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Welcome to Thursday Movie Picks, a weekly series hosted by Wandering Through the Shelves where each Thursday you have to pick three films to match the week's topic.
October is here and so is the Halloween edition. Pumpkins, monsters, vampires, werewolves, and of course witches and warlocks, this week's picks. Yep, this is a pretty magical week. And fun. And easy, so chances are I'm doing it wrong, just like math. Lol, I'm kidding. I was great at math.
The Wizard of Oz (1939)
Dorothy is caught in a tornado's path and ends up in the land of Oz, where she meets some friends and foes in her journey to meet the Wizard of Oz so that she can return home. There's the Wicked Witch of the West, the Good Witch of the North and the Wizard of Oz, that's like killing three birds with one stone. Other than that, the film is amazing, so full of life and energy it's a real pleasure to watch.
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005)
Four siblings stumble upon an enormous wardrobe that eventually transports them to the magical world of Narnia, that is unfortunately ruled by the White Witch. I don't even care how close to the book the film is, visually is beautiful and Tilda Swinton is killing it as the White Witch. She's so amazing I was rooting for her.
The Witches of Eastwick (1987)
After conjuring up a mystery man, a mysterious stranger arrives in town and three female friends are all seduced by him. And then strange things being to happen because guess what? Jack Nicholson is the devil, literally. And the three women eventually become witches, and it's a lot of fun to watch.
Terrific choices.
ReplyDeleteThe Wizard of Oz fits this SO perfectly and is truly a magical film. Great to watch at home but having seen it on a giant movie screen that is absolutely the way it was meant to be experienced. I know Judy Garland was older than the Dorothy of the books but she's just so right in the role.
Chronicles is visually beautiful but that was all I got out of it, otherwise I was bored.
Haven't thought of Witches of Eastwick for years. It's not a great film but Nicholson and the three female stars give it all they've got to make it a fun ride. Veronica Cartwright is a standout as well.
My third pick is on the ghoulish side but otherwise I stuck with lighter fare for the week.
I Married a Witch (1942)-Condemned to being burned at the stake along with her father 17th century witch Jennifer (Veronica Lake) puts a curse on her accuser Jonathan Wooley (Fredric March) that he and all his descendants will marry the wrong women. Their spirits captured in a tree they’re unexpectedly freed 250 years later to discover the curse is still working with the latest Wooley (also March) engaged to marry a shrew (Susan Hayward). Full of mischief and revenge the troublemaking duo decide to raise even more of a ruckus by way of a love potion but complications ensue. Supported by an excellent cast the two leads make the picture, their extraordinary chemistry remarkable since behind the scenes each bitterly hated the other. You’d never guess from what’s on screen, they seem completely swept away. The best showcase Veronica ever had, she’s seductive, alluring, humorous, seeming to carry a gossamer glow with her wherever she goes. A light as air concoction directed at breakneck speed.
Bell, Book and Candle (1958)-Modern day witch Gillian (Kim Novak) and her cat Pyewacket, live in 50’s Greenwich Village along with her Aunt Queenie (Elsa Lanchester) and impish cousin Nicky (Jack Lemmon). She meets publisher Shep (James Stewart) and on a lark, partly because he seems immune to her and partly because Shep is engaged to her old college rival Merle (Janice Rule), she decides to make him hers by casting a love spell. Trouble starts brewing though when Gillian finds herself actually falling for Shep. That’s more than a little problem since Gill will lose her powers if she falls in love with a human. What to do? The film suits Kim’s languid style and she looks a million.
Black Sunday (1960)-In the diametric opposite of I Married a Witch cult star Barbara Steel is Asa, a 16th century high priestess of Satan executed, along with several of her followers, by having a spiked mask hammered into her face. As punishment is meted out she vows vengeance of her accusers returning 200 years hence to inhabit the body of her doppelganger and reap bloody retribution. Trendsetting Italian Gothic horror movie is loaded with atmosphere and style though short on actual frights, excepting those opening scenes, but is permeated with creepy dread.
Unmissable Bonus-Bewitched (1964-1972)-Beautiful blonde Samantha Stevens lives on Morning Glory Circle in quaint Westport with her often exasperated adman husband Darrin and their adorable kids Tabatha and Adam, plus nosy neighbor Gladys Kravitz, while her zany, often difficult family drop in frequently unannounced causing no end of troubles. Big troubles too since Samantha and all her relatives are witches who strongly disapprove of her marriage to a mere mortal. A monster TV hit in its day with a cast full of expert comic actors chief among them Elizabeth Montgomery as Samantha/and her swingin’ cousin Serena, Agnes Moorehead as her firebrand of a mother Endora, Paul Lynde as jokester Uncle Arthur and Marion Lorne as the befuddled Aunt Clara this is often considered a subtle metaphor for interracial marriage at a time when that was causing much upheaval. Inspired in part by my first two picks. Avoid the ghastly 2005 remake at all costs!!!
Wizard of Oz is perfect and I don't know why I never thought of it. I still have to see Narnia and have heard great things about that film. I was not enamoured with Witches of Eastwick. I saw it when it first came out and couldn't believe 3 beautiful women would ever find Nicholson good looking. I should give it another chance and see if i change my mind.
ReplyDeleteNarnia is not a Halloween movie, it is Christian allegory about the risen Christ conquering evil ie the ice queeen. The final battlet is Armageddon and the final scene the new Jerusalem, now I know this movie is exciting and entertaining, but the author of the book was a fervent Catholic. (Cs lewis.
ReplyDeleteI've seen all of these. I love The Wizard of Oz and The Witches of Eastwick. I'm rather lukewarm to the whole Narnia series. Great picks.
ReplyDeleteThere's a really funny plot synopsis of Wizard of Oz - “Transported to a surreal landscape, a young girl kills the first woman she meets, then teams up with three complete strangers to kill again" - it made me laugh.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, Wizard of Oz is a classic, haven't seen your third pick but I have seen Narnia but that was a long time ago
Great picks all round here! And oh yes!!! The greatest witch of them all - the wicked witch of the west!
ReplyDeleteI feel like I've seen The Witches of Eastwick but I remember nothing, so it's one of those I'd like to revisit.
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