Spell
Introduction:
Spell is a horror film that stars Omari Hardwick as Marquis and Loretta Devine as Eiloise. Marquis, a skeptic of the spiritual, must escape Eiloise and her family's attic and find his family after they crashlanded in the Appalachians. However, Eiloise and her family's Voodoo practices won't let him escape easily.
Trailer:
Eiloise standing over a wounded Marquis
Tonderai, Mark. "SPELL | Official Trailer [HD] | Paramount Movies." Youtube, Uploaded by Paramount Movies, 1 October 2020, https://youtu.be/fTznGVd8nyo
Eiloise presenting Marquis with his "Boogity"
Significance?
This film helps provide representation for a belief that is not portrayed often. However, the film falls victim to negative representation when it portrays a minority culture as something that should be feared. The film does however have a scene that focuses on the healing aspects of voodoo but still portrays it in a light that is unnerving for the audience. This appears to be a common trend in recent culture, especially with voodoo where the antagonists of the story are practitioners and the protagonists are almost always victims. Voodoo is not the only example of a minority culture in horror to have been villainized but this film is an important example to be aware of
Questions
1. Most paranormal horror films deal with supernatural fears and suspicions of Christian beliefs. What benefits would focusing on alternative beliefs bring to a narrative like this? What faults could be pointed out?
2. The film repeatedly addresses the idea that its setting is strictly rural and lacks technology, how different would the film be if this was set in an urban setting? Why is this an important distinction?
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