I Watch Films: Secret Rites

Secret Rites

This is a short 1971 documentary film about some of the rites of the Wicca coven led by Alex Sanders. Sanders became famous, or perhaps notorious in the 60s; his openness and willingness to court publicity gained him many followers and led to several films being made about him.

The film straight-facedly takes Sanders, his coven, and a new member being initiated seriously. The heart of the film is the rites, all of which feature nudity. As such it combines an interesting look into the symbolism and practice of Alexandrine Wicca with a voyeuristic and titillating entertainment.

It's perhaps worth noting that Sanders, in developing his own tradition of Wicca, was deliberately creating his own mythology and this film is part of that.

Watch This: For a look into some Wiccan practices and also some bums
Don’t Watch This: You’re not interested in magic, religion, or casual nudity