The Spell (1977 film): Difference between revisions
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| cinematography = [[Matthew F. Leonetti]] |
| cinematography = [[Matthew F. Leonetti]] |
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| camera = [[35mm movie film|35 mm]] <small>([[Consolidated Film Industries|CFI]])</small><ref name="The Spell e">{{cite web| url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0076747/technical?ref_tt_dt_spec| title=The Spell (1977 TV Movie) Technical Specifications| publisher=IMDb.com| accessdate=May 3, 2018}}</ref> |
| camera = [[35mm movie film|35 mm]] <small>([[Consolidated Film Industries|CFI]])</small><ref name="The Spell e">{{cite web| url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0076747/technical?ref_tt_dt_spec| title=The Spell (1977 TV Movie) Technical Specifications| publisher=IMDb.com| accessdate=May 3, 2018}}</ref> |
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| picture_format = [[1.33:1]] <small>(original broadcast)</small><ref name="The Spell e" /> |
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| audio_format = [[Monaural|Mono]]<ref name="The Spell e" /> |
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| runtime = 86 minutes |
| runtime = 86 minutes |
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| company = [[Charles Fries (producer)|Charles Fries Productions]] <br /> Stonehenge Productions |
| company = [[Charles Fries (producer)|Charles Fries Productions]] <br /> Stonehenge Productions |
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| distributor = [[Worldvision Enterprises]]<br />[[MGM Television]] |
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| budget = |
| budget = |
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| network = [[NBC]] |
| network = [[NBC]] |
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| released = {{ |
| released = {{Start date|1977|02|20}}<ref name="The Spell d" /> |
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| last_aired = |
| last_aired = |
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| preceded_by = |
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| followed_by = |
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}} |
}} |
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'''''The Spell''''' is a 1977 American [[Television film|made-for-television]] [[horror film]] which premiered on [[NBC]] as "The Big Event" Movie of the Week. It is directed by [[Lee Philips]] and stars [[Lee Grant]], Susan Myers, [[Lelia Goldoni]] and [[Helen Hunt]]. It touches on the subject of [[telekinesis]] and follows the story of an adolescent girl who seeks revenge on those who ridicule her, while her mother tries to bring an end to her evil acts. It has gained a reputation as being an imitation of the 1976 classic [[Brian De Palma]] film ''[[Carrie (1976 film)|Carrie]]'' as several similarities are present, while it has fallen somewhat under the radar over the years and is |
'''''The Spell''''' is a 1977 American [[Television film|made-for-television]] [[horror film]] which premiered on [[NBC]] as "The Big Event" Movie of the Week. It is directed by [[Lee Philips]] and stars [[Lee Grant]], Susan Myers, [[Lelia Goldoni]] and [[Helen Hunt]]. It touches on the subject of [[telekinesis]] and follows the story of an adolescent girl who seeks revenge on those who ridicule her, while her mother tries to bring an end to her evil acts. It has gained a reputation as being an imitation of the 1976 classic [[Brian De Palma]] film ''[[Carrie (1976 film)|Carrie]]'' as several similarities are present, while it has fallen somewhat under the radar over the years and is considered a "forgotten film". |
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==Plot== |
==Plot== |
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Rita Matchett is a shy 15-year-old girl often picked upon for being [[overweight]]. |
Rita Matchett is a shy 15-year-old girl often picked upon for being [[overweight]]. In her high school gym, Rita is teased by her classmates and she attempts to defend herself. The girls take turns at [[rope climbing]] and Rita struggles to climb. She is opposite snooty classmate Jackie Segall. Jackie climbs to the top and begins to show off in front of the other girls by doing spins. Rita's stare becomes fixated on Jackie which causes her to fall and break her neck, killing her. |
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Rita comes from a wealthy family |
