Customer Reviews:
A Classic British TV Film from the 80's.......2007-05-27
I remember this film from when I was a kid. My friend was Gloria Hobgobgoblin and we used to talk about it when she was making the film. i even saw a copy of the script. I was just 11 or twelve when it was filmed. I remember watching it on TV that Halloween. It was very cheesey but I enjoyed it, especially since I spent the whole time looking out for my friend!
A few years on, and I came across the film on IMDB and started to read the boards. It reminded me of my old friend and I ordered a copy of the dvd from Amazon marketplace in November 2006. I did not know they were re-releasing it over here for a third of the price!!
I watched it again, and there was my friend, just as I remembered her. I now have a seven year old and she loves it too! She cries out "Look mummy here's your friend!" whenever Gloria Hobgoblin is on the screen, but she loves the Tim Curry Musical interlude the best. She has just started to watch it on continuous repeat!!
It is wierd to see Fairuza as such a young child and then imagine her in the film The Craft!! It shows how she improved her acting over those few years.
I feel really proud to be connected with this film, even by association. It's a piece of classic British TV and takes me back to memory lane.
If you want clean fun and bad acting for your kids then this is the perfect family film!! Enjoy!!
Very dated compared to ITV's version, but it still seems to be a hit with the kids (well preteen girls anyway).......2007-04-19
This is the first TV film adaptation of Jill Murphy's book 'The worst witch', made around 1986. The original book was published ten years earlier (1975), and there are now another four books in the series. All the books are an easy read for preteens (8+ or less if being read to). These Worst Witch stories are based around Mildred Hubble, a young witch starting at Miss Cackle's Academy for Witches (a secondary boarding school for witches). Despite good intentions Mildred is always getting into trouble and it seems that she can't do anything right. Plus there are plenty of snooty enemies in her class who are more than happy to make her look bad. This film follows the preparation of the school for The Halloween Festival and the unwelcome appearance of Headmistress Agatha Cackle's evil twin sister. There are also a few musical numbers as well (e.g. `Growing up isn't easy' and `Halloween is my favourite time of the year'). The Worst Witch is often cited an inspiration for Harry Potter, but lacks those book's home life and complete world view, and is generally as humorous but far less dark. Plus Mildred's charm, like eternal preteen schoolboy 'Just' William, is that she never grows up. In fact HP and Worst Witch follow on from the English boarding school literary tradition of classic books like Stalky & Co, Mallory Towers, Jennings, Billy Bunter, How to be topp, and St. Trinians (hi-jinks away from parental control).
This film has an all star cast including Brits Diana Rigg (Miss Hardbroom) and a flamboyant Tim Curry (The Grand Wizard), plus Americans Charlotte Rae (Miss Cackle and her evil twin) and Fairuza Balk (Mildred Hubble - the worst witch). The mix of accents, cheesy production, `adaquate' picture quality and the relatively poor special effects in this film are the main negatives, and it compares rather unfavourably with ITV's later classy effort in 1998 (essential viewing for girls over six).
Personally I am not completely taken with Fairuza's performance as Mildred (probably just because of her accent), although she was excellent as Dorothy in the film 'Return to Oz' a year earlier. However this film does have its devoted followers, largely those who saw it on first transmission as a child. I got this DVD for my daughter (when 9) and she has happily watched it many times, despite having and loving both seasons of the later ITV Worst Witch. So in spite of it's age this film can still attract a young, probably all girl, audience. So definitely try this film if your child likes the later ITV Worst Witch (1998) and New Worst Witch (2005) TV series, as it's different enough to be seen as a prequel. Plus it is now going very cheaply on Amazon for 70 minutes entertainment - and you can actually buy it in the UK (unlike much of ITV's rather superior Worst Witch series).
Amazon.co.uk Review
Based on Jill Murphy's book, The Worst Witch is set in a boarding school for witches--complete with orange and black school uniforms, broom-flying exercises and potion assignments. The incompetent student of the title, Mildred, is played by a fetching young Fairuza Balk. Diana Rigg is the nasty head teacher, Tim Curry the (oddly) idolised Grand Wizard, and Charlotte Rae does double duty as the school's kindly dean and her evil witch twin, who's bent on taking over the school.
