October Movie Reviews: Quick Round Up

Round-up of a bunch of movies I saw over the last couple of weeks that I have not had the time for full write-ups on.  All of these are new views.

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Daughters of Satan (1972)
Tom Selleck is an art dealer who finds a bad painting of some witches being burned at the stake.  The center witch looks just like his wife.  His wife become possessed with the spirit of the dead witch and the other two show up.  Selleck is the reincarnation of the man that set them on fire.  Murder and mayhem ensues.  OR something like that.  I nearly fell asleep while watching.

The Uninvited (2009)
A pretty cool film about a girl that is sent to a mental hospital for 10 months following the accidental death of her mother.  The girl has blocks in her memory and is certain that her fathers new girl friend is some how to blame.  It is a remake of a 2003 Korean film.  While more psychological thriller than actual horror, it has all the trappings of a horror film.  I won't say more because I don't want to spoil the ending.

Sharktopus (2010)
Half shark, half octopus.  Yeah.   You know how sometimes a movie can be so bad it is actually good?  Of course you do.  Well this one went past that point to where it is just bad again.  I have this love-hate relationship with Roger Corman.  While he is only the Producer here (and has some screen time) this is clearly in his realm.  Sometimes Corman can be campy fun, other times you get, well Sharktopus.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2009)
I also struggled with whether or not this was horror enough.  Yes there is a mystery and there are very horrific things going on in this movie.   I choose to include it because of those horrific elements (murder, torture, rapes, all multiple times) and because the movie was so good.  If you don't know the story yet, well you were not one of the millions of people that read the book.  Basically a man on his way to prison for perjury gets a case where he must investigate a missing woman from 40 years ago.  The case is very cold and all he has to go on is a few scribbled notes and a few old photos.  He gets help from a hacker Lisabeth (who also has issues of her own like being brutally raped by her guardian) who discovers the notes are bible references.  The case then explodes to something much larger than one missing girl.  Again, no spoilers.

The Others (2001)
I also have a love/hate relationship with Nicole Kidman.  She is a fantastic actress, but she can grate on my nerves.  And I am no fan of her (former? present?) goof-ball religion.
But the Others is a fantastic little ghost story set after WWI involving a woman and her children and their haunted house.  There is a mystery here of course, and mists.  It is in fact very much a Ravenloft-esque story. I also don't want to spoil the ending of this one either.  But I have to admit, I really liked this one; Very spooky and moody.

Don't know where this puts me on the roster yet.  23 by my quick count, or 24 if you let me count the BBC Count Dracula as two.  Puts me about 2 behind schedule.  I have two with me now.  So that should be good.

D&D: Back to Basics

So I have spent a lot of time (and money it seems) on "Basic" D&D recently.  I now have every version of "Basic D&D" that has ever been made.  That's a lot of rules for characters 1st-3rd level.

and

I REALLY should be doing something with these rules.

I started out with Holmes Basic, moved to Moldvay/Cook and then AD&D.  I never played Mentzer Basic (or any of the BECMI rules) though I now have that boxed set as well and the Rule Cyclopedia.

And this doesn't even scratch the surface of the Retro-Clones.

Of course my kids and I want to play 4e.  I am in a Pathfinder game, I am running a 3.x game, I played the hell out of 1st and 2nd Ed.  It is getting (or has gotten) insane.

So to help me figure this out I am bouncing some ideas here.

My friend Jason Vey has pointed out (and rightly so) that in 4E the characters already start out as heroes.  There is no growth from a normal, mundane person to powerful hero;  ie like Luke Skywalker, Harry Potter or Bilbo Baggins.  This is an important observation.  There is a powerful archetype at work here. So powerful in fact it has it's own name, The Hero with a Thousand Faces.
Look over the builds I have done for some classic D&D icons ([1][2][3][4]) despite my attempts to "normalize" these characters there is one glaring truth.  For low level characters they are awfully powerful.

Compare that all to this post. http://bxblackrazor.blogspot.com/2010/10/explaining-d6-damage_21.html
JB makes a good point in here that Normal people are supposed to be weaker.  In Basic D&D a normal person has 1-4 hp (as do Magic-Users) so any weapon that does 1d6 has a pretty good chance of killing them outright, and there is still as chance it will kill any demi-human, cleric or thief too.

Now it depends on what I want my game to "be".  Is this a tale of normal people that become heroes?  Or potential heroes that rise up to a greater challenge?  There is a lot to be said about that farm kid learning to be a hero.  But also the biggest gripe I have about playing those early days of D&D is that characters are often too damn weak.

