DIRTY LINEN MAGAZINE REVIEW

Signs, Cures & Witchery
Appalachian Cosmology and Belief
Video Cassette - 57:30 Minutes
Augusta Heritage Center - AHV-01 [(2001)]

As this documentary points out, there is a substantial Germanic presence in
the Appalachians that has been ignored by scholars. These 'scholars' at the
Augusta Heritage Center, dispel the notion that the Appalachians were only
settled by the British, Scots and Irish and reveal how old world Germanic
folklore still remains in West Virginia. Like Milnes' previous film
Fiddles, Snakes and Dog Days, much of the film is based on interviews with
various folk artists who have been around the subject matter all their
lives. They discuss an array of witchery-related topics such as witch
doctoring, breaking spells, countering spells and the black bible that is a
'must' read for any aspiring witch. There are accounts of how witches were
seen wringing towels yielding pails of milk; there are tales of how witch
balls flying through the air can cause bodily injury upon contact. The
sciences of symbology and numerology are traceable back to Germany as are
the local mid-winter customs of 'belsnickling' and 'shanghai.' There are
even segments where elderly West Virginians speak a local dialect of
German.

Besides the dense information content, it's also apparent how Milnes
continues to progress as a filmmaker. Many of the subjects are filmed with
multiple cameras, hence leveraging different angles that add impact to the
artist's testimony. Some subjects are framed with soft, dark corners that
are much like a portrait while the overall sounds and sights are always
resoundingly sharp. A revealing, if not fascinating presentation.

Dan Willging, Denver, CO