26 Years Later, This Bewitching Flick is Still the Best Choice for Your Halloween Binge
October exists only so that we can revisit this gem.
Like every year, October is the month of warm blankets and scary stories. Practical Magic sits at the intersection of fall's vectors of domestic comfort: 26 years ago, the film adaptation of Alice Hoffman's novel of the same name was released to a cautious, if not cold, critical reception.
But a quarter of a century later, the story of three generations of Owens family witches remains a manual for witches young and old. And all because practical magic heals souls better than potions.
What Is Practical Magic About?
It all begins with a curse: Maria Owens, a witch who escaped punishment from an angry mob, decided to take revenge on love. The women of the Owens family will no longer trust their hearts to men.
Several generations later, orphaned sisters Gillian and Sally ask their aunts how to overcome the family scenario, but they repeat the pattern again. Sally is a widow raising two daughters; Gillian is trying to escape the tight embrace of her abusive partner, Jimmy.
Practical Magic Is a Multi-Genre Work
Practical Magic is a potion of all possible genres, which confused critics at its release. A sentimental, mystical, detective story about witchcraft, domestic violence and sisterhood – a real nightmare from the point of view of producers who need a reliable brand to promote the movie.
According to director Griffin Dunne, the movie became less violent precisely because of the top-down editing – both the beatings and the attempts to send Jimmy to the afterlife looked much more sophisticated and scary.
But no matter how hard they tried to fit Practical Magic into familiar boundaries, nothing came of it. As time has shown, it's for the better.
The movie is at once frightening, uplifting, funny and a powerful injection of melodrama. But the genre's uncertainty, which was perceived as a cacophony, has become a harmonious alliance over the years: the film, with a running time of less than two hours, manages to cover several major chapters in the life of the Owens family.
Practical Magic Is the Perfect Movie for a Cold October Night
It's hard to speak for everyone, but Practical Magic, with its beautiful soundtrack, offers the fulfillment of little fantasies and whims that pop into your head from time to time: punching a bully in the nose, building a greenhouse in your house, wearing floor-length flower skirts.
Sometimes all you want to do is stand around, feel the wind blow through your hair, and be sure that the bad guys will eventually get what they deserve and your wounds will heal.
Every witch knows that a broken heart can kill you, slimy toads will fall out from under your ex even if others don't notice, lavender brings good luck, pancakes can be the beginning of a great love, and every October you have to watch Practical Magic again.