The Poet Priestess

Here is a rare find, recently brought to my attention by The Temple of Witchcraft and Dangerous Minds. ‘The Power of the Witch’ is a fascinating look at witchcraft from 40 years ago, although the wonderfully grainy footage, fabulous style and plummy English accents make it feel a world away from modern culture. I found it really interesting to hear that some of the same concerns and arguments for and against witchcraft remain almost unchanged through time. A young Doreen Valiente, better known as the ‘Mother of Modern Witchcraft’, makes the opening presence and sets the tone for the rest of the documentary. There are some attempts to manifest spirit in front of the cameras, which manifests some veiled British sarcasm from the interviewer, but that is not uncommon from the time period. In fact, even if you are not interested in the witchcraft itself, this documentary will still give you a wonderful insight into the time period – the attitudes, perceptions, misconceptions, presentation style, interview techniques, as well as fashion and lifestyle.

A few gems in the documentary, I love some of the discussions and quotes about what witchcraft is and isn’t, and how magic manifests within our lives. Eleanor Bone reminds us that, “the beginning of all magical operations is determined imagination.”

An extremely rare documentary about Witchcraft aired once in the UK in 1971. Featuring contributions from Eleanor Bone, Cecil Williamson, Alex & Maxine Sanders [above], Doreen Valiente et al. Very much of its time and with some very rare footage, also includes reference to the famously unsolved murder of Charles Walton on Meon Hill.

Well worth watching, a great find indeed. Enjoy!

With thanks to Seth David Rodriguez!