The Spell

1977

1h 26m

IMDb RATING

5.0/10

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1 Video

6 Images

Horror

TV Movie

A distraught mother must cope with her embittered daughter who has the ability to cause "accidents" to happen.

Directors

Lee Phillips

Writers

Brian Taggert(writer by)

Stars

Lee Grant

Susan Myers

Lelia Goldoni

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Top cast

Marion Matchett

Rita

Jo Standish

Kristina Matchett

Dale Boyce

Glenn

Stan

Rian

Jill

Jackie

Hugh

Fenetia

Waiter

Ross

Schoolmate (uncredited)

Leoda Richards

Party Guest (uncredited)

Directors

Lee Phillips

Writers

Brian Taggert(writer by)

All cast & crew

Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

_**Television “Carrie” knockoff fused with witchy elements**_ An outcast girl in high school is teased because she’s a little hefty (Susan Myers) but she seems to have a way of getting back at her persecutors. What’s her secret? Lee Grant plays her caring mother while Helen Hunt is on hand as her rival younger sister (at 13 years of age). "The Spell" (1977) is TV horror that mixes “Carrie” (1976) with a dab of witchcraft, paving the way for similar television flicks in the future, e.g. “Summer of Fear” (1978) and “Midnight Offerings” (1981). While this is easily the least of these due to the unlikable protagonist and a curious, slapdash tone, there are several highlights beyond the cast, such as the believable family dynamics, a well-done horror sequence involving a hex and a surprising curveball in the last act. The movie runs 1 hour, 27 minutes, with a shorter version running 1 hour, 13 minutes (the latter does a good job of editing out the fat). It was shot at Universal Studios, Universal City, California. GRADE: C+/B- (5.5/10)

Wuchak05 Mar, 2022