Revisiting Scooby-Doo and the Witches Ghost (1999)

Zoinks, Scoob, we’re dealing with a real ghost this time!

Scooby-Doo and the Witches Ghost is a 1999 animated film. The Mystery Inc. gang travels to Oakhaven, Massachusetts to investigate a mystery involving a famous horror novelist and his ancestor who is rumored to be a witch.

Scooby Doo never gets old and always makes an ideal October binge. The Witches Ghost is one of my favorite Scooby-Doo films. It’s dark, but it’s a comical adventure. I watched it a lot as a kid, but it made it feel different revisiting it as an adult.

The mystery gang returns for another adventure, and this time it’s bewitching. I like how the writers show how the characters have grown. We need to see them growing and embarking on new adventures.

Each character gets their own segment. Shaggy and Scooby gorge themselves at a restaurant, as Fred and Daphne flirt with their not-so-hidden feelings, while Velma spends time with her idol, Ben Ravencroft.

Voice talents include Scott Innes, Mary Kay Bergman, Frank Welker, and B.J. Ward as the main gang. More credits include Tim Curry, Kimberly Brooks, Jennifer Hale, Jane Weidlin, Bob Joles, Tress MacNeille, and Neil Ross.

At the same time he was voicing Nigel Thornberry in The Wild Thornberrys, Tim Curry voiced Ben Ravencroft. He is a total caricature of famous horror author, Stephen King. Most viewers already knew how his character turns out, but even when I was little I thought differently. He deserved a second chance.

Give a hand to the iconic Hex Girls who made their debut in this movie. Known as the coolest fictional rock band, Thorn, Dusk, and Luna’s exotic goth personalities and talents were not intended to have a significant role, but became quite popular in the fanbase. They still haven’t garnered a spinoff series yet?

Writers created catchy rock tunes, like ‘Hex Girls’ and ‘Earth, Wind, Fire, and Air,’ sung by their voice actors, Brooks, Hale, and Weidlin. To this day, they still get fans coming up to them and praising their work. These characters reflect an integral message to love yourself and never let anybody’s opinions hurt you.

One of the most impressive parts of Scooby Doo is the endless storylines the creators have written for the gang. Similar to Zombie Island (1998), this film takes a dark angle. Cartoons, like Scooby Doo, should be allowed to take steps over the boundary line.

Scooby Doo has always had dark underlayers with the cryptic mysteries the gang solves, though several are merely villains in costumes. This film deals with the supernatural. It doesn’t bother me since I have always had an interest in ghosts.

Now to talk about the animation. The art has evolved for the world of Scooby Doo. The animation is excellent, creating dark surprises. The animators leaned into the spooky undertones, designing shadowy and crisp linework with richer colors that add to the film’s charm.

Jim Strenstrum amplifies the stakes with a mixture of classic Scooby-Doo elements and haunting visuals that feel playful and creepy. The opening chase scene in the museum is one of several highlights.

Witch’s Ghost might be one of the darker entries in the Scooby-Doo lineup, but it balances its spookiness with humor and camaraderie, keeping the gang’s classic dynamic intact. The film is still as funny as ever like Shaggy and Scooby running for their lives and running through walls.

October has several movies and cartoons to binge in the spooky month. Watch Scooby-Doo and the Witches Ghost. No matter the age, you need to rewatch several movies.