If you grew up in the seventies, you probably remember the specific brand of dread that came with the "ABC Movie of the Week." It wasn't the big-budget, polished horror we get now. It was grainier. Rawer. One night in late February 1977, a little film called The Spell tv movie aired, and honestly, it messed a lot of people up. It didn't have the cultural staying power of Halloween or The Exorcist, but for those who saw it, the image of a teenage girl staring holes through her bullies is hard to shake.
It’s often dismissed as a "Carrie" rip-off. People say that a lot. And yeah, the parallels are there—a picked-on girl, telekinetic powers, a complicated relationship with a mother figure. But if you actually sit down and watch it, the vibe is totally different. It’s less of a grand tragedy and more of a quiet, suburban nightmare. It’s about the suffocating feeling of not fitting in, amplified by supernatural forces that nobody quite understands.
What Actually Happens in The Spell (1977)
The story follows Rita Matchett. She’s an overweight, socially isolated teenager played by Susan Myers. She’s basically the target for every mean girl at her high school. But Rita has a secret. When she gets angry—really, truly angry—things start to happen. People fall. Objects move. It’s that classic "revenge of the nerd" trope, but played with a very grim, seventies television aesthetic.
Lee Grant plays her mother, Marilyn. This is where the movie gets interesting. Lee Grant was already an Academy Award winner by then, and she brings a level of intensity that the script probably didn't even deserve. She’s terrified of her own daughter. She suspects something is "off" with Rita, and that maternal fear creates a tension that is way more effective than any of the low-budget special effects.
Then there's the younger sister, played by a very young Helen Hunt. Yes, that Helen Hunt. She’s the "pretty" one, the "normal" one, which only makes Rita feel like more of an outcast. The family dynamic is the real horror show here. It’s a house full of secrets and unacknowledged resentment.
Why Everyone Compares It to Carrie
The timing was suspicious. Carrie hit theaters in November 1976. The Spell tv movie aired in February 1977. You do the math. Network executives saw the "telekinetic girl" trend and ran with it.
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But here’s the thing: while Stephen King’s story is operatic and ends in a literal bloodbath, The Spell is more about the psychological erosion of a family. It’s smaller. It’s grittier. It feels like it could be happening in the house next door to you in 1970s California. It uses that "Mowat" style of TV filmmaking—tight close-ups, jarring zooms, and a soundtrack that sounds like it’s being played through a haunted pipe organ.
The Cast That Made It Work
Most TV movies of this era had "has-been" actors or total unknowns. The Spell was different.
- Lee Grant: She had just won an Oscar for Shampoo. Why was she doing a telekinesis TV movie? Probably because she saw the meat in the mother-daughter conflict. Her performance is brittle and anxious.
- Susan Myers: She captures the "unpleasantness" of being an outcast perfectly. She isn't a "Hollywood" outcast who just needs to take off her glasses; she feels genuinely isolated.
- Helen Hunt: This was one of her very first roles. You can already see the talent, even if she’s just playing the "good" sister.
- James Olson: Playing the father, he represents the classic 1970s "checked out" dad who doesn't want to believe anything supernatural is happening because it would ruin his dinner.
The Controversy of the "Copycat" Label
Is it a rip-off? Maybe. But "rip-off" is a harsh word for a genre that has always fed on its own successes. Telekinesis was huge in the mid-seventies. You had The Fury, Patrick, and The Spell. Each one took the idea of "mind over matter" and used it to explore different anxieties.
In The Spell, the anxiety is specifically about the adolescent body and the shame of being "different." Rita’s weight is a major plot point, which, looking back, is pretty harsh. The movie links her physical appearance to her "monstrous" abilities in a way that’s honestly a bit uncomfortable to watch today. It’s a snapshot of how society viewed outsiders in 1977.
