Cast a Deadly Spell (1991 TV Movie) User Reviews

A classic B movie

[the_tevildo · 7/10 · 9 September 2005]

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. :)

intriguing concept

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 10 February 2018]

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.

"Dark comedy" ... unique and entertaining ........

[merklekranz · 7/10 · 16 August 2016]

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

Strange, beautiful... unforgettable

[flatline-1 · 13 November 2004]

This is an unique film, an example of a poorly known film that strongly deserves more. It's taste on mixing a 40's detective story with the alternate past in which "everyone used magic" (as the initial screen says) is strange, tasty, and makes this film to be in its own classification. I've never seen other film like that.

Let's say that the plot is not an original one... an antihero fighting for the freedom of the world, and he hardly knows what he's doing. The most wonderful is the charm of the epoque, the constantly appearing "magic tricks" (like the pub with an entrance but no building), the songs singed by julianne moore... just unforgettable.

Los Angeles 1948. Everybody uses magic.

[GertrudeStern · 7/10 · 8 August 2016]

I knew this was going to be a very special made-for-TV movie when, inside the first 5 mins., the lead detective, H. Phillip Lovecraft, holds up a voodoo doll and says, "it's the murder weapon".

Watching Cast a Deadly Spell is kind of like watching The Maltese Falcon if it were produced by the people responsible for the Disney Channel original movie Halloweentown.

The magic is awesomely inventive. In a cat and mouse scene, a hardened henchman whose boss just got swindled out of a text has to figure out which bathroom stall the swindler is in. He puts water into his hands and blows on it. The water steams and then turns into a bolt of fire that he throws across a bathroom floor to burn out his mouse. When the swindler offers the henchman money, the henchman spells the cash into a flurry that lacerates his prey until he is unrecognizable.

Lovecraft, our Bogart who strikes a match on anything but his matchbook, is an anomaly -- he doesn't use magic for "personal reasons". Everyone is chasing after the Necronomicon, and Lovecraft is tasked with hunting it down the old fashioned way.

Next time you find yourself in the mood for cheesy noir fantasy, throw this on. It rains blood, virgins have special killing powers, gargoyles track people, prehistoric creatures rise from tomato sauce and zombies work in construction.

CW: there are some insensitivities to queer/trans culture; racial fetishism.

This needs more people knowing about it!

[BandSAboutMovies · 7/10 · 31 December 2020]

A HBO TV movie that combines film noir, late 40's Hollywood, H.P. Lovecraft's Ancient Ones, magic and monsters, as well as turns by Fred Ward and Julianne Moore? Why isn't this movie not discussed all the time?

Let's change that.

Unlike the rest of 1948 Los Angeles, private detective H. Philip Lovecraft (Ward) doesn't use magic. He relies on his fists, his smarts and his gun. He's been hired by Amos Hackshaw (David Warner, as always absolutely perfect) to find chauffeur Larry Willis, who has stolen a book called the Necronomicon.

You know that it can't be that simple, right?

There's also the virginal Olivia Hackshaw (Alexandra Powers, who played Tonya Harding in a TV movie but is now part of Scientology's Sea Org), who is the key to a much greater scheme, plus Lovecraft's old flame Connie Stone (Moore) has an angle, too. Look for appearances by Clancy Brown (the Kurgan from Highlander), Charles Hallahan, Arnetia Walker as a witch who aids our hero and Curt Sobel, who in addition to playing the band leader, won an Emmy for his song from this movie, "Who Do I Lie?"

Director Martin Campbell would go on to make GoldenEye and Casino Royale. This looks way bigger and better than a TV movie and would have made a great series for HBO, back in the days before they actually did that as often as they do today. The special FX are also perfect, making this feel like a lost 90's direct to video movie.

HBO did make a spiritual sequel, Witch Hunt, which had Dennis Hopper take over for Ward and the story move to 1953 and magic take the place of Communism.

By the way, the Owl Wagon Cook is George Wilbur, who played the Shape in Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers and Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers.

Much Better than Anticipated

[Man99204 · 7/10 · 13 October 2016]

This is a visually stunning movie. The look of 1940s Los Angeles is beautifully captured. Also stunning is a very young Julianne Moore in an early role.

The writing is a notch or two better than is common in this genre. The superb supporting cast has some wonderful Noir-ish "Snappy retorts".

The only flaw in this movie are the incredibly BAD BAD BAD not so special effect. They detract from any otherwise enjoyable movie. Yes, there are viable wires the hellish critters dangle off of. Yes, the "gremlins" are stolen directly from the movie of the same name. (And add absolutely NOTHING to the overall movie). The quality and complexity of the special effects were cutting edge in 1955. Unfortunately this movie was filmed in 1991.

