The Wytch Files Ep. 08: The Wicker Man

The Wicker Man (1973)

 6.0 / 7.0


The Wicker Man (2006)

0.5 / 7.0

In today’s special Beltane holiday episode, we review the much beloved, 1973 cult classic film, The Wicker Man directed by Robin Hardy and starring Christopher Lee and Edward Woodward.  We also review the 2006 remake, by the same title, directed by Neil LaBute and starring Nicolas Cage and Ellen Burstyn. This episode also features songs from Damh the Bard, a remarkable musician, Druid and podcaster! A HUGE Thank You to Damh for letting us share these! The songs played are as follows:

The Wicker Man - Sabbat (2015)
Gently Johnny - Herne's Apprentice (2003)
Under a Beltane Sun - Antlered Crown and Standing Stone (2012)

The original 1973 film was very loosely inspired by the novel Ritual by David Pinner.  The filmmakers also used Sir James G. Frazer’s The Golden Bough as a resource for the creation of the film’s central pagan religion.  We also mention Julius Caesar's The Gallic Wars as containing a reference to The Wicker Man.

Despite the ancient Roman army's best efforts, Druid orders are thriving today!  For information on modern Druid orders, check out the Ancient Order of Druids in America, Ár nDraíocht Féin and The Order of Bards, Ovates & Druids.

If you like The Muppets and The Wickerman, why not combine your two loves by reading A Muppet Wicker Man a comic book by Paul O'Connell.  It's got all your beloved Muppets reenacting the events of the movie with Statler and Waldorf heckling the whole thing in their best Scottish accent (okay that part might be a fib). 

Thanks for listening!

Theme music X-Files Theme Parody by Mallon Khan. 

If you have any feedback or review suggestions, please contact us! 

If you're liking the show, please to follow us on social media and review us on iTunes.

The Wytch Files - Ep.07: Like Water For Chocolate (1992)

3.5 / 7.0

Hello, in today’s episode we review the 1992 film “Like Water For Chocolate” directed by Alfonso Arau and starring Marco Leonardi, Lumi Cavazos, and Regina Torne. The film is set in 1910 Mexico at the start of the Mexican Revolution. 

We discuss the wonderful food magic and kitchen witchery depicted in the film. The film features exquisite traditional Mexican recipes: Chocolate Mole, Quail in Rose Petal Sauce. Roasted Poblanos with Walnuts Sauce & Pomegranate Sauce, and the divinatory King Cake.

Need Something more basic? Try some rich Hot Chocolate. It's like a mug full of love! For some more delectable kitchen witchery and recipes, check out Cucina Aurora. "But what if I can't even boil water?" you ask. Don't worry - there's help!

We discuss the magical uses of some of the herbs used in the film’s recipes and the emotional intent that drives the food magic.  We also very briefly discuss indigenous Mexican curanderismo. Curious Curandera provides information in their library (some of it free) on healing via curanderismo, so check out their website.

The website Gather provides information on gathering wild foods and magical cookery. If you’d like to take an online course on herbalism, Learning Herbs offers courses. Carolina Gonzalez, a Curandera from Tenerife, Canary Islands, has a wonderful blog Connected With Life and a website Bruja Carolina with good information on herbs, healing and magic.  She also offers tarot and spiritual services, so check out her sites.

If you’d like to learn about Mexican brujeria (witchcraft), Brujo Negro provides some information for your reading pleasure.

Thanks for listening!

Theme music X-Files Theme Parody by Mallon Khan. 

If you have any feedback or review suggestions, please contact us! 

If you're liking the show, please to follow us on social media and review us on iTunes.

The Wytch Files - Ep. 06: The X-Files, Part 2 (1993-2002, 2016)

   2.5 / 7.0

Welcome back! Today, we bring you Part 2 of our X-Files review.  In this episode, we cover the remaining five episodes of our eight episode review arc.  These five remaining episodes, were in our humble opinion, the weaker episodes of the bunch.  So, in no special order, those episodes were:


1) Fresh Bones (Season 2, Ep.15)

2) Tesos Dos Bichos (Season 3, Ep. 18)

3) Sanguinarium (Season 4, Ep. 6)

4) Kaddish (Season 4, Ep. 15)

5) Home Again (Season 10, Ep 4)

Haitian Vodou is featured in the episode "Fresh Bones". Vodou is a beautiful spiritual path with a long and rich history.  For some stunning photographs of Vodou in Haiti, check out a photographer's 20-year exploration of Haitian Vodou.

For some information on the Vodou Lwa Simbi Andezo, please visit here.

In the episode, we mention Bufotoxin secreted by toads.  Please check out our recent blog post on toads for additional information.

Yahe, Ayahuasca is referenced in "Tesos Dos Bichos".  Listed in the YouTube playlist below a wonderful documentary on this topic, "DMT: The Spirit Molecule."

The "Sanguinarium" episode caused some controversy in Neopagan circles when it first aired.  Check out these two posts from The Witches' Voice here and here. And here is some more info from NPR on the outrageous number of deaths medical malpractice deaths in the USA.

Lastly, episode "Home Again" from new min-series Season 10 deals with a street artist/magician (played by Rancid's Tim Armstrong) who creates thought-form servitors. Here is an interesting article by Chaos Magician Phil Hine on servitors. What would a season 11 have in store? Let's hope they listen to fan feedback.

Thanks for listening!

Theme music X-Files Theme Parody by Mallon Khan. 

If you have any feedback or review suggestions, please contact us! 

If you're liking the show, please to follow us on social media and review us on iTunes.