The Spell

The Spell (1977)

Runtime: I saw the 73 minute version

Directed by: Lee Phillips

Starring: Lee Grant, Susan Myers, Helen Hunt (!), James Olson, Lelia Goldoni

From: This originally aired on NBC

How hadn’t I heard of this movie until last night? When it was stumbled upon while scrolling through Prime, it was noted as being a made for TV picture featuring a “fat teenage girl” (to use the harsh Prime synopsis) who “causes terrible accidents with her mind”… now what does this remind me of? Before pressing play, I only knew it starred Lee Grant; imagine my shock at seeing HELEN HUNT in the opening credits. Only afterwards did I realize this was a rare TV movie which was released on VHS; a few years ago Scream Factory put out the film on Blu, and it was a longer 86 minute cut. Prime had the original 73 minute version in SD, so it was like I was back in February, 1977 when this made its debut on NBC.

From hearsay, the screenplay for this film was written concurrently to when Stephen King wrote Carrie. Even if that’s true, the beginning & finale alone solidify that the De Palma movie was an inspiration. Thankfully, the rest wasn’t an Italian-style ripoff where little is changed. Rita is the “fat teenage girl,” although she was more chubby than obese. She wasn’t 300 pounds, let alone the size of Brendan Fraser in The Whale. That said, it’s not a surprise that 15 year olds would bully someone who is even a little different—I know the feeling. Life at home is a mess: only mom Lee Grant has a warm relationship w/ her. She detests both her father and 13 year old sister Hunt. When strange events start occurring… the title is a hint.

The movie is uneven and it is 70’s made for TV horror thrills, for better or for worse; only one death is rather gnarly. Plenty of this is drama, yet it still compelled me as it showed that both parents (especially the aloof dad) prefer the thinner, less eccentric Hunt. Perhaps it’s not a surprise that Rita can occasionally be a terror at the age of 15. Some other performers I did recognize, such as Lelia Goldoni & James Olson-one day I should track down the cult favorite The Mafu Cage, which stars Grant and Olson-although I do have to mention Susan Myers as Rita. For someone w/ a brief career, she did rather well.

I was amused by the more histrionic elements & did not lose my attention during the dramatic dialogue-heavy scenes; performances fine across the board, a score that’s hilariously of its time at times, a wild ending… again, it’s a mystery to me why I never heard or remember hearing about The Spell in the past.