Directed by Robert Young, this charming film features less than state-of-the-art effects and several songs that stop the action--most bizarrely an outdoor assembly performance by Curry that turns into a weird music video. Still, pre-teen girls will identify with the beleaguered heroine who overcomes her wickedly snooty rival, a teacher who doesn't believe in her and a band of dastardly witches, and, of course, saves the day. Ages six and up. --Kimberly Heinrichs, Amazon.com
Customer Reviews:
fabulously bad!.......2006-09-13
Agreed this film is best watched when your about 8, but if u watched it first back in the 80s then its a classic! overacting and awful special effects only add to the nostalgia. Also loved by my two nieces currently aged 6 and 9 who put it in the VCR everytime they come round.
Dreadful.......2006-02-20
We bought this because our daughter loves the TV series. What a waste of money. Appalling acting, non-existent plot and poor quality filming. Tim Currey is embarassingly bad. It really is dreadful.
Wow!.......2006-02-15
This 80s made for TV movie is one of the lucky few that fall into the "so bad its actually good" category. Having read the books as a child, and being a fan of Tim Curry I eagerly watched this film when given the opportunity recently. Strangely, I was not disappointed. This film is the funniest thing I've seen in a very long time. Sure, the plot makes little sense, over-acting is rife throughout and the seriously low budget special effects are unintentionally hilarious, while Tim Curry's confusingly lecherous portrayal of the Grand Wizard is surely not suitable for a childrens film. But none of this matters. Tim Curry's infamous "Anything Can Happen on Halloween (including, apparently, a seemingly endless bombardment of shockingly bad and completely irrelevant special effects)" music video alone is surely reason enough to purchase this film. If you need anymore persuading then perhaps this film isn't for you, but I do strongly recommend that you first read X-Entertainment.com's truely excellent review of this product (I discovered it after seeing "the Worst Witch" and found it, if possible, even funnier than the film itself.) BUY IT, YOU WON'T BE DISAPPOINTED!!!!
Old Skool brilliance!! 80's equivalent to Harry Potter.......2005-10-01
Everybody born in the 80's as a child will remember the Diana Rigg movie the Worst Witch! Me and my sisters absolutely loved this movie and next to Labyrinth, called it our childhood movie! Now in our 20's we still love it and are thrilled its on video after playing to bits our worn out recorded copy from TV.
I don't think you were cool if you didn't like this movie! It's something everybody who remembers and loved this movie should own and i swear JK Rowling must have got some ideas from this as it was long existing before Harry Potter!
It just goes to show that due to the high popularity of the Worst Witch and Harry Potter, magic is surely something that captivates everyone!
Go buy this movie now and relive that Old Skool brilliance of the Worst Witch!
The Worst Witch on DVD.......2004-06-27
The Worst Witch was my most favourite book as a child and now I am a primary school teacher and reading it to my class, they love it! Move over Harry Potter Mildred Hubble is back! They really ought to release it on DVD or have a special showing on Halloween at the cinema. What a great film!
Amazon.co.uk Review
The Best of the Worst Witch DVD contains seven episodes of CITV's hugely popular Worst Witch series. Based Jill Murphy's internationally bestselling books that are said to have been an inspiration to JK Rowling and the Harry Potter books, the 25-minute episodes chronicle the hilarious adventures of would-be witch Mildred Hubble. Aimed at 5-11 year olds, the DVD starts with Mildred's first day at Miss Cackle's Academy for Witches, a secondary boarding school which emphasises discipline and traditional values but which also teaches young girls how to ride broomsticks, chant and cast spells. Mildred gets off to a flying start when arriving late on her broomstick: she crashes into the school bins!
The strong storylines (taken from three series) mainly focus on whether Mildred will make the grade as a bona fide witch, and her continuing rivalry with snooty Ethel Hallow. Whether Mildred is turning Ethel into a pig or being transformed into a frog, pre-teenagers will relate to the heroine, learning from her the importance of determination, imagination and friends. There are admirable performances from Georgina Sherrington (winner of Hollywood's "Young Artist Award") as Mildred, Kate Duchêne as the stern Miss Hardbroom, Claire Coulter as the kindly Headmistress and the renowned Una Stubbs as the eccentric Miss Bat who spends school holidays in the cupboard! The stories are not scary and the special effects are used sparingly but with good results--particularly spectacular is the image at the start of each episode of students arriving for school on broomsticks.
