90s Cult Classic Dark Teen Fantasy Horror Still Casts A Spell

Now, when I first saw The Craft, it wasn’t the killer alternative rock soundtrack and teen drama that hooked me. It was the way that the film explores the darker side of desire, all the intense and chilling scenes when they tried the occult, but also the consequences of wielding such power without any kind of responsibility. The dark and daring story got the best of me. 

We are introduced to Sarah Bailey, magically portrayed by Robin Tunney as all her anger is seen and felt in the air in every scene of The Craft. She is a new student who struggles to fit in at her posh Catholic school in Los Angeles.

She has no other options than to join a trio of outcasts–Nancy Downs played by Fairuza Balk, whose dark and brooding personality drives the film forward, can be described as psychotic at times, Bonnie Harper played by Neve Campbell, whose insecurities are all erased with magic, and Rochelle Zimmerman portrayed by Rachel True, the lone black student who faces constant racist bullying.

Once Sarah joins the trio, they start believing she is the missing piece to complete the air-water-earth-fire circle and make them all-powerful. Initially, they cast small spells, but as the film progresses, a few more powerful spells fuel their confidence, but things soon spiral out of control.

With their outcast status and personal troubles, they used the spells to rewrite reality. At first, it works magnificently well, but the film turns dark when the spells backfire in terrifying ways.

Their coven crumbles as the magic they use takes the best of them, with Nancy, drunk on her unimaginable power, dives into forbidden magic. The friendship between the four girls fractures and they turn on each other.

Despite the turn to the worse, I continued to enjoy it. The Craft then goes into inexplicable events that trash the complete premise of outcasts sticking together. Nevertheless, I stuck with the film because of the dark atmospheric horror that followed, launching the film into a new direction, and from a simple coming-of-age story to a psychological horror. 

Producer Douglas Wick wanted a high school witch story, so screenwriter Peter Filardi researched and found a terrifying story on which he based his first draft. Andrew Fleming then came on board to direct and polish the script. Moreover, they had a real Wiccan adviser, Pat Devin, on board for authenticity.

Filming began in 1995 across various Los Angeles locations, transforming real places into the world of The Craft. Casting was a lengthy process with 85 actresses competing for lead roles, including Angelina Jolie, Scarlett Johansson, and others. 

The Craft hit theaters in 1996 and wasn’t a blockbuster upon release. However, it turned into a sleeper hit that grossed $55 million on a $15 million budget. Praised for its dark themes, and strong female lead characters, it was different than a typical teen movie. 

The soundtrack was released a month before the film’s release. And what a soundtrack it was. It featured artists like Heather Nova, Spacehog, and Letters to Cleo, mirroring the personalities and goth clothing styles of the lead characters.

GFR SCORE

Overall, you can see The Craft as The Breakfast Club with supernatural powers, and as such, it deserves the cult status it enjoys today. I’m not saying the film is perfect. I can say that characters are heavily underdeveloped and caught in the crossfire between Robin Tunney and Fairuza Balk characters. 

The fact that it gets darker halfway through can be a turn-off, but it eventually delivers when you start scratching your head are these girls heroes or villains by the end? 

The Craft is not currently streaming on any subscription services, but you can rent or buy it on sites like Amazon, Google Play, and YouTube.