Take the Wizard/Magic-User for example.  Here we have someone that supposedly has been to magic school.  They have learned spell theory, occult knowledge, and all they know is one spell?
Really?  We don't make archers take just one arrow, so why do this?  Plus outside of XP bonuses the Prime Requisites has little meaning in day to day play in Basic.  AD&D improves this a bit.

So I had this idea.

I am going to figure out the make up of the party.  I am letting my players play two characters each, with the caveat that these two have some past history.

Then I was going to run these characters through one of the D&D Basic sets to build up their powers to what you see in D&D4.  So run them levels 1 through 3 and then move on.

So far my oldest son wants to play a Dragonborn Paladin and a Dragonborn Sorcerer and they are brothers.  My youngest wants to play a ranger and a bard, both are 1/2 elf.  Ok.  Problems already.  These classes or races are not even covered in the D&D basic rules.
I suppose I could go very simple and basically use "Dwarf" as a dragonborn and elf as a half-elf; tweaking as needed.

The idea has some appeal to me, but I am not just the only one playing here.

My kids, whose game this is for, could care less about Basic D&D or anything else Old School.  They like and want to play D&D4.

So despite a lot of good games now in my possession, and a lot of good ideas  I am sticking with the new game.  I'll go with the philosophy that while some heroes are made, others are born to greatness and their challenges need to match up to them.  Plus, just because someone has a lot of "kewl powerz" doesn't mean they know what to do with them.
Maybe I'll pull some "Basic" ideas out every so often.

Or maybe I'll just get a separate Basic D&D game going.

Ailuromancy: Metaphysics of the Bast for WitchCraft

What is Halloween without witches and black cats?  How about cats that are witches?


Ailuromancy: Metaphysics of the Bast

Similar to invocations, Ailuromancy is the metaphysical philosophy of the Bast. They have remained undiscovered because the Bast do not write down their formulae or teachings, nor do they share these with humans except under the rarest of circumstances. These can only be learned from master to student and are almost all exclusive to the Bast.

Casting Ailuromancy is the same as an invocation. Bast can gather in groups for group castings, they can use places and times of power, use rituals to tap ambient essence and are subject to crowd effects.
Where humans typically need hands free or be able to speak, the Bast must be able to see or otherwise sense what is around them. For example to Steal Breath, the Bast must be able to see the creature they are stealing from. They must also have their tails free. In some Ailuromancy intricate tail movements replace human hand gestures.

Number 9
For Bast nine, not seven, is the more potent magical number. So Bast covens and group castings are some multiple of nine, or at least three. Three groups of three is a very powerful magical grouping. Treat nine Bast as seven in castings. Seven is still powerful, but not as much as it is to humans.

Group Magic Essence Table: Bast
Size of Group Increased Essence
3 54
5 50
6 81
7 70
9 135
11 110
13 132

If Bast are in a group of humans then the standard rules apply. These are only for Bast casting Ailuromancy.

Names
Very important to Ailuromancy are the names (plural) of the Bast using it. While not related to Ailuromancy itself (other than both being unique to the Bast), the importance of names is in the casting.
All Bast have three names. First is his human or common name, the one that he usually goes by and will answer to from anyone. There is his Bast name, the name he is given by his family or ancestors. Even Bast born and removed from their family at a very young age will still always know his Bast name. These names are often unique since they include a personal identifier and a family name. They can be one used in by another Bast in the same family, but the other family member must have died years ago before that name can be used again.
Lastly, and most important to the topic at hand, is his magical name, his very personal name that he shares with no one. Each name is unique and is passed down throughout the Basts multiple lives. The Bast must sit in deep, deep concentration in order to retrieve his own name. Once this is done then the Bast may use Ailuromancy.

The Essence imprints of Ailuromancy have a particular smell to Bast. Humans must always pass a Difficult Perception test in order to detect it, even if they have experienced it before. While they never share this information with others, the Essence pattern is like a signature of their one true personal name.

The Invocations
Ailuromancy has three basic powers.

Spiritual
The spiritual ailuromancy are ones that effects spirits or essence patterns. Unlike humans, Bast have spirits and not souls. This gives them a different outlook on how essence is used and manipulated.

Bad Luck
2 Essence Points per -1 penalty given (up to -5 max)
One of the most classic ailuromancies used. The Bast must actually cross the path of the victim to impose a -1 penalty to any one task or test per 2 Essence points spent. Gifted can easily notice this sort of ailuromancy, given its similarity to Good Luck. So only a simple Perception task is required. Many Bast are unwilling to use this for that very reason; it instantly brings attention to themselves.

