Scooby-Doo! and the Witch’s Ghost (1999) Review

Scooby-Doo! and the Witch’s Ghost (1999)

The Witch’s Ghost follows Scooby and the gang who meet horror writer Ben Ravencroft, who in turn invites them to his hometown for Autumn Fest, where they learn that one of his ancestors was a witch who is apparently haunting the town. 

Continuing the 90s Hanna-Barbera run of Scooby-Doo movies with real monsters, the Witches Ghost finally dives into the spooky history of the Salem Witch Trials, giving us a double dose of scares as the gang tries to unmask two monsters. Now, while Zombie Island, released just a year prior, is obviously the superior film, what I like about this entry is the continued trend of real, horror-like influences. We’re shepherded to an old-timey Massachusetts village, curtesy of writer Ben Ravencroft, whose inspiration is clearly that of Stephen King (and is easily one of my favorite Scooby characters), where the ghost of his ancestor is apparently the source of the town’s booming tourism industry. Obviously, this turns out to be a clever ploy by the townsfolk to drum up publicity, but it’s when Ben’s true motivations are revealed that the movie really takes a darker turn, as he summons the real ghost of Sarah Ravencroft, who inflicts every manner of horror and destruction upon Mystery Inc and the town of Oakhaven.

One of the best things about this string of movies, aside from their darker tone and awesome characters (like Ravencroft and the eternally cool Hex Girls) is really the shift in animation. The palette is darker and in a time of animation shifting toward more of a 3D look,  that eagerness to stick with hand drawn pays off in strides, adding to the gritty look and contrast of these movies, that only adds to the darker subject matter. 

We get a rockstar cast in Neil Ross, Kimberly Brooks, Jane Wiedlin, Jennifer Hale, Mary Kay Bergman, Frank Welker, B.J. Ward, Tim Curry, and Scott Innes. Innes, as usual, nails it on Shaggy and Scooby double duty, providing plenty of hilarious laughs, but it’s Curry, who’s role as Ben Ravencroft, that keeps me coming back, delivering a devilishly perfect performance that is both frightening and a wholly mysterious, in classic Tim Curry fashion. 

The Witch’s Ghost, directed by Jim Strenstrum, is another awesome entry into the darker, more relevant Scooby movies, effortlessly blending comedy, scares, and mystery, in what is a wicked fun time, well worthy of the likes of fan favorites, Ben Ravencroft and the Hex Girls. 

8.4/10