A family in 1630s New England is torn apart by the forces of witchcraft, black magic, and possession.A family in 1630s New England is torn apart by the forces of witchcraft, black magic, and possession.A family in 1630s New England is torn apart by the forces of witchcraft, black magic, and possession.
- Awards
- 43 wins & 71 nominations
Videos9
- Black Phillipas Black Phillip
- (voice)
- (as Wahab Chaudhry)
- Lead Coven Witchas Lead Coven Witch
- (as Vivien Moore)
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- See more cast details at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe premise is based on America's first witch hysteria, set 62 years before the infamous "Salem Witch Trials" in colonial Massachusetts.
- GoofsThe desperately poor family is shown eating by the light of multiple candles. Candles were extremely expensive in colonial New England and would have been used very sparingly.
- Quotes
Thomasin: Black Phillip, I conjure thee to speak to me. Speak as thou dost speak to Jonas and Mercy. Dost thou understand my English tongue? Answer me.
Black Phillip: What dost thou want?
Thomasin: What canst thou give?
Black Phillip: Wouldst thou like the taste of butter? A pretty dress? Wouldst thou like to live deliciously?
Thomasin: Yes.
Black Phillip: Wouldst thou like to see the world?
Thomasin: What will you from me?
Black Phillip: Dost thou see a book before thee?... Remove thy shift.
Thomasin: I cannot write my name.
Black Phillip: I will guide thy hand.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Film '72: Episode #45.3 (2016)
The film is a loving and accurate recreation of Puritan New England in the 1600s with everything from the language to the sets being authentic to the period. That in and of itself makes it fascinating to watch. Having lived in Virginia, where the Jamestown Settlement and the 1600s sometimes can seem like they happened the day before yesterday, I especially enjoyed the film. The location, in Ontario, reminded me of rural Virginia in winter, which made me quite homesick. So the film might have affected me more than some other audience members.
The Witch is a fascinating glimpse into Christianity as practiced by 17th century Puritans. Satan and Evil are almost tangible presences in the woods and wilderness of the New World, while God is a distant, cold, and demanding being who must be constantly begged for forgiveness and mercy, since all human thoughts, words, and deeds seem to be gravely sinful and offensive to his eyes.
A family of seven (parents, four children, and an infant) are exiled from their plantation community for not adhering to the accepted interpretation of scripture. They build a farm at a distance from the plantation near a frightening wood. The farm is failing (the family won't have food to last the winter). Meanwhile, the infant has been snatched from the oldest daughter while in her care at the edge of the wood. From this point on the family either descends into madness or is destroyed by Satan in the form of a witch who lives nearby in the woods. How the family's disintegration is interpreted will depend on which century's point of view you choose to use.
- purrlgurrl
- Feb 10, 2017
Details
- Release date
- Countries of origin
- Official sites
- Language
- Also known as
- The VVitch
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $4,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $25,138,705
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $8,800,230
- Feb 21, 2016
- Gross worldwide
- $40,423,945
- Runtime1 hour 32 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.66 : 1