The Witches (1990) VS The Witches (2020)
The Witches 2020 vs. The Witches 1990
Top 10 Scariest Movie Witches
Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re pitting the 2020 version of “The Witches” against its 1990 predecessor. For this installment of verses, we’re comparing Robert Zemeckis’ adaptation of Roald Dahl’s children’s book to the cult classic film produced by Jim Henson. In case you haven’t seen either film, keep in mind that there will be spoilers. Which version did you find the most bewitching? Let us know in the comments!
Round 1: Casting
Top 10 Best Casting Decisions for Biopics
Casting director Victoria Burrows mostly nailed it with the 2020 film. Anne Hathaway strikes just the right balance of elegant, silly, and deliciously evil as the Grand High Witch. Octavia Spencer puts a sassy spin on the grandmother while still remaining true to the character’s clever, caring, and confident nature. Relative newcomers Jahzir Bruno and Codie-Lei Eastick are both solid as the boys turned mice. Stanley Tucci is well-cast as the uptight Mr. Stringer, although we could’ve used more of him. Also, we love Chris Rock, but when we hear him voice a mouse, it’s hard not to think of the guinea pig from “Doctor Dolittle.” The 1990 “Witches” couldn’t have been more perfectly cast by Celestia Fox. Anjelica Huston was born to play the Grand High Witch, giving her what may be the thickest German accent in cinematic history. As much as we love to hate this villain, we love watching Huston even more. Mai Zetterling may not be a household name, but she plays the quintessential wise grandmother in what might be her most famous performance. While their careers were brief, former child actors Jasen Fisher and Charlie Potter fit the bill as Luke and Bruno, respectively. Plus, how can you go wrong with Rowan Atkinson as a prickly hotel manager? While both films have spellbinding casts, it’s Huston’s performance as the Grand High Witch that gives the 1990 film an edge. Like Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka, Huston lives this part so well that it’s hard for even an actress of Hathaway’s caliber to top her. Round 1 goes to the original. Winner: The Witches (2020) 0 / The Witches (1990) 1
Round 2: The Witches
Top 10 Movie Witches
In the book, Dahl described the witches as bald with claws instead of hands and squared feet. The 2020 film stays true to Dahl’s vision. A notable addition is that the witches have what look like scars across their mouths, calling the Joker to mind. The costume designers and hairstylists do an impeccable job of giving each witch a glamorous exterior. Underneath the fancy wigs and clothes, however, the makeup department turns in some wicked work. As great as the practical effects on the witches are, the CGI can be lacking. Whenever Hathaway’s mouth is stretched out with sharp teeth, we keep expecting the Deadlights to emerge. We’re still shocked that the original “Witches” didn’t score an Oscar nomination for its phenomenal makeup effects. Being made at a time when CGI wasn’t commonplace, the filmmakers had to think outside of the box. When Huston and her fellow witches are disguised as humans, those purple eyes were enough to send a shiver down anyone’s spine. The makeup crew also delivered with prosthetic wizardry that still blows us away 30 years later. Their greatest feat was the makeup on Huston, which reportedly took over six hours to put on. Seeing as she ended up looking like a hunchbacked vulture, she couldn’t have been more uncomfortable. However, this never comes through in her dedicated performance. Though the witches in both versions are great - and repulsive - to look at, the ones in the original film showcase some of the finest practical effects in Jim Henson’s filmography. That’s another point for the 1990 film. Winner: The Witches (2020) 0 / The Witches (1990) 2
Round 3: The Mice
Top 10 Comedies That Might Suck in 2020
