Watch The Witches For Free

To me, this movie is perfection.

If you like to be scared, if you like to laugh, and if you like to learn a thing or two at the movies, this absolutely cannot be missed.

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

I really tried to give this movie a chance after reading other people's reviews. I haven't seen it as a kid, so I have no fond memories clouding my judgement so to speak. I coudn't even sit through it, though I generally love 80's and 90's family fantasy films. This one is an unwatchable mess, especially if compared to the quality of acting and directing seen in other films of the same genre in that era. Better acting could aid the film maybe somewhat; the actress who portrays Grandma is so awful, it breaks the disbelief dramatically. The narrative is very uneven and contradicting: some parts are overly dragged out or simply nonsensical (the runaway stroller scene does not advance the plot none), other parts which are supposed to be mysterious and magical (Grandma telling Luke the story about the little girl spirited away or the famous witch convention scene) are not scary in a good fun spooky sort of way, but more in a high fever delirium way, which is needless to say not appropriate for children and quite honestly unsettling for an adult. It seems as if the writers couldn't not decide on the genre of the film. It watches like a horror mystery at times akin to The Shining or Omen, for example when Grandma says to the parents of the "fat" kid turned into a mouse: "I got your son in my purse here, he was altered a bit", or when witches catch Luke and feed him "the formula", the mood of the scene is just unnecessarily surreal and creepy in the general framework of the story. At other times you are sitting there just annoyed at non funny repetitive jokes about the "fat" kid eating all the time because that is the only character definition he gets, people being constantly driven to the heights of panic over pet mice or the hotel manager rolling out of the towel closet with the maid (really?). Anjelica Houston is great for the role, but unfortunately the part does not give her acting ability justice. Overall it seems to be a very weak effort overall, do not waste your time on this one, watch The Addams Family (with aforementioned glorious Anjelica Houston) or Hocus Pocus (with really cool witches and great children actors) instead.

A PG-rated family-horror tale about witches, unlike THE WITCHES OF EASTWICK (1987, 5/10), this film affords a crystal-clear definition of the hidden witches among folks (wig, purple eyes and flat toes), adapted from Roald Dahl's children book, UK director Nicolas Roeg certainly taps a darker and eerier approach to visualize the images of witches (thanks to a vivd make-up feat and a grisly puppetry), which might scare off most tykes but as for an adult viewer, it has an eye-opening relish. However, up until the last moment, the adventurous rapture has come to a self-contradictory compromise, procuring a spot in the children-friendly zone, the film opts a rather arbitrary happy ending (overtly against Dahl's willingness) in order not to further upset its potential audience's feeble nerves, which cast itself out of the spectre of being an eccentric cult, a lame move with the benefit of hindsight and judging by its tepid box-office that year.The stellar Anjelica Huston has an uncanny brio to demonstrate a genuine grand high witch of Britain, the role, which instantly eclipses the 3D trinity in the TWOE (Cher herself was the original picking for the role) and would later stereotype hers in the impassive, ruthless, and alienated aura where she has been arguably hovering until today, unlike her contemporaneous Oscar- nominated role in THE GRIFTERS (1990, 7/10), where she exaggerates all her alluring poignancy in a shockingly sympathetic role, here she is the impeccable one-note villain. Mai Zetterling is well-suited in her benevolent granny role, although most of the time she is too composed in the tumultuous pandemonium as well as the rest human cast (sorry to see Atkinson and Blethyn are barbarously underused, the latter's only duty is to scream out of her lung).

I found this movie to be a kid's Halloween movie if anything.Still, this being the first time I've watched it, I found it very entertaining. It was very engaging. Once the witch paid Lucas a surprise visit and offered to give him a snake (why?)because little boys liked snakes, you knew Lucas was going to be in bigger trouble. That was when I was hooked. It was funny to see Mr. Bean handle a knife in such a murderous fashion, and the surprise ending seemed to brighten the dark story up.I also liked the theme of Lucas's Grandma warning him about witches, Lucas taking care of his Grandma diabetes problems, and his Grandma accepting him for being a mouse.

Rated "8" because the special effects are outstanding. Otherwise a solid "7" because it is a disturbingly scary film that should be rated PG-13. Also, the pacing is a bit off, as the last 30 minutes seems rushed. As an adult, I can appreciate the fantastic make-up on Angelica Huston as the Grand High Witch, but it is really too scary for little children. Jim Henson's Creature Shop's work is superb and Rowan Atkinson ("Mr. Bean") ineptly manages the hotel where the witches hold their convention. Luke and Bruno are turned into mice as a test for a magical formula meant to eradicate children around the entire world. The talking mice are amazing; animatronic puppets like the Doozers of Fraggle Rock. Please note that in Dahl's book, Luke does not become a real boy again. Luke remains a mouse and intends to do battle with the witches in America. In my Warner Bros. DVD release, the boy is returned to human form by the "good witch" at the very last moment which changes the film, making it more "kid-friendly". (I don't think that this is the original ending on the initial release of this film, after reading the critical reviews.) The make-up and special effects are outstanding for a movie made long before CGI. More fun to watch the second time around, as when the witches turn into mice it is truly startling but less disturbing! Angelica Huston's make-up and prosthetics are just deliciously scary!Especially recommended for all adult Jim Henson fans and children old enough to view "Harry Potter" movies. It was Henson's last film project before his untimely death. Great Halloween fun.