The Witches (PG, 1990)

common sense media says

Some kids will love it, some may find disturbing.


parents & educators say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this story has a genuinely twisted flavor that some children will love and others will find disturbing. Luke is exceptionally brave and enjoys being a mouse (in the movie, he is changed back, but in the book, he stays a mouse). Children may be upset not only by the witches, but also by the death (offscreen) of Luke's parents and his seeming indifference to it.

Positive messages: Not applicable.
Violence & scariness: Scary witches, children in peril, including baby in carriage pushed down a hill (and rescued), Luke's parents are killed in an (offscreen) accident, which does not seem to bother him too much.
Sexy stuff: Not applicable.
Language: Not applicable.
Consumerism: Not applicable.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Not applicable.

More on The Witches

What to talk about

Talk to your kids

Families can talk about the notion of witches. Are you fascinated or disturbed by the idea of these strange women with magical powers? Why do you think most witches are portrayed as evil?

What's the story?

What's the story?

Luke hears about witches from his grandmother (Mai Zetterling). She says they have to wear gloves to hide their claw-like hands and shoes that fit their square feet without toes, and that they are bald and scratch under their wigs. They have a purple gleam in their eyes. They are evil and they steal children, who are never seen again. Luke's parents are killed, and his grandmother takes him to England. When she is diagnosed with mild diabetes, the doctor advises a vacation, so they go to Cornwall. As it happens, a convention of all the witches in England is staying in the same hotel, posing as the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. Their leader is slinky, black-clad Eva Ernst (Anjelica Huston). Luke overhears her telling the witches to wipe out all the children in England by turning them into mice, and he watches as she demonstrates by giving a potion to a greedy child named Bruno, transforming him into a mouse. The witches find Luke, and after a chase, capture him and turn him into a mouse. With the help of his grandmother, he steals some of the potion, and puts it into the soup to be served to the witches, who are all turned to mice, except for Eva's assistant. Luke manages to get Eva's trunkful of money, along with her notebook listing the addresses of all the witches in America, and he and his grandmother plan to go after them.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 

This story has a genuinely twisted flavor that some children will love and others will find disturbing. Children may be upset not only by the witches, but by the death (offscreen) of Luke's parents, and by his seeming indifference to it.

Movie themes & details

Movie Details
Studio: Warner Bros.
Director: Nicolas Roeg
Cast: Anjelica Huston, Jane Horrocks, Rowan Atkinson
Genre: Family and Kids
Run time: 91 minutes
Theatrical release: August 24, 1990
DVD release: June 22, 1999
MPAA Rating: PG

This review was written by Nell Minow
 
 

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Most useful reviews by all members

Film Friend
kid, 12 years old
 
Not bad AT ALL!
Well, it has some really interesting effects, like the special costumes they put on.

lilmissfrankie
kid, 12 years old
 
ewwwwwwwwww
i liked the book better this is too disturbing for kids 5 or possily 6 and under ok this wasnt scary AT ALL but for little kids yes

super movie ...
teen, 15 years old
 
i watched this in school and me and my class liked it. Although i don't like as much as i used to. This movie is more for kids than adults and teens.

Runesong
educator and parent of 9 year old
 
Great choice for tweens who are not up for blood & guts!
This movie begins with a definitely old world feel which may be a little weird or creepy for today's American kids & I think it's meant to be a little ominous & foreboding. There is just enough grossness & scare for tweens while remaining completely free of the usual blood, guts, & body parts, explicit language, or inappropriate sexual situations. The villainess is convincing in this classic good verses evil plot, but the main character shows us how anyone can become a hero born of necessity. He also demonstrates important values such as keeping a positive attitude under less than ideal circumstances & a desire to help, & even befriend, those in need despite his own troubles. I didn't know about the book all these years, but I'm definitely going to find a copy now that I do!

lilyd
kid, 13 years old
 
you should think twice before going with a toddler
The best movie ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

cierrainuyasha123
kid, 11 years old
 
perfect for any age
well it was nice but the book is better so you should read the book to to your kids and when they are 7-8 years old let them watch the movie WITH you when there about 9-10 years old Let them watch it by them self

theantons
parent of 9 year old
 
Makeup on the Witches a little TOO good!
In all fairness, we were unable to complete this movie, so opinions such as "not a good movie" "bad messages" etc will not be included here since seeing the Entire Movie is essential in those opinions. However, be warned that the movie begins ominous and bleak. The fact that Luke;s parents die is difficult enough, but the scariness of the characters are pretty intense. It reminded me of those campy, horror movies where the acting is near-comical, the dialog is clumsy, the camera angles Batman-like (where the floor looks like its at an angle) making the "horror" part almost kitschy. But, the outright scariness of the "Lead Witch" (anjelica huston) was way too much for my 7 year old son and 8 year old daughter. We had to turn it off. Having said that, these are kids that have seen two Indiana Jones movies and Young Frankenstein (its scarier to kids than you might think) with no real problem. I was kind of surprised by the scariness of The Witches. Perhaps because the target of the witches is little kids? What is scary to one kid, is not always scary to another. And what we DID see seemed like a pretty good movie and story. I just wanted everyone to be fore-warned. Even the sight of Rowan Atkinson (he played the Hotel Mgr) couldn't temper the scariness for my kids on this one.

TehAlchemist
teen, 18 years old
 
Um.. Wow.
I found this movie extreamly disapointing. I'm not a big details person when it comes to movies adapted from books, But this was too much. I've read this book many times when I was younger and the ending was what hit me the most. WARNING! SPOILER! In the end of the book, It's touching how Luke says that he doesn't care that he'll die in 9 years, because he wouldn't want to live longer than his grandmother, And so they would die together. In the movie, on the other hand, when it's almost over, all of the sudden some random witch they added in JUST for this part, comes in and changes Luke back into a boy, gives him Mary and William back, and gives him his glasses back. Alright. Number one, that was a horrible way to change the ending. And number two, HE DOESN'T EVEN WEAR GLASSES! Haha, Well, Good luck with watching it.

Setanta
parent
 
One of my favourite children's films.
Brilliant quirky film where the baddies and the pretentious get their just deserts.

SockyChibi<3
kid, 12 years old
 
Rear Nudity, and Violence involved
This movie's a bit disturbing. At the end, Luke is floating in mid-air, naked. And yes, you can see him entirely naked. The grand-high witch pushes a baby stroller down a hill, (with the baby in it) and it ends up in the ocean. Not really a good choice.

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ON: Content is appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child, some content may not be right for some kids
OFF: Not age appropriate for kids this age