--- title: "The Witches" year: 1990 kind: "film" canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-witches" fi1m_id: "the-witches" imdb_id: "tt0100944" tmdb_id: 10166 wikidata_id: "Q1616747" fi1m_score: 82 critics_score: 73 critics_reviews: 5 published: "2026-10-04T21:33:24.101164+00:00" updated: "2026-10-04T21:33:25.132674+00:00" region: "FR" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # The Witches (1990) Directed by Nicolas Roeg · 1h 31m · CNC U · Fantasy, Family, Horror ## Identity The Witches - **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/the-witches - **Type:** Film - **Fi1m ID:** the-witches - **IMDb ID:** tt0100944 - **TMDB ID:** 10166 - **Wikidata ID:** Q1616747 - **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0100944/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/10166, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1616747 **Fi1m score: 82** · Critics 73 (early) from 5 reviews *In a sentence:* Anjelica Huston is having far too much fun to be trusted near children > Nicolas Roeg’s dark family fantasy is funny, frightening and carried by Anjelica Huston’s delighted cruelty. The start drags and the film softens its nastiness, but the witches remain properly alarming. ## Synopsis Luke Eveshim (Jasen Fisher) faces witches, with the task of saving the world falling to a boy. Miss Eva Ernst (Anjelica Huston) is the chief witch; Helga Eveshim (Mai Zetterling) and Bruno Jenkins (Charlie Potter) also figure in the story. Luke needs to find a way to stop the witches and survive their powers. Adapted by Allan Scott from Roald Dahl’s novel, this family fantasy puts its young lead in danger, with horror alongside the adventure and a child facing enemies who have the advantage over him. ## Review Nicolas Roeg’s *The Witches* is nastier than a comforting family fantasy, and it is better for it. This is a funny, frightening adaptation of Roald Dahl, held back by a sluggish start and an occasional urge to make its cruelty easier to take. Roeg understands why children might want to be scared by a story that is meant for them. He lets the witches be horrible without treating a young audience’s fear as something faintly embarrassing. Anjelica Huston provides the strongest reason to watch. Her performance as Miss Eva Ernst is extravagant, commanding and amused by its own nastiness. She gives the chief witch the confidence of someone who cannot imagine being challenged, which makes the excess feel dangerous rather than merely decorative. We were unsettled by how much pleasure she takes in being cruel; the humour does not offer much protection from her. Harvey Harrison’s cinematography makes the grotesquery uncomfortable to look at without making it difficult to follow. The images invite us to inspect these creatures, and looking more closely does little to make them reassuring. Andrew Sanders’s production design supports the sense that this fantasy has a solid, unpleasant physical presence. The creature effects matter because their ugliness is so persuasive, and the film gives us time to register it rather than relying entirely on sudden shocks. Jasen Fisher is an appealing Luke Eveshim, though the film’s pleasures lie more in the threat to the boy than in a detailed portrait of him. Mai Zetterling’s Helga Eveshim gives the film some welcome warmth. Against the chief witch’s extravagance, that quieter presence matters: an unbroken succession of grotesque creatures could become wearing. The contrast allows the film to pause without losing our interest, and we would happily spend more time with her. The chief weakness is how long the film takes to reach its most forceful presence. Tony Lawson’s editing leaves the early stretch feeling dutiful, and the preparation is not always interesting enough to justify the delay. At 91 minutes, the film ought not to feel as if it is keeping its strongest performer in reserve. Once Anjelica Huston dominates, though, her exaggerated performance gives the film an energy that the preliminary storytelling struggles to find. Stanley Myers’s music supports the unease effectively, though it is the faces and creatures that remain with us. Allan Scott’s screenplay is less sure about how far to follow the novel’s unpleasantness, and the impulse to offer reassurance weakens the horror. We do not need every family fantasy to be merciless. Here, however, the softening feels unnecessary after so much effort has gone into making the witches a threat worth taking seriously. Judged as children’s horror, *The Witches* understands how frightening it can be to feel small in the presence of a cruel adult. Its comedy allows us to enjoy that fear without quite dismissing it. The PG certificate should not be taken as a promise of an entirely cosy evening, especially for children who find grotesque creatures hard to shake off. Choose it for a family willing to be frightened, rather than one looking to settle down. *Fi1m score 82, published 4 October 2026.* ## Straight answers **Is The Witches worth watching?** *The Witches* is worth watching for families who enjoy being frightened, and we score it 82 out of 100. Anjelica Huston’s delighted cruelty and the persuasive creature effects make it funny and unsettling, though the slow opening and occasional softening of the nastiness hold it back. **How long is The Witches, and what is it rated?** *The Witches* runs 1h 31m and is rated U by the CNC in France. It is a fantasy and family film. **Where can I watch The Witches in France?