HR Pufnstuf was a popular children's television show in the late 1960s and early 1970s. One of the main characters on the show was Witchy Poo, an enchantress witch who was always trying to get her hands on the magic flute that the protagonist, Jimmy, had. Witchy Poo was portrayed as a humorous and comical character, often getting into silly predicaments. Despite her constant schemes and tricks, she was never successful in obtaining the flute. Witchy Poo's character was known for her distinctive appearance, which included a large, hooked nose, green skin, and wild orange hair. She wore a black dress and often carried a broomstick.
She wore a black dress and often carried a broomstick. Despite her witchy appearance, Witchy Poo was not portrayed as a scary or malicious character. Instead, she was seen as more of a bumbling and inept villain.
H.P. Lovecraft’s Witch House Review
PLOT: A college student who believes geometry is the key to inter-dimensional travel starts having terrible nightmares in a house where a witch may have carried out human sacrifices.
REVIEW: First published in the pages of Weird Tales magazine in 1933, legendary horror author H.P. Lovecraft’s short story The Dreams in the Witch House has been brought to the screen twice before. Once for the 1968 film The Crimson Cult, which had an impressive cast that included Boris Karloff, Christopher Lee, Barbara Steele, and Michael Gough. That was such a loose adaptation, Lovecraft wasn’t even given credit. Decades later, Stuart Gordon gave Lovecraft credit and kept the title intact for his 2005 contribution to the Masters of Horror series. Now the story has gotten the low budget indie treatment with director Bobby Easley’s new film H.P. Lovecraft’s Witch House (watch it HERE)… and this really goes to show how much of a tough act Stuart Gordon is to follow.
Easley’s Witch House was filmed at the historic Hannah House in Indianapolis, Indiana, a place that is said to be haunted – but for the purposes of this movie, the Hannah House (as it is still referred to by the characters) is in a town named after a Lovecraft location, Miskatonic. The character we follow into this place is college student Alice Gilman (an actress credited as Michelle Morris on the film itself, but as Portia Chellelynn in the marketing), who is working on the theory that sacred geometry is the key to inter-dimensional travel. It just so happens that a previous tenant at Hannah House did crack the secrets of inter-dimensional travel and you would think that stories of this might be what inspires Alice to rent a room in the place. After all, the Gilman character in Lovecraft’s story purposely moved into the Witch House because of its history. But that’s not the case here. Alice simply moves into the Hannah House / Witch House because there’s a vacancy and her violent ex, who once beat her so badly that she miscarried their child, is on the loose. She needs a place to hide out while working on her theory, so the Hannah House it is. As soon as she enters the house, she feels like she belongs there. And the “suggested geometric shapes” in her attic room are perfect for her studies!
Alice’s housemates in this place are her landlady Etta (Shonda Laverty), Etta’s deeply religious, alcoholic brother Joe (Joe Padgett), and Etta’s niece Tommi (Julie Anne Prescott), who is around the same age as Alice. Etta and Joe are only a presence for key moments, but Alice ends up spending a good amount of time with Tommi – who helps her look into the history of the Hannah House. Which is when she finally finds out she’s living in a “Witch House”, as it used to be home to Keziah Mason (Andrea Collins), a servant girl who was accused of carrying out human sacrifices – the sacrificed being children – and was burned at the stake. Tommi also manages to seduce Alice so easily, it’s like she’s James Bond levels of irresistible, leading to a gratuitous sex scene. Paving the way for more gratuitous moments of nudity and scenes of Alice in her underwear. But given that the best Lovecraft adaptation we’ve ever seen (Stuart Gordon’s Re-Animator) features a gratuitous scene where a nude female is assaulted by a severed-but-living head, it’s tough to fault other Lovecraft-inspired filmmakers for trying to spice up their movies with bare flesh.
