The Worst Witch - The Movie
This 1986 film is one of the all time
Halloween classics. IMDB credits this as a TV movie, but whence it came, I cannot say. It ran like clockwork on HBO every year around
All Hallow's Eve throughout the late 1980's and early 1990's though, so it may have originated there. (look, I'm noding for the ages! no Y2K bug here!) I doubt it though, as the film has a distinctly
British feel to it. The
special effects are so bad as to be reminiscent of
Dr. Who.
Okay, down to the plot. The box has the following to say:
"The Worst Witch is a magical fantasy set in a school for young witches. When pupils disappear into thin air and turn into pigs by mistake, everyone turns to Mildred - the worst witch in the school. Starring Diana Rigg and Tim Curry, The Worst Witch contains dazzling special effects. Add some sparkling songs and this tale of good triumphing over evil is simply irresistible.
Oh, by the way, Mildred saves the day!"
Now I know what you are thinking. This movie is a total ripoff of
Harry Potter. Aha! But this movie came out 15 years BEFORE HP. And is infinitely better.
Mrs. Garrett plays the schools
Headmistress and also, in a shocking plot twist, her evil twin hell bent on the destruction of the school and everyone in it for some reason or another. Oh, by the way, Mildred saves the day! That says it all really. Enough of this, lets get down to the "
why" of this movie:
Tim Curry
That's right. Tim Curry. In a giant cape. Flying through the sky. Singing! In full
eye makeup of course, as he is wont to do. Tim plays the
Grand Wizard, idolized by all in the school. I guess homosexuals are non-threatening to adolescent girls. But he sings really well, and "
Anything can happen on Halloween" is a true classic, and i am the proud possessor of an mp3 of it. (Thank you IRC. /msg me if you want it!)
Summary: A really cute film, more so if you grew up with it. If you liked
Harry Potter but found the special effects to be too realistic/frightening/hetero then this is the movie for
you!
Starring:
Diana Rigg - (of
The Avengers fame)
Tim Curry - Tim was MADE to play the
Grand Wizard, and made to sing "
Anything can happen on Halloween".
Charlotte Rae - Whatchou talking 'bout
Mrs. Garrett?
Fairuza Balk - She still hasn't broken her witch typecasting, but at least now she can play a
steamy witch. Yum.
Directed by
Robert Young III - uhh, he directed an episode of
Young Indiana Jones and his favorite cheese is
Gorgonzola.