
SHE'S DETERMINED TO FIND TRUE LOVE WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MAGICK!
Hail and welcome! We are back from our winter hibernation with a Valentine treat for you! Did you miss us? We certainly missed all of you and are VERY excited to bring you our latest episode on "The Love Witch," written, directed and produced by the brilliant and creative superhero Anna Biller. The film had a limited release in 2016 and we had the pleasure of catching it in November, right here, in good ole Brooklyn, New York.
The Love Witch is the story of a young and beautiful witch named Elaine (played by the immensely talented Samantha Robinson) who is looking for the love of a good man. As a witch, she uses potions and love magick to attract the right man. Her love magick, however, works just a little to well and causes a series of mishaps and even deaths for her would be suitors. She finally meets the man of her dreams but this too leads to tragedy!
We know what you want, baby! You want more of The Love Witch! Check out the show notes on thewytchfiles.com for more details, links and a custom YouTube play list to keep you going all night!
IN THIS UGLY REIMAGINING OF SALEM, THERE ARE NO HEROES.
All Hallow's Eve is upon us! The blood moon wanes and the dead rise! We call to the ancestors and
to those that perished in Salem, Massachusetts some three hundred twenty four years ago. We stand by the victims that were condemned because of ignorance, fear, paranoia and bigotry. We call their names in honor and remembrance. Their courage, pain and suffering were not in vain! Hail Hecate!
ON this episode, we dig into history and the twisted world of WGN's horror series SALEM, with a little history of the Salem Trials of 1692 kicks thing off. Then we devour Salem witch by witch, but you may need a strong antacid! There are no heroes in Salem. For dessert we saved the magic and spellcraft of this Salem, though its not enough sugar to make the bitter pills of Salem go down.
rating: 3.5 toads out of 7.0
For links to extra goodies, check out our show notes on TheWytchFiles.com!
Happy Halloween and a Blessed Samhain )O(
"Hide the wenches! Witcher's coming!"
Join us as we step into the world of The Witcher 3:Wild Hunt and follow our bad-ass reluctant hero, Witcher Geralt of Rivia. The Witcher 3 is the critically acclaimed action role-playing video game developed by CD Projekt RED and based on the fantasy novel series by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski. The game is available for PC and all consoles, including the new and equally awesome expansion packs, Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine. In the episode, we discuss a few of the many magical parallels found between the game and the real world.
Be sure to check out the show notes for links of related content and a YouTube playlist that includes game play, gamer reviews, the game soundtrack, the audio books as well as episodes from the Polish Witcher TV series from 2002!
And last but not least, check out the lovely ladies of the Siren's of Scream, the geek podcast focused on all things Horror!! We are thrilled to be making a guest appearance this October. Stay tuned for details! They can be found on the Mega Nerd Media network and through the usual iTunes and such.
Witchcraft, teenage hormones, high school bullies and rivalries, magical revenge and witch battles! Yes, folks, this episode is all about the 1996 cult movie favorite The Craft!
We explore the movie and some of the behind the scenes information to bring you what we feel is a well-rounded critique of the film. We examine the witches and spells in the film, their link to the 4 elements, a morbid children's game, the real Wiccan rituals shown, and the morality of magic, cursing, the Three Fold Law and the Wiccan Rede. We also talk about the mysterious occult shop owner Lirio and her link the The Virgin Mary.
This Young adult movie was ahead of its time, giving a voice to oppressed teen girls to this day. The witch as rebel and empowered outcast seeking justice is a characterization that continually appeals to teens and young adults two decades later! The film celebrated its 20th anniversary this year with fans of all ages, and now a sequel has been scheduled for release in 2018 (for better or worse) with female director Leigh Janiak at the helm.
Thanks for joining us on this nostalgic revisit of The Craft! We hope it was as much fun for you as it was for us. For more links be sure to check out our shownotes at thewytchfiles.com or at thewytchfiles.blogspot.com. And that’s wytch with a Y. As always we have a Youtube playlist of related goodies, including the full-length film! Let us know how you like The Craft, what you think of the scheduled sequel, suggest a review topic or simply say hello by Emailing us at thewytchfiles@gmail.com You can also find us on Twitter and Instagram @thewytchfiles, and on Facebook and Google Plus as the wytch files.
