THE LOVE WITCH Review
A film made with with love for its predecessors and inspirations is always a tricky task. On one hand, a filmmaker can easily lose themselves amongst their love for other films that any resemblance of unique cinematic language is lost. On the other, a filmmaker will find the sweet spot between their own voice and that of the hundreds before them creating a film that successfully transports the viewer into those films of yesteryear while still being fully aware of the unique talent at hand behind the camera. Indeed, with Anna Biller’s delightfully kitschy THE LOVE WITCH, willing audiences are treated to a film that basks in its forbearers’ imagery while simultaneously displaying the vast talent emitting from its current creator.
With a visual style that wholeheartedly recreates those late 60’s-through-70’s exploitation/grindhouse flicks of years past, THE LOVE WITCH concerns the misadventures of a love-seeking witch by the name of Elaine (Samantha Robinson, channeling kooky and sexy energy with deadly effectiveness). A recent convert to the sexy exploits of a group of witches (and wizards?) in California, Elaine finds herself situated in a small town after a nasty and deadly divorce leaves her reeling. As a result, Elaine begins to concoct the perfect “love potion” for any poor man who crosses her path leading to a trail of literal broken hearts (aka dead men) behind her which has her soon crossing paths with the town’s timelessly handsome alpha-male detective, Griff (Gian Keys).
A film that operates on its own retro flow, THE LOVE WITCH is a testament to its creator’s hard work and effort. Indeed, Anna Biller not only wrote and directed the film but she also served as editor, composer, art director and costume designer and by all accounts, she ended up doing a more than admirable job at every single hat she wore. Her best work of course, comes back to the aforementioned visual style at play throughout the entirety of her film which perfectly captures its inspiration’s kitschy and playful energy which is found in the film’s bright and kooky sets and in the costumes, particularly those of its main lovelorn witch, which are eye-catching and vibrant. Additionally, with help from cinematographer M. David Mullen, the film looks like the best fever dreams one could have with evocative and soft lighting contributing to film’s lovely retro look. Indeed, THE LOVE WITCH looks like something someone’s horny aunt would concoct in her deepest dreams. Elsewhere, in flow and rhythm, Biller perfectly encases her film with her inspirations’ bizarre and humorous characteristics ranging from line-delivery (which is a mix of unironic seriousness and whispery sexiness) to scene transitions (such as the film’s affinity for soft fade outs after climactic and dramatic story reveals).
But style is always but a piece of the cinematic puzzle which is why the film’s story, which is both simple and seemingly loaded with subtext regarding the eternal battle of the sexes, elevates THE LOVE WITCH to intriguing viewing. Indeed, throughout Elaine’s quest to find her perfect soul-mate the film discusses just what women and men want (and feel they need) in the opposite sex and how (mostly) men are susceptible to bouts of mania in its various forms regarding their sometimes literal pursuit of women. For Biller (and the film’s female characters), it seems that all the men in their world are bumbling, horny idiots and if not that, are creatures bent on random conquests on their journey to true “alpha-ness”, which of course leads to the viewer to make sense of Elaine’s plight and accompanying actions. If men truly are selfish, horned up idiots and abusers, what else is there to do except concoct a potion that simply just has them dote over you? While the writer/director seems to find the (justified) faults in her main character’s conundrum and related actions towards the end, the lens she applies to the male/female relationship is indeed an intriguing spice to add to what is otherwise an efficient exercise in homage.
Even so, following the flows and rhythms of those films of the 60’s and 70’s does have its drawbacks as there are moments (as surreal as they are) that negatively slow things down, such as one woodland wedding ceremony that goes on way too long. Indeed, the film’s final third seems rushed, despite the film’s rather lofty 2 hour run-time as Biller quickly throws some genuine chaos into the film’s final moments which leave feelings of confusion moreso than anything else.
But hey, who knows? Maybe, this is exactly what Biller intended in her effort to painstakingly recreate those cheesy, over-the-top films of bygone years (I have very little experience with those films outside of some dips here and there). Nevertheless, what the filmmaker has accomplished here with her kooky film is nothing short of astounding in production quality alone and sometimes, seeing a filmmaker just go for broke on their quest to bring their vision to life is as potent as any love potion out there (witch related or not).
3.5/5
