Witches are having a bit of a moment. Of course, that's not exactly new; the figure of the witch has been a dark fascination for humanity throughout the ages, and a favorite of filmmakers and audiences since the earliest days of cinema. But their popularity comes and goes in waves, and right now, we're in the biggest witch boom since the 90s heyday of Sabrina, Willow, Nancy and the Sanderson Sisters.
With Netflix's Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and Amazon's Suspiria remake putting their spells on audiences in the past few years, let's take a look at a few of the best witch movies ever made to get you in that spooky Halloween spirit. Grab the broom, fire up some candles, and spark the cauldron, because I'm looking back at some of my favorite witch movies of all time when I'm in need of a magical mood.
But again, there's no shortage of great witch films out there. These are my personal favorites, and they're just scratching the surface. If you're looking for horror, you can't go wrong with Mario Bava's Black Sunday, George Romero's Season of The Witch, Lucky McKee's The Woods, the recent Spanish horror comedy Witching & Bitching, or the silent fictionalized documentary Häxan, which is filled to the brim with iconic witchcraft imagery and really sets the mood with its hypnotic score.
If you want something a little more family friendly, you can get your fill of witches in The Wizard of Oz (or it's creepier, witchier sequel Return to Oz), the spirited Studio Ghibli delight Kiki's Delivery Service, Matthew Vaughn's Neil Gaimanadaptation Stardust (which also stars Robert DeNiro as a queer sky pirate, so get on that), the charming Kim Novak classic Bell Book and Candle, or watch Angela Lansbury wield magic against the Nazis in Bedknobs and Broomsticks, and of course, any of the Harry Potter films. But now, with further ado, here are my favorite witch movies for an enchanting Halloween.
The Love Witch
Anna Biller's The Love Witch is the ultimate passion project. As the writer/director/costume designer/set decorator/production designer, Biller spent years creating the costumes and props for her film by hand -- a dedication to detail and craftsmanship that transports you entirely into the world of the film, not to mention it makes for one stunning movie to look at. Biller also found her perfect Elaine in Samantha Robinson, who is an elegant, statuesque dream as the titular Love Witch, a lonely and beautiful young witch who uses her sex magic to make men fall at her feet, ever-searching for her fantasy romance and leaving a string of dead bodies in her wake. Unrelentingly and unapologetically feminine with a commitment to high style that sometimes reads like camp, The Love Witch has a streak of satirical comedy and makes for a fascinating if flawed analysis of gender roles with one of the most spectacular aesthetics you'll find on film.
Hansel & Gretel Witch Hunters
Wait, what? Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters? As in the barely seen and swiftly forgotten Jeremy Renner movie with 15% on Rotten Tomatoes? Yep! Critics did Tommy Wirkola's weird and wildly camp action horror wrong when it arrived in theaters in 2013, and while it's strange B-movie brew certainly isn't for everyone, there are few witch movies that are so fearlessly tongue-in-cheek with the production value and quality casting on display here. Renner and Gemma Arterton star as the titular witch-hunting siblings and they're pitted against Famke Jansen's head witch, a delicious scenery-chewing performance from the otherworldly actress. Wirkola went from Nazi zombies in Dead Snow to his world of fairytale witches, maintaining his splattery set-pieces and cheeky approach to genre while delivering some spectacular witch designs (not to mention a gorgeous practical troll played by Derek Mears) and a whole lot of kickass action. In a better timeline, we would have got the planned sequel to this blood-soaked action movie, but for now, the least we can do is give this little oddball gem the credit it deserves.
Practical Magic
The movie that gave us all impossible hair goals and made us desperately want to get drunk with Dianne Weist and Stockard Channing, Practical Magic is a sweet family-fueled love story based on Alice Hoffman's magical book series. Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock star as the impossibly-tressed sister witches, who navigate the world of magic, mortals and romance while living under a tragic curse that kills any man they love. A favorite of practicing witches for its positive, relatable depiction of non-satanic witchcraft and female empowerment, Practical Magic embodies a feeling of warmth and homey magic -- the healing powers of a kitchen witch with wives tales to spare. It's an enchanting tale of sisterhood and romance (and maybe a little manslaughter) that gets you all your witchy vibes without going for the scare.