Rita comes from a wealthy family but her home life is unhappy. She is not close to her father, Glenn, nor her younger sister, Kristina, who view her as fat and unattractive and criticize her for her looks. Her mother, Marilyn, tries to maintain a balance in the home and is constantly upset by how Rita is treated and the rivalry between her daughters. Marilyn becomes furious with Rita when her attitude begins to change. However, she grows more concerned when Rita shows signs of abnormal behaviour and starts chanting following an argument. |
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It later becomes evident that Rita is dabbling in something dangerous as a number of "accidents" seem to occur; Glenn is almost |
It later becomes evident that Rita is dabbling in something dangerous as a number of "accidents" seem to occur; Glenn is almost killed in a hit-and-run incident, leaping out of the way just in time, while Marilyn's friend, Kathleen, having been ill for some time, suddenly dies due to [[spontaneous combustion]] and Kristina almost drowns in a swimming pool. Marilyn is initially not convinced that Rita is behind these attacks, but Kristina confirms her suspicions when she reveals to Marilyn that Rita has been visiting Jo Standish, the school gym teacher, and they chant together. Rita had also threatened Kristina to keep quiet about it. |
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Glenn informs Rita that she will be leaving home to attend a private school in London, much to her disapproval, resulting in her acting aggressively. Marilyn sends Glenn and Kristina away for the night so that she can spend time with Rita. That evening, Marilyn follows Rita to Jo's house where she watches in secret as the two discuss the recent events and discovers that Jo caused the accidents so that Rita could seek revenge. When Jo tells Rita that their power will extend to a new community, Rita becomes upset as she believes that she will no longer be |
Glenn informs Rita that she will be leaving home to attend a private school in London, much to her disapproval, resulting in her acting aggressively. Marilyn sends Glenn and Kristina away for the night so that she can spend time with Rita. That evening, Marilyn follows Rita to Jo's house where she watches in secret as the two discuss the recent events and discovers that Jo caused the accidents so that Rita could seek revenge. When Jo tells Rita that their power will extend to a new community, Rita becomes upset as she believes that she will no longer be unique if there are others like her. In the disagreement, the two begin to chant, and with her powerful new strength, Rita forces Jo to the ground. Back at home, Marilyn confronts Rita and begins to chant, causing Rita to be thrown around the room. Marilyn tells her that it is over and if Rita insists on hurting her father and sister then she will destroy her. It is revealed that Marilyn also has power as Rita tries to retaliate and the pair chant until Marilyn overpowers Rita, bringing it all to an end. Marilyn comforts a sobbing Rita telling her that it is all over. |
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==Cast== |
==Cast== |
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* Doney Oatman as Jackie Segall |
* Doney Oatman as Jackie Segall |
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* [[Richard Carlyle]] as Hugh |
* [[Richard Carlyle]] as Hugh |
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* [[Kathleen Hughes]] as Fenetia{{efn|Kathleen Hughes is listed in the credits as playing the character of Fenetia. However, Hughes is actually referred to |
* [[Kathleen Hughes]] as Fenetia{{efn|Kathleen Hughes is listed in the credits as playing the character of Fenetia. However, Hughes is actually referred to as 'Kathleen' in the film.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCpm-W-ji5o| title=The Spell (1977) – Clip 2: Kathleen| publisher=[[YouTube]] (ScreamFactoryTV)| date=August 14, 2017| accessdate=May 4, 2018}}</ref>}} |
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* Robert Gibbons as Waiter |
* Robert Gibbons as Waiter |
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* [[Arthur Peterson Jr.|Arthur Peterson]] as Ross |
* [[Arthur Peterson Jr.|Arthur Peterson]] as Ross |
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==Production== |
==Production== |
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''The Spell'' went into production |
