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Psycho's Movie Reviews #78: The Worst Witch (1986)


The Worst Witch is a 1986 British musical, fantasy, television film based on the 1974 children's book of the same name by Jill Murphy.


Plot:

The film follows the plot of the 1974 book. The story centres around Mildred Hubble, who is invariably the "Worst Witch" at Miss Cackle's Academy for Witches, a school of magic. Mildred causes many mishaps, including being late for school, making all of her classmates fall down, Mildred and her friend unintentionally turning themselves invisible, and transforming the class bully Ethel into a pig. The climax surrounds Miss Cackle's notorious evil twin sister, Agatha, plotting to take over the Academy. Ultimately Agatha is foiled by Mildred, and Mildred establishes herself as the hero for the academy.


Cast:

  • Fairuza Balk as Mildred Hubble

  • Diana Rigg as Miss Hardbroom

  • Charlotte Rae as Miss Cackle/Agatha

  • Tim Curry as The Grand Wizard

  • Sabina Franklyn as Miss Spellbinder

  • Su Elliot as Delilah

  • Danielle Batchelor as Maud Warlock

  • Anna Kipling as Ethel Hallow

  • Kate Buckley as Donna

  • Leila Marr as Pixie Brown

  • Liz May Brice as Zoe Chant-Vestry

  • Katrina Heath as Sophie Hattrick

  • Tara Stevenson as Gloria Hobgoblin

  • Laura Heath as Misty Meadow

  • Sophie Cook as Natalie Sinister

  • Sophie Millett as Verity Sinister

  • Julia J. Nagle as Bubble Toil

  • Kathryn Lacey as Goodie Twocharm

  • Nevena Kaley as Dawn Undercover

  • Caroline Woolf as Julie Vanishing

  • Amy Shindler as Spinner Webb

  • Pui Fan Lee as Prefect


Production:

The film was shot at St. Michael's College in Tenbury Wells.


Soundtrack:

Its opening and closing song "Growing Up Isn't Easy" was sung by Bonnie Langford. It was composed by Charles Strouse with lyrics by Don Black.

They also wrote "Anything Can Happen on Halloween". This song was covered by British rock band Stonegarth in 2008. Denis King composed its score and wrote the song "My Little School".



My Review:

I'll keep this review short and sweet. For a television movie it's okay, legit the main highlight of the film is Tim Curry he's only in it for 10 minutes, he's only in like 2 scenes. But he still puts his all into his performance, believe me he makes the most of his time on camera. Despite this being for a television/family film, I think Tim forgot that this is what it was. Then again, everything he's in he seduces everyone. There's legit a whole scene where the little girls are swooning over a picture of him... there's a big age range - though it's a cartoony type film so I guess you're not meant to take it super seriously though. Tim Curry is a legend!

The rest of the cast I recognized as well; specifically Mildred's actor, Fairuza Banks (she was in another film a bit later on, grown up, called The Craft which funny enough is also about witches).

Other than that, I guess I recommend the film just for it's childhood charm; 6/10 - if more stuff happened in it I'd rate a lot higher {A 6 is generous though, most of those points go to Tim for just being in it}.


{I think Tim forgot he was in a family/children movie again, at the start of the song "Anything Can Happen On Halloween" that he sings I'll be honest he sounds like he's orgasming in front of the kids. No matter what Tim Curry is in he has to seduce the audience/be sexy in general. That and these effects are amazing}


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