PROMETHEA, A GODDESS FOR OUR AEON.
We are simply delighted to bring you our in-depth analysis of the comic book series Promethea written by the legendary Alan Moore. The book's stunning art is by the phenomenally talented J.H. Williams III and Mick Gray. It also boasts incredible artwork by Charles Vess and colors by Jeromy Cox. The comic book series was originally published as 32 issues by America’s Best Comics from 1999 to 2005.
Alan Moore is every bit as fascinating as any character he penned for the page. For some interesting insight into the mind of Alan Moore check out our Promethea YouTube playlist containing not only the documentary "The Mindscape of Alan Moore" but also several interviews with the writer.
A huge part of Promethea's magick is delivered through it's art. Be sure to check out the artwork of J.H. Williams III, Mick Gray, Charles Vess and Jeromy Cox.
The pages of Promethea are dripping with mythology and Western esoteric magick! Hermeticism and Hellenic Egyptian magick play a central role in the series. Aleister Crowley's Thelema also figures prominently in the series. If the story has piqued your interest in this path of ceremonial magick, please be sure to check out our book recommendations in the show notes, as well as links to free downloads at TheWytchFiles.com!
The Wytch Files is produced by Mallon Khan.
Theme music X-Files Theme Parody by Mallon Khan.
If you have any feedback or review suggestions, please contact us at TheWytchFiles@gmail.com!
If you're liking the show, please follow us on social media (we are @TheWytchFiles on Twitter & Instagram, and The Wytch Files on FaceBook & Google Plus) and review us on iTunes.
The twilight of the demimonde beckons, prodding and awakening the monster inside. So come, you creatures of the night and step into the shadowy gothic world of Victorian London.
Join us as we discuss the Showtime Original Series Penny Dreadful, seasons 1-3.
The Victorian era gave birth to the horror, death and romance of Gothic Literature and to the delightful sensationalism of penny dreadfuls. We have found free copies of some of these wonderful stories online, so check them out and much more in our show notes at http://thewytchfiles.blogspot.com/
Well, we hope you enjoy the episode! We leave you with a quote by the wonderful Ms. Ives:
"Etsi an oge tu werbimaat wedem rag dissiteero tene’aku."
("I speak these words to dispel the darkness")
The Wytch Files is produced by Mallon Khan. Theme music X-Files Theme Parody by Mallon Khan.
If you have any feedback or review suggestions, please contact us! If you're liking the show, please follow us on social media and review us on iTunes.
Three comic book magicians, how realistic is their magic?
Welcome back! We are very excited to be doing our very first comic book review episode! In this episode, we review the following:
"Black Magick," issues 1-5. Published by Image Comics, Inc., written by Greg Rucka, art by Nicola Scott.
"Scarlet Witch," issues 1-5. Published by Marvel, written by James Robinson, art by Vanessa Del Rey, Marco Rudy, Steve Dillon (of Preacher fame), Chris Visions, & Javier Pulido. Cover art by David Aja.
"Shaman," vol.1. Published by Locust Moon Press, written by Ben Kahn, art by Bruno Hidalgo.
Check out the details and links to extra info in the show notes at TheWytchFiles.blogspot.com and TheWytchFiles.com.
The Wytch Files is produced by Mallon Khan. Theme music X-Files Theme Parody by Mallon Khan.
If you have any feedback or review suggestions, please contact us at TheWytchFiles@gmail.com.
If you're liking the show, please follow us on social media and review us on iTunes. We are @TheWytchFiles on Twitter & Instagram, and
The Wytch Files on FaceBook & Google +.
