Customer Reviews

Witches [VHS]

5 star:		(71)
4 star:		(36)
3 star:		(13)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

"The Witches" is one of my favorite films. The film combines the substantial filmmaking talents of Nicholas Roeg with the wonderworking of Jim Henson and an unforgettable performance from Angelica Huston. Every time I watch this film, I find something new to like about it.

Since I have seen the film numerous times, I was a bit disappointed that the DVD did not contain any special features, such as a commentary from the filmmaker or one of the actors. Other than the most basic chapter selection, the DVD does not offer any of the bonuses that one would like to see. Fortunately, the film itself is so good that it is worthwhile to buy this disc in spite of the substandard packaging.

From the very beginning of the film, we are thrown into an imaginative world where witches reside in literally every small village and where no child is safe in any country. As the credits roll across the screen, Roeg treats us to a ride on a broomstick, to a witch's-eye view of the frozen Scandinavian countryside.

The film then introduces us to Luke and his grandmother, the protagonists of this tale. We learn that the grandmother has long been fighting the witches and even has lost part of her finger in the struggles. After tragedy strikes the young boy's parents, the pair travel to England, which is literally infested with witches. Fortunately, Luke has been well-warned how to recognize them and can play safely in his tree house when other children would be in grave peril.

The delicious irony compounds when the grandmother takes Luke to a seaside resort hotel for her convalescence. It is the precise time when all the witches of England are meeting under the cover of the Royal Society of Prevention of Cruelty to Children. In a closed-door session, the witches remove their wigs and uncomfortable, yet practical, shoes, letting us see them in all their repulsiveness. The Grand High Witch (played to perfection by Angelica Huston) reveals her plan to turn all the children of England into mice. Of course, the witch's plan goes astray, and tables are turned on all the witches in one of the most delightful scenes in all of modern cinema. Every time I watch it, I think to myself how much fun it would be to make a film like this one.

This is a charming, delightful film with enough diversions to keep children fascinated, told with enough skill to keep adults interested. It is a keeper, worth watching many times.

Roald Dahl, best-known for his "Charlie and The Chocolate Factory", also penned this dark little tale, which is brought to vivid cinematic life by gifted director Nicolas Roeg ("Walkabout", "Don't Look Now"). The late Jim Henson's distinctive talents are on display in some of the rodent and witch representations, and the film also boasts broadly amusing turns by Anjelica Huston (as The Grand High Witch) and Brits Brenda Blethyn and Rowan Atkinson in supporting roles.

I enjoy Roald Dahl's books and was eager to see the film adaptation of THE WITCHES. The movie is well crafted with awesome special effects for the year it was made and Jim Henson's mouse puppetry is convincing. However I was disappointed by the DVD in several ways. First of all the sound was just awful especially with the Norwegian, British, and er High Grand Witch accents. To compound matters there is no close captioning of any kind on the disc so the viewer needs to be in a quiet room and listen very carefully. Needless to say the the DVD is also devoid of any special features.

As to the story I actually found the first part quite disturbing for a "family film". Luke's loving Norwegian grandmother tells him an awful story of a childhood friend who was imprisoned in a painting by a witch until her eventual "disappearance" in old age and the story is so realistically enacted it is really quite sad and chilling. Grandma also shows him the scar where her little finger was before an encounter with a witch and gives him some warning advice as to how to recognize the creatures. The next morning Luke and his grandmother learn Luke's parents have both been killed in an accident. Shortly after Grandma Helga comes down with a serious case of diabetes and she and Luke leave for a vacation at an English seaside village.

At their vacation hotel they run into a convention of witches and this more surreal part of the story is actually more light hearted and comical despite some intense scenes. The filmmakers give a happy contrived ending to the story unlike what Roald Dahl wrote in the novel. I usually strongly object to filmmakers altering such major plot points but Helga and Luke had suffered so much earlier in the film I was glad to see them experience some joy. Really young or really sensitive viewers will probably find this story too disturbing to be enjoyable.

"Witches" is a marvellous film: cleverly written and wittily produced. Alas, this is a mutilated copy: the usual tactic of corporate greed. The original, filmed in a ratio of 1.85:1, this copy has been mutilated -- slashed and hacked to leave a visual aspect of 1.33:1.

If you want to buy this butchered version, go ahead. Just remember that you're missing about a third of the original. If steak is $5 s pound, would you pay $5 for 11 ounces? Just remember that the butcher still has his or her thumb on the scale, waiting to get your money again when she/he later offers correct weight for the price.

If you still want to buy this thing, let me know. I have some riverside property in New Orleans I'd like to sell you.

Why did they produce such a cheap transfer? There is some artifacting, the blacks are not solid, there's lots of edge enhancement, but most of all, it's full frame!

Anjelica Huston is so hideous as a witch it isn't funny. Actually, it is a bit funny, with the accent and everything. Oh, and the mice are simply adorable. Everyone else told the plot, so I won't linger about it. Basically, the Grand High Witch turns a boy, Luke, into a mouse and he has to save all the children in England. While a mouse. That presents some problems, and a kinda scary scene with the Grand High Witch's cat. The witch convention would be the most impressive scene in the movie. Eva Ernst (The Witch) tells everyone to take off their shoes. Then she tells them to remove their "vigs" (wigs). They are bald with purple eyes and ugly teeth. Then Eva proceeds to remove her hair AND face at the same time, with a little help from her secretary. Eva's chin grows, her nose lengthens, and underneath her mask is the most hideous thing you have ever seen. Long ears, no hair, and that awful face. I suppose it's still Anjelica Huston under all that. She keeps the accent, and even while she is being scary she is funny when explaining the results of her Formula 86. I highly recommend this movie, because the acting is suberb and the effects are better.

