The Spell (1977)

This Movie Can Only Be Described With One Word.

Good idea lost in the noise

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

Excellent characters with emotional depth. My wife, daughter and granddaughter all enjoyed it...and me, too! Very good movie! You won't be disappointed.

***SPOILERS*** Carrie clone that has homely but, unlike she's made out to be in the film, slightly overweight teenager Rita Matchett get revenge against her tormentors both in school as well as at home by using her telekinetic powers that we later learn that she was born with. It's the slim and sexy looking Jackie who's the first of Rita's victims who loses her grip while doing the Indian rope trick hitting the floor of the gym breaking her neck. Jackie made the mistake of getting under Rita's skin by calling her "Tubo" and "Fatso" every time she saw her.Back at home it was Rita's dad Glenn who always treated her like she was dirt or dog poop that got her to take revenge against her kid sister the slim and athletic looking Kristina, the apple of her dad's eye,whom she caused to lose her balance as well as coordination while competing in a swimming contests at school. It was in fact Rita's weird looking swimming coach Jo Standish a secret master of the black arts who took Rita under her wings and gave her the power by chanting together with her a number of unintelligible "Mombo Jumbo" phrases to do her tormentors in. There was also the spaced out and creepy looking Dale Boyce an expert in the paranormal who realized just what Rita was all about but knew that no one would believe him or that Rita would do him in if he ever opened his mouth about her. So he kept it-his mouth- shut all throughout the movie keeping it, his terrible secret, from both the police and the school authorities.***SPOILERS*** Most of the real action was saved until the very end of the movie when Rita was ordered by her dad ton take a flight to Great Britain to get rid of her as well to see the changing of the guard at Buckingham Placer that really flipped her out. The last thing that Rita wanted to see is those clowns in their red coats and fur hats making monkeys out of themselves for the public's amusement. This had Rita strike out not at her dad but Jo Standish whom she now felt was just using her and her telekinetic powers for her own selfish advantage. ***MAJOR SPOILER*** It turned out that the person behind Rita's supernatural powers was non other then her All-American & apple pie looking mom Marilyn Matchett who once was a witch herself in what seemed like another lifetime! And she also kept that secret from Rita until she got so out of hand, in destroying everything in sight, and finally had to put an end to it!

Every teenager has dreamt of having the mental power to smite their enemies. In the late 1970's, Hollywood gave that power to a select few. The made for TV production `The Spell' (1977) was a well done version of the theme, and fell between `Carrie' (1976) and `The Fury' (1978) in both chronology and style. `The Spell' came closest to the altered reality that most of us envisioned when running this scenario in our own teenage mental movie house. No ultra-evil-parents or goody-two-shoes types (Carrie) and no spies and secret organizations (The Fury).Instead, `The Spell' presents the story of a regular out of place teenager in a regular unfair world. She finds that she suddenly has telekinetic powers, and the revenge that most of us dreamed about becomes a reality for her. The pacing is a little choppy, but the heart of the story unfolds nicely. The world is still unfair, she just doesn't realize that it is now HER that is being unfair to those who don't have her secret power. The result is a ‘teenage telekinesis' movie that actually relies on character rather than special effects for its most important moments. While the parents in the other two movies were either nuts (Carrie) or non-existent (The Fury) the parents in this movie are loving people who are trying to provide some proper guidance to a daughter who just seems to be changing from a timid young girl into a smart-ass teenager. Hallmark moments were never like this

I saw this movie several times on television while growing up. I can still remember this movie quiet vividly. Lee Grant does a great job portraying a mother who plays favorites with her kids. A young Helen Hunt plays her favorite daughther. The jealously between the two daughters has horrifying results as "Susan" wraps herself in the occult to get even.

For this movie to be a made for television movie, it was definitely one of those you can't forget. I saw this movie when I was around 10 or 11 and here I am now 33 and have been searching for years to purchase it. I can remember every detail about this movie. The girl on this movie make CARRIE look like a goodie two shoes. (Smile) This is definitely one to add to the horror collection.