Whisker Bane
Same as Warding WC p. 224

Caterwaul
2 Essence Points
The Bast lets out a discordant wail that can cause irritation or damage depending on their mood.
At level 1 the Caterwaul is merely annoying. It causes no damage.
At level 2-3 the Caterwaul cause d4(2) points per level of LP damage to any that can hear it.
At levels 4-5 the Caterwaul can do d6(3) points per level of LP and causes a Fear reaction to anyone that fails a Willpower (doubled) roll.

Steal Breath
5 Essence Points
A Bast can come close to a person a literally steal their life force away. By inhaling the victims breath (and thus being in close proximity to do so) and spending five (5) Essence points the Bast causes the victims life foce to leave their body for the duration of the breath. This inflicts D6(3) Life Points of damage (undead are not affected) and D6(3) Essence and Endurance loss. The victim also needs to make a Constitution check (doubled) or be rendered unconscious for the next 1 to 4 turns. Sleeping victims do not wake up till this is over.
The Bast must be close enough to be able to steal the victims breath so this is most often done while the victim is prone or asleep.
The Essence stolen is actually lost. Bast can only perform this three times per victim or they themselves also begin to lose life points and essence equal to what is stolen.

Favor of Ra
Same as Essence Shield

Physical (effects the body)
The physical powers maybe purchased in levels where every level usually confers extra time or amount the power may be used. For example a Bast with Monkey Hands level 5 can use the power for 5 minutes for each Essence point spent.

Monkey Hands
1 Essence Point per minute per level
This invocation allows the Bast to manipulate objects while in Bast form that normally would be restricted to humans. Their dexterity does not change as this is a mild and directed form of Telekinesis.

Got Your Tongue
1 Essence Point per minute per level
The Bast can speak like a human while in cat form. This is useful on occasions where telepathic conversation is not desired or possible. In order to this the Bast must borrow a voice. They target a nearby human and use their voice. Once the initial contact is made (the Bast must be able to see the human) then the human can not speak for a matter of seconds. The voice the Bast uses is not exactly like the humans voice, it is often higher pitched and cannot be used to fool friends or voice recognition software.

Lick Wounds (Pashts Cure)
10 Essence Point per 10 LP per level healed
Similar to the Healing invocations the Bast can lick a wound to heal life point damage or remove poisons and toxins (at levels greater than 3), or cure disease (at levels greater than 5). The Bast must state what sort of cure it is performing, damage, removing poisons or curing disease.

Claws of Sekhmet
1 Essence Point per combat turn
The Bast invokes the name of Ras protector Sekhmet to lengthen and strengthen their own claws. Damage then becomes d6(3) x Strength+1 LP of damage.

Cait Sidhe
5 Essence Points per 5 minutes per level
The Bast can increase in size to about the size of a mountain lion. Strength and Constitution increase by 2 each, with Dexterity decreasing by 1. One level of Hard to kill is also added. Life Points are increased accordingly.
A Bast with Cait Sidhe at level 4 can spend 5 Essence points to remain this size for upto 20 minutes. The Bast may switch back at any time but to use this power again will cost another 5 Essence points.

Travel/Time
Cats and Bast are not bound by the same laws of time and space. They are believed to be able to enter dreams, travel to far away planets or simply be right underfoot when it is most inconvenient for them to do so.

Level 1: Disappear / Reappear
1 Essence Point
By spending a single point of Essence a Bast can seemingly disappear or reappear in any spot within eyesight. This is most often used for short hops of less than 10 feet. To use this Ailuromancy the bast must concentrate on the spot they are traveling too. This makes ill-suited for combat applications since the Bast would spend their attack moving; it is useful to avoid being hit.

Level 2: Return
3 Essence Points
This power allows the Bast to return to any spot she once visited. The spot is marked by the Bast in their minds. The travel to this spot can mundane or magical, but regardless of the spot, the time past, or reincarnation, the Bast can return to it.

Level 3: Moonjump
7 Essence points per 10 yards
The relationship between cats and the moon is a long standing one. With this power the Bast can move great physical distances during the light of the moon. Typically it can used from moving from roof top to roof top, or cross great physical distances. A Bast could also use this power to prevent damage from a great fall by simply moonjumping to a lower point in the fall. For example, someone pushes poor Mojo off of a 95 ft. tower. By spending 15 Essence points he moonjumps 90 ft (30 yards) and only falls 5 ft, something any Bast can survive.

