Halloween is my favorite time of year specifically for the reason that HBO annually aired THE WORST WITCH! I have been watching this ever since 1986 & it just gets better each time! Fairuza Balk delivers a fun performance, as does Diana Rigg as the hard-edged Mrs. Hardbroom. But the cake has to go to Charlotte Rae (in a dual role) and the undeniable Tim Curry in a cameo. Charlotte role really shines as the Evil Queen Aggie, who along with her sidekick Delilah want to take back her school that her sister (Rae again) now runs. Not for the tuition money or the prestige, but just so she can bring back her song. BEAT ON IT DELILAH! "Scale of dragon, tooth of wolf. Dropped into the bottomless gulf. Venomous vipers come to us, covered in evil, ooze & puss! So if you're filthy!(FILTHY) Smelly! (SMELLY) Evil, wicked & cruel...you'll feel right at home in my little school. My lil school..Mine Mine MAMAMAMAMAMAMAMAMINE! Yeah!" Tim Curry later flies in (literally) as the Grand Dragon & delivers his own effects laden production number of "Anything can happen on Halloween." I don't know which were more unbelievable, the effects or Tim Curry as a sex symbol. Oh well to each his own. Ethel Hallow is ultimate foil & delivers a performance reminiscent of Nellie Olsen from Lil House on the Praire. Be sure to check it out.

In my opinion, any film where Tim Curry sings is a delight. Although I am not a fan of a lot of the horror Mr. Curry has created, he is perfect in the Worst Witch. Seeing this for the first time at the age of eight back on the Disney Channel in 1986, I was blown away with the story and the actors in the movie. Balk, only a child at the time was a wonderful actress before she hit the big screens. She would later go on to do the sequel to the Wizard of Oz as Dorothy. A lot of the cast members in this movie went on to do other notable movies including The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe. Overall, a perfect Halloween movie for girls and boys. It's funny that Harry Potter has a lot of similar tones and scenes that are equal to the Worst Witch.

Still a great movie almost 20 years later. Check it out!

While I'm no fan of the TV series, I've always loved this movie. It teaches younger people to keep trying, no matter who says what. It teaches them that perseverance is more important than talent. Work at it, and keep working at it, and eventually, you'll get it right.

Years after, when I was first exposed to Harry Potter, I couldn't help but think, "rip off." There are SO many common points and characters that it seems blatantly obvious. But so many people don't seem to realize that all the key players of this work eventually made it into the HP cast of characters. Their sex may have changed, or the beautifully rich characters here may have been split into two less complex characters in the later work, but they're all there.

Professor Snape and Professor McGonagal are obviously different sides/aspects of Diana Rigg's Hardbroom.

Professor Dumbledore, an obvious male version of Miss Cackle.

Harry is Mildred, and Ronald Weasley is Maud.

Furthermore, Draco Malfoy can be found here, in the form of Ethel Hallow. Hardbroom gives Mildred nothing but a hard time in potions class, Miss Spellbinder (Madam Hooch to the HP fans) is trying to teach the first years how to fly, and they're all getting ready for a visit from Tim Curry's Grand Wizard (the HP's Minister of Magic).

While this group of young witches play terror tag rather than Quittich, and it is an all girl school instead of going co-ed, the obvious comparisons are staggering.

Watch the Worst Witch for the movie, which started the whole visual magic revival.

It rates an 8.8/10 for being ORIGINAL from...

the Fiend :.