Cast a Deadly Spell

Damn near close. The idea of a private eye going it alone in world where magic reigns supreme is probably the ultimate extension of film noir and the hero-as-outsider. This movie captures all the charm of the Bogart 40's detective flicks and 80's type supernatural/horror F/X. It also adroitly mixes humor, horror, hard-boiled detecting, and mystery, with great performances from Fred Ward, David Warner, Clancy Brown, Alexandra Powers, Raymond O'Connor, and Julianne Moore.

Just watched this on the recommendation of a friend, and was very pleasantly surprised. It's not High Cinematic Art by any means, but it's entertaining and funny, the acting is very competent indeed, the effects, although not exactly convincing, work well with the overall theme of the piece, and the plot is coherent and credible (unusual both for mainstream comedy and mainstream horror).

I particularly like the way that it combines multiple B-movie themes most convincingly; the hard-drinking private detective (with suitably glamorous femmes fatales), the evil wizard/scientist who wants total world domination, and the well-timed slapstick comedy. The none-too-subtle references to several more serious films (Alien, Gremlins, Witness, to name but three) add a suitably post-modern touch of irony to the humour.

Just one thing. _Don't_ watch this if you're a Lovecraft fan. You'll have an apoplectic seizure. :)

This movie was excellent! The combination of old gangster, comedy, and horror was a great idea. The acting was excellent (Fred Ward rocks, as usual), and for an 80s film, it was really good (I'm not a big fan of the mall hair, brat pack, and Modonna crap that was hashed out in the big 80s).

This film, quite the opposite was very entertaining and an absolute MUST HAVE for HPL fans.

The entire movie was Lovecraft inspired and not a murder of his writings, like most of them are.

Most definitely, check it out. You won't regret it. it's a great tongue-in-cheeck, campy horror schlock that is actually well done.

If you like it, there's a sequel called "With Hunt" with Dennis Hopper as the lead. Not as good, but still entertaining.

This film rates 7 tentacles and a star shaped protrusion all the way up, on the elder god-o-meter

Fred Ward is excellent as the 1948 private eye hired to find a stolen witchcraft book, the "Necronomicon". It had to be a unique film that blends noir, monsters, virgins, zombies, and magic into a "black comedy", and that film is "Cast a Deadly Spell". There are at least a bunch of surprises along the way, as our hero tries to locate the book. The sharp tongued dialog is perfect, droll, and often hilarious, as Fred Ward, the only one who doesn't use magic, tries to survive witches spells, gangsters, and solve the case. This movie proves that you don't need CGI, if you have a creative mind behind the script, and some excellent makeup for the monsters. - MERK

It's 1948 Los Angeles and magic is real. Hardboiled private detective Harry Philip Lovecraft (Fred Ward) refuses to use it. He is hired by rich Amos Hackshaw to recover the Necronomicon. Olivia Hackshaw is the flirtatious 16 year old daughter. Connie Stone (Julianne Moore) is a lounge singer. Harry Bordon (Clancy Brown) is the mobster club owner.

The magical hard-boiled noir detective story is a great concept. It is held back by its TV level production. It could be a great action horror but it doesn't have the dark style or the budget. There is some sly humor but it needs a real comedian to pull it off. The humor comes too close to being camp. Ward could use a funny sidekick. This has some great value especially if one is familiar with the noir genre.