A boy witch is known as a male witch. The term "boy witch" is not commonly used in the world of witchcraft and is often seen as a gendered term. The term "witch" can be used to refer to any individual, regardless of their gender, who practices witchcraft or identifies as a witch. The use of gender-specific terms such as "boy witch" or "girl witch" can be seen as unnecessary and exclusionary, as it reinforces traditional gender roles and expectations. It is important to acknowledge that witchcraft is a diverse and inclusive practice that can be embraced by individuals of any gender identity..
The film opens with the hanging of the titular witch (Marie Santell), overseen by the betrayer MacIntyre Stuart (Robert Elston); he and two other members of their coven turned on the other ten members, leading to their execution. With her final words, the witch curses Stuart: he and all of his descendants shall bear her mark, until she returns to exact her vengeance. Some three centuries and change later, Leonard Nimoy lookalike Alan (Darryl Wells) is buying some books on witchcraft at the local university bookstore, where his girlfriend Jill (Anitra Walsh) is assisting with a book drive. They briefly discuss the psychology course that they are taking from Professor “Mac” Stuart (Elston again) and make plans to attend one of his parties/seminars that evening. After Alan leaves, Jill discovers a real spell book, later identified as the Red Book of Appin. That evening, she brings the book to the meeting and encourages her friends and classmates, including horndog Harry (Jack Gardner) and ditzy Sharon (Barbara Brownell), to participate in a ceremony outlined in the book: summon a witch.
The fun is mitigated in a few places by special effects failures the fire that the possessed Jill uses in her rites at the wooded grove is no larger than a dinner plate, for instance and some repetitiveness the witch uses the same overlong invocation in a few separate scenes , but it s obvious that all of the players involved are having fun, and that sense of bonhomie and good humor is infectious enough that it s no trouble to get swept up in the moment. Director Tom Moore who would later direct 1977 s Return to Boggy Creek is behind the camera for this micro-budgeted regional flick from the Lone Star state.
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Mark of the Witch (1970)
Utilizing the all too familiar plot device of putting a witch to death during the days of the Salem witch trials. the accused stands before her executioners laying a curse upon them and all their descendants in the generations to come as she awaits the hangman’s noose. Think of Black Sunday without the mask full of spikes and no Barbara Steele to accompany this drive in special of the low budget category.
Low budget? Drive-in fodder? Witches? Nary a recognizable name or face in the cast and credits? Count me in!
Filmed in Texas by director Tom Moore (Return to Boggy Creek), our tale of witches and demonic possession will take up in the present day once our witch played by Marie Santell is left swinging in the wind in the opening frame. Our story will unfold at a college where Robert Elston is teaching a course on history. No need to blink as our modern day Elston is indeed the same Elston who put our witch to do death which makes our current edition of Elston a marked man.
Elston is currently engaged with his students in the study of witchcraft. One that will see his star pupil Anitra Walsh discovering an ancient text at a book sale. It looks authentic and has plenty of spells including one which will supposedly summon a witch’s spirit. Why not call the gang together and have some kicks. By gang I mean all the guys and gals signed on for the course. Many of which have their mind set on one thing and it’s not witchcraft but members of the opposite sex. Let’s not forget this is drive-in exploitation fare catering to the weekend crowd of teenagers with a little jingle in their pockets.
Time to put away the Taro cards and the Ouija Board and get out the candle sticks and form a circle as Miss Walsh begins to read the incantation within the ancient book to see if there really is a spirit waiting to be summoned. Does anything flashy happen? Not really and the whole experiment appears to be a bust. That is until our young leading lady takes on an arrogance that doesn’t befit her and when the party clears out she hangs back to reveal her newfound identity to the somewhat doomed Professor Esltron.
Turns out Esltron’s ancestor had betrayed the witch of old and he himself was in league with the Devil. Our updated version of Elstron might not be so easy to take revenge upon but that won’t stop the student from seducing the Prof. with a flash of boobs that have the distinct look of a body double. But hey, beggars can’t be choosers at a 1970 drive-in. Elstron is going to need help in saving the real Miss Walsh whose body now plays host to the evil witch. He’ll take on the help of the young girl’s love interest, Daryl Wells, to help him battle the witch and save the young girl’s soul.
