#andrewfleming

The 1990s were an interesting time in movies, where teenage films still had edge and substance to them.  A handful of actors and actresses were carving out names for themselves that, at the time, seemed like lasting ones, and the projects these particular actors got involved with piqued my interest.  With a core group of actresses that I enjoyed, it was no surprise that I gravitated towards The Craft, and it is no surprise that I still enjoy the film to this day.  With Halloween right around the corner, I figured I had to get in a movie about witches, and this one is my go to.

Sarah Bailey (Robin Tunney) is new to San Francisco, having just moved from Los Angeles with her father and stepmom.  In an attempt to find a social circle at school, Sarah gravitates towards a group of outcast girls that most of the school have labelled as witches : the shy Bonnie (Neve Campbell), the assertive Nancy (Fairuza Balk), and the outgoing Rochelle (Rachel True).  Almost instantly, Sarah also develops a crush on the most popular boy in the school, Chris (Skeet Ulrich).  Unbeknownst to the group of girls, Sarah seems to have a supernatural ability already present in her, something immediately picked up on by Lirio (Assumpta Sema), the local bookstore owner that the girls harass while they explore their interest in witchcraft.  The girls are excited, however, because Sarah potentially completes their coven, and the group immediately begins to experiment with spells.  Much to their surprise, the spells begin to work, but at a great cost, as the girls begin to exhibit personality traits out of their normal range, including Bonnie’s sudden obsession with looks and Nancy’s obsession with power.  Realizing that things are spiraling out of control, Sarah is forced to take actions in order to save her friends, and herself, from themselves.

Mixing the didactic, powerful nature of the Wiccan lifestyle with the brash, often overly emotional nature of high school works extremely well for this narrative, like Heathers with a mystical element thrown into the picture.  Four young girls that are driven by what others think of them and a need to be respected (if not admired or feared) are the perfect catalyst for an ‘absolute power corrupts absolutely’ situation, as their lack of understanding the ramifications of what seem like simple choices and decisions to them quickly spiral out of control.  In high school, most of us were not yet fully developed in terms of compassion towards our peers, even those that mock us, ridicule us or dislike us, so it’s easy to understand why, when gifted with great power, three of the four girls would choose minuscule goals in regards to the grand scheme of things, while one would go 180 degrees in the opposite direction by choosing to basically become a living deity.  Like any good tale of the discovery of power, their choices eventually tear the group apart from the inside, forcing each of them to either come to grips with the bigger picture or suffer ultimate consequences.

For a movie of this type, it surprisingly embraces a comedic side that works quite well.  Be it the lack of a filter that teenagers are blessed with, or simply the casting of actors and actresses that are aware and present enough in their characters to be able to add depth to their performances, the funny moments in the film are abundant without being distracting.  This could be due in part to the writing as well, which is very well balanced between an informative reflection on the Wiccan lifestyle and an honest look at the 1990s high school experience, warts and all.  The humor even manages to incorporate references to relevant films, such as the ‘bitches of Eastwick’ or ‘Stepford wives’ one-liners, immediately providing both laughs and context.

In terms of production value, the film is relatively standard issue.  Momentary slight uses of special effects, usually reserved in their application, do work well, with the majority of the stunts and effects being implemented by practical means rather than created in post-production.  The only thing that has really stood out in any sort of context other than positive to me, over the years, has been the soundtrack.  As I’ve gotten older, and my knowledge of music has widened, I began to notice that the lion’s share of the soundtrack is made up of ambitious attempts at covers that don’t always quite hit the mark.  Versions of Tomorrow Never Knows, How Soon is Now?, and Witches Song, while appropriate in context, ultimately serve as reminders for the greatness of the originals, which slightly derails focus on the film.  The one exception, in my opinion, is Heather Nova’s cover of I Have the Touch used to close the film... maybe it’s because I used to sweep theaters to this closing credit song, and after 30 or 40 listens, it’s embedded in my head, but I do appreciate that version of that song more so than the other covers present in the film.

Robin Tunney is a good casting choice for lead, as she manages to subtly provide the range needed to cover aspects of shyness, slyness, revenge and regret in regards to her character’s arc.  Fairuza Balk was born to play her role, bringing her authentic look and knowledge to the table in order to invoke (no pun intended) the spirit of a young power hungry Wiccan.  Rachel True seems like an odd choice on paper, but her lightness and caring nature helps bring a sense of true humanity to the group.  Neve Campbell does a good job of portraying the ugly duckling trope, fully owning her eventual transformation after selling a reserved, embarrassed nature during the first third of the film.  Skeet Ulrich plays his role pretty much by the numbers, eventually becoming nothing more than a puppet to Tunney, while Nathaniel Marston and (especially) Breckin Meyer provide much needed comic relief in order to not make their group deplorable as well.  Assumpta Sema and the air of mystery she provides play well in contrast to the young girls.  Brief appearances by Cliff DeYoung and Christine Taylor (in possibly her only mean role of her career) also stand out.