This film showed several violations of Wiccan Laws. The first being "Do no harm", to the degree of being obnoxious. Remember the word witch, coming from the root word "Wicca", means "one who is wise."
Mel Fleming
Rev/P.U.L.C./U.L.C.

I thought the craft was a brillant movie especially since it was made by nonbelievers for nonbelievers. It did a good job of portraying that witchcraft is not evil and that you get evrything back threefold. And that good always triumphs over evil.
FireMusyc@aol.com

I saw this movie (it's not a film) when it first came out and I thought it was amusing. I've been reading many of the comments people have made about this film; all these people seem so angry about it and I wonder why. It's a movie: entertainment. You have to look at it like that, not as something that didn't live up to yr expectations as some kind of vehicle for showing everyone the truth about wicca and paganism. Paganism isn't Christianity, it doesn't proselytize. This is a movie and should be looked at in that light... I'm 18, I'm been practicing magick since I was a freshman in high school, and yes at the time (long before the craft came out) I was drawn to it because it sounded cool as were many other people I knew. However while most of those others have disgarded it as some trend that's become passe I'm still active. This is because at some level it was right for me and once I seriously got into Paganism any misconceptions I might have had fell away. If the craft has inspired even a few people to go out and become true pagans: rad. If it's given some christians some misconseptions, so what? I don't give a damn what a bunch of patriarchical misogynistic homophobic racist brain-washed-semi-morons think anyway. and as for a few teeny-boppers running around calling themselves witches, who cares? If they windup becoming real witches, good for them. If not, what does it matter?
Wonko9499@aol.com

My friend's girlfriend is a nice Catholic girl from Singapore. My friend is an Asatru pagan, and he has been trying very hard to convince her that his religion is valid and that they don't do things like worship satan or sacrifice little animals. It was going ok, then she saw The Craft.. As soon as it was over, she started asking him if he could FLY! And if he could change his face! See, what I don't like about the movie is that some people just are incapable of telling fantasy from reality, so they get a totally skewed impression of what witches really do. Magick is real and it works, but not the way implied in the movie! The love spell was so much more realistic.. and an example of the most common first-time new witch mistake.
lysergia@bcl.net

First off, to all the witches out there who think "The Craft" was unrealistic or insulting to witches I have to say FACE FACTS! Movies are movies it does'nt matter if it's a movie about witches or homosexuals (I'm not comparing them) movies aren't supposed to be realistic! Do you think after watching movies people beleive a bus can make a 50-ft. jump across a gap like in Speed? Do you think they watch Scream thinking a girl would really sit a home crying while a killer approched instead of calling the police? I'm a practitioner of magick and not to much older than the girls in the movie. I wanted to be a witch for as long as I can remember and this movie was like a message saying "STOP FANTASIZING, GET OFF YOUR ASS AND DO IT" I like this movie very much and watch it often. But I didn't take to the faith of the Goddess and The God hoping to sit around with my friends levitating and changing may hair color by running my hands over my head. I thought the movie was mostly realistic even though the special effects were out there and there is no god called "Manon". Real witches and practitioners could learn from this movie. It's the only movie about witches where negative magick has consequences and someone is smart enough not to use it. The good witch, Sarah bound Nancy to a mental institution were she belonged instead of killing her like Nancy would her, Sarah scared the other witches at the end as opposed to inflicting disfigurements of baldness and facial scars. And whose to say there isn't some twisted individual out there in real life trying to seek revenge through magick? When I get mad at my parents I watch the scene when Nancy kills her step-father, but I would never do that. I'm young, not stupid!
CRando1023@aol.com P.S. Bonnie's punishment for erasing her scars was more scars. What do you think the 3-fold rule REALLY have done? E-mail me.

well, first of all, I thought that The Craft was insulting to witches. The things they did was completely biast. Personally, I'm pretty sick of people making movies who think they know what they are talking about and really don't. Well, anyway, that's my opinion on it.
MystTears@hotmail.com

don't get me started on THE CRAFT... i have a 14 year old girl telling me she wants to be a witch because of the craft. i have to sit here and set her straight on all of her ?'s because of that stupid movie. i hated it. it ticked me off. it is sad that we see 10 year olds wearing pentacles because they want hurt people like the girls in the craft. witchcraft is becoming a "trend" for teens now a days... pathetic i think!!! like sabrina the teenage witch... do you ever see " SABRINA THE TEENAGE CATHOLIC" ????? NO!!!! i really could not stand that movie but hey... hollywood makes money off of us so why not let them. HUH..... ( can you tell i am very bitter towards that movie!!!) hey... it happens though... it is our job to set them straight!!!!!
blessed be to all!!!!!
vyvyne@webtv.net

