There are a few movies that I included in my Ultimate Witch Movies List that deserve some special rumination. Of course, I already mentioned Cast a Deadly Spell, and Witch Hunt when I announced the list, but I didn’t really say enough.

Both movies are HBO originals from what I remember as the heyday of HBO, when Home Box Office meant movies all the time. The main character in these films, Private Detective Phil Lovecraft isn’t the only reference to science fiction storytellers.

Detective Morris Bradbury plays the essential role of police officer foil to Lovecraft, referencing their long relationship including from when Lovecraft worked for the police as well. This relationship is cliche to so many murder mystery sleuths and yet I find its predictability completely amusing in these movies. Also on police payroll is Detective Otto Grimaldi. Could this be a reference to Hugo Grimaldi, producer of sci-fi moves in the early 60s?

There is obvious Lovecraft influence in the movies (though don’t expect Detective Lovecraft to be anything like the real man). These influences are explored in a thorough play by play of the movie on tor.com along with commentary that draws connections between thematic elements, Lovecraft reality, and the true history of the time the movies are set within.

I wonder if the naming of the three detective characters is indicating primary influences, in which case, I will be checking into the movies produced by Grimaldi and revisiting Bradbury to look for the other connections.

Allow me to start with a confession.  I adore witches: from historically persecuted innocents, to fairy tale and horror movie villains.  Many people who self identify as witches today may argue that the historically persecuted innocents were just that: the innocent victims of jealousy and fear.  And the villains:  an unfortunate demonization of a social outcast, a scape-goat.  Knowing the truth behind the stories doesn’t take away the intrinsic mystery and fascination to all popular depictions of the witch.  The truth does not remove the beguiling power of a woman (usually) exercising amazing powers that would never be allowed to her by the society around her.  It doesn’t explain what exactly is so threatening about any one person that entire manuals would be created to identify, vilify, and punish them.  This mystery and power is what I love.

A cursory internet search for witch movies will turn up the same lists of movies, like the Harry Potter series, Hocus Pocus, Practical Magic, The Witches, The VVitch, The Blair Witch, The Witches of Eastwick, The Craft, etc.   All great movies, of course!  However, there were never enough to fill the needs of a ‘fan of the witch,’ aka me.  I had seen them all and was still left wanting.  

In trying to find more ‘witch’ movies to satisfy my cravings, I was inspired to seek out all the ‘witch’ movies I could.  And, because I couldn’t find a pre-made list to help me, I’ve created one of my own: the Ultimate Witch List.  It is not exhaustive.  It couldn’t possibly be, but it is much more in depth than anything I had found before.  And, yes, I have watched each and every one of them.

The Conjure Wife

While compiling this list I dug up mention of several films that were supposedly based on the novel The Conjure Wife by Fritz Lieber.  My husband picked this book up on a whim from a used book store.  It’s cover was interesting and gothic.  Later, in our library/dining room I was looking for something to read and picked it up.  I could not put it down.  I have foisted it on my best friend and I frequently remind my husband that he picked it and still hasn’t read it.  I love it.  I was so excited to find a movie, then two, then three, that were based on the Conjure Wife, that I developed a passing obsession to find them all.

Cast a Deadly Spell and Witch hunt

I want to take a moment here for an HBO original movie, To Cast a Deadly Spell, and its sequel, Witch Hunt.  Both follow Private Detective Phil Lovecraft working in a Hollywood that has fallen in love with and been saturated by magic.  Witches are licensed and insured in this world, everyone does magic, except our hero.  I carried vague and persistent memories of these movies from childhood without actually remembering what they were.  It was only after talking with my husband about these memories and doing some intensive searching for magic movies that I finally found the titles and was able to revisit them.  These movies are all the cooky, scary, fantasy of my dreams.