The Worst Witch

If things never go right for Mildred Hubble, then I'm not that much of a klutz compared to her! This movie was about witches, but it's not scary; it's more family/fantasy oriented.

This movie, first aired on HBO in 1986; it stars a young Fairuza Balk (who, coincidentallly, starred in another witch movie, The Craft) as the title character, Mildred Hubble. Mildred can never do anything right...she messes up a laughter potion, and instead turns invisible; she turns Ethel Hallow (Anna Kipling) into a pig; and picks a brown and white cat to ride on her broom. Miss Cackle (Rae, from The Facts of Life) and Miss Hardbroom (Rigg) are the owner and teacher--respectively--at a respected witches academy, who are always tough on Mildred.

Ethel Hallow is part of the problem. She is jealous of Mildred and tries to make her look bad in front of everyone...things go too far when the Grand Wizard (Tim Curry, who you probably know as Dr. Frank N. Furter in The Rocky Horror Picture Show) makes an appearance at the academy to watch the Broomstick Display--which both Mildred and Ethel happen to be in. Ethel has put a curse on Mildred's broomstick to make her screw up and gets yelled at by both Miss Cackle and Miss Hardbroom.

But things will get better for Mildred! She runs away from the school (which is bad) but uncovers a plot by Miss Cackle's evil twin sister, Aggie (also played by Rae)and several of Aggie's cronies, to turn the entire academy of witches into toads. However, Mildred foils that plot when she turns them into snails. After that, things all work out for Mildred.