Entertaining, amusing and captivating, it's a real treat for pre-teenagers. --Tracey Hogan.
Customer Reviews:
Wonderful!.......2007-02-09
I bought this for my niece but, being of an age where I grew up reading the original novels, I couldn't resist watching it with her. The casting of this show is perfect, with Mildred being very likeable and a good realisation of the character. Miss Hardbrrom, too, is fabuluosly domineering and played with a repressed, wry twinkle in her eye which is a nice touch. The setting of the castle makes you feel chilly as you watch, and the stories are played out with sincerity, humour and well paced suspense. The show is a wonderful realisation of classic childrens stories which will be much enjoyed by children, and possibly their aunties as well!
Milly.......2006-06-19
The DVD has many of good episodes for the three series of The Worst Witch originally shown on CITV. I feel they have missed one excellent episode which is the televised version of The Worst Witch All At Sea which was the final book until lately. Fans of the series will find many of there favourite episodes on this DVD.
A must for pre-teen girls.- simply a superb girl's series,.......2005-01-16
An excellent series based around Mildred, a young witch starting at Miss Cackle's Academy for Witches (a boarding witch's secondary school). It's based on the few 'Worst Witch' books by Jill Murphy (an easy good read as well) - which were an inspiration for Harry Potter, but lacks those book's home life and complete world view. There are three TV Worst Witch series (year 7, 8 and 9 at school) - so it's well suited to younger secondary and primary school girls (6+). For some annoying reason only series one is available in the UK, although series 1 & 2 can be cheaply imported from the US via Amazon.co.uk resellers. In the US the series was appallingly dubbed in `American' but fortunately a 'UK English' version is always available as a DVD option. This DVD has seven episodes taken from all three series, including the first one screened, and three from the unavailable series three, and so is very good value for a fiver or so. The episodes on the DVD are: Series One - Battle of the broomsticks, A pig in a poke. Series Two - Old hats & new brooms, It's a frogs life. Series Three - The Witchy Hour, The Unfairground and The uninvited.
These DVD's are still my 11 year old daughters favourite viewing. They aren't as dark & scary as Harry Potter (as Mildred, like eternal preteen boy Just William, never grows up). Plus all the child & adult cast are really excellent in their roles - Miss Hardbroom [Kate Duchene] even turned down a role in the Harry Potter film to remain true to her TV character. The special effects are actually quite good as well and even the 'Cackles Academy' theme tune very catchy.
Typical quotes: "Magic must not be used for selfish or trivial ends!" - Miss Cackle, "Confidence and control, Mildred - that's the secret of success." - Miss Hardbroom. So highly recommended for non-boy offspring - this series is easily a notch above the average TV sitcom or teen movie. The new Worst Witch (Mildred's cousin) is now screening on CITV, which is also great, but sadly (and fortunately) only Miss Cackle's actor remains in the cast.
The Worst Witch - but the best entertainment!.......2004-08-27
I watched these when my daughters were very young on TV. Now that they are older, we are enjoying them over again in video & DVD. These books were around when I was young! Its the closest to Harry Potter you can get, all filmed beautifully, wonderful scripts and there is a real 'magic' about Mildred Hubble and her friends Maud & Enid and their adventures at Cackle's Academy. If you liked the Narnia series, then these are a just as wonderful treat for kids. The series is suitable for younger children as well as pre-teens, so its something you can all watch together! We love 'em!
FANTASTIC!!!.......2002-07-05
This is a really good DVD for children and adults who eithe enjoyed the books or enjoyed the series on CITV a couple of years ago, these stories predate the latest series shown recently on CITV "Wierdsister College" The imagination involved in this masterpiece is incredible and is only let down by a slightly average cast. It is rumerered that J.K.Rowling used The Worst Witch as inspiration when she wrote the famous Harry potter books.