The last ten minutes of the movie are very disappointing. The film speeds along for what you assume is a magnificent resolution. When the end finally comes, it is more with an anticlimactic whimper before it fizzles out.

Over all movie rates an 8. Special Effects rate a TWO.

Quite enjoyable...

[paul_haakonsen · 6/10 · 24 March 2020]

Oddly enough I had never heard about "Cast a Deadly Spell" before now in 2020, and that was because a friend recommended it to me, given my fascination and love for all things Lovecraftian.

So with the notion of this being a Lovecraftian movie, I must admit that I had some expectations to this 1991 movie.

And I will say that the movie was entertaining and enjoyable, and yeah it most definitely was Lovecraftian for sure, but it was done with an equal amount of light comedy and tribute that it actually worked out quite well. I must admit that at first I had to get over the fact that the character was named H. Philips Lovecraft, but hey, a minor obstacle.

I was rather impressed with the cast that they had for the movie. Fred Ward really carried the movie quite well, and I will say that he hardly got the acknowledgement he should get for his performances in movies, he actually is quite talented. The movie also had the likes of Clancy Brown, Julianne Morre and Charles Hallahan on the cast list. But most impressively and so fabulously well-cast for the movie was David Warner, just a shame he didn't have a larger role on the screen.

The effects were actually quite good and are still watchable today. Sure, they bear signs of being from 1991, but still hold their own rights in 2020.

If you like Lovecraftian things, then I can warmly recommend that you take the time to sit down and watch "Cast a Deadly Spell". I am rating it a well-deserved six out of ten stars.

Greatest movie that's never seen

[Hokum-2 · 10/10 · 5 October 1998]

This is such a fun movie, everyone I've shown it to has tried to swipe my rather beat up copy... If you're a fan of hardboiled detectives, the works of H.P. Lovecraft, horror mixed with comedy, Fred Ward, or watching movies in slow motion to find all sorts of cool stuff going on in the background, then this film is for you...

Sadly, you CAN NOT PURCHASE this film, unless you find it used. HBO only released it to video rental stores, even though it's lesser sequel is available just about anywhere. To make matters worse, all tapes come with a Macrovision copy block. Bummer...

So, if you can find it, grab it quick, before someone else does!

Phillip Marlowe vs Cthulhu!

[lowlandermg · 7/10 · 14 September 2023]

A whiskey stream of consciousness review.

Surprisingly fun noir fantasy comedy. Fred Ward plays H. Phillip Lovecraft private eye hired to find a missing book. The book? It's the necronomicon of course! It's 1948 and everyone uses magic. Everyone except Lovecraft who refuses to be under anyone's control. Clancy Brown plays another baddie seeking immortality. The guy is great in these roles. Really suave in this one. Julianne Moore's talents shine, but she is perhaps underwritten as the Femme Fatale. Speaking of suave baddies... can't forget David Warner at his best. The writing is purposely over the top but immersive and at times very funny. Between all the wisecracks and euphemisms, and the many "magical" effects, this film may need to be watched again to catch all the subtleties. At times cheesy with some lower end costumes (The dancing gargoyle), it also has some good gore and other creature effects mixed in. Original and well "crafted" surprise film whose protagonists save a virgin and the world from the blackest of Cthulhu evils. Could have had a more explosive climax, but still worth the journey. Conjured with a dram of Elijah Craig Barrel Proof. Cheers!

More satire than homage

[Gregorso · 4/10 · 24 May 2012]

As much as I like Fred Ward and David Warner and the noir detective genre, this film is just a bit too silly. Filled with references to the writings of H.P. Lovecraft, this film seems to be satirizing Lovecraft's work rather than paying homage to it. The ending is way too predictable.

There are lots of interesting concepts (zombie henchmen, etc.), but they just seem like individual characters/gimmicks made for a Role Playing Game.

Producer Gale Anne Hurd hooked up with Fred Ward after she split from James Cameron (who hooked up with Linda Hamilton after making Terminator 2). They worked together on films like "Tremors"which have credits for 4- Ward Productions, so I wonder if that's a company she created in honor of Fred Ward.

If Ever A Movie Could Be Called "Unique," This Is It!

[ccthemovieman-1 · 8/10 · 22 March 2006]

I wonder why this isn't a movie that people know? After all, it is definitely unique and fun to watch, and how many films do you know that are a combination 1940s film noir and horror? Man, this is a real "curiosity piece."