Level 4: Dream Dance
14 Essence Points for 10 minutes
Bast are natural, but untrained Dreamers. Bu means of this Ailuromancy and 10 Essence points the Bast may enter the Dreamscape of a sleeper. The Bast can read the dream (understanding requires a Intelligence doubled roll) or very subtly influence it (Willpower doubled roll to plant a small, 10 words or less, suggestion). The Bast can attack other creatures sharing the Dreamscape (Mara, Vampires using Nightmare) but can not harm the dreamer himself.
(See WitchCraft: Book of Hod, Mindream)

Level 5: Greymalkin
21 Essence Points
The Bast can move from one place of Power to any Place power by walking through them as if they were a gate. Unlike Return, the Bast need not have been to their destination before, simply knows that it exists. To the Bast, different places of Power exist in addition to ones known. Nearly any Bast coven is built on a place of power, or as near as they can be. Most cities have a place or two hiding away.

The Dragon and the Phoenix: Episode 9

Episode 9: Rainbow in the Dark


Willow: I know spells Tara. I need you to teach me magic.
- Willow and Tara: The Dragon and the Phoenix, Episode 9 “Rainbow in the Dark”

Episode 9: Rainbow in the Dark by ~WebWarlock on deviantART

April 9, 2003. Friday


Dawn’s new powers are strong and out of control. She becomes the target of every occult faction left in town. All the while Hank Summers sues for custody of Dawn. Social Worker Marion “Cobra” Bubbles is sent in to evaluate her home life. Learn Hank is engaged to his blonde secretary named “Serenity”.
One of Dawn’s friends is killed by a vamp in the end of the last episode. Dawn blames Buffy (friend ends up being Strawberry Switchblade).


Story Arc elements: Return of the Vampire Chicas with new member Strawberry Switchblade. More cults. Willow, Dawn and Tara come to an agreement on magic and their individual journeys of power (Dawn with her new psychic abilities, Willow’s return as the magical powerhouse and Tara’s return to life). Willow and Tara talk about the “the Day of Silence”.

We had some scenes where Dawn was training, Slayer-style only not touching the weapons, but using here TK powers.  Good test of the TK-without-magic rules.  There was also a scene where Dawn gets upset and knocks out all the other PCs (I needed them out so she could run away).  After this episode my mandate was she was not supposed to act immature ever again.  I wanted growth, not lazy writing.

Quotes:
Te above quote came from the end of the game.  Where Willow and Tara are discussing their futures, not just as witches, but lovers as well.  You can have angst and moving plots without resorting to killing or addiction.

Other good quotes from this episode:
Cobra: “It seems that man responsible for your birth has no interest in your future.”
Buffy: “No, not now that he has his new blonde bimbo Serenity.”
Dawn: “Why would anyone name something after old lady diapers anyway?”
(yes, we still some snark left in us).

Runner up:
Buffy: “Oh don’t be a baby, I have been dead more times than you have had a bloody nose.”

Soundtrack: Dio “Rainbow in the Dark”


Notes and Comments:
Ok here is the big Dawn episode. I wanted to show the character as growing and maturing. Though she does do some very typical immature Dawn things, like lashing out at the cast and knocking them all out for a while. The deal here is the final scene for Willow in the shadows of magic. Here she comes back to her own. In the end Dawn's power opens up a tiny hole in reality and she and Willow, without Tara, have to close it up. After ths we talked about what would Dawn's future be. One of my players, Lisa (Tara) thought she should be a doctor, another (sorry forgot who) thought she would end up studing physics. Either way we knew she was going to have the life she felt her sister never could.

Strawberry Switchblade was Dawn's friend who was killed by the Chicas. She became a reoccuring threat in my games regardless of system for a while after that. Her death was to show the Cast that they do not live in a vacuum. The Chicas of course leave town after all of this.

I also wanted to bring back Hank in this one. Everyone seemed to have forgotten him so I figured he was shacking up with some bimbo named Serenity. Anyway he sues which brings in my all time favorite CIA-Agent turned Social Worker, Marion "Cobra" Bubbles. He manages to allow Dawn to stay, garnishes Hank's checks for Child support and kills a vamp in the process.

Strawberry Switchblade
Name: Strawberry Switchblade
Motivation: To make the cast pay for letting her die. Kill anyone else that gets into the way and have fun doing it.
Creature Type: Vampire
Quote: “What do you mean? You MADE me like this. Now I get to return the favor.”

