Burnt at the stake by most critics, this jolly and juicy slice of witchery-pokery proves less than half as black as its reputation. Its cauldron bubbles with funny lines and sensationally good special effects and - eye of newt! - it has Bette Midler looking like a Spitting Image puppet of herself as the leader of a trio of Connecticut witches who return from the dead 300 years on, thanks to stupid teenager Max lighting the black candle at the museum that was once their home. If they can breathe in enough souls of children, the witches will live forever. Attempting to see that the tartar-tongued trio come to a bad end instead are Max (Omri Katz), his girlfriend (Vinessa Shaw) and kid sister (Thora Birch), a vengeful 300-year-old cat and a zombie. The latter, resuscitated by Midler, changes sides, despite her exhortation to 'Follow those children, you maggot museum'. The ending goes too far into sentiment, but Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy are right on the mark as the other witches: highlight of the action is their acting as raddled Ronettes to Bette's singing sorceress when the trio invade the local hop.

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