The Special Effects (Or Lack Thereof)
Don’t expect Marvel levels of CGI. This was 1977 TV. We’re talking about fishing lines pulling chairs and clever camera angles. But sometimes, that’s scarier. When Rita stares at a girl on the gym ropes and the girl just... falls? It’s effective because it’s simple. The horror isn't in the spectacle; it's in the malice.
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The climax involves a literal showdown of "the power," and while the visuals are dated—lots of glowing lights and shaky cameras—the emotional stakes feel real. You’re not cheering for Rita like you might cheer for Carrie White. You’re kind of scared of her. And you’re definitely scared for her family.
Why We Still Talk About This 50 Years Later
There is a specific nostalgia for this era of television. Before cable took over, millions of people watched the same movie at the same time. If you were a kid in 1977, The Spell was probably the topic of conversation at the bus stop the next morning.
It also tapped into the burgeoning "Satanic Panic" and the general seventies obsession with the occult. People were reading The Exorcist and The Omen. They were terrified that their children might be possessed or "gifted" with dark powers. This movie played right into those fears.
The "Forgotten" Status
For years, this movie was hard to find. It lived on grainy VHS bootlegs or late-night reruns on local stations. It never got the massive DVD restoration that Carrie did. But in the age of the internet, it has found a second life. Horror fans who dig into the "70s TV Terror" subgenre always end up at The Spell tv movie.
It’s a mood piece. It’s brown, orange, and gray. It smells like old shag carpet and wood paneling. It captures a very specific American gloom that disappeared once the neon 80s hit.
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How to Watch It Today
Honestly, finding a high-quality version is tough. It has been released on DVD in various "TV Horror" collections, usually bundled with other movies like Victims or The Midnight Hour.
- Check YouTube: Fans often upload old TV rips, commercials and all.
- Physical Media: Look for the Warner Archive releases or boutique labels like Scream Factory, which sometimes include these as bonus features.
- Streaming: It occasionally pops up on niche horror streamers like Shudder or Tubi, but it rotates frequently.
Practical Takeaways for Horror Fans
If you're going to dive into the world of 70s TV horror, you need to adjust your expectations. This isn't a jump-scare fest. It’s a slow burn.
- Watch the performances: Specifically Lee Grant. She’s doing "High Art" in a "Low Art" movie.
- Notice the cinematography: The way they use zoom lenses to create discomfort is a lost art.
- Context matters: Remember that this was made for a general audience on network TV. It couldn't show gore, so it had to rely on atmosphere.
Moving Forward With Retro Horror
The best way to appreciate The Spell tv movie is to watch it as part of a double feature with other 1970s made-for-TV classics. It pairs perfectly with Bad Ronald (1974) or Don't Be Afraid of the Dark (1973). These movies weren't trying to be blockbusters; they were trying to ruin your sleep on a Tuesday night.
To get the most out of this film, pay attention to the subtext of the mother-daughter relationship. It’s not just a ghost story or a superhero origin; it’s a tragedy about a family that stopped communicating and started fearing one another. That’s the real "spell" being cast.
If you’re looking for a deep dive into 70s aesthetics or just want to see a young Helen Hunt deal with a telekinetic sister, track this one down. Just don't expect a happy ending. That’s not how 1977 worked.
Next Steps for Enthusiasts:
- Locate a Copy: Search for the Warner Archive DVD or reputable "Made-for-TV" horror collections.
- Compare the Source: Watch the 1976 Carrie and then The Spell back-to-back to see how different directors handled the "outcast girl" theme under different censorship rules.
- Research the Director: Look into Jerry Thorpe’s other work. He was a veteran of TV (working on Kung Fu and The Untouchables) and brought a very professional, cinematic eye to what could have been a cheap production.
- Explore the Sub-Genre: If you like this, look for "70s Telekinesis Cinema" to find other gems like The Medusa Touch or Jennifer.
The legacy of these films isn't in their box office numbers—since they didn't have one—but in the way they lingered in the collective memory of a generation. They represent a time when television was willing to be weird, depressing, and genuinely unsettling.