Die kleine Hexe

Just watched this with my 11 yr old and we loved it! Loved the characters and the set was just full of so much to see. Cgi was pretty good and special effects makeup was spot on. I would actually be happy to sit through this again without moaning about it!

If you don't know this, the writer of the book is famous in Germany /Europe. The book of the little witch is famous in Europe and may be also in the US. However, this movie -a Swiss German production - is great, I really enjoyed it and Karoline Herfurth is close to brilliant in the role of the little witch and Swiss Mike Schaerer is really excellent in directing the film. The settings are enchanting, CGI is very good but not perfect and if you look at Otfried Preußler's message at the end of the movie, I found it is not only for kids. Enjoyable movie for the whole family.

In 1984 I saw this movie called Neverending Story. Goofy puppets, the simple story of good vs evil and the added bonus of a child reading the tale and getting caught up in it. I thought it was different than other movies that I was watching at the time and only later I found out it wasn't an American film, but a German one. I loved that movie and in the same positive sense, Die Kleine Hexe is just as goofy and simple and perfect for the telling of a fairy (or in this case, witch) tale.

The characters are a relatively young witch and her raven familiar breaking tradition from the old and nasty witches that are her seniors. Good vs bad witches, magic done just for fun, talking animatronic animals, what else do you need? Not a perfect film by any means, but a fun and entertaining children's story. I liked it.

I have children that range from infants to late teens, and the whole movie loves this movie. There is nothing in it to offend even the most sensitive people. It is fun and cheeky, in a way that only the Germans can pull off... and no I am not German. Words cannot do this movie justice so I will just say, watch it... you'll love it.

I haven't read any of the books on which this is based but the film by itself is wonderful, inoffensive fun. I wish there were more films like this one. Although there are no in-jokes or sly winks to adults, we can enjoy this one too. Just forget your jaded skepticism for a while and go for the ride. The cinematography, set design, costumes, in fact all of the art design in this film is exemplary. It really conjures up the old german folk & fairy stories that I for one remember reading as a child. This little gem deserves a wide audience & if it's internet presence is anything to go by, it doesn't have one yet. I can only offer the strongest encouragement to the makers of this non hollywood fare & hope they are able to keep making movies of this caliber. The english dubbing on the version I enjoyed was a better than usual job as well..