It's Los Angeles and 1948 and everyone, except the hero (Fred Ward) is using magic, occult witchcraft-type stuff (which this reviewer hardly endorses). Ludicrous, yes, but fascinating and funny in parts.

Too bad this isn't out on DVD because the colors and atmosphere just ooze 1940s. It's also simply great entertainment. Juliane Moore looks gorgeous and Ward is likable in the lead role. He has the authentic look of a private eye, and I like the idea that he has more morals than all the other characters in the movie combined.

If any story can be called truly "unique," this is one of them.

Amusing Detective Horror Comedy

[gwnightscream · 6/10 · 17 November 2021]

This 1991 horror comedy stars Fred Ward, Julianne Moore, Clancy Brown and David Warner. This takes place in the 1940's where we meet Lovecraft (Ward), a private detective who refuses to use magic like everyone else. Soon, he's hired to find an ancient book for wealthy businessman, Hackshaw (Warner), but others try to retrieve it for corrupt, club owner, Bordon (Brown) who is also Lovecraft's ex-partner. Moore (Hannibal) plays Connie, Lovecraft's ex-girlfriend & lounge singer.

This is an amusing flick with a good cast and neat make-up effects.

About as far from the spirit of Lovecraft as you can get

[Leofwine_draca · 4/10 · 23 December 2015]

Horror comedies are either hit or miss affairs. When they're good (RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD, EVIL DEAD II), they're good. When they're bad (EVIL ED), they're bad. Sadly, CAST A DEADLY SPELL falls into the latter category, but at least it tries very hard. The humour ranges from farcical to crude, and becomes downright embarrassing at times, very childish. At other times it's quite witty.

There are a lot of horror movie references here for fans, and some visual jokes which are pretty good - such as the zombies at the building site. However, the gargoyle humour is just plain sad and childish and I really have no idea who could find that sort of thing funny. A couple of scenes are totally ripped out of other, better films, such as the cursed parchment in the restaurant and kitchen scene (similar to the parchment in NIGHT OF THE DEMON) and the scene where a farmer shoots at a gremlin (which is directly taken from the scene in EVIL DEAD II where Bruce Campbell shoots at his severed hand).

As a film, CAST A DEADLY SPELL is not very satisfying. The plot is a muddled, twisting mish-mash of themes which never really gel together very well, being part comedy, part murder mystery, part thriller, part horror. The actors don't help. Julianne Moore is the love interest and is only mildly less annoying than she was in THE LOST WORLD: JURASSIC PARK. Clancy Brown (HIGHLANDER), a fine actor, is given little to do, while David Warner (FROM BEYOND THE GRAVE), who has starred in countless horror films, is given even less. The bulk of the film therefore rests on Fred Ward (TREMORS), but he hasn't much to do with the plot except to try and work out what's going on, while romancing Moore. Ward's wisecracking, fast talking Lovecraft is at first amusing but soon becomes tiring.

If you can bear to sit through until the end, there's an okay sort of monster, but it's hardly the type of Old One that Lovecraft himself would envisage. Not very faithful to Lovecraft, it's best if you try and think of this film as a contemporary affair that merely uses the characters and monsters of Lovecraft's imagination for comic value. Otherwise, you may find yourself very offended indeed.

Cthulhu rises again!!

[ddukart · 12 January 2007]

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

When Hammett Meets Potter

[brian2sevenmedia · 6/10 · 16 May 2022]

One of the first projects I remember as an agent assistant is "Cast A Deadly Spell." We had quite a few clients read for the roles, but none landed it. To memorialize the passing of Fred Ward, I revisited this.

It's a cross between a Dashiell Hammett story & Harry Potter. Ward played gumshoe Harry "Phil" Lovecraft, who gets hired by Hackshaw (David Warner) to recover the Necronomicon stolen from him by the next night at midnight, since he has a very important spell he needs to cast then.

Phil is an ex-cop that refuses to use magic & has questionable taste in ties. His former partner Harry (Clancy Brown) is now a crime boss & integral into the theft of the #book.

In his pursuit, the trail leads Phil to Harry's club, where femme fatale & former lover Connie (Julianne Moore) performs.

At the top of the movie, we see that the original thief was Mickey (Ken Thorley), who was planning on using it to run away w/ his lover Lily (LeeTergesen).

But while Phil is doing all the heavy lifting getting the book back, including have to fight a giant gargoyle, he's being shadowed by Det Grimaldi #PeterAllas. Well, at least until he sees Olivia (Alexandra Powers), Hackshaw's daughter, an integral part of his plan, which gets spoiled by love.

