Cast a Deadly Spell(1991)
1991 · Martin Campbell · 96 min
In a fantastical 1940s where magic is used by everyone, a hard-boiled detective investigates the theft of a mystical tome.
TV Movie · Mystery · Comedy · Horror · Fantasy
6.1129 votes
TMDB score
1/5
Intensity
1/5
Gore
1/5
Stays with you
How Cast a Deadly Spell scares
Watching this feels more like a playful noir mystery with monsters mixed in than anything resembling real horror. The mood is dry, witty, and stylish, leaning on private-eye banter and a moody 1940s-with-magic setting rather than dread or shocks. Creatures like gargoyles and zombies show up as world-building oddities and plot obstacles, not sources of genuine fear. It's a fun genre mashup for people who like detective stories and fantasy quirks, not for anyone looking to be scared or unsettled.
On The Horror Database's 0–5 scare profile, Cast a Deadly Spell rates psychological 1/5, visceral 2/5, gore 1/5, lingering effect 1/5, and overall intensity 1/5.
- Psychological: 1 of 5
- Visceral: 2 of 5
- Gore: 1 of 5
- Lingering: 1 of 5
- Intensity: 1 of 5
Slow burn vs Jump scares: 30 of 100 — leans Slow burn
Supernatural vs Real-world: 15 of 100 — leans Supernatural
Fun-scary vs Disturbing: 10 of 100 — leans Fun-scary
Intensity over runtime
Shape only — no eventsReveal pacing shapeHide pacing shapeHidden by default — shows where the tension peaks and lets up.
A playful noir-comedy mystery that stays light and breezy, with only occasional bursts of creepy or violent action building toward a busier finish.
Intensity across the runtime, 0 to 100: 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 3, 2, 3, 3, 4, 4, 3.
How scary is Cast a Deadly Spell?
On The Horror Database's 0–5 intensity scale, Cast a Deadly Spell rates 1/5 — gentle by horror standards, building its fear through slow-burn dread rather than shocks. It works on both fronts, unsettling the mind while going for the body. Expect it to be restrained with gore and fun-first. The dread fades once the credits roll.
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