SOUNDBITE: Witchy remake is good choice for spooky Halloween season

  A new movie release this month on HBOMax, is the revamped The Witches, a remake of the 100’s version which starred Angelica Huston. The film is based on the book by Roald Dahl of Charlie and The Chocolate Factory fame.

  This dark comedy is rated PG which makes it kid-friendly, although I do not recommend they watch alone as there are a few minor spine-chilling effects. 

  The film reunites Stanley Tucci and and Anne Hathaway for the first time since The Devil Wears Prada.  It also stars Oscar Award Winner Octavia Spencer (The Help, Hidden Figures). The narration is by none other than Chris Rock. 

  The plot revolves around an orphaned boy in 1968 who goes to live with his grandmother (Spencer) in Alabama. The boy befriends a pet mouse named Daisy. The boy meets a witch during a shopping trip which reminds his grandmother of a childhood friend who was turned into a chicken by a witch. The witches hate children and want to get rid of all of the children in the world. 

  The film obviously has a much more advanced digital effects range than the 1990’s version as witches’ faces are tranformed and children are transformed into animals.

  Critics dislike the newer Robert Zemeckis version because of the lack of authenticity compared to the version made by Nicolas Roeg, who is also known for directing movies like Walkabout, Don’t Look Now, The Man Who Fell to Earth and Bad Timing. 

  Although the reviews discourage others from watching the movie, I enjoyed comparing the movies and spotting the differences. Not many people are on board when it comes to remakes of throwbacks. If you enjoy watching modernized versions of throwback movies, you’ll enjoy this movie for certain. Sadly, Huston does not make a reappearance in the new Witches, but Hathway shines in a very creepy, brilliant way in the new version. 

  During this Halloween season, The Witches is a deliciously frightening film that even children can enjoy safely.