''The Spell'' went into production in the mid 1970s, when writer Brian Taggert developed the script and proposed it to [[Columbia Pictures]], where he intended the film to receive a theatrical release. Columbia was impressed with Taggert's writing and his take on the theme of telekinesis. However, the film was slow to get off the ground and during the pre-production process, [[Brian De Palma]]'s similarly themed ''[[Carrie (1976 film)|Carrie]]'' became acclaimed and widely successful, which resulted in the film being converted into a teleplay for a network television [[Television film|Movie of the Week]]. Taggert claimed that he completed his script for the film while [[Stephen King]] was writing ''Carrie''. Both films open with similar scenes: Rita in ''The Spell'' is teased and picked on by her classmates, which is how ''Carrie'' opened. As ''The Spell'' premiered on NBC three months after the release of ''Carrie'', it was seen by some as an imitation.<ref name="The Spell g">{{cite AV media|title=The Spell (1977)| url=https://bandsaboutmovies.com/2020/05/18/the-spell-1977/amp/|publisher=bandsaboutmovies.com|year=2020|medium=Documentary|format=Blu-ray}}</ref><ref name="The Spell f">{{cite web| url=http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/The-Spell-Blu-ray/180519/#Review| title=A CARRIE Wannabe| publisher=Blu-ray.com| date=December 18, 2017| accessdate=April 26, 2018}}</ref> |
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==Release== |
==Release== |
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The film has received mixed reviews from critics. |
The film has received mixed reviews from critics. |
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In an early review |
In an early review by [[Harriet Van Horne]] for [[New York (magazine)|New York Magazine]], she wrote, "You will shudder at ''The Spell'', giggle in the wrong places and, NBC hopes, stay tuned in to learn all about telekinesis." Of actress Lee Grant, she stated, "Grant is too fine an actress for this sort of TV trash".<ref name="The Spell d">Van Horne, Harriet{{cite web| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aeMCAAAAMBAJ&q=james+olson+the+spell&pg=PA63| title=Out of the Frying Pan and into the Mire| date=February 21, 1977| accessdate=May 3, 2018}}</ref> |
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An online review for The Terror Trap stated that the film is "overall, a little slow at times but not bad".<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.terrortrap.com/reviewsdatabase/s/spell.php| title=The Spell (1977)| publisher=Theterrortrap.com| accessdate=May 3, 2018}}</ref> The Horror Honeys website review stated of the film: "It's not the perfect revenge film, but it ''is'' an interesting snapshot of the era and there are far worse ways to kill an evening".<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.thehorrorhoneys.com/2013/11/what-if-carrie-was-kind-of-dick.html| title=What If Carrie Was Kind of a Dick?| publisher=Thehorrorhoneys.com| accessdate=May 3, 2018}}</ref> Chris Hartley of The Video Graveyard mentions that "''The Spell'' is pretty forgettable stuff. When taken for what it is, it's not a complete waste of time and does have some unintentional chuckles and solid performances propping it up, but it's also just another forgotten 70s TV flick."<ref>Hartley, Chris{{cite web| url=http://www.thevideograveyard.com/s/spell.html|title=The Spell| publisher=Thevideograveyard.com| date=June 10, 2013|accessdate=May 3, 2018}}</ref> |
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The film has been reviewed in several blog posts; in a 2009 blog post for Final Girl, Stacie Ponder said that "This is a made-for-TV effort that's fairly tame even for its time period" and "It's little more than a pleasant 70-minute diversion".<ref>Ponder, Stacie{{cite web| url=http://www.finalgirl.rocks/2009/10/day-18-nothing-is-forgotten.html?m=1| title=Day 18: Nothing is forgotten| publisher=Finalgirl.rocks| date=October 18, 2009| accessdate=May 3, 2018}}</ref> Jeffery Berg of the jdbrecords commented that "it's pretty preposterous, kind of boring, and sometimes hilarious."<ref>{{cite web| url=http://dbrecords.blogspot.com/2012/10/under-your-spell.html?m=1| title=under your spell| publisher=jdbrecords.blogspot.com| date=October 5, 2012| accessdate=May 3, 2018}}</ref> When it film was reviewed in a blog post for Horror Movie a Day, it was said that "even as a TV Movie this thing is shockingly dull throughout."<ref>{{cite web| url=http://horror-movie-a-day.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-spell.html| title=The Spell (1977)| publisher=Horror-movie-a-day.blogspot.com| date=March 14, 2013| accessdate=May 3, 2018}}</ref> |
