moriarty@tc.fluke.com (Jeff Meyer) (06/01/90)
THE WITCHES
A film review by Jeff Meyer
Copyright 1990 Jeff Meyer
THE WITCHES (1990, Great Britain)
Director: Nicolas Roeg
Screenwriter: Allan Scott, based on the book by Roald Dahl
Cast: Angelica Huston, Mai Zetterling, Jasen Fisher, Rowan Atkinson,
Bill Paterson, Jane Horrocks
Kid's films aren't what they used to be when I was a kid. Thank
God. Outside of one or two of the better Disneys, they were generally
populated by idiot adults, moronic plots and the general concept that
Kids Enjoy Stupid Humor. Nothing was even vaguely frightening in one of
these; Joe Flynn dressed up in a sheet was about their level. One of
the great pleasures one can glean from ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK is
remembering Kurt Russell in THE COMPUTER WORE TENNIS SHOES whenever
Snake Pliskin appears on the screen. The only kids film I can remember
that seemed even moderately horrible was WILLY WONKA AND THE CHOCOLATE
FACTORY, where the producers seem to have gotten in the spirit of Roald
Dahl's story fully. The British seem to have more of a propensity for
darker children's stories than American film-makers.
Somewhere along the line, though, the Brits' method became more
popular. While cutesy-poo still dominates Saturday Mornings, there is a
breed of kids films out today which are darker, more sardonic, and more
importantly, intended to entertain adults as well as children. Terry
Gilliam's less serious films (TIME BANDITS and THE ADVENTURES OF BARON
MUNCHAUSEN (sp?)) sort of set the standard in this category (arguably,
neither *are* children's films); THE DARK CRYSTAL and LABYRINTH, while
not as enjoyable to an adult audience, had their moments of real tension
and evil as well. While each is built around a children's
point-of-view, more or less, the saccharine has been sucked right out of
the marrow, and you get a funnier, nastier, somewhat more edgy product
in the end.
THE WITCHES is a fine addition to this sort of film, and given the
people involved, I'm not at all surprised. First of all, the screenplay
is based on a book by Roald Dahl, a man who encapsulates the ability to
walk the line between spooky and silly. Secondly, the late Jim Henson
was the executive producer, and he had shown the inclination in the past
to go beyond the niceties of SESAME STREET and THE MUPPET MOVIE and toss
a bit of darkness into the pot. Finally, completely out of left field,
Nicolas Roeg directs, thus adding a wildcard factor into the whole thing
-- Roeg is one of the most unpredictable directors around today, both in
choice of subject matter and general quality of output.
The opening of the film is marvelously spooky -- a young boy named
Luke is being warned by his grandmother about witches. Various
attributes of witches are recounted (they have funny eyes, their hands
are always hidden in gloves, and children smell like dog droppings to
them.) She also recounts a story from her childhood about a girl who is
taken by witches. The boy is impressed (stogie-smoking Norwegian
grandmothers tell stories effectively); luckily for him, because later
in the film, he meets up with a whole mess of them -- including the
Grand High Witch, played to the hilt by Angelica Huston, who is really
getting *sick* of the smell of dogs droppings everywhere... and has a
plan to make that particular problem... smaller...
The film is very enjoyable, though it never quite coalesces
together. The individual elements work: the actors are fine (Huston,
Mai Zetterling as the grandmother, Jasen Fisher as Luke, Bill Paterson
in his typical overbearing style; only Rowan Atkinson seems a bit
underplayed, but after THE BLACK ADDER, he'd look underplayed as the
lead in DIE HARD); the script, which keeps the whimsey and the
wickedness in equal measure, and has that great rarity, a kid's outlook,
in the forefront throughout; and the special effects by Henson studios,
which has some of the most amazing puppetry I've seen in years.
("You'll Believe A Mouse Can Talk".)
The weak spot is the combinations of the elements, i.e., Roeg, and
also some of the camera-work. The cinematography tends to be very
frenetic -- often reminding you of the "on-the-spot" style in HILL
STREET BLUES -- and the special effects shots are refreshing in their
comparative smoothness when they appear. Also, the Halloween-ish feel
of the first part of the movie gives way to a busier, more
action-oriented ending where a lot of the atmosphere is traded for
comedy. (Much of it rather gross humor -- the kind that kids *really*
enjoy.) Given a choice, I prefer atmosphere, but the film has an
interesting ending and it only really loses steam for about 8 minutes in
the middle.
Not a great film, but a fun one, and certainly a notable entry to
the films that Jim Henson leaves behind him. It might scare really
young kids at points; and if you have qualms about violence against
witches, be warned that they go beyond attacks with buckets of water in
this film. Eight-year-olds, however, will eat it up, and their parents
will find it equally enjoyable, if for different reasons.
Moriarty, aka Jeff Meyer
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