I love the cleverness of the mashup. The EFX are a little cheesy, as it's 1990 effects. What's REALLY fun is seeing how young all these actors look. This took place just before Moore broke out in "Hand That Rocks The Cradle." And OMG Brown looks like a baby! Dir Martin Campbell would later go on to direct "Casino Royale." So, there's a lot of pedigree here!

There's actually a sequel to this called "Witch Hunt" but they replaced Ward w/ Dennis Hopper. IDK why.

Kudos to casting director Pam Dixon for putting together such a talented cast w/ actors before their big breaks.

RIP Fred Ward You were a big part of the movies I love & you will be missed.

The Vidiot Reviews

[capone666 · 6/10 · 25 June 2013]

Cast a Deadly Spell

The problem with living in a world where magic is possible is all of the tacky wardrobes you have to see everyday.

Thankfully, the magicians in this mystery dress in 1940s garb.

In an alternate universe where magic exists, a clichéd PI that hates the black arts, H. Phillip Lovecraft (Fred Ward), is hired by an affluent client (David Warner) to retain a tome for him called the Necronomicon.

To do so, Lovecraft must not only navigate the supernatural streets of L.A. but also his on-again off-again ex (Julianne Moore).

All the while, Lovecraft is unaware that his obtaining of the Necronomicon will ultimately unleash the Old Ones, an ancient monster race that will enslave the city.

Part Dashiell Hammett detective yarn, part Lovecraftian horror. This HBO produced amalgamation has the hard-boiled lingo and the slimy subspecies of the two genres down pat.

But beware: Lovecraftian dames usually have tentacles.

Yellow Light

vidiotreviews.blogspot.com

It's better than you'd think

[iraava · 6/10 · 1 March 2021]

The cast is pretty solid but the movie struggles with identity problems. It doesn't really go in enough to be funny per se, missing great opportunities and beats with the magic that could be as good as Beetlejuice. For example the femme fatale singing scenes could be hilarious if she sang about something more stupid and magical since the lyrics aren't great as they are, but they're still focused on heavily for a whole long scene. Besides not being funny enough for comedy, it isn't really scary or suspenseful enough to feel like a true horror or noir either. The horror effects are cool and campy but they lack some of the edge from the likes of the eighties Gremlins and fall a bit more on the side of cartoonish, probably because of the budget. Otherwise the film looks to be of surprisingly good quality.

Similarly to the humor, the magic doesn't quite permeate most scenes enough, except for being pushed in the dialogue, so as a viewer you keep forgetting it's supposed to be a _magical_ noir until something sort of random highlights it for you again. Also the idea of a sidekick could really work for it's advantage, maybe using the already intresting characters of Hypolite or Thadius more, for example.

I wish this movie was redone by someone like Mel Brooks, if they upped the anti on the humor this could be a really great movie in the vein of The Producers. As it is, it's a fine B-movie to slap on when you don't feel like doing much thinking, theres some fun "fast talking high pants"-dialogue in the classic noir-vein, but you wouldn't miss that much if you didn't see it either.

Great concept, mixed result

[kgwrote-854-104240 · 7/10 · 29 May 2022]

I saw this when it came out on cable tv and key scenes do stick in the memory (the gremlins, the ending) and yet it is virtually forgotten (like most HBO movies of the time).

The concept is very clever, a Roger Rabbit-inspired film noir universe involving the supernatural, Lovecraft is the perfect name for a private eye. We only get glimpses of that such as unicorns or vampire hookers. There could have been more background activity to sell this universe but I understand budget limits.

Fred Ward looks the role but his voice is often muted compared to the other cast members--it was distracting at times. Richard Boone did a tv noir film spoof in the 1970s--playing a burned out detective, but his voice was powerful by comparison.

Also, the weakness of the male lead (in actions) shows this film suffers from a state of political message insertion which now seems so obvious when you look back at older productions like this. His office neighbor helps him a little too much, even providing a lawyer as well as a magic bracelet which undermines the theme--a man who doesn't want or need magic. Well he needs a lot of diversity support.

Lovecraft spends much of the movie reacting to things and although he does initiate the turn of events which leads to the outcome of the story, it is so indirect and unintentional.

Compared to Sam Spade or Philip Marlowe or even Eddie Valiant, he's not doing anything important in the story which is a big strike against it in being memorable as something other than a clever gimmick and homage to horror films such as Night of the Demon and The Haunted Palace.

Fantastic mesh of hard-boiled noir, and Lovecraftian mythos.

