Payton McCarty-Simas - "That Very Witch" - Megan Fariello
Payton McCarty-Simas will discuss their new book That Very Witch: Fear, Feminism, and the American Witch Film. Payton will be joined in conversation by Megan Fariello. A Q&A and signing will follow the discussion.
At the Co-op
About the Book: “The culmination of seven years of intense research, McCarty-Simas’ book analyzes how the witch exists as both the “ultimate cultural bogeywoman” and a potent symbol of feminist power. Tracing the ever-evolving image of witches in film in relation to shifts in the political perception and cultural interpretation of feminism, THAT VERY WITCH dives deep into an often overlooked but essential horror archetype.” - Rue Morgue
That Very Witch explores the cyclical rise and fall of the cinematic witch in American culture and her relationship to feminist movements over time.
Through historical analysis and dozens of case studies, Payton McCarty-Simas demonstrates how the cinematic witch's evolution across decades reflects major shifts in how feminism is perceived politically and interpreted (counter-)culturally in America. From Mia Farrow to the Moral Majority, from the Satanic Panic to Riot Grrrl, from #MeToo to the 2024 election, the witch can be found at the heart of the zeitgeist. What can we learn from her presence?
About the Author: Payton McCarty-Simas is an author, programmer, and film critic based in New York City. They hold a master’s in film and media studies from Columbia University, where she focused her research on horror film, psychedelia, and the occult in particular. Payton’s writing has been featured in The Brooklyn Rail, Metrograph’s Journal, Rue Morgue, Little White Lies, and others, and she is the author of two books, One Step Short of Crazy: National Treasure and the Landscape of American Conspiracy Culture, and That Very Witch: Fear, Feminism, and the American Witch Film.
About the Interlocutor: Megan Fariello received her PhD in Cultural Studies from George Mason University, with a focus on sound, particularly in television and podcasting. She has since been focusing on writing that combines critical analysis with personal essay and has published pieces for Film-Cred, Dismantle Magazine, Sounding Out!, and Sound Studies. More recently, she published a chapter in Hear Us Scream: The Voices of Horror Volume II on evil dresses in horror films. She continues to be a regular contributor to Cine-File, Chicago's guide to independent and underground cinema. Megan currently teaches courses in the American Studies department at DePaul University and hosts monthly film screenings around Chicago.
Related Titles
That Very Witch explores the cyclical rise and fall of the cinematic witch in American culture and her relationship to feminist movements over time.
Through historical analysis and dozens of case studies, Payton McCarty-Simas demonstrates how the cinematic witch's evolution across...