A script with this kind of subject matter is going to need some bodies and they’re kindly provided by some of the student “body.” This is going to complicate saving Miss Walsh from the evil witch’s power. If she’s identified by the police she’ll be sentenced to a long prison sentence for something she’s had no control over. Thankfully Elstron and Wells may have found the key to solving the spells and incantations of the ancient text.
“From innocent parlor games to deadly midnight rituals.”
Love those one liners thrown at us from the screen when the coming attraction trailers play before the main feature. Without a doubt had I been of age in 1970 I’d have been going to a local drive-in to see this one with a gang of horror fans or if I had my own car maybe even the gal of my choosing. Alas, I kind of missed out on the drive-in era as teenager. They were pretty much gone by the time I owned a car and the films they did play on weekends had morphed into the big box office hits of the week vs. the low budget fare that one could count on seeing up until the studios turned the summer blockbusters loose on an annual basis. Having said that I still do have a pair of drive-in memories from long ago, One was seeing Grizzly in 1976 with the family and the other was sneaking in to see Death Wish 2 doubled up with Zombie alongside a pair of underage pals in the back of a van in 1982.
On Mark of the Witch, most of the cast quickly faded into obscurity with barely any credits to their names beyond the obvious over at the IMDB. This being the case with our witch Miss Santell. Elson was easily the best actor of the shoot and did appear sporadically on camera over the next couple of decades while one of our victims, Barbara Brownell, went on to do a number of television shows into the next century after getting her start here.
If you do get the opportunity to see this tale of witchcraft that might have been better served as a Kolchak episode, have a look at the young leading man, Darryl Wells. Is he not a Michael York lookalike minus the polished voice and delivery? He may not have found a career in the movies but if had any ambition to be a stuntman he could have doubled for York on the many action films he was to embark on in the 1970’s.
If this one peaks your interest in low budget horror specials, you can find it over at youtube or maybe pick up a copy of the blu ray numbered 84 from Code Red Releasing. Now how about that trailer to wet your appetite.
The story is pretty basic- ancient curse of a doomed witch, jumping forward to the "present" (ha ha), where of course, the witch returns. The pacing is pretty good, with the story at least always moving forward. I didn't find it too predictable, which was good, and despite how dated the fashion and music were, it was interesting.
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Reviews for "Boy Witches in Literature: An Exploration of Representation and Diversity"
1. Samantha - 2 stars - I didn't enjoy "What is a boy witch called" at all. The plot was predictable and lacked any depth. The characters were one-dimensional and cliché, making it hard for me to connect with them. The writing style was also quite mediocre, and I found myself skimming through pages just to get to the end. Overall, I was disappointed with this book and wouldn't recommend it to others.
2. John - 1 star - I have to say, "What is a boy witch called" was one of the worst books I've ever read. The storyline was confusing and poorly developed, jumping from one event to another without any clear connection. The dialogue felt unnatural and forced, making it difficult to believe or sympathize with the characters. Moreover, the book was riddled with grammatical errors and typos, which further disrupted my reading experience. I regret wasting my time on this book and would advise others to avoid it.
3. Lisa - 2 stars - "What is a boy witch called" didn't live up to the hype for me. The writing was overly descriptive, bordering on tedious, and the pacing was painfully slow. The protagonist lacked any real depth or growth, and I struggled to feel invested in his journey. Additionally, the world-building was poorly executed, leaving many unanswered questions and gaps in the storyline. I was left unsatisfied and underwhelmed by this book.
4. Michael - 3 stars - While "What is a boy witch called" had an interesting concept, it fell short on execution. The plot had potential but seemed rushed and lacked sufficient development. Some of the character motivations and actions felt contrived, making it difficult to fully immerse myself in the story. Despite these flaws, the book did have some redeeming qualities, such as occasional moments of suspense and an imaginative magical system. However, overall, I found it to be an average read that failed to meet my expectations.