Witches in Film: 50 Movies on Witchcraft Pt. I
Witches in Pop Culture
Witches are the infamous villain. Serving the devil, eating children, seducing men, and casting evil spells are said to be among the cruel intentions of the witch, warning young people and children not to stray from the narrow path.
Whether an old hag or a young seductress disguised to lure men away, witches are synonymous with female sexuality. Whether a local healer, an herbalist, or an unwed woman, being labeled a witch was the ultimate punitive label by religious hysteria and male-dominated communities.
The feminist movement reclaimed the word “witch” and its intrinsic power within social justice and patriarchal culture. It wasn’t until recent decades do we see witches being positively portrayed in pop culture more consistently.
THE FILMS
Whether pushing the stigma or giving the witchcraft community a new narrative, here are 50-plus films centering on witches from before 1998!
1. Häxan (1922)
Häxan is a Swedish silent horror essay film confronting the historical roots and superstition surrounding witchcraft from the Middle Ages to the 20th Century. The film proposes that witch hunts stemmed from ignorance surrounding mental illness, which caused mass hysteria.
2. Snow White and the Seven Dwarves (1937)
In Disney's adaptation of the Brother's Grimm fairytales, this animated movie portrays the original evil stepmother. She is blinded by jealousy of Snow White's youth and beauty, and the Queen transforms into an old hag as a disguise to kill Snow White with a poisoned apple concocted in the dungeon of her castle.
3. The Wizard of Oz (1939)
The Wizard of Oz is an American musical fantasy film and adaptation of L. Frank Baum's 1900 children's fantasy novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, starring Judy Garland. The Wicked Witch of the West is the epitome of the traditional hag with green skin and a pointy chin. Margaret Hamilton's "I'll get you, my pretty, and your little dog too." remains one of the most iconic lines in film from a witch's mouth.
4. I Married a Witch (1942)
Veronica Lake stars as a beautiful 17th-century witch who returns to life to plague a politician who is a descendant of her persecutor by making him fall in love with her before his wedding.
5. Bell, Book, and Candle (1958)
An enchanting witch, played by Kim Novak, crushes on her neighbor but loathes his fiancée, so she seduces him to love her instead. Sol Saks, the creator of Bewitched (1964), stated in an interview for E! True Hollywood Story: Bewitched (1999) that he drew inspiration both from this film and Bell Book and Candle (1958).
6. Black Sunday (1960)
Black Sunday continues the early 20th-century theme of scorned woman and magickal villain. Barbara Steele plays a vengeful witch who returns from the grave to possess the body of her beautiful look-alike descendant. In an October 1998 edition of TV Guide, Tim Burton said this was one of his favorite films.
7. The City of the Dead (1960)
A young college student arrives in a sleepy Massachusetts town to research witchcraft; during her stay at an eerie inn, she discovers a startling secret about the local community. Released initially as Horror Hotel in the United States, the film's opening scene of Elizabeth Selwyn burning at the stake and claiming her allegiance to Lucifer was removed. Although the scene was necessary to understand the plot, the American censors were offended.
8. Night of the Eagle (1962)
Released in the United Kingdom, this movie centers around a woman who tries by any means necessary to protect her husband from forces beyond his understanding. The American version is known as Burn, Witch, Burn.
9. The Sword in the Stone (1963)
Based on a book by T.H. White, this animated classic is about a poor boy named Arthur who studies under a wizard called Merlin and becomes one of the most beloved kings in English history. Along the way, Arthur and Merlin must face a tricky witch named Madam Mim.
10. Witchcraft (1964)
A woman is buried alive as a witch in the 17th Century. When her grave is disturbed by land developers, the 300-year-old witch is accidentally resurrected and terrorizes an English village and the descendants of her persecutors.
11. Kill, Baby... Kill! (1966)
Originally named Operazione paura, this Italian film is about a Carpathian village haunted by a murderous little girl and a witch attempting to protect the villagers.
12. Viy (1967)
Viy is the first horror film made in Russia! A young priest is ordered to preside over the wake of a witch in a small old wooden church of a remote village, and he must spend three nights alone with the corpse with only his faith to protect him.
13. Rosemary's Baby (1968)
Starring the iconic Mia Farrow and directed by Roman Polanski, a young couple trying for a baby move into a historical building on Central Park West. They find themselves surrounded by peculiar neighbors who dabble in the dark arts and may want Rosemary's baby for themselves.