The film has been reviewed in several blog posts; in a 2009 blog post for Final Girl, Stacie Ponder said that "This is a made-for-TV effort that's fairly tame even for its time period" and "It's little more than a pleasant 70-minute diversion".<ref>Ponder, Stacie{{cite web| url=http://www.finalgirl.rocks/2009/10/day-18-nothing-is-forgotten.html?m=1| title=Day 18: Nothing is forgotten| publisher=Finalgirl.rocks| date=October 18, 2009| accessdate=May 3, 2018}}</ref> Jeffery Berg of the jdbrecords commented that "it's pretty preposterous, kind of boring, and sometimes hilarious."<ref>{{cite web| url=http://dbrecords.blogspot.com/2012/10/under-your-spell.html?m=1| title=under your spell| publisher=jdbrecords.blogspot.com| date=October 5, 2012| accessdate=May 3, 2018}}</ref> When it film was reviewed in a blog post for Horror Movie a Day, it was said that "even as a TV Movie this thing is shockingly dull throughout."<ref>{{cite web| url=http://horror-movie-a-day.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-spell.html| title=The Spell (1977)| publisher=Horror-movie-a-day.blogspot.com| date=March 14, 2013| accessdate=May 3, 2018}}</ref> |
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===Home media=== |
===Home media=== |
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In the United States, ''The Spell'' received a [[VHS]] release courtesy of Worldvision Home Entertainment Inc. in 1984<ref name="The Spell a">{{cite web| url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0076747/companycredits?ref_=ttrel_sa_3| title=The Spell (1977 TV Movie) Company Credits| publisher=IMDb.com| accessdate=May 3, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.amazon.com/Spell-Lee-Philips/dp/B000BBGV38| title=The Spell (1977)| website=Amazon| accessdate=May 3, 2018}}</ref> following its television broadcast, which was rare considering that television films of the time were not picked up for home video distribution.<ref name="The Spell b" /> The film received a second VHS release in the U.S. from [[GoodTimes Entertainment]].<ref name="The Spell a" /> It has been released on VHS in several European countries including Finland<ref>{{cite web| url=https://trashvideofinland.tumblr.com/post/152030729011/spell-the-1977-kirous-vtc-video-ab-oy-amp| title=Spell, The (1977)|publisher=Trashvideofinland.tumblr.com| accessdate=May 3, 2018}}</ref> and Spain.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://terrorfantastico.com/foro/index.php?topic=10323| title=The Spell| publisher=Terrorfantastico.com| accessdate=May 3, 2018}}</ref> It has never been made available on [[DVD]] format. |
In the United States, ''The Spell'' received a [[VHS]] release courtesy of Worldvision Home Entertainment Inc. in 1984<ref name="The Spell a">{{cite web| url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0076747/companycredits?ref_=ttrel_sa_3| title=The Spell (1977 TV Movie) Company Credits| publisher=IMDb.com| accessdate=May 3, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.amazon.com/Spell-Lee-Philips/dp/B000BBGV38| title=The Spell (1977)| website=Amazon| accessdate=May 3, 2018}}</ref> following its television broadcast, which was rare considering that television films of the time were not picked up for home video distribution.<ref name="The Spell b" /> The film received a second VHS release in the U.S. from [[GoodTimes Entertainment]].<ref name="The Spell a" /> It has been released on VHS in several European countries including Finland<ref>{{cite web| url=https://trashvideofinland.tumblr.com/post/152030729011/spell-the-1977-kirous-vtc-video-ab-oy-amp| title=Spell, The (1977)| date=October 2016|publisher=Trashvideofinland.tumblr.com| accessdate=May 3, 2018}}</ref> and Spain.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://terrorfantastico.com/foro/index.php?topic=10323| title=The Spell| publisher=Terrorfantastico.com| accessdate=May 3, 2018}}</ref> It has never been made available on [[DVD]] format. |
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It was released on [[Blu-ray]] format in North America on September 5, 2017 via Scream Factory, a subsidiary of [[Shout! Factory]], under license from [[20th Century Fox Home Entertainment]] and [[MGM Home Entertainment]]. The set contains the film's original broadcast ratio of 1.33:1, DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 and English Subtitles, while special features consist of a new commentary by made-for-TV historian and author Amanda Reyes and a new interview with screenwriter Brian Taggert.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.shoutfactory.com/product/the-spell?product_id=5158| title=The Spell| publisher=[[Shout! Factory]]| accessdate=May 3, 2018}}</ref><ref name="The Spell b">{{cite web| url=http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/The-Spell-Blu-ray/180519/| title=The Spell Blu-ray| publisher=Blu-ray.com| accessdate=May 3, 2018}}</ref> |
