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Wishes and Witches!

Edward Peters retells a fun tale, courtesy of a certain Abbot Ralph circa 1175, who obviously didn't have enough to keep him busy in his own English backyard, and so had to gossip about the feckless vegan women of Rheims:
Of course, Ralphie boy had heard this all from a reliable source, a cleric who had seen a girl walking alone, but who professed virginity when he propositioned her. It was then he realized she was a witch.
So he had her arrested. The man's suspicions were borne out when sh e brought a woman to court who could out-debate any man present about Scripture. They all decided the girl's mistress had memorized too much of the Bible for anyone's benefit, and lit a fire for her.
But she was too quick for them, pulling a ball of t hread from her cleavage, throwing it out the nearest open window and letting it pull her to safety as she hung onto the thin end!
So they burnt the girl in the woman's place, so as not to waste a good fire.
The End
(Source: The Magi cian, The Witch, and the Law, U. Penn. Press, 1978, pp. 35-37.)

Bedknobs and Broomsticks
(1971) Angela Landsbury vanquishes a German invasion with the help of some reanimated armor. Being a Disney flick, it also has a wonderful underwater splicing of animation and live action.
98/117 min., Color, Rated G , not available

The Devil Rides Out
(1967) There's a reason why, when Christopher Lee guest-hosted Saturday Night Live once (when it was still funny and not yet a franchise), Gilda and Laraine brought him each a rose before the final bow. This Hammer film is a true sleeper and offers him a jewel's setting all the way down the line. He's a witch hunter who winds up being tracked himself...
95 min., Color, $24.99

The Face of Darkness
(1976) A British politician is on the rise, and so are the dead...it's nec/romance on the job.
58 min., Color, not available

Hocus Pocus
(1994) You'd think Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy and Sarah Jessica Parker would make a slam-bang lineup, but they are heavily layered in make-up and other schtick, though kids seem to enjoy it.
96 min., Color, $14.99

Legend
(1986) Ridley Scott's classic; we couldn't possibly tell you anything the Legend FAQ couldn't...
89 min., Color, Rated PG, $14.99

Lovecraft/Cast a Deadly Spell
(1991) Fred Ward is H. P., facing down Cardassian-type heavy David Warner in '48 Los Angeles. Sounds like Wenders' Batmannish Hammett.
92 min., Color, $89.99 Laser $34.99

The Man Who Could Work Miracles
(1936) Roland Young is that man, and so he does, in this H. G. Wells parable.
82 min., B/W, not available

The Raven
(1963) Poe material is just an excuse for this grandmaster showdown of warlocks Rice, Lorre & Karloff. Corman cuts 'em loose and runs for cover -- fun for all.
86 min., Color, not available

Time After Time
(1979) The plot calls for suspension of disbelief, but Malcolm McDowell fell in love with Mary Steenburgen and so will you. H. G. Wells builds a time machine to chase down Jack the Ripper (David Warner again in another growling scavenger role) in modern-day L. A.
112 min., Color, Rated PG, $14.99 Laser $24.99

The Undead
(1957) A great, early Corman quickie, with a cast including Hollywood vet Billy Barty. A scientist travels back to the Dark Ages in search of reincarnation -- bad call, huh? Black Death and blacker humor follow close behind.
75 mi n., Color, not available

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So you don't know The Three Wishes? If you're in a more serious mood, look for the folk origins of fairy tales at the Dalra ida gopher.
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