Go Back  DVD Talk Forum > DVD Discussions > DVD Reviews and Recommendations
Reload this Page >

"The Witches" Reviews/Discussion - 2020 Horror Challenge

DVD Reviews and Recommendations Read, Post and Request DVD Reviews.

"The Witches" Reviews/Discussion - 2020 Horror Challenge

Old 09-29-20, 11:25 PM
  #1  
DVD Talk Legend
Thread Starter
 
Chad's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: Somewhere Hot Scoville Units: 9,999,999 Zodiac Sign: Capricorn
Posts: 12,258
Received 811 Likes on 316 Posts
"The Witches" Reviews/Discussion - 2020 Horror Challenge



The Witches (1990)


Selected by Group Vote


Additional Posters:
Spoiler:












IMDB ENTRY

NETFLIX

ALYXSTARR LINK
______________________________


These "October Horror Movie Challenge" threads are for the discussion of the films in the 31 FILM SUBSET list.

The plan is for everyone to watch this film on the October day in the thread title, and to start discussing it the morning of the following day.
You may start discussion early if you want, but the preferred plan is for this to be as much of a group exercise as possible, with all of us viewing it "together" and discussing after.

Of course, you are totally encouraged to participate in these threads even if you haven't watched the movie on the designated day.
Even if you haven't watched it in years, or are not participating in the Horror Challenge, please feel free to chime in.



Spoiler tags aren't always used in here, so if you have yet to see the film BEWARE OF POSSIBLE SPOILERS.

______________________________




S
P
O
N
S
O
R
E
D

B
Y














S
P
O
N
S
O
R
E
D

B
Y



2020 DISCUSSION | 2020 LISTS


Old 10-25-20, 03:13 PM
  #2  
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
 
clckworang's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: The toe nail of Texas
Posts: 9,546
Received 750 Likes on 488 Posts
Re: "The Witches" Reviews/Discussion - 2020 Horror Challenge

I did a double feature last night with this and the new one. I thought that I had seen this one with all the time it was on HBO way back in the day, but upon watching it, I don't think I ever had. It was a joy. It was a children's film, but it doesn't condescend at all, which leaves lots of things for adults to still enjoy.

Huston is definitely a highlight. She chews up the scenery every time she gets into the frame. Her unmasking is over the top and all the stereotypical witch tropes, but it works. She's nicely creepy, and there's so much to look at. It's always great to see good practical effects.

I suppose a lot of credit probably goes to Roeg. I really love a lot of his films. You wouldn't think he'd be the right fit for a children's movie, but his off kilter sensibility works just right here, like in the main convention scene. It sort of reminds me of George Miller and Babe, a combination that just works for some strange reason.

I really liked the movie and am disappointed it didn't get a better Blu-ray release. I always thought that not just the original story was beloved but this adaptation, too. It would be cool to have some deleted scenes, maybe the alternate ending. Instead, we got a trailer.

As for the new version, I found it to be a mixed bag. I'll try to keep things broad and avoid anything that would be considered spoilers.

Anne Hathaway is an interesting choice. She seems to be having fun in the role, but it never quite clicks with me. Maybe it's because she always seems to be trying so hard. Part of what Huston shine do much was how effortless it looked at times, like she couldn't be bothered. Everything bothered Hathaway's witch, which made her more cartoony than menacing.

It doesn't make her seem any less of a cartoon when Zemeckis has gone all in with the digital effects, as he's prone to do. It just makes it a constant reminder that you're watching a movie. From the stills I had seen, I was really unsure about the direction of the character. Pushing a snake concept was an interesting choice, but I think it was pushed too much.

And yet, other things didn't seem pushed far enough. The new version seems to push the children's movie aspects of it more. It made it less accessible for me as an adult, but I also felt like it didn't completely succeed as a kids movie either.

The changes of setting and race were interesting choices that ultimately felt like they didn't go anywhere. If you're going to make some of these updates, why not go all in? Make not just the protagonists but the witches black as well. I say this because after seeing Octavia Spencer chew up the scenery in Ma earlier this month, I think she would have made an excellent choice for the grand high witch. I think she would have been more effortless in balancing the humor and menace, and I think the grandma role could have been more easily filled.

And this part will go into spoilers for the new version:
Spoiler:
I appreciate that the ending sticks more closely to the book and was Dahl's preferred ending, but what a depressing ending it is. I can understand why Roeg changed it for the movie. I'm all for a down ending, but that was just a big bummer in so many ways. Isn't it great that we all now have exceptionally low life expectancies? Yay.


So, overall, the new version felt like a big missed opportunity. Given the writers involved, I'm surprised it wasn't able to strike a better tonal balance.
Old 10-30-20, 04:04 PM
  #3  
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 4,049
Received 213 Likes on 140 Posts
Re: "The Witches" Reviews/Discussion - 2020 Horror Challenge

The Witches is a classic film that never gets old. I do not think director Nicholas Roeg ever has the camera at eye level (even before the mice) and coupled with the often wide shots it creates a strange whimsical perspective of scenes that are otherwise staged in very routine ways (well except for the scenic hotel beach). Angelica Huston is epic here, her dialect (sound like she has something in her mouth while trying to enthusiastically talk) works really well. I love how warty and gruesome her witch guise is then when she is normal she is wearing a very low cut teasing dress with neck for miles. The purple eyes glinting is a cool idea; witches are everywhere and we could most easily see their purple peepers if we were just looking but I'm not sure it always works (a bit obvious, seems to get dropped) but fortunately the excellent effects here makes that easy to overlook. It is a shame Jim Henson died so relatively young (53) because he really elevated the art of practical effects and puppetry without much of an obvious successor since and The Witches is a great example that would not be the same film without his brand of careful imagery. Funny that Jim Henson gets top billing in the original post poster. Happy endings are probably more essential for general audience films but I do wish they had left Luke a mouse and comment then leaving us hanging on it for a bit.

Ronald Dahl is a genius but I am not sure how much credit he gets for what really makes The Witches work - the effects, direction, and acting really pump up the source. I do not think I'm in a hurry to watch the new version any time soon.

Last edited by Undeadcow; 10-30-20 at 05:00 PM.
Old 10-30-20, 04:09 PM
  #4  
DVD Talk Hero
 
Join Date: Aug 1999
Posts: 43,930
Received 1,867 Likes on 1,444 Posts
Re: "The Witches" Reviews/Discussion - 2020 Horror Challenge

I think the new version adheres closer to the book. I won't give anything away, but even when I was younger I thought the ending of the original came out of nowhere and that the plot itself was a disjointed mess (the movie has enough charm that I could overlook both, though)

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.