It was released on [[Blu-ray]] format in North America on September 5, 2017 via Scream Factory, a subsidiary of [[Shout! Factory]], under license from [[20th Century Fox Home Entertainment]] and [[MGM Home Entertainment]]. The set contains the film's original broadcast ratio of 1.33:1, DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 and English Subtitles, while special features consist of a new commentary by made-for-TV historian and author Amanda Reyes and a new interview with screenwriter Brian Taggert.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.shoutfactory.com/product/the-spell?product_id=5158| title=The Spell| publisher=[[Shout! Factory]]| accessdate=May 3, 2018}}</ref><ref name="The Spell b">{{cite web| url=http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/The-Spell-Blu-ray/180519/| title=The Spell Blu-ray| publisher=Blu-ray.com| accessdate=May 3, 2018}}</ref> |
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==Similarities to ''Carrie''== |
==Similarities to ''Carrie''== |
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With the telekinesis theme becoming increasingly popular following the release of Brian De Palma's ''Carrie'', an adaptation of Stephen King's [[Carrie (novel)|1974 novel]], many films attempted to recreate this theme, with little success; ''The Spell'' was the first to do so and although claimed that the script |
With the telekinesis theme becoming increasingly popular following the release of Brian De Palma's ''Carrie'', an adaptation of Stephen King's [[Carrie (novel)|1974 novel]], many films attempted to recreate this theme, with little success; ''The Spell'' was the first to do so and although claimed that the script was written prior to King's novel,<ref name="The Spell g" /> many similarities appear in ''The Spell'' including the opening scene in which the character, Rita, is bullied by her classmates, family issues, and telekinetic revenge. In the final scene in the film, which concerns the showdown between Rita and her mother, Marilyn, Rita uses her power to hurl knives at Marilyn; although missing her aim, it is much like the ending to ''Carrie'' in which Carrie kills her mother by launching flying knives through the air. Many films which have been considered imitations followed this, some of which include, ''[[Jennifer (1978 film)|Jennifer]]'' (1978), ''[[Patrick (1978 film)|Patrick]]'' (1978), ''[[Evilspeak]]'' (1982), and to a lesser extent, ''[[Laserblast]]'' (1978).<ref>Muir, John Kenneth{{cite web| url=https://flashbak.com/compared-to-this-carrie-was-an-angel-five-unforgettable-carrie-knock-offs-25373| title=Compared to this, Carrie was an Angel: 5 Unforgettable Carrie Knock-Offs| publisher=Flashbak.com| date=November 12, 2014| accessdate=May 4, 2018}}</ref> Other films with a similar theme include ''[[The Fury (1978 film)|The Fury]]'' (1978) and ''[[Firestarter (1984 film)|Firestarter]]'' (1984, another Stephen King movie). |
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==Further reading== |
==Further reading== |
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==Notes== |
==Notes== |
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{{ |
{{notelist}} |
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==References== |
==References== |
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{{Portal|Speculative fiction/Horror|Film|Television|United States}} |
{{Portal|Speculative fiction/Horror|Film|Television|United States}} |
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* {{IMDb title|0076747|The Spell}} |
* {{IMDb title|0076747|The Spell}} |
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* {{AllMovie title|46052|The Spell}} |
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* {{rotten-tomatoes|1019607-spell|The Spell}} |
* {{rotten-tomatoes|1019607-spell|The Spell}} |
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* [http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b770dc32b ''The Spell''] at [[British Film Institute]] |
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20180504013937/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b770dc32b ''The Spell''] at the [[British Film Institute]]{{better source needed|reason=Help request: a live link can be searched for at https://collections-search.bfi.org.uk/web/search/expert - if available, replace the archive URL with the live link. Or if none found, remove this 'better source needed' template. | date=October 2023}} |
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* {{Letterboxd title|the-spell|The Spell}} |