** *The Witches* is not on any streaming or rental service in France at the moment. It is available in 5 other countries; change your country at the top of the page to see where. Availability is checked daily. **How violent or frightening is The Witches, and is it suitable for children?** *The Witches* has a UK PG certificate, but its grotesque creatures and cruel adults make it a frightening choice for sensitive children. The threat to Luke and the witches’ persuasive ugliness provide the unease rather than an entirely reassuring adventure. We recommend it for families who welcome some horror, not those seeking a cosy evening. **How does The Witches compare to The Night of the Hunter?** *The Witches* offers more overt creature horror and comic extravagance than [*The Night of the Hunter*](https://film.one/film/the-night-of-the-hunter), the darker and stronger child’s-eye nightmare. Both find fear in an adult villain, but Huston’s delighted cruelty makes the family fantasy frightening, while Mitchum’s preacher is more alarming for his charm. We favour *The Witches* for families deliberately choosing children’s horror. **Is The Witches based on a true story or a book?** *The Witches* is adapted by Allan Scott from Roald Dahl’s novel, rather than based on a true story. We find that the screenplay softens some of the book’s unpleasantness, weakening the horror without making the witches reassuring. No familiarity with the novel is needed to follow Luke’s struggle against enemies more powerful than he is. **What should I watch after The Witches?** After *The Witches*, try [*The Night of the Hunter*](https://film.one/film/the-night-of-the-hunter) (1955, Fi1m 91): A darker child’s-eye nightmare, with an adult villain whose charm makes matters worse. Then [*Spirited Away*](https://film.one/film/spirited-away) (2001, Fi1m 92): Another child negotiates a frightening adult world whose rules keep changing; and [*The Spirit of the Beehive*](https://film.one/film/the-spirit-of-the-beehive) (1973, Fi1m 87): A quieter child’s-eye view of monsters, where adult silences become frightening. ### Reviews we read (5) - **Los Angeles Times**, MICHAEL WILMINGTON (88/100, inferred): Wilmington calls the film a marvelous, imaginative children’s fantasy that serves Roald Dahl’s material well, despite criticizing its new ending. He singles out Anjelica Huston’s flamboyant performance and Roeg’s vivid, unsettling visual treatment for praise. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-08-24-ca-981-story.html) - **Empire**, Ian Nathan (85/100, inferred): Nathan finds the adaptation mostly terrific, praising Roeg’s lively handling of Dahl’s dark humor and horror. He singles out Anjelica Huston’s wickedly charismatic performance as the chief witch. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/witches-review/) - **Variety**, Variety Staff (70/100, inferred): The review finds the film charming and enjoyable, though it says the story plods before the Grand High Witch appears. It praises Jim Henson’s creature effects and Anjelica Huston’s over-the-top performance. [Read](https://variety.com/1989/film/reviews/the-witches-2-1200428176/) - **The New York Times** (64/100, inferred): The URL identifies this as a review of The Witches, but the article is inaccessible. Its verdict and any specific praise or criticism cannot be verified. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/1990/08/24/movies/review-film-when-the-ladies-take-off-their-wigs-head-for-home-fast.html) - **Radio Times**, Tom Hutchinson (3/5): Hutchinson finds the fantasy adventure brilliantly brought to life. He praises Anjelica Huston’s striking transformation and the memorable sequence in which Luke becomes a mouse. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-xgih71/the-witches/) ## Details - **Director:** Nicolas Roeg - **Director:** Nicolas Roeg - **Screenplay:** Allan Scott - **Novel:** Roald Dahl - **Cinematography:** Harvey Harrison - **Editor:** Tony Lawson - **Music:** Stanley Myers - **Production design:** Andrew Sanders - **Costume design:** Marit Allen - **Producer:** Mark Shivas - **Cast:** Jasen Fisher as Luke Eveshim; Mai Zetterling as Helga Eveshim; Anjelica Huston as Miss Eva Ernst; Charlie Potter as Bruno Jenkins; Rowan Atkinson as Mr Stringer; Bill Paterson as Mr Jenkins; Brenda Blethyn as Mrs Jenkins; Jane Horrocks as Miss Irvine - **Runtime:** 1h 31m - **Certificate (CNC):** U - **Release (France):** 26 June 1990 - **Genres:** Fantasy, Family, Horror - **Budget:** $11 million - **Box office:** $15 million - **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mmbKELT2VU ## Where to watch in France Not streaming, renting or buying in France at the last check. Also available in: AT, CA, GB, IE, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country. ## If you liked this - *The Night of the Hunter* (1955), Fi1m 91: A darker child’s-eye nightmare, with an adult villain whose charm makes matters worse. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-night-of-the-hunter.md) - *Spirited Away* (2001), Fi1m 92: Another child negotiates a frightening adult world whose rules keep changing. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/spirited-away.md) - *The Company of Wolves* (1984): For older viewers, a fairy tale with dangerous ideas about growing up. - *The Spirit of the Beehive* (1973), Fi1m 87: A quieter child’s-eye view of monsters, where adult silences become frightening. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-spirit-of-the-beehive.md) - *Return to Oz* (1985): For anyone who suspects children’s fantasy ought to risk a few nightmares. --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/the-witches