The Craft (1996)

Director:

Andrew Fleming

Writers (WGA):

Peter Filardi (story)
Peter Filardi (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

3 May 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Fantasy | Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

It's "Carrie" meets "Clueless" !

Plot:

A newcomer to a Catholic prep high school falls in with a trio of outcast teenage girls who practice witchcraft and they all soon conjure up various spells and curses against those who even slightly anger them.

Plot Keywords:

Coven | Spell | Outcast | Witch | Occult

Awards:

1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Robin Tunney	...	Sarah Bailey
Fairuza Balk	...	Nancy Downs
Neve Campbell	...	Bonnie
Rachel True	...	Rochelle
Skeet Ulrich	...	Chris Hooker
Christine Taylor	...	Laura Lizzie
Breckin Meyer	...	Mitt
Nathaniel Marston	...	Trey
Cliff De Young	...	Mr. Bailey
Assumpta Serna	...	Lirio
Helen Shaver	...	Grace Downs
Jeanine Jackson	...	Jenny
Brenda Strong	...	Doctor
Elizabeth Guber	...	Laura's Friend
Jennifer Greenhut	...	Laura's Friend

MPAA:

Rated R for some terror and violence, and for brief language.

Runtime:

101 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | Dolby

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #33999) | Iceland:16 | Netherlands:16 (original rating) | South Korea:15 | Netherlands:12 (re-rating) | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Brazil:14 | Chile:18 | Denmark:16 | Finland:K-14 | Germany:16 | New Zealand:R16 | Norway:15 | Portugal:M/16 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | Singapore:PG | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:R (Manitoba)

Filming Locations:

Culver City, California, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

After Sarah returns to her house near the end, the house is full of snakes, rats, maggots, etc. As she retreats to the upstairs bathroom, we see her pass a whiteboard with the name Gustav Klimt. Gustav Klimt was an artist whose works were denounced for their eroticism. He was also known to have a common theme of the "Femme Fatale" or women who were empowered and strong.

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): In the French lesson, the teacher wrote on the board "Si vous aviez faites vos devoirs, vous comprendriez" (which means "If you would have done your homework, you'd understand"). Actually, it is supposed to be "Si vous aviez FAIT vos devoirs, vous comprendriez".

Quotes:

Laura Lizzie: Oh God look, there is a pubic hair in my brush. Oh no wait, wait. That's just one of Rochelle's little nappy hairs.
Rochelle: Why are you doing this to me, Laura? Do you think you're funny?
Laura Lizzie: You really wanna know why?
Rochelle: Yes, I really wanna know why.
Laura Lizzie: Because I don't like negroids.

Movie Connections:

References The Stepford Wives (1975)

Soundtrack:

All This and Nothing

A good fantasy movie that capitalizes on the neopaganism boom.

One of the complaints brought against this movie by practicing wiccans is that it gives the false impression that wiccans engage in "bad" magic -- putting curses and spells on one's enemies. I would like to remind any peeved wiccans who might read this that the biggest lie this movie tells about them isn't that they cast spells, but that their spells actually work.

But that's the very lie we expect fantasy films to tell us. We demand it, in fact. This one, at least, does a very nice job of conveying the longing for power that motivates some to practice wicca and other forms of "magick." It's also fun and entertaining, and lovely to look at in places. The famous butterfly scene, in particular, will take your breath away. Over-all, this was a much better movie than it's been given credit for being.