Sex: F
Age: 16 (when killed)
Height: 5'1"
Weight: 105 lbs
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Red

Attributes: Strength 6, Dexterity 6, Constitution 5, Intelligence 4, Perception 3, Willpower 3

Life Points: 69
Drama Points: 5

Qualities: Attractiveness +3, Fast Reaction Time, Hard to Kill 7, Vampire (Murderous)
Drawbacks: Adversary 2, Cruel 3, Delusion (blames the cast for her death) 2, Obsession (kill the cast), Reckless

Skills
Acrobatics +4
Art +1
Computers +2
Crime +3
Getting Medieval +5
Gun Fu +1
Knowledge +2
Kung Fu +5
Languages +1
Notice +3
Occultism +1
Science +1
Sports +1
Wild Card (Seduction) +3

Combat Decapitation +6 S Successes X5, Armor Negated
Dodge +11 N Defense Move
Grapple +11 N Impairment Varies
Kick +8 14 Bash
Punch +9 12 Bash
Knives (2) +11 12 Slash/Stab

Marion "Cobra" Bubbles

“Let me illuminate to you the precarious situation in which you have found yourself. I am the one they call when things go wrong, and things have indeed gone wrong.”

Kids have it rough. Their parents or guardians die or just leave. Then to top everything off they adopt and dangerous alien creature or find out they are glowing balls of energy. It’s enough to make them want to go on a six state killing spree. Fortunately for them (and us) there is the last line of defense, Marion “Cobra” Bubbles.

Cobra Bubbles is a social worker, a special classification (maybe Division 6). He deals with the cases that send most other social works screaming in terror or crying like babies. He also tends to deal with cases of a rather unusual nature.

Cobra from “Lilo and Stich”
The Disney movie, Lilo and Stich is a riot. I won’t get into the details here, but this movie introduces Cobra as Lilo’s social worker. We find out that he is ex-CIA and help broker a deal to keep Earth protected from aliens back in 1973. We learn that Cobra (don’t call him “Mr. Bubbles”) is very serious about his work, cares for children and is really damn strong. You would not want to piss this guy off...
In "animated" episodes he is a cartoon above, voiced by Ving Rhames.

Cobra in “The Dragon and the Phoenix”

Cobra is pissed off. Headquarters has sent him to Sunnydale, a place he hates. There is a case, that of Dawn Summers, that needs his attention. Her last few social workers have been either too scared or too disturbed to go back to the Summer’s home. The case is a special one. The child’s guardian was completely missing on computer files for the Summer of 2001, no paychecks, no classes, nothing. Then one year later the murder of Kara Mclay occurred in the home. The minor in question, Dawn, found the body along with the murdered woman’s sister, Tara.
There is also a claim that the guardian is living with a much older English man that does not appear on any INS database.
To make matters more urgent the minor’s father is now suing for custody.

It should be no surprise that evil-cultists choose now to kidnap Dawn to extract her Key energy.
In my series here he is played by Ving Rhames.

Cobra Bubbles
Character Type: Experience Hero
Life Points 46
Drama Points 20
Quote: “Thus far you have been adrift in the sheltered harbor of my patience.”
and after he surpise kills a vamp in front of the cast "I hate this town."

Attributes: Strength 5, Dexterity 3, Constitution 4, Intelligence 4, Perception 5, Willpower 5

Qualities: *Cop (Ex), Fast Reaction Time, Iron Mind, Nerves Of Steel, Photographic Memory, Resistance-Pain 3, Resources Level 3, Situational Awareness

Drawbacks: Conspicuous 2 (6'5" tall bald black man in $1000 dollar suit), Honorable 2, Humorless, Obligation 3, Obsession (protect children), Secret 1

Skills
Acrobatics 2
Computers 3
Crime 3
Doctor 2
Driving 4
Getting Medieval 2
Gun Fu 6
Influence 4
Knowledge 4
Knowledge, Aliens and the Supernatural 4
Kung Fu 5
Languages 1
Mr. Fix-It 3
Notice 4
Occultism 2
Science 3
Sports 4
Wild Card, Government Contacts 4

Combat
Maneuver Bonus Base Damage Notes
Dodge +8 — Defense action
Grapple +10 — Varies
Kick +7 12 Bash
Punch +8 10 Bash
Big Pistol +9 15 Bullet
Pistol +9 12 Bullet

Next up. Buffy and Spike look for a weapon to deal with Yoln. Oz returns with a few suprises.

Rufus and Burne for D&D 4 Essentials

After the success of Morgan Ironwolf, Aleena, and Emirikol the Chaotic, I figured I should do some more updated characters.  And who better than Hommlet's very own Rufus and Burne.