In today’s special Beltane holiday episode, we review the much beloved, 1973 cult classic film, The Wicker Man directed by Robin Hardy and starring Christopher Lee and Edward Woodward. We also review the 2006 remake, by the same title, directed by Neil LaBute and starring Nicolas Cage and Ellen Burstyn. This episode also features songs from Damh the Bard, a remarkable musician, Druid and podcaster! The songs played are as follows:
The Wicker Man - Sabbat (2015)
Gently Johnny - Herne's Apprentice (2003)
Under a Beltane Sun - Antlered Crown and Standing Stone (2012)
The original 1973 film was very loosely inspired by the novel Ritual by David Pinner. The filmmakers also used Sir James G. Frazer’s The Golden Bough as a resource for the creation of the film’s central pagan religion. We also mention Julius Caesar's The Gallic Wars as containing a reference to The Wicker Man.
Welcome to episode 07 of The Wytch Files. We will be reviewing the 1992 film "Like Water for Chocolate," directed by Alfonso Arau. The film is set in 1910 Mexico, at the start of the Mexican Revolution. We discuss food magic, herbalism, Curanderismo and the traditional Mexican cuisine featured in the film. For links and more, check out the show notes at TheWytchFiles.com
Thanks for listening!
Welcome back! Today, we bring you Part 2 of our X-Files review. In this episode, we cover the remaining five episodes of our eight episode review arc. These five remaining episodes were, in our humble opinion, the weaker episodes of the bunch. So, in no special order, those episodes were:
1) Fresh Bones (Season 2, Episode 15)
2) Tesos Dos Bichos (Season 3, Episode 18)
3) Sanguinarium (Season 4, Episode 6)
4) Kaddish (Season 4, Episode 15)
5) Home Again (Season 10, Episode 4)
Visit our website for the show notes, chock full links and videos at thewytchfiles.blogspot.com
Thanks for listening!
The Wytch Files is produced by Mallon Khan.
Theme music X-Files Theme Parody by Mallon Khan.
If you have any feedback or review suggestions, please contact us!
If you're liking the show, please to follow us on social media and review us on iTunes.
Welcome to Episode 5 of The Wytch Files where we review the 2013 Spanish comedy/horror film "Witching & Bitching," directed by Alex de la Iglesia.
In this episode we discuss radical feminism and real history of Zugarramurdi in the Pyrenees mountain region of Spain. Learn about the mythology of the ancient Basque people that resided there and the infamous witch trials of 1611.
Sing the Barbarous words of power below along with us!
"Baga, biga, higa, laga, boga, sega, zai, zoi, bele, harma, tiro, pun!"
Hello and welcome! In today's episode, we take a trip back in time to review a T.V. show very dear and near to our hearts. This special two part show is on the X-Files! We combed through ten seasons of the show to find episodes that featured some form of magic or magical worker(s). We chose 8 episodes (including one episode from the recently aired Season 10 of the show) that met this criteria. In part 1, we cover our top three favorites:
1) Die Hand Die Verletzt (Season 2, Episode 14)
2) The Calusari (Season 2, Episode 21)
3) Theef (Season 7, Episode 14)
Greetings! In Episode #003, we review the 2016 independent film, The Witch: A New England Folk-Tale written and directed by Robert Eggers and starring Anya Taylor-Joy, Ralph Ineson, Kate Dickie and Harvey Scrimshaw. In addition to the review, we briefly explore the Calvinist religious world-view, the characters’ temptations, witch familiars, and some magical practices employed in Colonial America for protection against witchcraft.
Greetings! Welcome to the second episode of the Wytch Files, a podcast that reviews popular media featuring themes involving the occult in all its incarnations. But before we begin, Beware! This show WILL contain spoilers.
On this episode:
The 1998 movie Practical Magic starring Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman. We explore its themes of generational family witches, folk magic, herbalism and the consequences of magic.
Greetings! Welcome to the first episode of the Wytch Files, a podcast that reviews popular media featuring themes involving the occult in all its incarnations. But before we begin, Beware! This show WILL contain spoilers.
On this episode:
The Magicians - A Novel by Lev Grossman
AND season 1 episodes 1 & 2 of Syfy’s TV adaptation.
Show airs Monday nights 9/8c on Syfy, and is streaming free on Syfy.com.