It’s September, and that means the Halloween Season is officially upon us. Fall is on its way, so horror fans everywhere are busy prepping their ultimate Halloween experiences. That, of course, includes movies, and some put us in the mood a bit more than others.
While summer horror is certainly an important thing (hello, Jaws), cozy fall horror films are often the perfect vehicle for getting you in a Halloween mood. But sometimes you don’t need specific autumnal settings to get you into the spirit. Sometimes you just need a witchy vibe, and one of the all-time great witchy vibe movies is now on Prime Video.
The Craft, Andrew Fleming’s classic teenage witchcraft movie, turns 30 next year, and it still holds a dark power among fans. The story of four girls who find a bond, and eventually a battle, in their shared witchcraft practice, it’s one of the most influential horror films of the 1990s. The cast – led by Robin Tunney, Fairuz Balk, Neve Campbell, and Rachel True – is amazing. The black, witchy clothes are immaculate. And of course the soundtrack, featuring alt-rock covers of classics, is timeless.
Technically speaking, The Craft is not a fall movie. Most of the action takes place in the spring, but because Sarah (Tunney) has just moved to a new school, the film has that Back to School Fall energy going for it. It also, of course, has plenty of atmosphere, courtesy of overcast beachscapes, thunderstorms, and isolated woodlands perfect for dark rituals. It’s a film that just screams Halloween, no matter what season you’re in when you watch it.
But The Craft’s enduring legacy is about more than just nostalgia and the right vibes. In the nearly three decades since its release, The Craft has proven to be a vital emotional touchstone for horror fans around the world. Reflecting on the film for its 25th anniversary, Dread Central’s Tyler Doupe’ called The Craft a film that still “encourages us to embrace what makes us unique, rather than trying to fit in at all costs.” You can read Tyler’s appreciation of the film in full right here.
After almost three decades, The Craft stands alongside Scream as one of the most impactful high school horror films of the 1990s. They share cast members (Skeet Ulrich is also a part of The Craft ensemble), themes of isolation and unlikely friendships, and of course, cultural footprints. Scream might have been the bigger hit, but just ask anyone who’s ever donned all-black clothes and lit a candle in the hope of changing their fortunes through magic, and they’ll tell you: The Craft is a Halloween essential.
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