The story of Keziah Mason inspires Alice to work occult symbols into her studies and to look up the Necronomicon. She also starts having intense nightmares about occult practices, Keziah, and the witch’s buddy Brown Jenkin. If you’re familiar with the source material, you’ll know that Brown Jenkin was described as being a rat with a human face, something that Gordon was able to effectively bring to the screen for his adaptation. Of course, this one didn’t have the budget necessary to create Brown Jenkin, so the character is represented through shots of a regular rat and a scuzzy-looking human. While Alice is there dreaming, someone is stalking around the town of Miskatonic, abducting children. It looks like history is repeating itself. And somehow, even though Alice is an established Lovecraft fan – she’s reading Lovecraft the first time we see her – she never ponders how it could be that she’s living something similar to The Dreams in the Witch House. Maybe she’s too terrified. Maybe the adaptation is too loose. Or this oversight could be explained by the final moment of the film, which will have many viewers groaning and rolling their eyes.
Much of Witch House’s mercifully short running time is dedicated to the nightmares Alice has. Trippy sequences that are soaked in colorful lighting. Easley has said that he was drawing inspiration from Italian genre filmmakers while making Witch House, so the lighting must be his tribute to Mario Bava and Dario Argento. The nightmares are certainly the most visually interesting parts of the movie, as the low budget is very apparent in the overall look of the film. A cheap look is easily overcome when the story and/or characters are interesting enough… but the storytelling here is very messy and scattered, and the characters aren’t interesting. So Witch House very quickly becomes frustrating and difficult to sit through. My favorite thing about it was the fact that the end credits kicked in after just 75 minutes.
Witch House might find some appreciative viewers who are intrigued by the strangeness of the dream sequences, but I found the film to be poorly crafted and a bit of an endurance challenge. As far as adaptations of The Dreams in the Witch House go, I would not recommend this one… but if you do check it out, at least it won’t take up much of your time.
Witch House is now available on Digital, VOD, and DVD.
The main attraction of Witchy Poo's character was her constant attempts to outsmart Jimmy and his friends. She used her magic spells and potions to try and outwit them, but her plans always backfired and she ended up being the one who got into trouble. This added a comedic element to the show and made Witchy Poo a lovable but laughable character. In conclusion, Witchy Poo was an enchanting enchantress on the show HR Pufnstuf. Despite her best efforts, she was never successful in obtaining the magic flute and was often the one who found herself in humorous predicaments. Her character added a touch of magic and whimsy to the show, making her a memorable and beloved part of the cast..
Reviews for "Hr Pufnstuf Redux: Witchy Poo's Enchanting Comeback"
1. John - 1/5 - I found "Hr pufnstuf enchanting enchantress witchy poo" to be incredibly boring and nonsensical. The plot seemed disjointed and the characters lacked depth. The acting was also subpar, with over-exaggerated emotions that felt forced. I couldn't connect with any of the characters or the story, and I was highly disappointed with the overall production. It felt like a cheap attempt at a children's show without any substance or creativity. I would not recommend wasting your time on this.
2. Mary - 2/5 - "Hr pufnstuf enchanting enchantress witchy poo" had potential, but it fell flat in execution. The special effects were outdated and poorly done, making the magical elements of the show unconvincing. The writing felt forced and the jokes were not funny. Additionally, the costumes and set designs looked tacky and low-budget. I appreciate the effort to create a whimsical world, but it lacked the charm and magic that I was expecting. Overall, it was a disappointment and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone looking for a captivating and enchanting experience.
3. Michael - 2/5 - As much as I wanted to enjoy "Hr pufnstuf enchanting enchantress witchy poo", it simply didn't captivate me. The storyline was confusing and hard to follow, with random events happening without any clear purpose or connection. The acting was mediocre at best, with some performances feeling forced and unnatural. Although there were moments of creative set designs and costumes, it was not enough to salvage the overall production. Ultimately, I felt disengaged and uninterested throughout the show, and I would not recommend it to others seeking for a captivating and entertaining experience.