The stories centre around Milly who is "The Worst Witch" and she just cant seem to stop getting into trouble, no matter what she does everything seems to go wrong for her, but Milly is no ordinary girl and is at no ordinary school, Cackles Academy is a school for witches where the girls learn spells and potions as well as broomstick flying. Imaginative and immensly enjoyablethe Worst Witch is certainly good light fun for all the family, adults and children alike!!!
Customer Reviews:
Essential for Pre-teen girls - Episodes 1-6, series TWO.......2005-11-25
An excellent series about Mildred a young witch starting at Miss Cackle's Academy for Witches (a boarding witch's secondary school). It's based on the few 'Worst Witch' books by Jill Murphy (a child’s easy good read as well).
This DVD set 'Old Hats & New Brooms' has the first six episodes taken from the second series (year 8), and so is very good value. It's not avialable in the UK. Note that in the US this UK/Canadian series was badly dubbed in ‘American’ but fortunately there is a ‘UK English’ option in the DVD setup menu. The rest of series one (episodes 7-13) is on the 'Up in the air' two DVD NTSC set, also available from Amazon.co.uk resellers (it has a yellow cover).
These DVD's are still my 11 year old daughters favourite viewing and would suite 8 upwards. They aren't as scary as Harry Potter and all the cast are really excellent in their roles - Miss Hardbroom [Kate Duchene] even turned down a role in the Harry Potter film to remain true to her TV character.
Typical quotes: "Magic must not be used for selfish or trivial ends!" - Miss Cackle, "Confidence and control, Mildred - that's the secret of success." - Miss Hardbroom. So highly recommended for non-boy offspring - this series is easily a notch above the average TV sitcom or teen movie.
Customer Reviews:
Essential for Pre-teen girls - Episodes 7-13, series One.......2005-11-25
An excellent series about Mildred a young witch starting at Miss Cackle's Academy for Witches (a boarding witch's secondary school). It's based on the few 'Worst Witch' books by Jill Murphy (a child’s easy good read as well).
This DVD set has the last seven episodes taken from the first series (year 7), and so is very good value. Note that in the US this UK/Canadian series was appallingly dubbed in ‘American’ but fortunately there is a ‘UK English’ option in the DVD setup menu. The rest of series one (episodes 1 to 6) is on the 'Battle of Broomsticks/Mean Halloween' two DVD NTSC set', also available from Amazon.co.uk.
These DVD's are still my 11 year old daughters favourite viewing and would suite 8 upwards. They aren't as scary as Harry Potter and all the cast are really excellent in their roles - Miss Hardbroom [Kate Duchene] even turned down a role in the Harry Potter film to remain true to her TV character.
Typical quotes: "Magic must not be used for selfish or trivial ends!" - Miss Cackle, "Confidence and control, Mildred - that's the secret of success." - Miss Hardbroom. So highly recommended for non-boy offspring - this series is easily a notch above the average TV sitcom or teen movie.
Customer Reviews:
A Must See DVD.......2005-05-08
This is the best dvd i have ever seen its full of Adventure, Excitement, Fun, Fright And laughter. I Love the worst with i think its really good to watch. i love all the characters too they are great including Mildred Hubble and all here friends (Maud, Enid, Ruby and Shadu). This DVD is A Must See DVD
A must for your pre-teen daughter.......2005-01-19
Superb TV series based around Mildred, a young witch starting at Cackles Academy (witch's secondary school). There are three seasons (year 7, 8 and 9 at school). They aren't as scary as Harry Potter and all the cast are really really excellent in their roles. The special effects are actually quite good as well. My daughter absolutely loved this series as a preteen, along with her various Cinderella/Barbie DVDs (Worst Witch is ideal for girls aged 6 to 11). Now twelve, my daughter has moved on to the rather sympathetic 'Charmed' and 'Bewitched' TV shows (and the 'New Worst Witch'). So highly recommended for non-boy offspring - this series is a notch above the average adult or kiddies sitcom. At the moment 'The new worst witch' (Mildred's younger cousin) is showing on CITV (where sadly, and fortunately, only the original actress for Miss Cackles survives - but it's great viewing none the less).
