subject: Charmed and Dangerous [print this page] Charmed and Dangerous Charmed and Dangerous
It's unmistakable that the 90s was the decade of the teen witch. Movies and television shows were packed with young witches with attitude, leading to a craze among teenagers that had young girls and boys looking and feeling the part alongside their favourite televised witches.
One of the main contenders when it comes to deciding just what was responsible for the teenage fascination with the world of witchcraft, paganism and the occult is the memorable 1996 movie The Craft. Starring Fairuza Balk, Robin Tunney and a decidedly young-looking Neve Campbell, The Craft showed witchcraft at its most alluring - and dangerous. Following a group of teenage girls who began to dabble in witchcraft in order to help themselves cope with the trials and tribulations of high school life, The Craft showed just how much that famous Spiderman saying - "With great power comes great responsibility" - rings true. When several of the girls go bad after a power rush goes to their heads, karma kicks in and teaches them the valuable lesson about the corruption caused by power.
However, it wasn't all serious during the 90s. With television shows gracing prime time children's TV hours like Sabrina the Teenage Witch, a pre-teen comedy starring Melissa Joan Heart as the eponymous lead, we learned just how much magical powers could impose on a teenager's attempt at a normal life. Talking cat Salem and Sabrina's two zany aunts Hilda and Zelda provided the perfect backdrop to this show, which was enormously popular in its heyday and remembered fondly by many Nickelodeon kids even today.
Of course, it's impossible to do a roundup of famous witches from the 90s without mentioning the cast of Charmed. Appearing on our screens a year after the first episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Charmed followed the lives of three sister witches - adults, this time - and their difficulties in leading normal lives while attempting to save the innocent victims targeted by evil demons, as well as their own at various intervals. Charmed ran for eight seasons, beating Buffy by one, and remained fairly popular throughout its entire run.
Finally, the witchy romantic comedy that was Practical Magic, starring the bewitching duo that is Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman, was another late 90s treat that charmed adults and kids alike with its magical themes alongside good old fashioned romcom stylings.
It's easy enough to catch the witchcraft shows and movies of the 90s on TV and you can compare Sky packages to ensure you get the one where you're most likely to find a magical treat or two. Happy witch hunting!
