My hometown Mom-and-Pop video store used to have a magical “freebie” bin. This bin was the resting place for any excess promotional materials the store procured. The freebie bin rarely held any blockbuster movie posters, but it was always stocked with horror titles, and being a diehard horror fan, I outfitted my room with materials I collected from the freebie bin. (Plus, I once found a Ghost Dad shirt lurking in the bottom!) One of my favorite finds was a giant poster from Cast a Deadly Spell. This means that while many girls my age had New Kids on the Block or a fresh from T2 Edward Furlong pasted on their walls, my room was adorned with a scruffy Fred Ward (Tremors). And thus, I was set on the horror path I am still ambling down today.
Cast a Deadly Spell was an HBO original picture made in 1991. Many folks from my generation may remember this one running on repeat on the cable channel. This was back when HBO was ridiculously exclusive and cost like $10 a month extra, meaning my parents stayed tuned-in constantly making sure we got our money’s worth. Though it played on repeat for quite a stretch, it quickly fell into obscurity and never even made it to DVD.
The movie opens with a placard showing two pieces of important information: the setting is 1948 Los Angeles, and “everyone uses magic." With these two pieces of knowledge, the viewer is submerged into a hard-boiled, film noir detective plot involving a crime syndicate, dams with gams (including Julienne Moore), detectives with five o’clock shadows in rumpled suits, and plenty of magic.
You know how Steam Punk imagines that somewhere around the industrial revolution we chose to use steam technology instead of electrical? Well, this follows the same concept – only during the industrial revolution scientists perfected the art of magic. And this is much less annoying than Steam Punk.
So, by the 1940s, magic is commonplace in society. It is not only incorporated into everyday tasks like laundry, but also stronger and more dangerous versions of it are bought and sold on the black market. The strongest magic is held within a notorious book called The Necronomicon. Detective Lovecraft (get it?) is tasked with finding this book before the bad guys do. The only problem is that Detective Lovecraft is a purist who has chosen not to use magic of any type. He must fight hordes of black magic baddies with only his cunning skill and 1940s witty repertoire.
What most folks remember about Cast a Deadly Spell is the special effects, and oh they are memorable. Not only is magic everywhere in this world, but monsters co-exist with man. With entirely practical effects, Cast a Deadly Spell brings to life some wonderful critters including gremlins, goblins, werewolves, and even the Old Ones. The film may have fallen off the map for a number of reasons. First and foremost, it is fun…but it is a silly kind of fun. There is a shared understanding between the film and the audience that this is ultimately grand caricature. Presented in an almost comic book style, the dialogue is over-the-top gangster lingo not far from that of Mugsy in the old Bugs Bunny cartoons.
The situations could be perceived as over-hashed detective plots made amusing with the inclusion of monsters. And the acting is self-aware of the filmic devices at work including exaggerated emotions and winks to the camera. But though this may be off-putting to some viewers, this is also what makes the film unique and memorable. It does not take itself seriously. It is just fun! It is a merging of campy detective thrillers and monster lore. Yet, the film is likely to miss you unless you really dig both of these genres. Additionally, the shoot reportedly had various budget problems meaning some of the creature effects look much better than others. But, oh this film is still so worth it!
Cast a Deadly Spell must have performed somewhat decent for HBO because they followed it up with a “sequel” called Witch Hunt that takes place during the 1950s and uses magic in place of communism. But director Martin Campbell (Casino Royale, Green Lantern) and lead actor Fred Ward were replaced with director Paul Schrader and actor Dennis Hopper. This one is equally amusing and definitely worth a glance from any genre buffs.
Unfortunately, both Cast a Deadly Spell and its counterpart Witch Hunt are rather hard to come by. Even a very used VHS of Deadly Spell will run you about $30 on Amazon, and Witch Hunt is even higher. But there are options. I can’t tell you how to find a copy, but the Internet is a vast and glorious place where one can find just about anything.
Good luck on your quest!
