THE WITCHES (1990) *1/2 The first half isn't entirely without hope. Mai Zetterling is more than passable as Roald Dahl's conception of a cigar-smoking nordic grandma, and Anjelica Huston has moments of stadium-rock magnitude brilliance as the head witch of the world. Unfortunately, once the protagonist kid is transformed into a mouse even Nicolas Roeg has no idea how to keep it from turning into a mouse movie, and I don't like mouse movies much. Rowan Atkinson's Mr. Bean schtick seems even more appropriate on a bourgeoisie functionary than a lovable eccentric, but lacks the milieu to enable hyperspace. Just when you figure that at least they did as well as they could, Roeg allows a pathetically Hollywood ending to get in, which destroys what little integrity remained of the spirit of Dahl's original. The best part is Roeg and Jim Henson's comedic take on Dahl's postulation of witches as bald, ugly, big-nosed, and square footed. It's gruesome and funny and grotesque, but not nearly enough by the standards that Dahl demanded from his audience.
back to Brilliant Observations on 1776 Films home
go back home, or send me email
no more reviews! I want to buy your novel!