I Married a Witch
This enchanting 1942 romantic comedy stars Veronica Lake as Jennifer, a capricious and curious 17th century witch who wakes up in 1940s America after being burned at the stake, and sets her sights on tormenting the descendant of the man who accused her of witchcraft. Trouble is, after a series of hijinks, she accidentally falls in love with him. This is a pure Old Hollywood romp -- sweetly romantic with plenty of banter and draped in stunning costumes and gowns for it screen icon, I Married a Witch is brimming with zany energy and screwball comedy. Essentially, it plays like a feature-length prequel episode of Bewitched (except Jennifer's got an impish father figure rather than an imposing mother), and it'll make you a little sad that Lake didn't spend more of her career playing flighty, fabulous witches.
The Craft
An iconic and wildly influential horror movie for a generation of moviegoers, The Craft was the crystallization of a particular brand of goth girl power that dominated the 90s. While the film has some dated elements of race and sexuality by today's standards, it holds up incredibly well as a tale of friendship, female empowerment, and toxic relationships through the stylish lens of witchcraft. Robin Tunney leads The Craft as a powerful natural witch, but it's Fairuza Balk's performance as the unstable and ruthlessly charismatic Nancy that elevates The Craft into classic territory. A great teen drama with style to spare, The Craft tackles serious subjects like suicide and sexual assault while delivering plenty of spooky magic, making it one of the best teen horror movies to come out of the 90s craze.
Three Mothers Trilogy
Surprise! This list has some bonus titles because with this one, you get three for the price of one. Dario Argento brought us three of cinema's most terrifying tales of magic with his celebrated Three Mothers trilogy, comprised of Suspiria, Inferno, and Mother of Tears. Tied together through a fabulous mythology of ancient witches and worldwide covens, the Three Mothers trilogy kicked off with Argento's seminal 1977 film Suspiria, which shattered expectations and swung for the fences with candy-colored cinematography and an unforgettable score from Goblin. Next, the franchise travelled to New York with 1980's Inferno, and finally, the long awaited third installment took us to Rome in 2007. While the quality between the films isn't consistent (Suspiria is an all-timer and Mother of Tears is fine), Argento's decades-long trilogy has one of the richest sinister mythologies of magic in cinema.
Lords of Salem
Ok, I know some of you are going to be mad about this, but sorry, Lords of Salem is pretty dang good. Rob Zombie's dark and grimy witch movie arrived just a bit ahead of its time and was ill-received by critics and audiences alike, but there's a lot to love about his imperfect tale of dark magic and rock 'n roll. The first 30 minutes of Zombie's film are exceptional, a slow burn build in haunting atmosphere that feels absolutely electric with a charge of magic. Unfortunately the film loses the narrative threat towards the end, but there's still plenty of dark delights to be found in the visuals and atmosphere of Zombie's most unusual film yet. And damn, Covens don't get much creepier.
The Witches of Eastwick
For his first feature film outside the apocalyptic wasteland of Mad Max, George Miller turned to a world of magic in the tightly-wound wasteland of suburbia, where three witches romance a "horny little devil" (Jack Nicholson), who blows into their town with the wind when they accidentally conjure their fantasy man at ladies night. Of course, he's far from a fantasy and his demonic, salacious desires spin the trio of friends into a wild and dangerous love affair that ripples through their small town. A male fantasy of female empowerment (based on a John Updike book, no less), The Witches of Eastwick has some weird ass gender politics, but there's no denying the spell cast by Miller's energetic direction and his trio of outrageously beautiful and deliciously bold witches (Susan Surandon, Michelle Pfieffer, and Cher). They are stylish and wild, embracing polyamory and magic with open arms, with some of the best damn witch fashion this side of The Craft.
