Movie Review: The Witches (1990)

image from IMDB

Summary:

The Witches was an adaptation of a book by the great Roald Dahl. In their world, witches are real and they disguise themselves as people. No, these are not the nice witches from JK Rowling's Harry Potter. In this story, witches hate children and it's their lifelong mission to eradicate them. No wonder the book was criticized when it came out.

In the movie, an orphan boy went on a holidays with his grandma who warned him about witches. Consequently, witches were holding a gathering in the same hotel they were staying in. The boy witnessed the gathering and was turned into a mouse together with another boy. What follows was the boy's adventure to avoid being captured and turn the tables on the witches.

Review:

I was scared of the witches when I watched this as a kid. The story pulled no punches and showed how the witches can be cruel to children. It was tragic for one child and her parents when she was captured by a witch and trapped in a painting until her death. In another scene when the boy was being coaxed by a witch to come to her, you can really feel the danger the boy was in as he figured out from the signs given by his grandmother that he was talking to witch.

The movie came out in 1990 before CGI so practical effects and make ups were used. In this aspect you can give credit to the great Jim Henson who is known for his work on Sesame Street, Muppets and Labyrinth among others. The make up to transform Angela Huston to the Grand High Witch is also scary unlike the CGI in the 2020 remake.

The movie deviated from book ending giving it a more positive vibe which the author didn't like. However I liked it personally rather than the bittersweet ending of the book.