Screenwritten Spells: Portrayals of the Witch in Early Cinema

Abstract

The reassessment of early films outside a teleological perspective on the evolution of cinema disclosed them as representing a form of late nineteenth century stage entertainment. Although defined by non-narrativity, catalogues of the era included a significant number of titles seemingly indicating literary
adaptations. Exploring the screenwriting practices of early cinema reveal them as making only limited references to famous literary works known to the audiences, by re-enacting key moments or famous scenes. The paper selects early films revolving around witchcraft in order to discuss the intertextual narrative construction of the witch archetype within the context of this cinema of reference.