Pure. Nightmare. Fuel.
While certain films and TV shows love nothing more than stories about people passing out during screenings, or critics heralding them as ‘the scariest film of all time,’ we’re firmly of the belief that everything is relative.
Granted, we’ve never passed out during a particular screening but if some people have, well, they’re wusses.
This being said, the greatest horror moments/most memorable ones are usually inflicted on people when they’re younger because there’s something inherently evil about nostalgia and recollection.
Maybe it’s the fact that young minds can’t quite process the horror of The Child Catcher in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang? Maybe Arachnophobia was the first time that some people were truly exposed to the (massively exaggerated and heightened) horrors that a spider infestation can have? Jaws could have been the first time that…actually, scrap that, Jaws is terrifying for anyone of any age, it just so happened that you probably saw it for the first time as a kid.
All things considered, children are obsessed with darkness and macabre mysteries. In fact, the beloved author Roald Dahl knew this all too well.
In James and the Giant Peach, the main character’s parents die a violent death and James escapes from his abusive relatives. In The Twits, both character verbally and physically torment each other via hilarious means and schemes – Mrs Twit substitutes worms for her husband’s spaghetti.
This being said, it’s arguable that no other Roald Dahl adaptation has had as traumatic effect on film fans quite like Nicolas Roeg’s film, The Witches.
Granted, we should have known that things were going to be traumatic because Roeg directed the classic Don’t Look Now but Anjelica Huston transforming to reveal her true identity is a scene that rivals the very best in horror cinema.
Since being released in 1990, the film has become a bonafide cult-classic and it’s also something of a critical darling. At present, it has an 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and continues to attract new audiences due to its mixture of scares, adventure, and Jim Henson’s brilliant special effects.
LA Times – “Real darkness seethes beneath the “Once upon a time” surface, mostly due to Henson’s seemingly curious selection of the brilliant and audacious Roeg to direct.”
Variety – “The wizardry of Jim Henson’s Creature Shop and a superbly over-the-top performance by Angelica Huston gives The Witches a good deal of charm and enjoyment.”
Entertainment Weekly – “Don’t miss Anjelica Huston’s deliciously vile transformation from beauty to beast. And don’t miss this film.”
The Witches is now available to watch on Netflix.
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