Have you ever wondered what would happen if you combined a Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen movie with peak ’90s Halloween nostalgia, a nonsensical plot, poorly aged jokes, and straight-up Lynchian-level horror? A masterpiece! Luckily enough, you don’t have to wonder because that is precisely what we get in the 1993 movie, DOUBLE DOUBLE TOIL AND TROUBLE.
The film follows twin sisters Kelly and Lynn Farmer (played by the most iconic twins of all time, the Olsen sisters) as they attempt to free their aunt Sophia from their evil aunt Agatha before it is too late. The girls meet a cast of kooky characters on their journey, including Mr. N, a homeless man who accompanies them… just because he can. Meshach Taylor plays Mr. N, and I mention him specifically because he ALSO plays Anthony Bouvier on the hit 80s TV show, DESIGNING WOMEN. The film was made for television and shown on ABC on October 30, 1993.
I had to have been about six when I first watched this, but I very specifically remember watching this on a VHS tape. As Christopher Nolan intends for all his films to be viewed on 70mm IMAX on the biggest and best screens possible, watching DOUBLE DOUBLE TOIL AND TROUBLE on anything other than a VHS tape is sacrilege. This is a staple childhood movie for me; it is the very first Halloween movie I watch every year as we decorate. It’s fun, it’s weird, and it has SO much charm. Around fifteen plot points are happening at once, including magical powers that are never explained and a man with dwarfism who wishes to be taller. There’s even a subplot where Lynn freaks out because she and Kelly get separated, and they’ve NEVER been apart before. The Silent Twins have nothing on these girls, I suppose…
This movie will genuinely make you ponder how we got here. It doesn’t make sense, but that’s what makes it good. The aesthetic is a crucial part of the film; it is the first thing I think of when I imagine Halloween. I think the nostalgic aspect is what keeps the movie in my rolodex every year.
If you want to forego a sensible plot for fun times, turn on DOUBLE DOUBLE TOIL AND TROUBLE this Halloween season.
It’s available to rent or buy on most streaming platforms.