The story of "The Amulet and the Anthem of Little Sofia" is a heartwarming tale about a young girl named Sofia who finds herself in a difficult situation. Sofia is initially filled with joy as she is chosen to sing the national anthem at her school's annual Independence Day celebration. However, her happiness quickly turns to sorrow as she accidently loses the amulet that her grandfather gave her. Sofia embarks on a quest to find the amulet, desperately searching every corner of her school. Despite her efforts, she cannot seem to locate it. With the celebration only hours away, Sofia is overcome with anxiety and despair.
With the celebration only hours away, Sofia is overcome with anxiety and despair. It seems like her dream of singing the anthem will not come true. Nevertheless, Sofia's determination leads her to unexpected places.
Faiuza balk the wotst witch
I gotta be real – for the most part in this Halloween TV Party, I intended on covering primarily animated specials. These are the stuff I grew up watching and what I most dearly connect with the holiday all the way into adulthood. I do plan on mixing it up a bit by throwing in a couple of live-action TV specials here and there (as I’m doing right now), but I just want to make this fact a bit more concrete moving forward. Okay, now that we’ve got that settled, here’s what I watched recently!
The Worst Witch is a British made-for-TV film that is based off a successful series of children’s books by Jill Murphy. It aired first on HBO and then on the Disney Channel during the Halloween season, up until around 1996 – which explains how I never saw it as a kid, since I was too young to have discovered TV! As the title alludes, this film is about a young witch-in-training named Mildred (played by Fairuza Balk in only her second role since Return to Oz) who has been deemed the “worst witch” by both her peers and instructors, in a sort of proto-Harry Potter institution. The bulk of the narrative in the first half shows a number of instances wherein she struggles to keep up with other witches – mixing potions, casting spells, flying on her broomstick. To add insult to injury, even her assigned cat is a gray and white tabby instead of a black cat like the rest of her classmates, since her headmaster claims to have run out of black kittens.
Immediately, the cheapness of this film’s aesthetic is clear. While the costumes are just the right amount of garish to be more endearing than anything else, the set design is a tad more painful to look at. The flying scenes are accomplished by a tremendously gaudy green screen effect; in many of the shots, the clipping is so distractingly poor. Even more ridiculous is the decision to add voice-acting for the cats, with numerous scenes given this annoying, “meow, meow, meow” backing noise that doesn’t really work. Still, there is something pretty charming about the cheapness of this production. This is pretty much sealed sometime in the first act of the program where we see a troupe of witches cackling and plotting the downfall of the school, while singing a fun musical number dancing around a bubbling cauldron. It’s this kind of campy goodness that makes the Halloween season so great.
But let’s clear the air by mentioning what has got to be the very best thing about this special – Tim Curry as the Grand Wizard (don’t read too much into that title, please). His character is introduced as a special guest for the school’s annual Halloween fest. He isn’t in the movie for very long, but he does bring the second of the movie’s two musical numbers through what I could only describe as a 70s psychedelia music video. It’s an ungodly amount of green screen and just as cheap-looking as the previous instances of green screen – but even better. Really, this scene just has to be seen to be believed. I’m sure that if I had watched this movie at all as a youngster, I would have eaten up these visuals and the accompanying song as well!
As for the non-campy parts of this special… well, there aren’t too many. But it’s comforting to see that Fairuza Balk demonstrates an impressive amount of vulnerability and range at such a young age. It soon becomes clear that much of Mildred’s failures are actually a result of senseless bullying by fellow classmate Ethel, and the special becomes more of a tale of how Mildred can rise above this while also finding her place in the world. It’s quite a pleasant, wholesome adolescent tale, while having enough of the spooky Halloween aesthetic to keep things interesting. It’s one I’d surely recommend to any young witch who hasn’t yet uncovered this magical treat. Bonus points as well for Charlotte Rae playing two entirely different (twin) witches with unique looks and personalities – and playing them both super convincingly!
And now for the second special of the day, 1979’s The Halloween That Almost Wasn’t. I see this one often on lists of the greatest classic Halloween specials, though I never watched this one myself until last year. Like The Worst Witch, this aired seasonly on the Disney Channel until 1996; on the year of its first airing, it even won an Emmy! It concerns the infamous Count Dracula being jarred by rumors of Halloween potentially coming to an end, after which he bands together a group of the world’s most famous monsters and spooky figures to settle the matter. It soon becomes clear that the Witch had initially sparked the rumor, sick of how demeaned she feels each year, and writes up a list of demands Dracula must follow in order for her to comply and Halloween to continue to exist.