That woman with the purple eyes
and ugly square-toed shoes
The one who's scratching at her scalp
is certainly bad news!

Does she look faint when kids draw near
or hold her nose and run?
If women like this roam the world
God bless us, everyone

Convention time at the hotel
we goggle at the sight
of Grand High Witch Angelica
whose wig is on too tight

Her followers cheer gleefully
as she takes off her mask
revealing all her ghastly warts
and gives them one big task

"Quit your jobs," the Chief Witch says
"and open candy shops,
free chocolate should do the trick
we'll pull out all the stops"

The witches have an evil plan
to rid the world of brats
those stinky, smelly rotten kids
will now be meals for cats

But all bad deeds must have a hitch
their plan's been overheard
a clever boy is eavesdropping
and has heard every word

Soon he's crawling through the kitchens
and dropping in the cress
too many cooks DO spoil the broth
and make an awful mess

The ending differs from the book
it's really very sappy
I'm sure Dahl's rolling in his grave
because they made it happy


Rated: 3.5 stars



Amanda Richards, July 29, 2006


PS - The sound quality on this DVD is not up to standard, and you'll need to watch it with remote in hand to make volume adjustments. There are no sub-titles or closed-captioning, and the packaging is of the cheaper variety.

Luke's Norwegian grandmother loves to tell him scary stories about witches when he visits from America. She's not trying to frighten the little boy, she just wants to warn him of the real dangers that lurk out in the world. See, when she was a girl, she lost one of her good friends to the evil magic of a neighborhood witch. And, after hunting them down all her life in search of the Grand High Witch, she even lost part of a finger. Actually, against the witches in this film, it's amazing that's all she lost! One fateful night, while Luke is in his grandmother's care as his parents enjoy an evening out, tragedy strikes! Luke's mom and dad are killed in a car accident. Now, Luke is left alone with his grandmother, and she is not in the best of health. When she has a diabetic attack on Luke's birthday (man, this kid has it rough!), the doctor decrees that they should take a short vacation. Off Luke and Grandmother go, to a grand, luxurious hotel in England. But the bad luck continues, as the Grand High Witch is holding her annual Witches' Convention in the same hotel at the same time! Witches from all over the world are running about the hotel in disguise, and if you don't catch the purple glint in their eyes, you'll never know who they are!

Angelica Huston plays the Grand High Witch, who has an evil plot to change all the world's children into mice with tainted candy bars. With her suitcase full of money and her tiny bottles of potion, she will send each of her witches to a different city, where they'll each open up a candy store and let the horror begin! A tubby little boy named Bruno is also staying at the hotel and is the first victim of the evil trick when The Grand High Witch uses him as a demonstration for the others. Luke witnesses the whole thing, and so they immediately change him as well. Now, it's up to these two little mice to stop the Witches from leaving the hotel and carrying on with their wicked plan! But, being a mouse in a huge hotel full of people is hard enough without having to worry about "The Witches!"

"The Witches" is a wonderful, though somewhat scary family film for Halloween or anytime! The Roald Dahl story is enchanting, and the whole portrayal of the witches was horrifyingly excellent! This is the way I like to see Witches on film! Long noses, ugly faces, and pure evil, like in Hocus Pocus and the Wizard of Oz! These are frightening Halloween witches the way I always envisioned them as a kid, and I wish we'd get to see more films with witches like this, including out and out horror films! The first half had the makings of a great horror film in the tradition of legendary studios like Hammer and Amicus, and I would have loved to have seen such a movie, but I still love "The Witches" for what it actually is: Grade-A Family Horror. I would have LOVED to have seen some good sequels at least. The casting of Angelica Huston was perfect, the mood and atmosphere was brilliant, especially the opening back story, and Jim Henson's work was masterful, as usual. A healthy dose of comedy is thrown in as well, most notably thanks to Mr. Bean himself, Rowan Atkinson! Everyone should own a copy of this film, though be warned that it IS frightening for little kids, but it also teaches some good lessons on avoiding strangers bearing gifts and candy.

Now, for some reason, family films are frequently released in "Full Screen" only. It's an annoyance, and the lack of any extras doesn't help, but I suppose it's still an upgrade from my old VHS, since it IS DVD. So, full screen or not, I highly recommend owning "The Witches" to anyone who enjoys innovative family films with a touch of magic and fright! Particularly perfect for the witching season!

This DVD is a joke. No widescreen, no extras, just the VHS version transfered to a DVD. I won't buy this release and neither should you. Instead send an e-mail to the company that produced this and ask for a decent release of this marvelous film.
I was rather amused at the Pagan comments made here, this film has nothing to do with paganism it is a children's book about fairy tale Witches..period end of story. Anyone thinking this would have anything to do with paganism obviously doesn't understand the difference!
The film is wonderful and brilliantly acted by the entire cast....a happier ending is tacked on than the original book but it is still a wonderful story. And full of humor and wit, well worth renting and waiting for a DECENT DVD release...

the witches is a great family movie that will delight anyone who enjoys the twisted dark humor of storytellers jim henson and roald dahl.The witches is about a 9 year old boy and his grandmother that come across a group of witches that are trying to destory the children of england.this movie is highly entertaining and I reccomend this to anyone and believe me it is worth the money!