The CGI in the 2020 film can at times feel unnecessary. We mean, couldn’t they have gotten a real snake, chicken, and cat? When it comes to the talking mice, however, we understand why the filmmakers took the CGI route. Don’t get us wrong, the mice don’t look “realistic” per se, which might turn some viewers off. That being said, our main trio of mice all have distinctive designs that help to bring out their personalities. We know they’re not really there, but the modern technology does allow the mice to be more expressive and energized than they would’ve been 30 years ago. While the 1990 film occasionally used real mice, the filmmakers largely relied on animatronics and puppets. Three different sizes of mice were made and it’s hard not to admire the craftsmanship that went into them. That said, the mice effects can admittedly be hit and miss. While the bigger models are full of life, the smaller ones sort of look like cat toys, especially when shot at a distance. The puppeteers deserve props given the limitations of the time, but this is the one area where the film starts to show its age. Still, there is a certain old-school charm to these effects. The techniques used to create the mice in both films have their advantages and drawbacks. We’re tempted to give this point to the 1990 film for all the innovative thinking that went into the mice. Not to mention, we’re starting to get sick of seeing so many CGI rodent movies. But since the mice in the reimagining have more detail and less restrictions, the 2020 film will win this round by a whisker. Winner: The Witches (2020) 1 / The Witches (1990) 2
Round 4: Faithfulness to the Source Material
In Dahl’s book, the boy protagonist is English and his grandmother is Norwegian. The 2020 adaptation offers more diversity with both characters being played by African-Americans. Although the villains want to eradicate every child, it feels like the writers used the interactions between characters of color and witches to create a new allegory about how black people are treated in society. This adaptation also introduces a new character in Daisy, voiced by Kristin Chenoweth, as an orphaned girl who was turned into a mouse. Despite all these changes, this film keeps Dahl’s original ending. The main character remains a mouse and is okay with it...even if his lifespan has been reduced. The 1990 film also added a new character in Miss Irvine, the Grand High Witch’s no-so-evil assistant who turns Luke, and presumably Bruno, back into humans at the end of the film. This is the movie’s most significant change from Dahl’s book...and one that the author wasn’t pleased with. As a matter of fact, Dahl found it, “utterly appalling” and requested that his name be removed from the credits. While a more faithful ending was shot, director Nicolas Roeg ultimately went with the one seen in the finished film. Given how dark the rest of the movie is, the happy ending honestly isn’t unwelcome, even if Dahl didn’t approve. It’s hard to say what Dahl would’ve thought of the 2020 film, especially since he was notorious for hating adaptations of his work. He even hated “Willy Wonka!” Since the newer version sticks with Dahl’s original ending, we have to give it the point. Winner: The Witches (2020) 2 / The Witches (1990) 2
Round 5: The Creep Factor
Top 10 Animated Movies of Each Year (1990-1999)
Robert Zemeckis knows how to balance whimsy with darkness, as seen in “Who Framed Roger Rabbit,” “Death Becomes Her,” and “The Polar Express.” While “The Witches” has plenty of whimsy with its colorful set pieces, it comes up short in the darkness department. Though there are intense moments and sinister designs that will creep out younger viewers, Zemeckis mostly plays it safe. A key example is when characters are turned into mice and rats. It looks like they’re passing magical gas, which sums up the more lighthearted tone. With Guillermo del Toro and Alfonso Cuarón serving as producers, we expected something more consistently grim. In addition having the visionary master behind “The Dark Crystal” and “Labyrinth” as a producer, the 1990 film was directed by Nicolas Roeg. Despite being rated PG, “The Witches” was every bit as twisted and gritty as Roeg’s “Don’t Look Now.” Nowhere is this more apparent than in the transformation scenes, which draw comparison to “An American Werewolf in London.” Roeg’s film wasn’t afraid to frighten children and to this date, it still gives us nightmares. Believe it or not, Roeg made the film less scary after certain moments frightened his son. If the intent was to scare kids into not accepting candy from strangers, this movie succeeded. It’s funny. Although the 2020 film maintains Dahl’s dark original ending, it’s more family-friendly overall. The 1990 film has a more conventional happy ending, but it’s infinitely darker throughout. While the 1990 film wasn’t a financial success upon release, its creepy atmosphere has made it a cult classic. The reimagining lacks the same creep factor and therefore doesn’t stand out as much. For that reason, we’re giving this round and the overall win to the 1990 film.
0
1
flagged