The witch in the window screen preview is a horror movie that centers around a witch haunting a family in a small town. The preview starts off with a picturesque view of a quaint house nestled in the countryside. The house is portrayed as tranquil and inviting, but as the preview progresses, a sense of unease grows. The main character, a father named Simon, moves his young son, Finn, to the house after a divorce. However, Simon soon discovers that the house is not as peaceful as it appears. In the preview, we see Simon spending time with Finn, trying to create a sense of normalcy in their new home.
In fact, the slippage of time is steeped heavily into the film’s narrative. A cracked window corner prompts Simon to say, “We’re the house doctors, you and me. Get in there, make the bad parts look good…turn this into some place someone would want to live.” The subtext is spackled on just thick enough to become text: if eyes are windows to the soul and the house reflects the core, then the homestead provides a soft but pervasive metaphor for Simon’s appraisal of his family as a broken one that needs repair.
Likewise, Tacker s precocious performance is complemented by that of Alex Draper; he desperately attempts to be the grownup, the bearing wall that supports his son s load as well as his own. Lydia is the titled Witch, and her spectral appearance in a window five minutes into the film is the only instance of on-the-nose folly to be found in the lean 77 minute runtime.
In the preview, we see Simon spending time with Finn, trying to create a sense of normalcy in their new home. The main idea of the preview is the presence of a witch that appears in the window screens of the house. It is hinted that the witch is haunting the family and causing disturbances.
Movie Review: Take a good look at Shudder’s “THE WITCH IN THE WINDOW”
Partnered with Jesse Holland, Andy Mitton emerged over the last few years as a skilled practitioner of modest yet deep-creeping horror with YELLOWBRICKROAD and WE GO ON. His first solo effort, THE WITCH IN THE WINDOW (debuting today on Shudder), once again demonstrates his facility at crafting an absorbing narrative and raising the hackles while working on a small scale.
Despite the title, this isn’t a black-magic tale but rather a ghost story, and a good deal of it is a drama about the fractured relationship between a father and son. Recently divorced Simon (Alex Draper) is about to start flipping a house in Vermont when his wife Beverly (Arija Bareikis) insists he take their 12-year-old son Finn (Charlie Tacker) for the summer. The boy has committed some sort of unspecified transgression on the computer, and some time in a rural environment might do him good. Simon hasn’t been a true part of his son’s life for some time, and Mitton and his two leads do a swift and sincere job of establishing their estrangement, with Simon’s renovation of the house an unforced metaphor for his attempts to rebuild his relationship with Finn.
The home, of course, has a history, involving a woman named Lydia (Carol Stanzione) who previously lived there and cultivated a fearsome reputation. Such an outcast was she that after she died, her body remained seated in front of a window for weeks before anyone figured out she had passed…but she’s not really gone. She begins turning up in that chair again, and in odd corners and the back of the frame, as Mitton teases us with both her barely seen presence and her stillness when she’s front and center. At a time when specters of all sorts are often brought to screen life via digital effects, it’s admirable how Mitton can evoke anticipatory chills with a simple lateral move of the camera.
THE WITCH IN THE WINDOW is not just about eliciting fear from the audience, but exploring what it does to people and how they cope with it. Specifically, Simon does his fatherly best to shield Finn from the darker side of life, not realizing that the boy is smarter than that and can see through Simon’s well-intentioned attempts to protect him. Simon even sends Finn home when Lydia’s presence becomes more pronounced, leading to an eerie story turn that’s particularly effective for the understated, matter-of-fact way Mitton handles the reveal. Throughout THE WITCH IN THE WINDOW, even as the supernatural elements come more to the fore, the writer/director doesn’t lose sight of the basic human emotions—sorrow, guilt, yearning for redemption—at the core of the scenario. The movie runs only 77 minutes, which proves to be just the right length for Mitton’s simple, heartfelt and occasionally quite frightening tale, which comes to an understated but resonant conclusion reminiscent of the ending of THE SIXTH SENSE—the first ending, before the big twist.
- Andy Mitton
- Shudder
- THE WITCH IN THE WINDOW
Partnered with Jesse Holland, Andy Mitton emerged over the last few years as a skilled practitioner of modest yet deep-creeping horror with YELLOWBRICKROAD and WE GO ON. His first solo effort, THE WITCH IN THE WINDOW (debuting today on Shudder), once again demonstrates his facility at crafting an absorbing narrative and raising the hackles while working on a small scale.
The preview creates a spooky atmosphere with eerie music, jump scares, and creepy visuals that hint at the witch's presence. Throughout the preview, we see Simon becoming increasingly scared and concerned for his son's safety. Finn also seems to have a connection with the witch, as he is seen talking to her through the window screen. This connection raises questions about the true nature of the witch and what she wants from the family. The witch in the window screen preview creates a sense of anticipation and curiosity in the audience. It leaves viewers wanting to know more about the witch and her intentions. Overall, the preview sets the stage for a thrilling horror movie that explores the supernatural and the impact it can have on a family..
Reviews for "A Frightful Delight: The Witch in the Window Screen Preview"
1. John - 1-star rating
I found "The Witch in the Window" to be a complete waste of time. The plot was slow and uninteresting, and the so-called scares were nothing more than predictable jump scares. The acting was mediocre at best, with weak performances that failed to evoke any emotion or investment in the characters. The film lacked any real substance or depth, and I was left feeling bored and disappointed by the end. I would not recommend watching this movie.
2. Sarah - 2-star rating
I had high hopes for "The Witch in the Window" based on the screen preview, but unfortunately, it fell short of my expectations. The storyline had potential, but it lacked proper execution. The scares were too few and far between, and when they did happen, they were more laughable than chilling. The characters were underdeveloped, and I struggled to empathize with their struggles. Overall, the movie failed to deliver on its promise of being a captivating horror film, and I was left feeling underwhelmed.
3. Mike - 2-star rating
I watched "The Witch in the Window" expecting a gripping and terrifying experience, but I was sorely disappointed. The film lacked originality and relied too heavily on overused horror tropes. The pacing was slow, and the story failed to keep me engaged. While the cinematography was decent, it wasn't enough to salvage the film. Overall, "The Witch in the Window" failed to deliver any genuine scares and left me feeling unsatisfied. I would advise skipping this one and opting for a more compelling horror movie instead.