14. Queens of Evil (1970)
Queens of Evil, named Le regine initially as an Italian and French film, is about an unfortunate young motorcyclist that detours into the forest and stumbles on a lakeside house occupied by three sisters, but they're not who they pretend to be.
15. Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971)
Starring Angela Lansbury as an apprentice witch on a flying bed in this G-rated family movie. She, three kids, and a cynical magician conman search for the missing component to a magic spell to defend Britain in World War II. Alas, a movie portraying the witch as good, loveable, and not dangerous to children!
16. Macbeth (1971)
In Roman Polaski's rendition of the Shakespearean play, a ruthlessly ambitious Scottish lord murders his way to the throne with the help of his scheming wife and a trio of witches.
17. Daughters of Satan (1972)
An antique dealer living in Manila buys a painting of witches being burned at the stake, one of whom bears an uncanny resemblance to his wife. He falls victim to an ancient Satanic curse due to his wife joining a cult after taking on the witch's personality. Seeking help from a local historian, he disbands the coven and attempts to rescue her.
18. Virgin Witch (1972)
A pair of women travel to a remote castle for a modeling contract with the mysterious lesbian Sybil Waite. The modeling agency is revealed to be a coven, and the protagonist finds out she's wanted for more than just her modeling abilities.
19. Baba Yaga (1973)
Baby Yaga is the Eurotrash rendition of the erotic comics of Guido Crepax. A photographer finds herself falling under the spell of an older woman, played by Caroll Baker, who happens to be a witch.
20. Belladonna of Sadness (1973)
In this unique Japanese anima named Kanashimi no beradonna, an evil lord exercises the "Droit du Seigneur" or the "Right of the First Night" on a couple's wedding night. The village girl and her husband suffer greatly. After being banished from her village, the girl makes a pact with the devil to gain the magical ability and take revenge.
21. Season of the Witch (1973)
Directed by George A. Romero. A neglected suburban housewife is unhappy with her life and men, and she finds escape and rebellion in witchcraft which mirrors the liberation of her repressed sexuality.
22. Satan's Cheerleaders (1977)
A cheerleading squad is kidnapped for a group of Satan-worshippers' rituals. Unbeknownst to the captors, one of the cheerleaders is actually a witch, and she has plans of her own for her abductors.
23. Suspiria (1977) and Suspiria (2018)
An American newcomer to a prestigious German ballet academy realizes that the school is a front for a coven of witches amid a series of grisly murders. Suspiria is notably one of the most colorful masterpieces of witches-in-film history.
The remake is filled with earth tones and much use of better dancing in contrast to the original, which adds to the unique take on this classic. Against the backdrop of violent political unrest in a gloomy 1977 Berlin, sheltered Mennonite and ambitious dancer Susie Bannion arrives at a prestigious Dance Academy right after the mysterious disappearance of a troubled student. Susie finds herself in between a fight between the matriarchs and unholy trinity of witch-mothers--Mater Suspiriorum, Mater Tenebrarum, and Mater Lachrymarum. A violent and beautifully artistic film about a den of ancient witches.
24. Terror (1978)
Yet another story about descendants of a witch-hunting family being stalked and killed by the history they cannot escape from.
25. Beyond Evil (1980)
In this low-budget film, an architect and his wife move into a colonial mansion only to be tormented by the demonic presence of the original owner's wife.
26. Inferno (1980)
An American college student in Rome and his sister in New York investigate a series of killings in the domain of two covens of witches.
27. Troll (1986)
A wicked troll king searching for a mystical ring that will transform him to human form invades a San Francisco apartment complex where a powerful witch lives. This film centers around the Potters and Harry Potter Jr. (Played by Noah Hathaway, who gained fame playing Atreyu in The Neverending Story), who is surrounded by a fantasy world full of witches 11 years before J.K. Rowling's books came out.
28. Hansel and Gretel (1987)
In this live-action version of the classic Grimm Brothers' fairy tale, Hansel and Gretel are the offspring of an impoverished woodcutter and his wife who wander into the woods following a trail of bread crumbs. The witch Griselda wishes to fatten Hansel so that he may be baked into a delicious gingerbread treat.
29. The Witches of Eastwick (1987)
Starring Cher, Susan Saradon, Michelle Pfieffer, and Jack Nicholson, this film is a big-screen-adaption of a novel by John Updike. Three single women in a picturesque village have their wishes granted, all at the cost of becoming Lucifer's concubines. This women's liberation montage of the 80s reminds me of a smidge of Death Becomes Her with the aesthetics of Practical Magic.
