Movies
‘The Witches’ Holds Rare 100% on Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is on blast this week for hiding saving the reveal of their score for Warner Bros. Justice League, which is allegedly looming around the 43% mark. It’s performing better than the likes of Suicide Squad and Batman V. Superman, yet far from the 98% that Wonder Woman holds. On the opposite spectrum is Nicolas Roeg‘s little film from 1990 called The Witches, Jim Henson‘s final film starring Angelica Huston as a witch intent on turning the world’s children into mice.
It’s a little-known fact that this children’s horror fantasy holds a rare 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, based on reviews from 33 critics with an average rating of 7.7/10. Roger Ebert gave the film 3 out of 4 stars, calling the film “an intriguing movie, ambitious and inventive, and almost worth seeing just for Anjelica Huston’s obvious delight in playing a completely uncompromised villainess.” Even though The Witches was well received by critics and audiences alike, it performed poorly at the box office ($10M worldwide).
Ironically, the book’s author, Roald Dahl, regarded the film as “utterly appalling” because of the ending that “contrasted with the book.”
I’d also like to think this proves some sort of point about Rotten Tomatoes, although I just like living in a world where The Witches performed better than a studio’s $350M nightmare project. Ha.
Other horror films with 100% on RT include 1931’s Frankenstein and 1935’s The Bride of Frankenstein.
Sunrise Films has announced the official North American release of William Bagley‘s horror comedy Hold the Fort, and it’s accompanied by an energetic new trailer.
Hold the Fort debuts on digital platforms on June 23.
In the film, “Lucas and Jenny think their life is finally coming together when the couple become homeowners. Little do they know that their new house comes with a big catch. Lucas and Jenny soon find themselves in a fight for their lives when they become trapped in a battle between their Homeowners Association and an onslaught of monsters from hell. The horror-comedy takes the timely concern of home-ownership and wraps this up in an entertaining action-packed thrill ride.“
Watch the new trailer below, which introduces one wild HOA gathering during an equinox. Things get bloody fast.
Chris Mayers (Adult Swim Yule Log), Haley Leary (“The Walking Dead”), Levi Burdick, and Julian Smith star.
William Bagley writes and directs, in addition to producing with Smith, Matt Dodd, Luke Williams, and Tim Reis (Adult Swim Yule Log).
Ahead of the release, Bagley said, “My goal with this film was to make a hilarious, fast-paced thrill ride while also telling a great story with heart. Hopefully, through all the blood, laughs, fights, and gags, you leave the film feeling inspired to tackle whatever life throws at you.“
Hold the Fort premiered at Fantasia last summer before going on to play FrightFest London, Toronto After Dark, and Beyond Fest.
I wrote in my review, “It’s an infectiously charming assemblage of jokes and monster vignettes bound together by a barebones plot with not much on its mind beyond delivering an entertaining time.”
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