It’s that time of the year, again! Unfortunately, this year a certain global pandemic will prevent us from enjoying Halloween night as much as we would like to.
We are all longing for a good old party and, even more, for a special screening of our favourite horror movies in a real cinema, with deliciously buttery popcorn.
But not everything is lost: get your Netflix, Disney+ and Amazon Prime subscriptions at the ready, there is a lot that can be enjoyed from the comfort of our sofas (with a maximum of 5 friends, of course).
The one Halloween trope that usually makes everybody happy – from the horror fanatics to the ones less keen to be scared – is witches.
So much has been written, filmed and performed around them that we could spend a full lockdown watching witches films and we would still have plenty of material to go through.
For that reason, we have come up with a mix of horror, fun and iconic films to satisfy your Halloween pop-culture cravings.
The Crucible
Credit: 20th Century Fox
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In my opinion, The Crucible is one of the best movies ever made – I just love it.
It’s even more impressive than the film lives up to the fantastic play written by the iconic American author, Arthur Miller.
The famous Salem witchcraft trials inspire the story.
In the movie, a very young Winona Rider plays Abigail Williams, one of the teenagers responsible for the start of the witch hunt in Salem.
Abigail is in love with John Proctor – played brilliantly by Daniel Day-Lewis – and she would do anything to have him.
Even get half of the village hanged.
The Crucible is a story of love, lust, regret and pure human gullibility.
Practical Magic
Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock are together as sisters and witches in this light-hearted drama-meets-romantic comedy.
The film was inspired by Alice Hoffman’s book of the same name and it tells the story of ‘nice’ witches Sally and Gillian Owens (Kidman and Bullock).
The two sisters were raised by their aunties, both witches themselves, and carry a family curse: all men that fall in love with the women of the family die prematurely.
Practical Magic is a classic dark romance, perfect for a cold evening under the duvet.
The Witches
The new and incredibly awaited version of the movie is coming out this October with a stellar cast that includes Anne Hathaway, Octavia Spencer and Stanley Tucci.
Therefore, there is no better time to revisit the original adaptation of Roald Dahl’s story.
In the original film by Nicolas Roeg, Anjelica Huston is the leader of the witches (played by Anne Hathaway in the 2020 film).
Dahl’s witches have Joker-like smiles, bald heads and no toes, and – most of all – they hate kids. Will 9-year-old Luke defeat the mean witches? You’ll have to see it to know.
Hocus Pocus
Credit: Disney
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I am always taken aback when someone tells me they haven’t seen Hocus Pocus, and the immediate reaction is: WHY?
It tells the story of the Sanderson sisters, witches of Salem that steal the life of young kids to keep themselves young.
A silly teenager brings them back to life in the 1990s, and the three sisters seem to enjoy their new freedom, 300 years after they were hanged.
Probably Sarah Jessica Parker’s best performance ever, Hocus Pocus is fun, easy to watch and extremely comforting.
The equivalent of fries in a cinematic form.
The Witches of Eastwick
Another dark comedy with a fantastic cast, The Witches of Eastwick should be at the top of your Halloween comedies list.
Cher, Susan Sarandon, Michel Pfeiffer and Jack Nicholson, all in one movie – what more do you need?
Alexandra Medford (Cher), Jane Spofford (Susan Sarandon), and Sukie Ridgemont (Michelle Pfeiffer) are three husband-less women living in a small American town.
None of them knows that they are witches until they accidentally meet Daryl (Nicholson) and their world turns upside down. It’s bizarre and delightful.
The Love Witch
An independent film that had people talking – including us – when it came out a few years ago.
If you are into the aesthetic of movies, then The Love Witch is a piece of cinema that you have to check out.
The film looks like it was made in the 1970s – beautifully filmed to respect that allure that only old films have.
Elaine – played brilliantly by Samantha Robinson – is a young, beautiful witch in a quest to find a man to love.
She makes spells and potions that turn out a bit too well, and she is left with a fair amount of lovers on her conscience – a beautifully crafted dark comedy.
The Witch
Credit: A24
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We are moving into proper horror territory now.
The Witch is a classic Halloween watch that never disappoints and a must-watch for the ones passionate about folk tales.
In the 17th century New England, a puritan family is banned from their village over a religious dispute and forced to move next to a forest.
As soon as they settle, strange and terrible things begin to happen to them until the family is reduced to pieces.
A terrifying witches story that won’t disappoint.
The Blair Witch Project
If you don’t care about looking at a pretty motion picture and you just want plain scary, then look no further than The Blair Witch Project.
The Blair Witch Project is a supernatural horror that follows three students who go on a hike to the Black Hills to film a documentary about the Blair Witch, a local legend that seems to be real, after all.
They
disappear, but their footage is found a year later, and it’s supposed to be what the viewer sees. Creepy enough to make you never want to see a forest again.
Suspiria
From the master of Italian horror, Suspiria is the story of an American ballerina that joins a prestigious ballet school in Germany – she will later discover that what she thought was a regular dance school, is a witches coven.
The film is part of a trilogy that the director calls The Three Mothers that also includes Inferno and The Mother of Tears.
Enough material for a full weekend of horror.
Sleepy Hollow
Credit: Paramount Pictures
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A fabulous Johnny Depp – before he became persona non grata thanks to his and Amber Heard endless legal war – and an amazing Christina Ricci is what makes this film what it is.
Depp’s character, Ichabod Crane, is sent from New York City to the creepy village of Sleepy Hollow to investigate a series of decapitations, reportedly committed by a mysterious Headless Horseman.
What he found out was far more interesting than a simple zombie on a horse.
Kiki’s Delivery Service
Kiki’s Delivery Service is a classic Japanese animated film made by the legendary Studio Ghibli.
It’s not at all scary, but it’s the perfect option if you are home with your family and around all ages on Halloween night.
Kiki is a 13 years old witch that leaves her family to complete her witch training, as it’s a tradition for trainee witches.
After a rough patch, she found a friendly village and a lovely home for her and her cat.
Plus, Kiki is so ‘millennial’ she starts a badass side hustle that quickly becomes a business.
The Craft
Who doesn’t like a teenage witches story?
The Craft’s coven of witches is formed by four outcast teenagers who live in Los Angeles.
After discovering their powers – given to them by a goddess they call Manon – they start abusing it.
They abuse their powers through spells and murders until Manon strips them from it, leaving them in desperation and anger.
A not-overly-scary fun watch.
The Wizard of Oz
I think we can probably count the people that haven’t seen The Wizard of Oz on the one hand, but, if you are one of those, you should probably get on it this Halloween.
It might not be the scarier film around (quite the opposite), but it’s the only film where you can see Judy Garland going around a fantastic world with a lion, a tin man and a scarecrow.
If that wasn’t enough, not only you get a wizard, but you will also get the wicked witch of the west.
What do you make of this feature?
Which of these witches films will you be watching this Halloween?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
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And if you enjoy listening to film podcasts, why not check out our podcasts, Small Screen Stories and Small Screen Film Club wherever you get your podcasts!
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