Review Ratings
Art/Style:
{
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"content": 8,
"personal_enjoyment": 8,
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}
final_score: 8.2
{
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final_score: 8.2
{
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}
final_score: 8.2
{
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}
final_score: 8.2
{
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}
final_score: 8.2
{
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final_score: 8.2
{
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final_score: 8.2
{
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}
final_score: 8.2
{
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}
final_score: 8.2
{
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}
final_score: 8.2
Production Value:
{
"art_style": 8,
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"content": 8,
"personal_enjoyment": 8,
"overall_popularity": 8
}
final_score: 8.2
{
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}
final_score: 8.2
{
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}
final_score: 8.2
{
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final_score: 8.2
{
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final_score: 8.2
{
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final_score: 8.2
{
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final_score: 8.2
{
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final_score: 8.2
{
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final_score: 8.2
{
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final_score: 8.2
Content:
{
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}
final_score: 8.2
{
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}
final_score: 8.2
{
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final_score: 8.2
{
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}
final_score: 8.2
{
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}
final_score: 8.2
{
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final_score: 8.2
{
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final_score: 8.2
{
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final_score: 8.2
{
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}
final_score: 8.2
{
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final_score: 8.2
Personal Enjoyment:
{
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"overall_popularity": 8
}
final_score: 8.2
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final_score: 8.2
{
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}
final_score: 8.2
{
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final_score: 8.2
{
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final_score: 8.2
{
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final_score: 8.2
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final_score: 8.2
{
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final_score: 8.2
{
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final_score: 8.2
{
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}
final_score: 8.2
Overall Popularity:
{
"art_style": 8,
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"content": 8,
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"overall_popularity": 8
}
final_score: 8.2
{
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}
final_score: 8.2
{
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}
final_score: 8.2
{
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final_score: 8.2
{
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final_score: 8.2
{
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}
final_score: 8.2
{
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}
final_score: 8.2
{
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}
final_score: 8.2
{
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final_score: 8.2
{
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}
final_score: 8.2
The 1990 movie The Witches, directed by auteur Nicolas Roeg and based on the beloved book by Roald Dahl, is not just a children’s film—it’s a masterclass in dark fantasy horror. The final cinematic collaboration for the legendary Jim Henson before his death, the film is a visually stunning and genuinely unnerving experience. It follows young Luke Eveshim (Jasen Fisher), who, after the tragic loss of his parents, is raised by his wise, witch-hunting grandmother, Helga (Mai Zetterling). Their seaside holiday takes a sinister turn when they stumble upon a convention of real-life witches.
Anjelica Huston’s Iconic Performance
The enduring power of this film rests squarely on the shoulders of Anjelica Huston as the terrifying Grand High Witch, Eva Ernst. Huston’s performance is nothing short of iconic—a theatrical blend of menacing European royalty and pure, venomous evil. She brings a commanding presence to the screen, whether disguised as a glamorous woman or, more famously, in her repulsive, true form. The moment the witches remove their human masks to reveal their grotesque, bald, clawed bodies is the stuff of cinematic nightmares, setting this Roald Dahl adaptation apart as truly groundbreaking.
Henson’s Legacy and Special Effects
The reason the terrifying sequences land so hard is thanks to the incredible special effects provided by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop. The practical effects used for the mice—Luke and another boy, Bruno Jenkins, are transformed by a witch’s potion—are seamless, believable, and help maintain the high stakes of the plot. The film, despite its family rating, is unflinching in depicting the sinister nature of the witches, who hate children and plot to turn them all into mice using “Formula 86 Delayed Action Mouse Maker.” This uncompromising vision makes it a beloved cult classic for those who appreciate cinema that doesn’t talk down to its audience.
While the film deviates from Dahl’s original, famously bleak ending, its visual mastery and unforgettable performances ensure its place in fantasy film history. It is a necessary watch for anyone exploring the darker edges of children’s horror cinema and a tribute to the lasting magic of practical effects.
Movie Information
- Title: The Witches
- Release Date: August 24, 1990
- Director: Nicolas Roeg
- Stars: Anjelica Huston, Mai Zetterling, Jasen Fisher, Rowan Atkinson
- Genre: Dark Fantasy, Family, Horror
