By making Abigail Williams several years older than the person on which her character is based, Miller has introduced a much stronger sexual element into the story than was probably the case in the Salem of 1692. But in doing so, the story has become more believable and accessible to contemporary audiences. Trials for persons accused of being witches may seem a bit strange to modern sensibilities, but the commonly described decline of mainline denominations in the United States does not mean contemporary disinterest in religion. In fact, interest in religion is alive and well in contemporary society, including perhaps an even greater exploration of witchcraft today than when Miller wrote the play. One is simply the way the movie industry operates these days.
New releases have about two weeks to catch on or be replaced with the next new release.
Movies are rarely given a chance to build an audience. Thus, unless an immediate resonance is built with the movie-going audience, any movie will soon disappear. The second factor has to do with the tastes of the movie-going public. The Lost World or Independence Day . At the risk of oversimplification, such a movie and play do not offer an escapist form of entertainment but invite the audience to consider instead what it means to be human in a sinful world.