I saw the movie at a matinee and still thought it was a waste of money. It almost hurt to see these characters using an ancient and sacred way of life for such petty gain. There are many teens out there who became interested in Wicca after seeing the movie, and I still have enough faith in humanity to believe many of them questioned what they were being fed. For those of you for whom the movie was your only introduction, please keep in mind that Wicca, like every religion, is there to make us better people, give us the strength to face challenges, and to help us take control of our lives when things aren't going as we'd planned. Please don't waste precious mana on trying to change your haircolor and get boyfriends, and most of all, please don't ever use it as a means of getting revenge! The essence of this faith is love, patience, forgiveness, self-empowerment, and pulling the souls of the world together to take care of our mother and honor the things she offers us.
Merry Meet Again,
Lady Maura Entropy

I appreciate how Hollywood made Wicca more realistic than "Hocus Pocus" but once again, they have managed to royally screw up. My non-Wiccan friends were very disappointed when they couldn't float. However, the darker side of the movie also represents just how I feel when casting curses, which I usually try not to do. But people must understand not all of us are like that one girl. Once again, Hollywood has royally screwed up.
Skydancer

The Craft was a good movie if you just went to see the movie. But the way they protrayed witchcraft in some points was just way over the top. They did get some aspects right, and showed somewhat what wicca was...but even so they made it seem like there are many bad witches out there and that the religion in all is evil. The response of teenagers acting like wiccans...well that is simply what that is, an act of a teenager. The Craft was a good movie, but a little far fetched.
Blessed Be,
Nerisska

I enjoyed the movie even though I am just starting to study Wicca. I don't know enough about Wicca in order to make a judgement on whether or not those things are possible in the real world. Other than that it was an excellent movie.
Phoenix

First off, we must remember that we live in an entertainment-driven society. Our eyes drink in so much information on a daily basis that we become desensitized to the pain of our angst-ridden everyday lives. Some cannot seperate fact from fiction or reality from fantasy. The Craft was a great film. It's intent was there, if not 100% factual of the real thing, it had intent nonetheless. I applaud the filmmakers for all thier efforts with the film. I enjoy the storyline for the most part. I rent it often, and listen to the soundtrack constantly.

What I really like about the movie is this: The Craft itself isn't the real major issue, let's not concentrate on it for now. I like the story arc of teenagers trying to accept not being accepted. High School is a popularity contest, and they weren't included. The representation of Witchcraft in the movie was, for the most part, accurate, with the exception of a little movie magic that wasn't welcome, but you can't avoid it... it's a movie after all.

Hollywood meddling cannot be avoided. The ending had a good meaning, but the crazed good/evil fight scene between Sara and Nancy was a little on the horror movie side.

What people need to recognize is this: The intent of the movie was to open people's minds to our way of life, and dispel any ignorance about our gentle religion. Alas, some people will see this movie and think they can have all the power in the world by recreating the movie scenes. My suggestion to the novice: Read the subject first. Understand and respect the power. You don't know what you are getting into if you do not. My website has several wiccan links for study (interested parties should email me for information and URL).
May the Goddess smile upon all your labors,
StormFyst@aol.com

i don't understand what all of the fuss is over the craft. of course, it was not a terribly accurate portrayal of witchcraft, however, i did not really expect that it would be, and i am surprised anyone would go to the movie expecting it to be some sort of documentary. i thought the movie was enjoyable. although it wasn't accurate, it did show that the girl who tried to use the power for her own means ended up destroying herself, while the one that listened to the shop owner and followed the true path was able to survive the attacks of her enemy. at the end of the movie, she could have used her powers against the other two girls, but chose not to. so the basic message of the movie was that any kind of power can be abused.
glass dragon

Greetings all

My name is Lars, I'm 20 years old and from Denmark. First of all I must say that I've been interestet in "nature folklore" for a very long time, and "Yes!" ... I loved "the Craft", mostly because it was so different from movies like "Warlock." No satan worshippers! I must point out that before "the Craft" i'd never heard of Wicca. What this movie has done for me is pointing me in a new direction.

I've read all the previous submissions and it scares me that so many think of this movie as misleading, because it is not! I think it's a good way of making people aware of there might be more to life and all. You all must appreciate that it can help guide many of those who really are interested in the right direction.

Last, if some little group wanted to copy some ritual from this movie, they would have to find some books or other documentation, and I suppose that there isn't any "Invoke the Spirit" books lying around. Most likely they might discover the "truth" while searching.
Blessings The searcher

Our coven has been getting an influx of Witch wannabe's that are teenage girls. Some of the girls are aligning themselves with and imitating the villians in the movie! My friends who own Witchcraft shops report shop lifting is way up!