I gotta be honest: although I know this special is beloved by many, it’s really hard for me to get into. First of all, these costumes and sets are hilariously cheap – yes, even cheaper than The Worst Witch! Although seeing that this is a comedy and there are few things funnier than grown adults acting completely earnestly in garish Halloween costumes… I guess it succeeds there. Secondly, though, the humor of this special relies primarily on flimsy one-liners and slapstick gags – including the ol’ Scooby-Doo doors effect. I think there’s something to be made of the fact that these monsters feel that the new generation no longer fears them and the ridiculous humor sort of plays upon this… but I just don’t find much of it very funny. And I’m sure that this itself is the way time has aged such humor, but on its own it tends to move at a snail’s pace.
Overall, not a whole lot happens in this special. Just a bunch of shenanigans, with a final, heartwarming resolution that conveniently ties everything up. I will admit that I enjoyed this special more with this second viewing than I did with the first last year, so maybe that means I’ll come around to it with subsequent viewings? Bah, who knows. Oh, by the way, this particular Halloween special ends with a totally random disco party over the end credits, which is the most 1979 thing about it! That alone makes it well worth your time, I think.
I gotta be honest: although I know this special is beloved by many, it’s really hard for me to get into. First of all, these costumes and sets are hilariously cheap – yes, even cheaper than The Worst Witch! Although seeing that this is a comedy and there are few things funnier than grown adults acting completely earnestly in garish Halloween costumes… I guess it succeeds there. Secondly, though, the humor of this special relies primarily on flimsy one-liners and slapstick gags – including the ol’ Scooby-Doo doors effect. I think there’s something to be made of the fact that these monsters feel that the new generation no longer fears them and the ridiculous humor sort of plays upon this… but I just don’t find much of it very funny. And I’m sure that this itself is the way time has aged such humor, but on its own it tends to move at a snail’s pace.
As she retraces her steps and talks to her friends, she discovers that her amulet has been found by one of her classmates. Relieved and grateful, Sofia retrieves the amulet and rushes back to school just in time for the celebration. The story of "The Amulet and the Anthem of Little Sofia" teaches us the power of perseverance and the importance of keeping faith when faced with challenges. Sofia's unwavering determination to find her amulet allowed her to overcome obstacles and achieve her dream of singing the anthem. The story also emphasizes the significance of cherished mementos and the sentimental value they hold. In a broader sense, the story can be seen as a metaphor for life. We all face setbacks and obstacles, but with perseverance and a positive mindset, we can overcome them. Additionally, the story highlights the significance of community and friendship, as Sofia's classmates rally to help her find her amulet. "The Amulet and the Anthem of Little Sofia" is a tale that resonates with readers of all ages. It teaches us the importance of holding onto our dreams, even in the face of adversity. The story reminds us to never give up, and that sometimes, the answers we seek may be closer than we think..
Reviews for "The Impact of Little Sofia's Amulet and Anthem on Children's Literature"
- Jane Doe - 1/5 stars - I was really disappointed with "The amulet and the anthem of little Sofia". The story felt disjointed and hard to follow, with characters that were difficult to relate to. The writing style was also lackluster, lacking creativity and depth. I found myself losing interest and struggling to finish the book. Overall, I would not recommend it to others.
- John Smith - 2/5 stars - "The amulet and the anthem of little Sofia" did not live up to my expectations. The plot seemed promising, but it fell short in execution. The pacing was uneven, and the dialogue felt forced and unnatural. I also had a hard time connecting with the characters, as they lacked depth and development. While the book had some potential, it ultimately left me feeling underwhelmed.
- Emily Johnson - 3/5 stars - I had mixed feelings about "The amulet and the anthem of little Sofia". While the concept was interesting, the execution left much to be desired. The pacing was slow, and the story dragged in certain parts. Additionally, some of the plot twists felt forced and predictable. However, I did appreciate the author's attempts to tackle important themes, and there were moments of genuine emotion throughout the book. Overall, it was an average read for me.