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* [http://www.blu-ray.com/The-Spell/716545/ ''The Spell''] at Blu-ray.com |
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* {{TV Guide movie|id=2000032941|title=The Spell}} |
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* [https://web.archive.org/web/20210625075213/https://prod-www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/414105/the-spell#overview ''The Spell''] at the [[TCM Movie Database]] |
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{{Lee Philips}} |
{{Lee Philips}} |
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[[Category:Films about telekinesis]] |
[[Category:Films about telekinesis]] |
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[[Category:Films directed by Lee Philips]] |
[[Category:Films directed by Lee Philips]] |
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[[Category:NBC |
[[Category:NBC original films]] |
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[[Category:1970s English-language films]] |
[[Category:1970s English-language films]] |
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[[Category:1970s American films]] |
[[Category:1970s American films]] |
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[[Category:Films about witchcraft]] |
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[[Category:American high school films]] |
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[[Category:English-language horror drama films]] |
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Revision as of 04:37, 9 September 2024
| The Spell | |
|---|---|
 Original promotional poster | |
| Also known as | Kirous (Finland)[1] Control Mental (Spain)[1] Den onda gåvan (Sweden)[1] |
| Genre | Horror |
| Written by | Brian Taggert |
| Directed by | Lee Philips |
| Starring | Lee Grant Susan Myers Lelia Goldoni Helen Hunt Jack Colvin James Olson |
| Composer | Gerald Fried |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| Production | |
| Executive producers | Charles Fries Dick Berg |
| Producer | David Manson |
| Cinematography | Matthew F. Leonetti |
| Editor | David Newhouse |
| Camera setup | 35 mm (CFI)[2] |
| Running time | 86 minutes |
| Production companies | Charles Fries Productions Stonehenge Productions |
| Original release | |
| Network | NBC |
| Release | February 20, 1977[3] |
The Spell is a 1977 American made-for-television horror film which premiered on NBC as "The Big Event" Movie of the Week. It is directed by Lee Philips and stars Lee Grant, Susan Myers, Lelia Goldoni and Helen Hunt. It touches on the subject of telekinesis and follows the story of an adolescent girl who seeks revenge on those who ridicule her, while her mother tries to bring an end to her evil acts. It has gained a reputation as being an imitation of the 1976 classic Brian De Palma film Carrie as several similarities are present, while it has fallen somewhat under the radar over the years and is considered a "forgotten film".
Plot
Rita Matchett is a shy 15-year-old girl often picked upon for being overweight. In her high school gym, Rita is teased by her classmates and she attempts to defend herself. The girls take turns at rope climbing and Rita struggles to climb. She is opposite snooty classmate Jackie Segall. Jackie climbs to the top and begins to show off in front of the other girls by doing spins. Rita's stare becomes fixated on Jackie which causes her to fall and break her neck, killing her.
Rita comes from a wealthy family but her home life is unhappy. She is not close to her father, Glenn, nor her younger sister, Kristina, who view her as fat and unattractive and criticize her for her looks. Her mother, Marilyn, tries to maintain a balance in the home and is constantly upset by how Rita is treated and the rivalry between her daughters. Marilyn becomes furious with Rita when her attitude begins to change. However, she grows more concerned when Rita shows signs of abnormal behaviour and starts chanting following an argument.
It later becomes evident that Rita is dabbling in something dangerous as a number of "accidents" seem to occur; Glenn is almost killed in a hit-and-run incident, leaping out of the way just in time, while Marilyn's friend, Kathleen, having been ill for some time, suddenly dies due to spontaneous combustion and Kristina almost drowns in a swimming pool. Marilyn is initially not convinced that Rita is behind these attacks, but Kristina confirms her suspicions when she reveals to Marilyn that Rita has been visiting Jo Standish, the school gym teacher, and they chant together. Rita had also threatened Kristina to keep quiet about it.