There has been a 4e update to Village of Hommlet and thanks to a kind soul I now have their copy. But oddly enough I did not find Rufus and Burne stated up.
I went with their base stats in the 1st Ed AD&D T1 Village of Hommlet, so in D&D4 terms they are a bit under powered, though Burne has a lot more spells now.  All in all using Essentials is a snap.  I had just re-read my Moldvay Basic book earlier in the evening for something else and I have to say that while the mechanics of making characters has changed, the feel of it has not.

Here they are, the somewhat greedy, a little lazy, maybe a little grumpy, and  very likely to be lovers, Rufus the Fighter and "His Most Worshipful Mage of Hommlet" Burne the Wizard.

 

 Burne

 Rufus

Like I said I kept their original stats and even had Rufus buy a Holy Symbol of St. Cuthbert (although the Church of St. Cuthbert is now a Temple to Pelor in the new 4th Ed module).

If I run 4e VoH then I'll certainly have these two show up.  Yes, pink chain mail and blue and yellow smurf hat and all.

Practical Magic for the WitchCraft RPG

Practical Magic

Note: I am not setting this up as one of my October Movies since it is not really horror, and I have seen it so many times now that I could not count it.

FOR MORE THAN two hundred years, the Owens women have been blamed for everything that has gone wrong in town. If a damp spring arrived, if cows in the pasture gave milk that was runny with blood, if a colt died of colic or a baby was born with a red birthmark stamped onto his cheek, everyone believed that fate must have been twisted, at least a little, by those women over on Magnolia Street. It didn't matter what the problem waslightning, or locusts, or a death by drowning. It didn't matter if the situation could be explained by logic, or science, or plain bad luck. As soon as there was a hint of trouble or the slightest misfortune, people began pointing their fingers and placing blame. - Intro to Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman (and the movie as a voice over by Aunt Jet).

Sally Owens: I dream of a love that even time will lie down and be still for.

While I set out to like The Craft and didn't so much, I was also set to dislike Practical Magic and found it to be very enjoyable. Sure both Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock can get on my nerves at times, they both turned out a very enjoyable performance. What really increased my enjoyment of this film was the book.



Practical Magic is based on the novel written by Alice Hoffman. Ill admit that I have never read anything else of hers and I read this book only after seeing the movie. But I am glad I finally did. Despite the title and subject matter, Practical Magic is not really about magic or witches but about sisters and their bond. It is also about love, both platonic and romantic, but mostly about a deep connection between people. Hoffman showcases this with her portrayal of the three generations of Owens witches; Frances and Bridget, Sally and Gillian, and Antonia and Kylie. It is interesting to note that the only Owens witch without a sister is Maria, the same Maria whose spell against love turns into the Owens Curse.

Practical Magic, the movie, has a lot going for it. Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman make very fetching witch sisters. It is the first major roles for future stars Goran Visnjic (Hotel Sarajevo was his break out role, but this was his big American one) and Rachel Wood. Plus I always liked Stockard Channing and Dianne Wiest from their earliest works as well, not to mention a soundtrack by Stevie Nicks. Although she had no lines, I also thought Caprice Benedetti was great as Owens clan matriarch Maria.

The Movie vs The Book
The movie is really is more in line with the universe of WitchCraft than the book (the witches have more power), but the book is much better. The movie and the book do have some significant differences. In the book Sally spends a great deal of time away from the Aunts to try to live a normal life, only to discover that normal is not really what she wanted. This is touched upon in the movie, but not to the same degree. There is more interaction with and between Sallys daughters Antonia and Kylie in the book. Plus the movie reverses the two daughters and has them a little younger. In the movie Jimmy Angelov is Bulgarian and a lady killer in the figurative and literal sense. In the book Jimmy Hawkins is American and just a dumb hood that sells some kids some bad drugs. Both are though are close enough to each other to me to be the same character, so I opt for using Angelov. Goran Visnjic gave an inspired performance as Eastern European-cowboy-Dracula; much more interesting than Hawkins punk thug. Besides, a drunk Goran Visnjic singing You Were Always on My Mind while planning to kill Gillian is very creepy. Not the same creepy as his I am really into sisters now, but still creepy.

So where the movie and book differ, I am likely to go with the book. Ill use the casting from the movie, keep the movies power level for the witches and minor bits here and there.

The Owens Sisters
Each generation of Owens sisters is presented below. You will notice that in most respect the sisters, while physically different from each other, have very similar stats. This is on purpose. The sisters were one part of the genesis of my Anamchara Quality and my example of their use for non-romantic love and for WitchCraft.
In the case of these stats I kept them at the power level and age they were in the movie (the movie was out in 1998).