This DVD has only the first three episodes of Worst Witch season one (out of thirteen) - so also check out the cheap Amazon resellers Region 1 NTSC double DVD sets if you want all the rest of them. Plus they offer the entire season two series, another thirteen episodes, that you can't get in the UK. In the US NTSC sets The Worst Witch was very badly dubbed in 'American' but fortunately the 'UK English' version is available as an NTSC DVD option so that you can hear the original casts voices. See www.galafilm.com/worstwitch for a details of all the episodes and cast (seasons 1 to 3). Sadly season three isn't available anywhere, although you can get three episodes from it on the UK's 'Best of the Worst Witch' DVD.
Product Description
Region 2 compatible,will play on all UK/European players,A spell-binding series based on the best selling books by Jill Murphy. Accident-prone Mildred Hubble is the worst witch that Miss Cackles Academy for Witches has ever known. She cant ride her broomstick without crashing, her spells are always going spectacularly wrong and even her cat isnt regulation black. But Mildred manages to struggle by until she gets on the wrong side of Miss Hardbroom and spiteful teachers pet Ethel Hallow.
The Worst Witch is a magical send-up of school life, where chemistry class is a magic potion lab, choir practice a place for chanting spells and broomsticks are ridden instead of bicycles... 26 Episodes:
Season 3 Epsisodes:
27 Secret Society
28 An Unforgettable Experience
29 Which Witch is Which?
30 The Witchy Hour
31 Learning the Hard Way
32 The Hair Witch Project
33 Just Like Clockwork
35 Art Wars
36 Power Drill
37 Better Dead Than Co-Ed
38 The Lost Chord
39 The Unfairground
40 The Uninvited
Season 4 Epsisodes:
41 The All-Seeing Eye
42 Never on Friday
43 The Gargoyle
44 The End of Misery's
45 All That Jazz
46 Dreamcatcher
47 Dr. Foster, I Presume!
48 The Seventh Sense
49 The Golden Cauldron
50 Good Friends
51 Shaky Foundations
52 The Whisperer
53 The Gate of Power
Customer Reviews:
Essential for Pre-teen girls - Episodes 7-13, series TWO.......2005-11-25
An excellent series about Mildred a young witch starting at Miss Cackle's Academy for Witches (a boarding witch's secondary school). It's based on the few 'Worst Witch' books by Jill Murphy (a child’s easy good read as well).
This DVD set 'Up in the air' has the last seven episodes taken from the second series (year 8), and so is very good value. It's not avialable in the UK. Note that in the US this UK/Canadian series was badly dubbed in ‘American’ but fortunately there is a ‘UK English’ option in the DVD setup menu. The rest of series one (episodes 1-6) is on the 'Old Hats & New Brooms' two DVD NTSC set', also available from Amazon.co.uk.
These DVD's are still my 11 year old daughters favourite viewing and would suite 8 upwards. They aren't as scary as Harry Potter and all the cast are really excellent in their roles - Miss Hardbroom [Kate Duchene] even turned down a role in the Harry Potter film to remain true to her TV character.
Typical quotes: "Magic must not be used for selfish or trivial ends!" - Miss Cackle, "Confidence and control, Mildred - that's the secret of success." - Miss Hardbroom. So highly recommended for non-boy offspring - this series is easily a notch above the average TV sitcom or teen movie.
DVD:
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- Tom And Jerry - Classic Collection - Vol. 4
- Tom And Jerry - Classic Collection - Vol. 5
- Tom Thumb [1958] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
- Toy Story 2 [2000]
- Treasure Planet [2003]
- UFO - Volumes 1-4 Collector's Edition [1970]
- UFO - Volumes 5-8 Collector's Edition [1970]
- Wacky Races - Vol. 1
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The Worst Witch Collection
The Worst Witch - Vol. 1
![Return To Oz [1985]](http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B0001IMCDE.01.THUMBZZZ.jpg)
Return To Oz [1985]
The Worst Witch - Vol 2
The Best Of The Worst Witch
![The Worst Witch: The Movie [1986] (REGION 1) (NTSC)](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/21MFVME6HXL.jpg)