30. Spellbinder (1988)
A beautiful young woman is assaulted by an abusive boyfriend across a dark street in Los Angeles when a young lawyer rushes to her defense. On the surface, Miranda Reed, played by Kelly Preston, is a dream come true to the lawyer. After much suffering, the lawyer learns that Miranda is a fugitive from a witches' coven, and they want her back in time for the Unholy Night of the Winter Solstice.
31. Willow (1988)
In this Ron Howard film, a dwarf farmer and magician's children discover a baby girl. The dwarf, Willow, soon learns the baby is Elora Danan, the baby girl destined to bring about the downfall of the evil sorceress Queen Bavmorda. Willow takes it upon himself to protect Elora from Queen Bavmorda, who intends to kill Elora and prevent her destiny. Queen Bavmorda's daughter and the evil commander of Queen Bavmorda's army pursue Willow and the baby, and they are to bring the baby to Queen Bavmorda to kill and prevent the prophecy of her downfall.
32. The Black Cat (1989)
Il gatto nero is the original Italian title of The Black Cat, a movie supposedly inspired by the works of Edgar Allan Poe. A horror movie in production resurrects a witch called Levana, the main antagonist in the film. Levana tries to take over our world and spread evil everywhere, but the only one in her way is Anne, who is to play Levana in the movie.
33. Teen Witch (1989)
Louise is not very popular, but she learns that she's descended from the witches of Salem and has inherited their powers. This movie reminds me of 16 Candles meets Sabrina, The Teenage Witch with a side of magickal karma.
34. Ki Ki's Delivery Service (1989)
The original Japanese title is Majo no takkyûbin and takes place in an alternative 1950's Europe where WWI and WWII never happened. A 13-year-old witch named Kiki moves to town. She is a little green and plenty headstrong while learning to run her air-courier service with her trusty, talking cat named Jiji. During the production phase, Hayao Miyazaki and his artists traveled to Sweden to research. The photographs they took of Stockholm and Visby formed the basis of the fictional city of Koriko. It also contains elements of Lisbon, Paris, San Francisco, and Milan. Ki Ki's Delivery Service is a brilliantly created story with lifelike essence and a compelling storyline for adults but gentle enough for small children.
35. The Little Mermaid (1989)
This Disney movie is about a young mermaid named Ariel who wants to become human to pursue a man named Erick. Ariel asks the help of the sea witch named Ursula for a high price and ditches her family for di... love. The Little Mermaid is one of the most unempowering princess movies, but we love it for the music, visuals, and Ursula.
36. Wicked Stepmother (1989)
A mother/daughter pair of witches wreak havoc on a suburban family after the family's patriarch gets married. Now it's up to the family's mother, a private detective, and a suspended police officer to try and stop the witches. Although this film stars Bette Davis, she only appears in the movie for 11 minutes.
37. The Haunting of Morella (1990)
A witch is put to death in Colonial America, leaving her husband and infant daughter behind in this Edgar Allan Poe adaption. Seventeen years later, the daughter is to inherit money set up by her mother's family, and the witch wants to return to life by taking over her daughter's body.
38. The Witches (1990) and The Witches (2020)
A recently orphaned young boy is taken to a seaside hotel in England by his grandmother, recuperating after an illness. Staying at their hotel is a group of witches ruled by the grand high witch, played by Anjelica Houston. The coven, which uses the cover of being a children's charity, gathers to prepare a plot to rid England of all children.
Reimagining Roald Dahl's beloved story for a modern audience, Robert Zemeckis's visually innovative film tells the darkly humorous tale of a young orphaned boy who goes to live with his grandmother in a rural Alabama town. After encountering some deceptively glamorous witches, the grandmother wisely whisks the orphan away to a seaside resort where the world's Grand High Witch and her cronies are scheming diabolical plans. Both Anne Hathaway as the Grand High Witch and Octavia Spencer as the grandmother give a powerful performance in this motion picture collaborated with famous filmmakers Alfonso Cuarón, Guillermo del Toro, and Kenya Barris.
39. Beauty and the Beast (1991) and Beauty and the Beast (2017)
A handsome but arrogant prince is cursed by a witch to be a hideous beast until he can find true love. Although this film isn't really about the witch, it is notable that she uses her magic to teach a valuable lesson. The remake is visually gorgeous and stars Emma Watson. Another reimagination but a modern version of this story is Beastly (2011), with Vanessa Hudgens as Belle and Mary-Kate Olsen as the witch.
