Monday, April 27th, 2026
This week at Hot Wax Coffee Shop in Ybor City, Sacrilegious Cinema: Menagerie of Madness is conjuring up a concoction of witchy flicks in the cauldron. In observance of the upcoming Walpurgisnacht and Beltane, we brew a batch of blasphemy with films focusing on witchcraft in its most unadulterated form, conducting an examination of the aforementioned under a historical context, lending itself to the infectious paranoia and suspicion perpetuated by Christianity’s immense influence upon society, and the subsequent oppression of individualism- or any deviance from the dictated norm. Such films highlight the terror of their virtue- weaponized persecution- as well as the absurdity evoked by the attitude of said regime with an alternative lying in the occult.
At 8PM, we begin our journey to colonial New England, where a family is exiled from their settlement over religious differences, resulting in their relocation to a sequestered forest to start anew. However, shortly after the family’s arrival, their newborn son mysteriously vanishes under Thomasin’s supervision, erupting as a catalyst to the family’s mounting suspicions against the eldest offspring’s allegiance to Satan, serving as a sacrament to the witch of the woods. As fears fester in the face of sin, the ominous Black Phillip sows seeds of doubt, threatening to pollute the puritanical beliefs in their failure to secure salvation. The clan continues turning against one another as matters grow increasingly bleak, flinging further accusations against Thomasin, effectively crowning her a heretic, and thereby rendering her vulnerable to the wiles of the devil himself.
The VVitch (2015) paints a manifestation of the Puritan nightmare, a portrait of intergenerational trauma repenting the sins of the father, in turn breeding the same hysteria cultivated by the infamous Salem Witch Trials in order to satiate a conspiracy facilitated by deep seated superstition and prejudice primarily aimed at women, thusly branding the cohort as pariahs. Robert Eggers erects an ambient folktale woven in rigid traditionalism, upholding sexual repression and total submission in their rejection of carnal pleasures and self-indulgent lifestyles, ultimately forbidding the exploration of identity beyond conformity to revere a faith predicated on scare tactics and suffering, unveiling the horror of hypocrisy. Rooted in Eggers upbringing, themes of alienation and self-discovery permeate the muted palette in this immersive expedition into the resurrection of an era long forgotten- albeit fractured remnants still trickle into the present. Step into a haunting realm of brooding darkness and sign the devil’s book if you dare to live deliciously.
Then, at 10PM, we pursue our witch hunt with an overview of witchcraft through the ages in this documentary style silent film bore from 1920s Sweden. This controversial excavation of magic and mysticism ushers a voyage into the occult through chapters of time, discerning the departure from demons to mental afflictions. Director Benjamin Christensen dons the disguise of the devil himself, unleashing a plethora of surrealist imagery rich in atmosphere and accompanied by astounding special effects way beyond its years, immersing audiences into the phantasmagorical realm of sabbath, delving deeper into the desecration of the divine. Häxan (1922) extends a glimpse into the depravity and delirium of the times- an invention of an enemy to rival hedonism and test the limits of temptation. The occult offers an opposition to the ordinary, materializing in the form of rebellion to challenge the collective creed. Get ready to soak up the fire and brimstone.
Grab your broomsticks and grimoire- you’re formally invited to our coven. The blood pact awaits.
FREE popcorn included with a mandatory purchase- no cover charge with a 1 drink (or snack) minimum from the bar. (Movie nights offer psychological insight accompanied by behind the scenes information and observations by your horror hostess).