Cast a Deadly Spell | Rotten Tomatoes (2024)

Tomatometer 1 Reviews 58% Popcornmeter 500+ Ratings

In a 1940s Los Angeles from another dimension, the entire population has supernatural abilities, save for sleuth Harry Philip Lovecraft (Fred Ward). The strange but affluent Amos Hacksaw (David Warner) trusts Lovecraft because of his distaste for magic, and he recruits the private eye to track down an ancient text. Harry's seemingly straightforward task becomes complicated when he realizes that the object of his mission contains curses that Hacksaw hopes to use for world domination.

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Cast a Deadly Spell

Critics Reviews

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Cast a Deadly Spell | Rotten Tomatoes (1) Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews It drowns in its own shallowness. Rated: C+ Sep 13, 2013 Full Review Read all reviews

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D G So bad I couldn’t get through it, and I appreciate a good bad film. This one was unwatchable. Rated 0.5/5 Stars • Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 06/10/24 Full Review Audience Member It aired on tv over 30 years ago but was largely forgotten Starring Fred Ward, David Warner, Julianne Moore, Clancy Brown I'm amazed they mix 1940s mystery-noir with supernatural creatures You don't see genres like that together very often I like that it gives it some variety having gremlins, witches, vampires, werewolves blend with gangster style filmmaking It got glowing reviews in the press and even won an Emmy for its musical numbers Yet it does seem silly to modern viewers not to mention being a tad insensitive of being homophobic and transphobic when it came out But the world building is fascinating, lots of bloody violence, I like the 1940ss setting, and the cool creature effects I liked watching it still Rated 4/5 Stars • Rated 4 out of 5 stars 09/08/23 Full Review Audience Member Carried by Fred Ward but ably supported by Julianne Moore and Clancy Brown, this is a daft but atmospheric and enjoyable 40's noir fantasy where magic is an everyday thing. The ending is entirely predictable but overall it's more than deserving of cult status. Rated 3.5/5 Stars • Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/23/23 Full Review Audience Member intresting - it's not a great film by any means, but it's kind of fun. I'm not sure if it was funny on purpose or on accident, but the creatures are quite funny. it's to a bad watch if you don't have anything better to do. Rated 2.5/5 Stars • Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 01/20/23 Full Review Audience Member "After World War I, the only thing we brought back from France was the clap. This war, they go off to the Pacific and bring back these damn gremlins!" Fred Ward ("Tremors", "Naked Gun 33⅓", "Remo Williams"), David Warren ("Waxwork", "Time Bandits", "Necronomicon", "My Best Friend Is a Vampire", "The Omen"), Charles Hallahan ("The Thing", "Warlock 2"), Clancy Brown ("Starship Troopers", "Highlander"), Raymond O'Connor ("Drowning Mona", night doorman from "Seinfeld" ep.), and Julianne Moore ("Hannibal", "The Big Lebowski") star in this Lovecraftian film noir which is set in alternate-reality 1948 Los Angeles where magic is real and common-place. Joe Dirt's dad plays HP Lovecraft, re-imagined as a gritty P.I. who refuses to use any magic, which is unusual and many question or insult this choice of his. He is hired by a wealthy man who is attempting to track down a recently-stolen spellbook. Through his investigation, the private eye learns of the power of the missing grimoire, the infamous Necronomicon. The strange blending of genres including comedy, horror, mystery, and fantasy works for the most part and the visuals fit the story well as it was made in during that short window of time when both cgi and traditional matte paintings were used. There was a sort-of sequel with much of the same cast, though Dennis Hopper now plays the Lovecraft character. Rated 4/5 Stars • Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/02/23 Full Review robert p I laughed my head off at this 1940's film noir where magic hold sway overscience. The creatures were very good, I recognized the Bad Gremlin from themovie Gremlins, I laughed at him especially. The context of this movie is all tongue-in-cheek with the central Character who does not have any magic is H. P. Lovecraft and his horrors from the great beyond!!! p.s. Though the ending was week the rest of the movie made up for it. Rated 3.5/5 Stars • Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Read all reviews

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Cast & Crew

Martin Campbell Director Fred Ward Det. Harry Philip Lovecraft David Warner Amos Hackshaw Julianne Moore Connie Stone Clancy Brown Harry Bordon Alexandra Powers Olivia Hackshaw
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Cast a Deadly Spell

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Synopsis In a 1940s Los Angeles from another dimension, the entire population has supernatural abilities, save for sleuth Harry Philip Lovecraft (Fred Ward). The strange but affluent Amos Hacksaw (David Warner) trusts Lovecraft because of his distaste for magic, and he recruits the private eye to track down an ancient text. Harry's seemingly straightforward task becomes complicated when he realizes that the object of his mission contains curses that Hacksaw hopes to use for world domination.

Director
Martin Campbell

Production Co
Home Box Office (HBO), Pacific Western

Rating
R

Genre
Mystery & Thriller

Original Language
English

Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 21, 2016

Runtime
1h 36m

Sound Mix
Stereo
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