Nearly 25 years ago...A group of self-proclaimed witches add their voices to the chorus of dissent over plans to film a sexy supernatural tale on the New England seacoast. Plans by Warner Bros. to film the John Updike novel "The Witches of Eastwick" on location on the Rhode Island coast first ran into opposition by deacons of the United Congregational Church of Little Compton, who last month voted to bar crews from using the church's interior. The possibility that the film might now be shot in Massachusetts triggered protests from the other end of the religious spectrum. "I think this is very demeaning to Massachusetts, to New England, to women and to witches," said Laurie Cabot, designated by the state as the "official witch" of Salem, Mass. "It's an anti-witch, anti-Christian, anti-women book." The novel, set in the fictional town of Eastwick, R.I., portrays the exploits of three mischievous, bisexual witches who rid themselves of their husbands and plunge into a steamy relationship with a mysterious man who appears to be a warlock. "It's very silly," said Cabot, a member of the Council of Isis Community, a 2,000-member witches group. "It's also very damaging. Witches are not evil or satanic. We don't go around killing people's husbands. We're not a bunch of sex-starved housewives."

That said...let's get on with the movie...

While the first half contains some devilish fun and a score composed by John Williams, the latter portion becomes monstrously monotonous, in part parodying The Exorcist with projectile vomiting and an over-the-top diabolical performance reminiscent of The Shining.

Rated R for randy subject matter and language but no nudity (unless one counts baby boys being lifted out of a tub).

Three female friends in Eastwick, Mass., discover that when they think the same thought simultaneously they can influence events, such as the weather. Individually they have been left husbandless by death, desertion, and divorce; together they make a wish for "A tall dark prince traveling under a curse." Beware of what you wish for.

The widow, Alexandra Medford (Cher), is a sculptress of goddesses ("boobie dolls"); just divorced and childless, Jane Spofford (Susan Sarandon) teaches band at Lenox Elementary School and plays cello; the abandoned mother of six, Sukie Ridgemont (Michelle Pfieffer), is a journalist/columnist for the local newspaper.

A mysterious stranger (a man of "riveting" appearance but whose name people have difficulty recalling) suddenly arrives in town and purchases the Lenox mansion along with all the pianos he can find. Sensing something untoward inside Eastwick, editor Clyde Alden's (Richard Jenkins) wife Felicia (Carel Struycken), after breaking her leg in a freak accident, reverts to a "medieval morality," hysterically raving about evil everywhere.

Daryl Van Horne (Jack Nicholson), "Just your average horny little devil," first makes acquaintance with Alex, offering her lunch in his huge home before proposing they exercise their libidos in his bed. "You have demonstrated every loathsome characteristic of the male personality and even discovered a few new ones," retorts Alex: "You are physically repulsive, intellectually retarded; you're morally reprehensible, vulgar, insensitive, selfish, stupid. You have no taste, a lousy sense of humor, and you smell."

Not sure why it is but I loved Cher in this role!

Next he visits Jane at her residence, expressing his having an "uncontrollable appetite in every department." During a discussion of Eastwick's Puritan history of witch burnings, Daryl explains that physicians were originally behind the comburent persecutions of midwives to eliminate their competition. Demonstrating his considerable musical skills violently on a violin, he then teaches her - "Precession is the foundation of passion" - how to release her passion with her cello, setting her instrument and her heart on fire.

Before seducing Sukie, Daryl engages in a supernatural tennis game of doubles with his trio of weird sisters. Daryl makes a video of his three ladies describing their dreams of disintegration, disappearance, and Sukie's question: "I don't know why there has to be so much pain."

As their fellow townspeople turn against them, the three friends realize, "We make things happen" - terrible things. But when they collectively shun Daryl - "When we make mistakes, they call it evil; when God makes mistakes … it's nature" - he gets really pissed off and punishes each according to her worst fears. To save themselves and their community, they apply their witchcraft and voodoo on Daryl to send him away.

Somehow this was later turned into a musical for the London and Broadway stages.

All three women were amazing in their roles and never got the credit they deserved, and of course Jack Nicholson was the perfect choice for this movie. This might be a good Halloween movie but not for the kiddies so grab their bowl of Halloween candy and hunker down with the lights off and have a bewitching good time!

Till Next time........

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