Gillian Owens: You southern shrew!
Aunt Jet Owens: Ingrate!
Aunt Frances Owens: Goodie two shoes!
Sally Owens: WITCH!

Associations and Concepts
Well, Alice Hoffman didn't consult with C.J. first, so the Owens don't quite fit, but that is not to say we can't make them fit somewhere. Their attitudes, powers and history remind the most of the Wicce. They, Frances and Jet in particular, are great Weird Ones, but really Eccentric ones would be a better choice of words.

Aunt Frances Owens (Stockard Channing)


Sally Owens: All I want is a normal life.
Aunt Frances Owens: My darling girl, when are you going to understand that being normal is not necessarily a virtue? It rather denotes a lack of courage!

Aunt Frances is the older of the two aunts. She is tall, thin, formidable and looks very much like a Harry Potter witch. If we continue with the book timeline she would 90 today, and most likely still alive.

Strength: 1 Intelligence: 4
Dexterity: 2 Perception: 6
Constitution: 2 Willpower: 5

Life Points: 32
Essence Pool: 51

Skills: Rituals (Wicce) 5, Driving (car, standard transmission) 1, First Aid 1, Herbal Medicine 4,
Qualities: The Gift, Essence Channelling 3, Increased Essence Pool 6
Drawbacks: Accursed (The Owens Curse), Emotional Problems (Fear of Commitment) 1, Status -1
Metaphysics: Affect the Psyche 3, Cleansing 4, Consecration 2, Symbols of Protection 3

Aunt Bridget Jet Owens (Dianne Wiest)


Aunt Jet: This is what comes from dabbling; I mean you can't practice witchcraft while you look down your nose at it.

While Frances would allow the girls to eat chocolate cake for breakfast because others say she cant, Aunt Jet would let them do it because she cant say no to them. Cheerful, plump, short, she would be 88 in 2010

Strength: 1 Intelligence: 5
Dexterity: 2 Perception: 6
Constitution: 2 Willpower: 5

Life Points: 32
Essence Pool: 52

Skills: Rituals (Wicce) 6, First Aid 2, Gardening 4, Herbal Medicine 4,
Qualities: The Gift, Charisma 2, Essence Channelling 3, Increased Essence Pool 6
Drawbacks: Accursed (The Owens Curse), Emotional Problems (Fear of Commitment) 1, Status -1
Metaphysics: Affect the Psyche 3, Cleansing 4, Consecration 2, Symbols of Protection 3

Frances and Jet thought they were going to die together at ages 94 and 92 respectively. That all changed when they had to take in their youngest sisters daughters Sally and Gillian after her death. They raised the girls as their own for years. Their own husbands had died years ago due to the Owens Curse. Frances and Jet are old-school witches. They dress in all black, with funny hats to hide (barely) wild and crazy hair. They ran a very successful, but secret (secret in the way that everyone knew but no one ever talked about it) potion business. They provided potions to cure all sorts of ailments, the get rid of spirits, but most famously were their love potions. They would warn the women who came to them that they were asking for trouble, but in the end they took the money and women left with a small vial. The Owens sisters where also well known for their gardens. When spring came theirs would be in full bloom with jasmine, rosemary, verbena and garlic while their neighbors would still be muddy from the thawing snow. The lilac, lavender and roses grown there could be smelled from blocks away.

Sally Owens (Sandra Bullock)


Sally Owens: Since when is being a slut a crime in this family?

Strength: 2 Intelligence: 5
Dexterity: 2 Perception: 6
Constitution: 3 Willpower: 5

Life Points: 34
Essence Pool: 26

Skills: Rituals (Wicce) 2, Craft (botanicals) 3, Herbal Medicine 3
Qualities: The Gift, Attractiveness 1, Essence Channelling 1 (3), Increased Essence Pool 1, Anamchara (Gillian)
Drawbacks: Accursed (The Owens Curse), Emotional Problems (Fear of Commitment) 1, Impaired Seneses*
Metaphysics: Affect the Psyche 2, Cleansing 1, Elemental Fire 1

*Cant see orange since her first husbands death (from the truck that hit him).

Sally Owens wanted nothing more to live a normal life. Her mother died soon after her father did. He died from the Owens Curse, she died from a broken heart. So she and her sister Gillian went to live with her two aunts. From a very early age Sally displayed the greatest potential, but she turned her back on magic and witchcraft to avoid the curse. She even tried to avoid love, but as fate would have it she fell in love with man named Micheal, got married and had two wonderful daughters. They opened an herbal bath products store. Sally used her knowledge of herbs to create botanicals. Then one day she heard the Deathwatch Beetle clicking away the minutes of her husbands life, Sally ran to find her husband, only to see him get hit by an orange truck. She spent the next year depressed and never left her bed.
One day her sister comes back into her life.

