The Magic of “Practical Magic”
How realistic is the superstitious advice given in Practical Magic?
Practical Magic turned 21 this year and there’s a TV reboot in the works. The cult classic follows the lives of witches and sisters Gillian and Sally Owens. Despite chasing very different lives, they support each other through the hardships and heartbreaks of escaping or embracing small-town life. As well as showing the dark and light sides of magic, a deep vein of superstition runs through the film. Since I first saw the film many years ago, I’ve been inspired by the superstitious advice it contains, but how realistic is it?
When you hear the sound of the deathwatch beetle the man you love is doomed to die.
The deathwatch beetle is found in Europe and eastern Northern America. It feeds on old wood, including beams and furniture in historic buildings. When the beetles reach adulthood, which may take up to ten years, they tap their heads on the wood to attract a mate. Hearing this tapping is considered bad luck and predicts a tragedy in the house.
The tapping sounds like the ticking of a clock counting down the seconds left in someone’s life. It was often heard by people awake on a quiet night watching over the dying in old churches or houses. This…
