Why I took it off the list: I previously reviewed George A. Romero’s Martin for the site, and decided it would be a great time to check out another of the director’s non-zombie 70s flicks for Halloween.
So, let’s dig in!
Review of Season of the Witch (1972)
Known as Jack’s Wife in the UK, Season of the Witch is Romero’s first horror film since Night of the Living Dead (1968). It tells the story of Joan Mitchell, a disillusioned suburban housewife who seemingly has witchcraft slowly slip in to her life.
It opens with a lengthy dream sequence in which Joan is given a surreal tour of her home, is led around by her husband on a leash, and is horrified to come face-to-face with an older version of herself. We then see her go about her routine, before she gets a tarot reading from her friend Marion, who is rumored to be a witch.
This sets off her curiosity, and she gradually comes around to the idea of practicing magic. Meanwhile, she’s introduced to her daughter Nikki’s boyfriend Gregg, who she has a love-hate pull towards.
Joan goes out shopping for ingredients for a potion, in a sequence set to Donovan’s “Season of the Witch”, and performs a ritual in which she appears to hex Gregg into having sex with her.
She starts to become more headstrong, seeks out witchy advice from Marion, and appears to see magic as a way to improve her unfulfilling life and/or get revenge on her abusive husband Jack.
A Stylish, Somewhat Academic Exploration of Witchcraft
As in Martin, Romero’s script for Season of the Witch is extremely meta, with references to Rosemary’s Baby and The Graduate, and is full of intellectual discussions about the state of society and the New Age exploration of religion.
It seems preoccupied by the power of suggestion, exemplified by a scene where Gregg tricks Joan’s friend Shirley into smoking a pretend joint. It also maintains a real doubt whether all the spooky goings-on are just in Joan’s head throughout the runtime.
Although some of the men’s treatment of women in the film is incredibly dated, it has an admirable message of female empowerment at its core.
Season of the Witch also has some great editing, as Romero ingeniously juxtaposes suburban settings against some striking witchy imagery. The cinematography is also overall great, and there are some fabulous 70s costumes and hairstyles.
Best of all, Romero shows off his horror chops in some expertly staged nightmare sequences where Joan is chased though her home by a terrifying masked intruder. And also in a climax which intercuts her baptism as a witch with a seeming act of revenge.
Final score: 8/10
Season of the Witch (1972): Worth Watching?
Yes, Season of the Witch is an interesting, somewhat academic exploration of witchcraft and the power of belief, that nonetheless still boats some truly creepy scenes and an overall vibe that’s perfect for Halloween viewing.