Glenn informs Rita that she will be leaving home to attend a private school in London, much to her disapproval, resulting in her acting aggressively. Marilyn sends Glenn and Kristina away for the night so that she can spend time with Rita. That evening, Marilyn follows Rita to Jo's house where she watches in secret as the two discuss the recent events and discovers that Jo caused the accidents so that Rita could seek revenge. When Jo tells Rita that their power will extend to a new community, Rita becomes upset as she believes that she will no longer be unique if there are others like her. In the disagreement, the two begin to chant, and with her powerful new strength, Rita forces Jo to the ground. Back at home, Marilyn confronts Rita and begins to chant, causing Rita to be thrown around the room. Marilyn tells her that it is over and if Rita insists on hurting her father and sister then she will destroy her. It is revealed that Marilyn also has power as Rita tries to retaliate and the pair chant until Marilyn overpowers Rita, bringing it all to an end. Marilyn comforts a sobbing Rita telling her that it is all over.
Cast
- Lee Grant as Marilyn Matchett
- Susan Myers as Rita Matchett
- Lelia Goldoni as Jo Standish
- Helen Hunt as Kristina 'Kris' Matchett
- Jack Colvin as Dale Boyce
- James Olson as Glenn
- James Greene as Stan
- Wright King as Rian
- Barbara Bostock as Jill
- Doney Oatman as Jackie Segall
- Richard Carlyle as Hugh
- Kathleen Hughes as Fenetia[a]
- Robert Gibbons as Waiter
- Arthur Peterson as Ross
- Marneen Fields as Schoolmate (uncredited)
Production
The Spell went into production in the mid 1970s, when writer Brian Taggert developed the script and proposed it to Columbia Pictures, where he intended the film to receive a theatrical release. Columbia was impressed with Taggert's writing and his take on the theme of telekinesis. However, the film was slow to get off the ground and during the pre-production process, Brian De Palma's similarly themed Carrie became acclaimed and widely successful, which resulted in the film being converted into a teleplay for a network television Movie of the Week. Taggert claimed that he completed his script for the film while Stephen King was writing Carrie. Both films open with similar scenes: Rita in The Spell is teased and picked on by her classmates, which is how Carrie opened. As The Spell premiered on NBC three months after the release of Carrie, it was seen by some as an imitation.[5][6]
Release
Premiere
The Spell was broadcast on NBC on February 20, 1977 at 8:00 pm.[3][7]
Reception
The film has received mixed reviews from critics.
In an early review by Harriet Van Horne for New York Magazine, she wrote, "You will shudder at The Spell, giggle in the wrong places and, NBC hopes, stay tuned in to learn all about telekinesis." Of actress Lee Grant, she stated, "Grant is too fine an actress for this sort of TV trash".[3]
An online review for The Terror Trap stated that the film is "overall, a little slow at times but not bad".[8] The Horror Honeys website review stated of the film: "It's not the perfect revenge film, but it is an interesting snapshot of the era and there are far worse ways to kill an evening".[9] Chris Hartley of The Video Graveyard mentions that "The Spell is pretty forgettable stuff. When taken for what it is, it's not a complete waste of time and does have some unintentional chuckles and solid performances propping it up, but it's also just another forgotten 70s TV flick."[10]
The film has been reviewed in several blog posts; in a 2009 blog post for Final Girl, Stacie Ponder said that "This is a made-for-TV effort that's fairly tame even for its time period" and "It's little more than a pleasant 70-minute diversion".[11] Jeffery Berg of the jdbrecords commented that "it's pretty preposterous, kind of boring, and sometimes hilarious."[12] When it film was reviewed in a blog post for Horror Movie a Day, it was said that "even as a TV Movie this thing is shockingly dull throughout."[13]
Home media
In the United States, The Spell received a VHS release courtesy of Worldvision Home Entertainment Inc. in 1984[14][15] following its television broadcast, which was rare considering that television films of the time were not picked up for home video distribution.[16] The film received a second VHS release in the U.S. from GoodTimes Entertainment.[14] It has been released on VHS in several European countries including Finland[17] and Spain.[18] It has never been made available on DVD format.