I thought the movie was okay but now realize that I was viewing it as a person who knew what was going on. Especially since I saw the Law of Three in action. Now I know that those not already in the Craft probably didn't see the reasons behind what was happening. In this case, the movie may have done more hurt than good.
Ansur

While this movie did expose many people to Wicca/the Craft (please use the name of your choice) I found my expectations met by Hollywood. As usual, the subject was poorly researched. The movie sensationalized the subject, and I didn't recognize a personality type that I've met in real life.

To me it read like Christian propaganda. "How easily the weak are swept up in the sensation and how alluring the power is. These children were sucked into the arms of Satan!" In my reading, conversations with other pagans, and own practice I have not seen the "over the top" power trip that was portrayed in the movie.

It would be nice to see a movie that portrayed us as we are...Just Like Everyone Else!
Cindy

This movie was ridicuous! A lot of people in my school thought that witchcraft was a cool little thing where you could make people float. Please. Anyway I have to say that some of those other comments like this one comment "if it weren't for the movie there would be five less witches" well I think we would be better off without that retarded coven!!!
Joanne Cahill

Well, I saw The Craft on cable the other day. The plot itself was good...for a fairy tale. The way it portrayed the religion of Wicca was very disturbing. It made being a witch seem so evil. I myself am not a witch. I have been a follower of the New Age religion since my toddler years. But my best friend was born and raised in a Wiccan family, so I know what a true witch is like. This movie was way off on what Wicca stands for, and this made me so mad. It's basic message is that all people who practice the craft eventually end up becoming evil.
It seems to send out the message that being a witch is demonic and satanic. This movie is just so misleading, and if one knows nothing about Wicca then that person will go on believing that what the movie showed is what the religion is all about.
I'm glad my best friend never saw The Craft. IF I GOT THIS UPSET OVER THE MORALITY AND MESSAGE OF THIS MOVIE, IMAGINE WHAT SHE'D FEEL!!
Debriansk

the movie was very well structure and reserched, I have always loved to watch and read stuff about witches and witchcraft but it was this movie which got me interested in practising the craft. bless it be
shyvonne

I thought it was good and bad good because it got me intrested in the craft bad because it potrayed witches as bad. For once I would love it for Hollywood to make a movie about good witches. A witch movie by a witch for the general public. Out off this movie comes one good things much more intrest from teen to wicca.
Blessed be,
Amber Warrior Princess

When I lived in California, Faruza Baulk did an interview with a local LA station when the movie came out, and she said she was a preistess in her coven. So, I dont know. I found It to be a somewhat good movie, but not a real acurate discription of the Craft. I feel if they {Hollywood} make a movie about witchcraft {wicca} they should make it accurate. But, lets get real. It's never gonna happen.
Best Blessings To All
SilverRain

I saw this film with my husband, & we had mixed feelings. On the one hand, the filmmakers had gone somewhat overboard on the special effects & worked within the Good vs. Evil dualistic paradigm we try so hard to escape. On the other hand, they had done enough research to show that Wicca is an ecocentric religion which is about personal responsibility - Nancy's behaviour (though understandable, given her homelife - another good point about the film was that those who abuse their power are often those who feel themselves to be most powerless) resulted in her being, as it was so nicely put "in the shit". The Law of 3Fold Return was shown to work.

It was largely sensationalist fluff, which is what you expect from Hollywood - an independent film has been made called "Drawing Down the Moon", which stars Walter Koening as a small town hood who tries to stop a Wiccan from opening a shelter for the homeless. The URL is http://www.netins.net/showcase/ddtm/ The director, Steve Patterson, can be contacted at sp3242@aol.com He says they've had a good response from Pagans who've seen the site, so perhaps we could drum up a little more support - the more mail they get, the more likely they are to get a distributor.
BB
Karen A

I found the craft to be pretty enjoyable, yet I have always been a this way since I was very young and though I found movies and stories of witches very soul warming I guess I can't contribute them to my love of the occult.

But it is a nice to know that people find enough interest in the craft of the wise to make a major movie of it.

Blessed Be Annie

I saw this movie with my girlfriend, so i kinda missed most of it. But what i did see apaled me. I wont bother repeating what all the other comments have said about all the "spells". What really got me cut though was the number of groups of 5 girls i would see walking around town, in the same cloths and trying to look "witchy". I knew a girl who did this and she fully beleives she is a witch, because she dyed her hair black carries black candles and wears the same cloths as the girl in the movie. Its just sad really.
greenman@bluesky.net.au

The person who wrote the craft did his homework very well on the basis of wicca, but I do not agree with the way he portrade witches. He or she took Wicca and twisted it and made it sound evil and distorted. I was appalled over this movie, because I've been in wicca for about 6 years now and I couldn't believe someone would do that unless it was someone who does not understand.
Chris