It’s the Booze Talkin’; Another take on The Craft could be magical!

There are certain films that truly feel like the time period they came from. This is not to say they are bad, far from it, sometimes they’re just perfectly fit for the time and place in which they exist. One such feature film is the 1996 thriller THE CRAFT. This witch flick put a spell on audiences, and it also features an incredibly cool cast of characters. Pre-SCREAM Neve Campbell is terrific. Robin Tunney gives a solid show as the protagonist. Rachel True is a delight. And of course, Fairuza Balk is absolutely badass as the one witch you know will take a trip to the dark side. As well, the film also featured another SCREAM star with Skeet Ulrich, as well as Christine Taylor, Breckin Meyer, Cliff De Young, Helen Shaver and more. This wild and wonderful little slice of genre goodness was directed by Andrew Fleming, and frankly, I still find much to enjoy.

As much as I love this flick, I’m not sure that I’d call it a horror film. Certainly it has a sense of terror with some of the events that take place, yet the dark magic is a bit more of a creepy and whimsical fantasy instead of actually scary story. That said, you have four charismatic leading ladies, and a fun take on the new kid at school trying to fit in. Along the way we have a couple of entertaining uses of witchcraft, and it even gets a bit disturbing at times. In fact, this fun filled trip is a perfect example of a well done teen thriller. This is the kind of movie that embraces the mid-90’s perfectly. Whether it’s the music, the clothes, the hair and just the tale it tells, this one is a fantastic example of the fun that can be had when adding a bit of hipness to your horror. And you know what happens when you have a movie that enjoyed a bit of success? Once again, it’s remake time.

We are currently in a world where remakes are far more common than not. If you don’t like them, you’ll probably continue to get frustrated by how many of them are being made. Frankly, it’s easier to just accept the fact that if your favorite film hasn’t been remade yet, it’s very likely they just haven’t gotten to it yet. It’s coming. So what about THE CRAFT? As I said, this perfectly 90’s feature works for its time. And that’s a huge success as it is. That said, if you are going to remake a film, this is one that may benefit with a brand spanking new flick with a new cast and director. As much as I am a fan of the original, it feels like this could be a film that more than likely could bring new life into this story. After all, it might be time for a little reminder of how cool witches can be.

Whether we want one or not, THE CRAFT is getting a revamp – or perhaps rewitch. This time, Zoe Lister-Jones is taking on directorial duties. As far as the cast is concerned, Cailee Spaeny, Gideon Adlon, Lovie Simone and Zoey Luna are attached, as well as Michelle Monaghan and David Duchovny. While the adult stars are familiar, the younger cast isn’t quite as recognizable – aside from perhaps Spaeny who already has a pretty impressive resume. This is just one of the things I love about the witches' return. If Blumhouse is going to bring this story back, I like the idea of entertaining fresh talent to take on this spellbinding story. What’s the plot this time? 

When starting at a new school, Hannah befriends Tabby, Lourdes, and Frankie & quickly becomes the fourth member of their clique. Hannah soon learns that she somehow brings a great power to the quartet.

The original film had an R-rating – with a few decent scares, language and violence – here’s hoping that the new film will follow the same path. It would be nice to see this remake go farther with the horror and gruesome antics. In addition, since we are living in a modern age with a ton of terrifying technology, perhaps we can see the dark side of that as well. After all, this idea of teenage girls having the power to destroy their enemies could certainly offer a fairly realistic modern take on social media, and just how damn evil shite can get. In addition to updated tech and the opportunity to push boundaries more, the film could also benefit from its timeless story. A fish out of water is a common theme, and it works especially well in genre.

Maybe it’s the booze talkin’; but another round of THE CRAFT could be magical. This 1996 cult classic is a favorite of mine, yet I’d be more than a little curious to see what a modern take could bring. Look, I loved the original and it’s a perfect example of a teen scream from the mid-90’s. That said, if you have the right cast and amp up the scares, you could certainly offer up a cool little flick that brings a ton of new elements to this supernatural tale of witchcraft. It’s certainly a possibility that this won’t work. Hell, it could be another crappy return that offers none of the charm found in the original. Yet somehow, I think Blumhouse may be on to something with this, and while it’s much too early to judge, maybe this cinematic witches’ brew will put a spell on us all. So why not? Bring on THE CRAFT!