[timeras · 9/10 · 2 July 2006]

I first saw this when it premiered on HBO in '91. With a Who's Who cast of character-actors, this first-rate production by Gale Anne Hurd (of James Cameron/Terminator fame) and directed by Martin Campbell (soon to direct Goldeneye and Mask of Zorro)is a brilliant mesh tribute to the works of HP Lovecraft. With a firm tongue-in-cheek, the viewer is taken along on the latest case of H. Phil Lovecraft, private detective in a 1948 Los Angeles where "everybody does magic". A relatively new happening, magic is real...everyone uses it, except Lovecraft. Fred Ward turns in one of his best performances to date as the hard-boiled detective, wise-cracking his way through every situation. Julianne Moore is spot-on as Phil's ex-girl, the sultry songbird in his former partner(Clancy Brown)'s club. David Warner is perfect as Lovecraft's effete client, Amos Hackshaw. It's a sharply-written noir tale with more than a few Cthulhu references, and adds some more generalized fantasy for spice. Pay attention to the details, this is where the picture really shines- from the everyday applications of magic, to the snappy banter between Lovecraft and pretty-much everyone, it's an enjoyable escape from reality-TV. The creatures are passable, not the best by today's CGI standards, but certainly not the worst seen in some straight-to-video bombs. The writing is stylish and inventive, with some really ingenious scenes/situations. Martin Cambell's direction takes you right along with Lovecraft, with some brilliant cinematography. The casting is terrific as well. I was never bored. One of my top-20 favorite films. I can't wait for a DVD version, if it ever appears. A terribly disappointing, not-so-great sequel called "Witch Hunt" was done in '94 with a completely different cast & director.

What a waste of talent

[machrf · 1/10 · 28 January 2021]

This movie has so many great actors in it and yet it is painful to watch due to no fault of their own. Julianne Moore can play the Ivory girl next door, the gorgeous female, and in this movie a drop dead gorgeous fox and a half. Fred Ward at the time played a number of quirky movies that made him a hit. I do remember people talking about this at work and having favorable comments made about it. I never saw it in its entirety or it had the same affect on me then as it does now. I lost interest with all the odd ball characters and scenes. Especially, the gremlin scurrying through the house. It was so poorly done it was not entertaining at all. At least gremlins, came off great. The great cast could not save this awful script. I am glad it did not have too awful an affect on their careers.

Blend of tension and humour

[Junkill · 8/10 · 27 January 2000]

It is rare to find a film that can actually be funny and still mount very real tension (Ghostbusters and Galaxy Quest are two examples that have succeeded). This film does so in very good noir-ish style. Rife with inside jokes that should appeal to any fan of the hard-boiled detectives, horror movies, Lovecraft and film noir. Fred Ward and David Warner are perfectly suited in this film.

celebration of stupidity

[iik71 · 1/10 · 20 August 2019]

This is such a stupid movie.

HPPYLY, you CAN NOT PURCHASE this film. HBO only released it to video rental stores, even though it's lesser sequel is available just about anywhere. To make matters BETTER, all tapes come with a Macrovision copy block.

So, if you can find it, grab it quick, before someone else does and you will regret it for your whole life!

The best...?

[Gislef · 9/10 · 19 August 1998]

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.

Hugely entertaining blend of Film Noir, horror and comedy. It shouldn't work but it does!

[Infofreak · 23 June 2003]

On paper this made for TV movie should stink. But it doesn't. A hugely entertaining blend of Film Noir, horror and comedy, 'Cast A Deadly Spell' is great fun. The movie is set in an alternate 1940s America full of witches, zombies, vampires and werewolves where everybody uses magic. Everybody that is except gumshoe H.P. Lovecraft (Fred Ward - 'Tremors', 'Henry And June', 'Miami Blues'). Ward was born to play this role, and his performance helps make this one a sheer delight. The supporting cast is also well above average, and includes cult favourite David Warner ('Straw Dogs', 'Time After Time) as a client who hires Lovecraft to get back a rare book stolen from his collection (yup, you guessed it, the Necronomicon!), Julianne Moore ('Safe', 'Boogie Nights') as a sexy nightclub chanteuse, Clancy Brown ('Buckaroo Banzai', 'The Highlander') as an ex-cop turned gangster, and 'The Thing's Charles Hallahan as a straight-shooting detective. I usually don't care for movies that mix horror and comedy, but this one really does it well, and the affectionate Noir touches make it incredibly enjoyable. Unfortunately the sequel ('Witch Hunt'), which has Dennis Hopper playing Lovecraft instead of Ward, is a huge disappointment, despite being directed by Paul Schrader of all people! 'Cast A Deadly Spell' is a highly recommended good time, especially if you are a fan of 1940s detective fiction/movies and Lovecraft's Cthulhu Mythos. I loved it!