Movie Substrate · Film

Bell, Book and Candle (1958)

★ 6.5 · 248 ratings on TMDB

Getting here is half the fun...

Bell, Book and Candle poster★ 6.5

Gillian Holroyd, a modern-day witch, becomes smitten with her handsome upstairs neighbor, Shep Henderson. Using her magical powers, she casts a love spell on him, only to face unexpected complications when genuine feelings emerge, threatening her supernatural abilities.

DirectorRichard Quine
CastBek Nelson, Elsa Lanchester, Ernie Kovacs, Hermione Gingold, Howard McNear, Jack Lemmon
GenresComedy, Fantasy, Romance
The emergence reading

Bell, Book and Candle keeps every mind human — it fights its subject at zero distance. The story fights on E8/E9 of the E0–E14 reality ladder, compressing magic, love, identity, gender, power.

zero-distanceUSmagicloveidentitygenderpower
⇄ Parameter shift — the dial this world turnsrigor: loose
E8magicwitches retain magical powers unless they fall in love, at which point they lose them (technology · universal)
Also inFilms about loveFilms about identityFilms that alter a rule of reality
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Same rung, same subject

Films fighting at the same level of reality, about the same things.

Bewitched (2005)E8/E9 · gender, identityBarbie in the Nutcracker (2001)E8/E9 · identity, loveShrek 2 (2004)E8/E9 · identity, loveShazam! (2019)E8/E9 · identity, magicAladdin (1992)E8/E9 · identity, loveHowl's Moving Castle (2004)E8/E9 · identity, love

Same subject, different rung

The same preoccupations examined at another scale — one mind versus a nation.

Arthur 3: The War of the Two Worlds (2010)E6/E11 · rare rung · identity, powerReturn to Oz (1985)E10/E13 · rare rung · identity, magicX-Men: The Mutant Watch (2000)E11/E12 · rare rung · identity, power

Also bends a rule of reality

Other films that change a standing rule of their world — ranked first by those bending it at the same rung.

Every Day (2018)alters at E8 · same rung · looseHer (2013)alters at E8 · same rung · looseEternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)alters at E8 · same rung · rigorousDawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014)alters at E8 · same rung · rigorousA.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001)alters at E8 · same rung · looseThe Boss Baby (2017)alters at E8 · same rung · loose

Same people

Shared director or cast.

Vertigo (1958)James StewartAirport '77 (1977)Jack LemmonIrma la Douce (1963)Howard McNearRear Window (1954)James StewartSome Like It Hot (1959)Jack LemmonMary Poppins (1964)Elsa Lanchester