Mary and the Witch's Flower
The first feature film from the Studio Ghibli offshoot Studio Ponoc, Mary and the Witch's Flower is a downright delightful animated adventure that follows a clumsy, well-meaning young girl inside the halls of a magical school where nefarious plans are at work. Mary is your average girl in a quiet summer town until she stumbles upon the magical Fly-by-Night flower that imbues her with immense magical skill. Unfortunately, the effects are short-lived, but Mary takes the "smoke 'em while you got 'em" approach to magic, embracing the newfound world whole-heartedly. The film's story is somewhat slight, but its wonders are immense, and while it owes a lot to its Ghibli predecessor Kiki's Delivery Service, there's just something so spectacular about the magical sights found within the halls of Endor College. Not to mention one seriously cute black cat. Magic movies don't get much adorable or more feel-good than this one, so if your spirits need a boost, get your witch fill here.
Hocus Pocus
Thanks to syndication and a healthy dose of nostalgia, Kenny Ortega's 1990s holiday classic Hocus Pocus has become synonymous with Halloween. And it's no surprise. After all, the film arrived in theaters the same year as The Nightmare Before Christmas, a double whammy that helped make a generation obsessed with the holiday, and few cinematic joys conjure up as much Halloween spirit as seeing the Sanderson Sisters run amok (amok amok) and put their spell on the townspeople of Salem. Deliciously camp with full-tilt performances from Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy, Hocus Pocus is a family friendly romp that all about that All Hallows Eve spirit.
The Witches
On the opposite end of the children's witch movie spectrum, we've got The Witches, the Roald Dahl adaptation that traumatized a generation with visions of Anjelica Huston turning little children into mice -- not to mention the terror of the witches' true faces, brought to life with the reliably excellent artisans at the Jim Henson Company. Directed by Nicolas Roeg, best known for helming one of the greatest and most devastating horror movies ever with Don't Look Now, The Witches taps into some primitive childhood fears, and while there's no comparing the experience of watching the film as an adult, there's something truly special about the hideous creations that gave countless children nightmares.
Suspiria (2018)
If you're lucky enough to have Suspiria playing near you, get thee to the theaters for one of the best witch movies, the best horror remakes, and just one of the best damn movies of the decade. Call Me by Your Name director Luca Guadagnino makes a hard left turn into the "sighing nightmare" of Dario Argento's classic horror film and reimagines it as a bleak, bizarrely beautiful wonderland of terror. Dakota Johnson stars as Susie Bannion, a Mennonite girl who travels to Berlin to attend a prestigious dance academy where she meets Madame Blanc (Tilda Swinton) and the hidden coven of witches therein. A reflection on revolution and power struggle between generations, Suspiria is as smart as it is stunning, working from a script by The Terror co-writer David Kajganich and boasting a hypnotic score from Radiohead's Thom Yorke. A truly special movie that worms its way under your skin, Suspiria is a haunting, spiritual film that's got guts, brains and heart -- sometimes splattered all over the walls.
The Witch
The Witch earned raved critical reviews all throughout its festival run, but when Robbert Eggers' ambitious A24 horror movie hit theaters, the reception was mixed, to say the least. It seems general audiences weren't so keen to live deliciously as the festival circuit, but as a lot of die hard film fans will tell you, a subpar CinemaScore is often a point of pride; the marker of a film with such unique and unusual vision that it abandons populist crowd-pleasing intentions in favor of a singular experience. That can certainly be said of The Witch, which introduced the world to the talents of both Eggers and breakout actress Anya Taylor-Joy with a piece of precision filmmaking that taps into a rich vein of religious history and satanic mythology for an incredibly smart, gorgeously composed story of witchcraft as a source of both terror and empowerment. Filled to the brim with striking, unshakable imagery and a confidently measured sense of pacing that pays off the slow burn with an utterly unforgettable ending.