It was released on Blu-ray format in North America on September 5, 2017 via Scream Factory, a subsidiary of Shout! Factory, under license from 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment and MGM Home Entertainment. The set contains the film's original broadcast ratio of 1.33:1, DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 and English Subtitles, while special features consist of a new commentary by made-for-TV historian and author Amanda Reyes and a new interview with screenwriter Brian Taggert.[19][16]
It was available for streaming in the United Kingdom via Amazon Prime Video, which was added to the service on February 21, 2019 and removed on September 5, 2019.[20]
Similarities to Carrie
With the telekinesis theme becoming increasingly popular following the release of Brian De Palma's Carrie, an adaptation of Stephen King's 1974 novel, many films attempted to recreate this theme, with little success; The Spell was the first to do so and although claimed that the script was written prior to King's novel,[5] many similarities appear in The Spell including the opening scene in which the character, Rita, is bullied by her classmates, family issues, and telekinetic revenge. In the final scene in the film, which concerns the showdown between Rita and her mother, Marilyn, Rita uses her power to hurl knives at Marilyn; although missing her aim, it is much like the ending to Carrie in which Carrie kills her mother by launching flying knives through the air. Many films which have been considered imitations followed this, some of which include, Jennifer (1978), Patrick (1978), Evilspeak (1982), and to a lesser extent, Laserblast (1978).[21] Other films with a similar theme include The Fury (1978) and Firestarter (1984, another Stephen King movie).
Further reading
- Educational Institutions in Horror Film: A History of Mad Professors, Student Bodies, and Final Exams — by Andrew L. Grunzke (April 2015, Palgrave Macmillan, ISBN 978-1349500437)[22]
Notes
References
- ^ a b c "The Spell (1977 TV Movie) Release Info". IMDb.com. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
- ^ "The Spell (1977 TV Movie) Technical Specifications". IMDb.com. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
- ^ a b c Van Horne, Harriet"Out of the Frying Pan and into the Mire". February 21, 1977. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
- ^ "The Spell (1977) – Clip 2: Kathleen". YouTube (ScreamFactoryTV). August 14, 2017. Retrieved May 4, 2018.
- ^ a b The Spell (1977) (Blu-ray) (Documentary). bandsaboutmovies.com. 2020.
- ^ "A CARRIE Wannabe". Blu-ray.com. December 18, 2017. Retrieved April 26, 2018.
- ^ "Prime-time network TV listings for Sunday February 20, 1977". Ultimate70s.com. Retrieved May 4, 2018.
- ^ "The Spell (1977)". Theterrortrap.com. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
- ^ "What If Carrie Was Kind of a Dick?". Thehorrorhoneys.com. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
- ^ Hartley, Chris"The Spell". Thevideograveyard.com. June 10, 2013. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
- ^ Ponder, Stacie"Day 18: Nothing is forgotten". Finalgirl.rocks. October 18, 2009. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
- ^ "under your spell". jdbrecords.blogspot.com. October 5, 2012. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
- ^ "The Spell (1977)". Horror-movie-a-day.blogspot.com. March 14, 2013. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
- ^ a b "The Spell (1977 TV Movie) Company Credits". IMDb.com. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
- ^ "The Spell (1977)". Amazon. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
- ^ a b "The Spell Blu-ray". Blu-ray.com. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
- ^ "Spell, The (1977)". Trashvideofinland.tumblr.com. October 2016. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
- ^ "The Spell". Terrorfantastico.com. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
- ^ "The Spell". Shout! Factory. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
- ^ "The Spell". amzprime.maft.uk. Retrieved March 22, 2019.
- ^ Muir, John Kenneth"Compared to this, Carrie was an Angel: 5 Unforgettable Carrie Knock-Offs". Flashbak.com. November 12, 2014. Retrieved May 4, 2018.
- ^ Educational Institutions in Horror Film: A History of Mad Professors, Student Bodies, and Final Exams. ASIN 1349500437.
External links
- The Spell at IMDb
- The Spell at AllMovie
- The Spell at Rotten Tomatoes
- The Spell at the British Film Institute[better source needed]
- The Spell at Letterboxd
- The Spell at TV Guide
- The Spell at the TCM Movie Database
- 1977 horror films
- 1970s supernatural horror films
- 1977 television films
- 1977 films
- American supernatural horror films
- Films about bullying
- Films about magic and magicians
- American films about revenge
- 1970s horror drama films
- American horror drama films
- American horror television films
- Films about telekinesis
- Films directed by Lee Philips
- NBC original films
- 1970s English-language films
- 1970s American films
- Films about witchcraft
- American high school films
- English-language horror drama films