40. Hocus Pocus (1993)
In this [disturbing-ish] Disney family movie, three sisters were hanged for witchcraft in 17th Century New England. Centuries later, a virgin lit the black flame candle, and the Sanderson Sisters are back to swallow up the souls of all the little children. Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy have become timeless witch icons with a unique blend of sinister goals and comedic relief. Despite being the villains of the story, they somehow remain loveable and humorous.
41. Sorceress (1995)
Starring the Exorcist's Linda Blair, Sorceress is a B-rated, sex-filled flick about a modern witch scorned by her unfaithful husband. There is a sequel, but this cheaply made film is really about the actresses' assets. If you are looking for a motion-picture penthouse with elements of witchcraft, look no further.
42. The Craft (1996)
A new girl at a Catholic prep school makes friends with a group of outcasts who are into the occult. The Craft is notably one of the most aesthetically pleasing films for 90s teenage angst and introducing witchcraft through a pagan lens rather than satanic ritual. The four friends, played by Robin Tunney, Fairuza Balk, Neve Campbell, and Rachel True, gain their power from nature and each other. As their abilities grow, so does the friction between the circle of frenemies. The Craft uses witchcraft as a metaphor for adolescent rivalries and the liberation of female sexuality following puberty. No one rocked Catholic school uniforms better than these four!
43. Little Witches (1996)
Six misfit schoolgirls at an all-girl Catholic high school (do we see the theme here?) get mixed up with the occult and witchcraft after an old Satanic temple is found underneath the church. The cruelest of the girls, Janie plots to resurrect a demon using left-handed magic. Clea Duvall is a supporting actress in (what appears to be) The Craft-inspired film.
44. Eve's Bayou (1997)
The Southern gothic drama is set in 1962 Louisiana. The Batiste family is headed by charming doctor Louis, played by Samuel L. Jackson, who has a wandering eye. One night the doctor tangles with a married patient, not knowing that he is being watched by his youngest daughter Eve. Eve can not forget the traumatic incident and shares a secret with her older sister. She seeks solace in her aunt, a Hoodoo practitioner, as the lies snowball. In 2018, it was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Film Registry for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."
45. Snow White: A Tale of Terror (1997)
Starring Sigourney Weaver as the evil stepmother, this movie is based more authentically on the Grimm Brothers' story. When young Lillian's mother dies during childbirth, her father soon remarries Lady Claudia. However, Claudia's heart is ruled by an evil mirror with the power to make Claudia Queen over all living things. A failed attempt to murder young Lillian leaves the girl wandering lost in a deep dark forest, where she comes across seven gold miners. The story takes place during the Crusades and depicts the attitudes between the wealthy and peasant classes.
46. Bride of Chucky (1998)
Bride of Chucky is my and Brad Dourif's, the voice of Chucky, favorite out of the killer-doll slasher franchise. Like the previous plots, the soul of serial killer Charles Lee Ray inhabits the red-headed children's toy and goes on a murderous rampage. Tiffany Valentine, played by Jennifer Tilly, steals the show with her vixen, femme-fatale looks to resurrect her former lover with a touch of witchcraft.
48. Halloweentown (1998)
Filmed in St. Helens, Oregon, this Disney Channel movie became a small gem from my childhood and is good witchy fun for a family-friendly escape from the gore and negative stereotypes. Join an adventurous, nearly-13 Marnie to help her grandmother (played by Debbie Reynolds) save their beloved Halloweentown from the forces of evil.
49. Practical Magic (1998)
Sisters Sally Owens (Sandra Bullock) and Gillian Owens (Nicole Kidman) are the latest in a long line of witches. The sisters grew up with their spinster aunts following the death of their parents in a breath-taking, victorian house off of the Massachusetts coast. Rumors of the Owens women being witches have existed for generations in the small, close-minded town. The Owens women are under a curse that any man with who they fall in love is doomed.
50. The Blair Witch Project (1999) Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 (2000) and Blair Witch (2016)
As the first witch-central and "found-footage" film to kill the box office, The Blair Witch Project is the low-budget hit to become a cult classic. So much so that the film was in the Guinness Book of World Records for "Top Budget: Box Office Ratio." The film cost $60,000 to make and made back $248 million, a ratio of $1 spent for every $10,931 earned. With special effects of merely twigs, rocks, and low-quality recordings, Blair Witch defied expectations with scare-factor and all-around creepiness. Three bold amateur documentarians search for a local legend hike into a gloomy Black Hills Forest to find the fabled Blair Witch. After that fateful October of 1994--there's still no sign of the student filmmakers, apart from the raw footage they left behind. The sequel, Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2, came out in 2000, and the remake, Blair Witch, came out in 2016.