Gillian Owens (Nicole Kidman)


Gillian Owens: Hang onto your husbands, girls!

Strength: 2 Intelligence: 3
Dexterity: 2 Perception: 6
Constitution: 3 Willpower: 4

Life Points: 32
Essence Pool: 26

Skills: Rituals (Wicce) 2, Craft (botanicals) 3, Herbal Medicine 3
Qualities: The Gift, Attractiveness 2, Essence Channelling 1 (3), Increased Essence Pool 1, Anamchara (Sally)
Drawbacks: Accursed (The Owens Curse), Emotional Problems (Fear of Commitment) 1, Mental Problems (Mild Lechery)
Metaphysics: Affect the Psyche 2, Cleansing 1, Mind Hands 3/3

Gillian was the younger of the two Owens sisters. She was the partier. While Sally even at a young age tried to get her homework done, eat her vegetables and go to bed at a decent hour, Gillian was running off with first one boy or another. Soon boys that were terrified of her when she was a preteen, couldnt stop following her when became a teenager and adult. If Sally inherited Maria Owens magic, then Gillian inherited her ability to break hearts and turn other women against her.

Gillian and Sally also have the Anamchara Quality, WitchCraft version. While there is obviously a strong love here, it is the sisterly type. The type born out of tragedy, only Gillian understood Sally and visa versa. While they were as different as night and day, they were really one complete person. Maybe this is a by-product of the Owens Curse, since no man could become their soul mate they needed a proper substitute.

It would be interesting to see if the same unfolded for Antonia and Kylie.

Antonia Owens, 16 (Alexandra Artrip)

Kylie Owens, 15 (Evan Rachel Wood)
blond (dyed, normally black) hair.

NOTE: in the book, Antonia was the oldest and Kylie was the younger. In movie this was reversed. I am opting for the movie casting, but the book characters. This is fine since Kylie ending up much taller and looking more like Gillian.

Kylie Owens: Mom, I'm worried about Antonia. Did you know that she put on her mouse ears and drives around town, all liquored up, NAKED?

Children (to Antonia): Witch! Witch! You're a bitch! Witch! Witch! You're a bitch!
Sally Owens: You'd think after three hundred years they'd come up with a better rhyme!

I have not stated out Kylie and Antonia yet. My plan was to introduce them into a game as sisters, but nothing more than that and see where they go. But at last count I have the stats for close to a hundred different witches. Its hard to keep up, let alone try to work them all into a game.

Both are Gifted and are more powerful than Sally and Gillian. I had decided on not giving them Anamchara. In the book they just didnt get along so well, except at the end and it left me wanting more.



Can love really travel back in time and heal a broken heart? Was it our jointed hands that finally lifted Marie's curse? I'd like to think so. But there are some things that I know for certain: Always throw spilled salt over your left shoulder. Keep rosemary by your garden gate. Add pepper to your mashed potatoes. Plant roses and lavender, for luck. Fall in love whenever you can.
- Sally Owens

http://practicalmagic.warnerbros.com/
http://www.alicehoffman.com/hoffman-practical-magic.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Practical_magic
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120791/
http://www.amasveritas.com/

October Movie Reviews: Countess Dracula

Stuck in the 70's with another one of the Hammer Films.

This time we are getting into what would be fertile ground for Hammer, beautiful young women killing other beautiful young women.


Countess Dracula (1970/1971)
This one is a bit mis-titled, and a bit of different one for Hammer.  It is the story of Countess Elizabeth Bathory, but the twist is here the blood she drains and bathes actually does make her young again in the form of Scream Queen Ingrid Pitt.

The story is not a bad one, but not memorable.  Bathory kills girls, dupes dumb men into being her pawns, finally gets caught in the end.  We are missing some of the characters from Bathory's history, but that is fine really.

The one ups the blood and gore (too be expected) and the sex and nudity (also to be expected).
It is not quite as good as Daughters of Darkness that came out a year later. But it has more of supernatural feel to it and more of a Hammer feel to it if that makes any sense.   Ingrid Pitt also stared as another famous vampire, Carmilla, in the Vampire Lovers.  Female vampires became very lucrative for Hammer in the end, but not enough to save them it seems.

I had forgotten I had seen this one till I got into it.  So I watched it with the audio comentary on instead.  Very interesting insights to Hamer in the 70's to be sure.  Makes me want to go back and listen to the audio comentary tracks on the all the other Hammer films I have watched.