The scene ends with her breathing heavily, staring into the camera-there seems to be neither refuge nor independent climax for someone as trapped as Elaine. When her husband then praises her for falling in line, Elaine caresses her body and recalls her induction into her coven, involving some questionably consensual sex. As she prepares for bed alone, she remembers the chiding voice of her husband and then father, tearing her apart for failing as a woman (not keeping a clean house, not being thin enough). As Elaine, Robinson is utterly commanding her performance is classically mannered, and not a winking attempt at schlocky “bad acting.” Like a black hole of desire, Elaine’s affection is boundless, as is her ability to suck you in.īut in a brief yet crucial scene, we see the opposite side of the soft, amorous image Elaine projects. She’s beautiful and poised, speaking exclusively in cooing tones somewhere between a mother’s “Let me see your boo boo” and a lover’s come-hither bedroom whisper (even when she’s not addressing potential mates). Witchcraft isn’t the sole great power Elaine possesses. When cut off cold turkey from her love, these men tend to voluntarily or involuntarily disappear from view… The body count eventually points the cops (and her real estate agent) to her love-’em-and-leave-’em ways, nearly bringing about a second coming of the Salem witch trials.Įlaine’s capriciousness may seem arbitrary and irrational, but isn’t that flight from reason what really lies at the heart of attraction? In a moment at the local strip club that betrays her full, repressed intellect, she succinctly says: “They teach that a ‘normal’ human being is a hyper-rationalist, stoic male, and that a woman’s intuitions and emotions are illnesses that need to be cured.” It’s the film’s most quotable line, by virtue of its blistering accuracy, particularly when related to Hollywood cinema of the past century or so. She uses potions to dose men she finds attractive, only to brush them aside when their affections become too desperate and needy-which is to say, a little too feminine. The damage and pleasure to be found in this position are contained within Elaine (Samantha Robinson), a widow and practicing witch who relocates to a small West Coast town to begin anew her pathological search for true love. Window.APP_STATE = JSON.Continuing with the concerns of Biller’s past work (2007’s Viva), The Love Witch explores the contradictory conditions under which Western women live: existing somewhere between second and first wave feminism, when the only choice about your body everyone truly feels comfortable with your making is what cute accessory to buy next. ![]() ![]() All rights reserved.SupportTerms of UsePrivacy Polic圜ookie PolicyDo Not Sell My Personal Information Please enable it or install a modern browser that support JavaScript.ĬareersPartnersAbout usWhere to watchSupportThis feature is coming soon.We’re currently working on it! Thanks for your patience.About UsOur StoryLeadershipNewsPressCareersBecoming A CitizenResponsibilitiesPerksWhere To WatchSmart TVStreaming DevicesMobile AppDesktop AppWatch on the webAccessibilityPartnersDistributionContent ProvidersAdvertisers© 2023 Pluto Inc. This website needs JavaScript to work properly.
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