We’re breaking out the holiday movies with another viewing of Halloweentown! This classic Disney Original Movie never gets old. We still wish we had an eccentric grandmother to whisk us away to practice magic among the citizens of Halloweentown. Marnie is the witch we wanted to be. She’s brave and true and unafraid to throw some shade at an evil warlock or two. Marnie’s first visit to Halloweentown was a journey of self-discovery for the young witch as well as her siblings Dylan and Sophie. In the adventures of the first Halloween town movie, the three descendants of the Cromwell line find out what makes them different from both witches and mortals.
Marnie’s education as a witch doesn’t start until she reaches thirteen. The reason for her late blooming is down to her mother Gwen’s insistence that her children live a normal human life. Marnie, Dylan, and Sophie are unaware that they even have magical powers. Gwen wants her children to have the ability to fit in as human. But Marnie, Dylan, and Sophie are anything but normal. Gwen’s mother, Aggie, realizes her grandchildren have more potential than merely being “normal,” and she welcomes them to Halloweentown.
Marnie is delighted to learn she’s descended from a powerful line of witches. It soon becomes apparent that Marnie’s heritage is a bit more complicated. As a half-witch half-human, Marnie comes from both the mortal world and Halloweentown. The citizens of Halloweentown were forced to relocate from the mortal when humans wouldn’t accept them. Marnie becomes a target of the evil warlock Kalabar due to her half-human side.
Though Marnie shows herself to be unconcerned with being different, others in the movie struggle with the identity. Dylan is shocked to learn his family are witches, and he denies having any magical abilities himself. He refers to himself as the “normal one” of the family. Marnie’s friend Luke appears to be a handsome, confident boy but later reveals he served Kalabar in exchange to be transformed from homely troll. Luke’s insecurity of being strange looking is what led him down a questionable path.
Kalabar’s evil plan is to exploit the people of Halloweentown’s insecurities and resentments and turn them against the mortal world. Marnie has to fight back against the discrimination she faces as a half-human to save Halloweentown from Kalabar’s rule. She forgives Luke for lying to her, and he helps her in her plan to return the talisman – even if it means he breaks the enchantment that turned him handsome.
Marnie also has to encourage her brother when he discovers he too has magical powers and that he has the potential to be a warlock. Without Dylan’s added power Marnie and her family wouldn’t have been able to defeat Kalabar. Marnie also meets Luke in his true form as a troll. She finds his honest self more appealing than the cocky, good-looking boy she met before. Though it sometimes takes more courage to be yourself and let the world see your weird, that’s what makes you the best version of you. And after all, Halloween is about celebrating all things strange, wonderful, and weird.
What is your favorite Halloweentown movie?
