I can remember seeing Nicolas Roeg’s The Witches on opening day with my mother and sister back in late August of 1990 and I think I’m still losing some sleep over it. This is a funky, wild, frightening, and totally delightful family film that kids will be equal parts amazed and horrified by. And for just cause, as the human-to-mice transformation effects in this movie are bewildering and playfully creepy, all done in those glorious pre-CGI days where cinematic artisans and technicians all joined forces to create true movie magic before everyone got extra lazy by relying on computers to create their art. Based on the classic Roald Dahl book and produced by Jim Henson’s production company, this film sadly only grossed $10 million in the United States, as it was probably deemed too “British” or weird for most audiences. However, over the years, I’d like to think that it’s become a cult classic, as it represents the type of PG-rated filmmaking you rarely see these days. Anjelica Huston’s performance as the head witch haunted me for years, well before I knew who she “was” as an actress, while Rowan Atkinson provided all sorts of funny comic relief. But when you really boil it all down, this is a NASTY movie, centering on a witch population who are interested in destroying every child they can possibly find. There’s a sense of menace to much of this movie that always left me on edge but that always made me want to come back for repeat visits. The Witches was the final film that Henson worked on before his untimely death and the final theatrical film from production company Lorimar Productions. Apparently, Dahl wanted Cher for the lead role, but she was busy with other projects. The puppet work is extraordinary.
Podcasting Them Softly 