Witch movies for Halloween? We got ya covered!

What would Halloween be without the classic image of the witch flying across the moon? For many, the holiday just wouldn’t be the same without her cackling good nature welcoming in the eeriest time of year. The sorceress has had a fantastical history that is simultaneously enchanting as well as terrifying.

The witch existed in the pagan days of Rome when juvenile deities looked down upon their worshippers from the fabled peaks of Olympus, to the mystic fogs of Salem where fear of their very existence drew a shroud of gloom over every heart.

These enchantresses have enthralled our imaginations for centuries. This is the witch, full of mystery and wonder.

In his ground-breaking horror masterpiece, Suspiria,  Dario Argento asked audiences, “What do you know about witches?” So, it is with that in mind that I present to you some bedeviling movies about witches to help you with the Halloween spirit.

Witch Movie Recommendations for Halloween

Sleepy Hollow – (1999)

In a film more famously known for the phantasmal charge of the Headless Horseman as he rides his hellish steed across the shadowy countryside, we learn that the true power behind the demonic Hessian is a mysterious witch from the woods. This inclusion to Washington Irving’s immortal ghost-story adds a fresh new layer to the beloved American fable and takes us deep into some new and foreboding territory.

image courtesy of 20th Century Fox

The crime of the century takes an unexpected turn towards the paranormal and it’s up to Ichabod Crane (played by Johnny Depp) to hunt down the enchantress who stole the Hessian’s skull and holds the power to summon the Horseman from Hell. Heads do roll as the Horseman unleashes his wrath all across Sleepy Hollow.

I love this one and it’s a great film to turn on for Halloween.

Hocus Pocus – Disney (1993)

You know this was a must on a list like this. The Sanderson sisters three lure little children to their cabin deep in the woods with plans to drain the life essence out of their innocent little hearts. Kind of grim, but Disney was pretty metal back in the day. The sisters are stopped in our prologue, but, as is typical with a vengeful enchantress, Winifred Sanderson (Bette Midler) places a curse upon her accusers and vows to return to complete her witchy plans.

The bulk of the film takes place in (then) modern Salem – which was (then) in the early 90’s. We follow a brother and sister (Omri Katz, Thora Birtch) team who must make the best out of being in a new home, a new town, and a whole new State. Moving is hard and it’s not easy fitting in. So to impress a local girl, older brother Max Dennison (Katz) lights the black-flamed candle and brings the three witchy sisters back from the dead. Shenanigans follow as we get some fun and zany antics from the lovable witch trio.

image courtesy of Disney

The Sanderson sisters are the stars of the show. Brought to life by the larger than life trio – Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy – they are irresistible! Each one with a unique talent to hunt, lure and trap their young prey. In essence, this could have been one heck of a creepy horror story. Three dastardly witches who eat children in order to restore their own lives is a creepy concept. This is played for laughs though and it’s impossible not to crack a smile while watching it.

You’ll be happy to let yourself fall under their spell. And for true fans, Spirit Halloween gives you a chance to decorate your lovely home with Hocus Pocus goodness. Check it out here.

Some of the acting is cringy, but this is a beloved classic and is fun to watch this time of year. Hocus Pocus is a Halloween classic and is something you can watch with the entire family.

Suspiria – dir. Dario Argento (1977)

This one film made Italian director, Dario Argento, a horror icon. Had Argento directed nothing but this single movie his name would still be immortalized among the annals of terror. Suspiria is a visual cascade of nauseating colors and phantasmal sounds all whirling in a raging vortex to assault our primal sense of dread.

image courtesy of cinapse

It’s about a foreign student entering a prestigious German dance academy, a dream come true really. However, this little dream quickly turns nightmarish as we learn about the diabolical secrets poisoning the elite academy. Death stalks the halls and strikes cold and sharp, and without pity.

This is the first movie to introduce us to Argento’s Three Sisters trilogy.  The story was continued in the follow-up film, Inferno (1980). It was finally completed with The Mother of Tears (2007). Suspiria is known for its striking visuals that leave viewers often times feeling enchanted as well as very unsettled. Goblin’s soundtrack is simply striking in this cinematic triumph and completes the film’s bizarre atmosphere. It remains a must-see for horror fans.

image courtesy of IMDB

A remake has been planned for the longest time and finally will be seeing the light of day. Personally, I have mixed feelings about the remake. Anyone who knows the original film will know its simply a film that can’t be repeated. It was a product of its time and they caught lightning in a bottle with it. Instead of letting that bit of bolt bounce around in its bottle someone thinks they can do it again. We’ll see if it’s a success or if it joins the valley of discarded remakes.

The VVitch – dir. Robert Eggers (2015)

I had to see this one twice at the theater upon its release. There’s something very unnerving about the look and feel about this one. There are plenty of critics for the film, but I genuinely love it. It captures that isolated sense of puritanical dread the old world so exquisitely suffered from. It’s (very sadly) part of our history, and that fascinates me.

Set in creepy New England back in 1630, the movie follows a family sent into exile because of the simple crime of conflicting views of faith. They must start afresh from the ground up and have only themselves to depend upon. Tensions mount quickly and neither their temperament or sanity can withstand the harrowing trials to come.

image via IMDB

A shadow looms over the household as deeply-rooted fears of witchcraft and devilry haunt them from the neighboring forests. This was a time when people truly believed Satan walked the dark woods of the world and could come knocking at your bedroom door come nightfall. It was an age of communal hysteria, a witch hysteria. This movie excels at capturing that forelong terror.

It’s a darkly glowing gem to experience for Halloween.

Witch’s Night Out – (1978)

Does anyone else remember this one? Oh my God, I remember thinking this might have been something I made up. I saw it back when I was a kid and think it aired on the Disney channel way back when. However,  for years no one knew a thing about this little Halloween special other than me. Then in 2016, HULU picked this up and suddenly people were talking about this delightful cult classic.

This is a cartoon produced out of Toronto and is about a witch who has a bad case of the blues. At the same time, two little kids are equally perplexed because their Halloween costumes just aren’t scary enough. They want to scare the ever-living crap out of everyone they know.

image via IMDB

So in utter defeat at the lack of scares, the kids wish they could be real monsters. This Halloween wish reaches the ears of our witch. “A call! I have a call!” she exclaims and promptly turns the children into a real werewolf and ghost. They decide to go to a local Halloween party and, well it all goes nuts.

This is a fun gem that you can also watch with the kids. It’s an entertaining witch film that (once again) takes place on Halloween night.

The Halloween That Almost Wasn’t – dir. Bruce Bilson (1979)

We end with another underrated Halloween special. In this good-natured short film, the holiday itself is at stake! Could we be losing our favorite time of the year for good?

That’s the rumor. So dire is the news that Count Dracula (Judd Hirsch) summons all the classic monsters we know and love to his castle to resolve this terrifying possibility. Each monster has a specific role to play on Halloween, but no one is more important than the Witch (Mariette Hartley) who must fly over the moon. Otherwise there just couldn’t be a Halloween.

image via IMDB

That’s right, my Nasties. If the Witch refuses to fly over the moon at midnight Halloween will be forever lost.

The Witch is feeling quite under-respected by her fellow monsters and – more importantly – the world. She’s sick of being unappreciated and has decided to quit, which means there’s no one left to fly over that moon.

Halloween clearly dangles by her decision and it’s up to Dracula to convince her of her importance. Can he do it or is the holiday lost for good? Another family-fun Halloween flick to be enjoyed by kids of every age.

Something spooky, something zany, and something scary. That’s the idea of Halloween and the intention of each of these films.

Do  you have a favorite witch movie? Let us know in the comments section below.