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The Witches of Eastwick (1987) movie poster

Timeline

The Witches of Eastwick (1987) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
1987 · 118 min · English
Directed by
George Miller
Starring
Michelle Pfeiffer, Jack Nicholson, Susan Sarandon, Cher

Three women, Alexandra, Jane, and Sukie, living in the quiet town of Eastwick, find their lives dramatically changed by the arrival of the mysterious and alluring Daryl Van Horne. As they form an unexpected friendship with him, they begin to experience strange and wonderful events, realizing they possess extraordinary powers. However, their newfound joy is threatened as they uncover a dark secret behind Daryl's charm and the true nature of his intentions.

On this page (7)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (15)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 The book behind the movie
  5. 5 Movie threads
  6. 6 Movies like The Witches of Eastwick
  7. 7 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch The Witches of Eastwick (1987)

Where can you watch The Witches of Eastwick? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Tubi TV, Amazon Video and Apple TV Store: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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15 events in order · contains spoilers

The Witches of Eastwick Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of The Witches of Eastwick (1987) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Introduction of the Three Women

    Alexandra, Jane, and Sukie are introduced as discontented women living in Eastwick, Rhode Island. Each of them struggles with their own issues, including loss, divorce, and motherhood.

    Where
    Eastwick, Rhode Island
  2. Formation of the Coven

    Unaware of their magical potential, the three women begin meeting weekly to discuss their ideal partners. These gatherings mark the beginning of their transformation into a coven.

  3. Daryl Van Horne Arrives

    The arrival of Daryl Van Horne, a mysterious man, creates a buzz in the town as he acquires the Lenox Mansion. His charm captivates the interest of the women, stirring emotions and curiosity among all townsfolk.

    Where
    Lenox Mansion, Eastwick
  4. Recital Incident

    At a recital hosted by Jane, Daryl makes an unforgettable entrance, drawing attention and gossip. Moments later, Sukie receives flowers from him, which leads to a chain of chaotic events.

  5. Breaking of the Necklace

    Sukie's pearl necklace unexpectedly breaks, scattering beads across the floor. Felicia, having mocked Daryl earlier, tumbles down the stairs, resulting in a broken leg, further entrenching the rivalry between Daryl and Felicia.

  6. Alex's Indecision

    Daryl captivates Alex with his charm, leading her to feel manipulated after initially trying to resist his advances. This sets the stage for a complicated relationship fueled by Daryl's seductive allure.

  7. Jane's Cello Duet

    In a passionate interaction with Daryl, Jane is drawn into a wild cello duet that ends in flames. This event leaves her enthralled and deepens the bond between her and Daryl.

  8. Discovery of Powers

    The three women accidentally discover their magical abilities when they levitate a tennis ball together. This moment marks their acceptance of their powers and the beginning of their bond as a coven.

  9. Escalation of Rivalry

    As their feelings for Daryl grow, so does jealousy and rivalry among the three women. They attempt to share Daryl, but the townspeople, misled by Felicia’s rumors, ostracize the women.

    Where
    Eastwick
  10. Felicia's Demise

    Daryl leads the women into a dark spell aimed at Felicia, resulting in her tragic death at the hands of her husband in a fit of rage. This event significantly shifts the dynamics of the townsfolk and the women’s relationships.

  11. Struggling with Powers

    After Felicia's death, the trio decides to separate to regain control over their chaotic powers. Daryl exploits their fears, manipulating each woman and revealing the consequences of their magical abilities.

  12. Crafting the Voodoo Doll

    In a bid to free themselves from Daryl's influence, Alex creates a voodoo doll using Daryl's hair. The women discover that what they do to the doll directly affects Daryl, adding a layer of peril to their plan.

  13. Confrontation with Daryl

    Daryl, enraged by the witches' actions towards the voodoo doll, storms back to confront them. In a chaotic scene, his fury leads to transformation, pushing the confrontation to a climactic breaking point.

  14. Destruction of the Doll

    In a desperate attempt to rid themselves of Daryl’s menace, the witches burn the voodoo doll. This action diminishes Daryl to a shriveled homunculus, severing his grip on them.

  15. Eighteen Months Later

    Eighteen months after their harrowing experiences, the women find themselves thriving in Daryl's mansion, each with a baby boy. Despite Daryl's reappearance on television screens, they stand united in shutting him out.

    When
    Eighteen months later
    Where
    Daryl's Mansion

Last updated: November 08, 2024 at 16:23

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Timeline questions answered

The Witches of Eastwick Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of The Witches of Eastwick (1987): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why was Daryl Van Horne interested in the three women?

Daryl specifically sought out Alex, Jane, and Sukie because they had already formed an unconscious coven through their weekly gatherings about ideal partners. Their shared dissatisfaction and unmet desires created a magical potential that Daryl could exploit. He manipulated them into awakening their powers so he could feed on their energy and use their witchcraft for his own purposes.

  • daryl van horne
  • seduction
  • manipulation
  • witchcraft
  • coven
Q2

How did the three women discover they had magical powers?

The women discovered their powers accidentally while playing tennis. When a ball flew over the fence, all three simultaneously willed it back, causing it to levitate and hover between them. This moment of shared intention proved they possessed genuine magical abilities and had unknowingly been forming a real coven.

Foreshadowing: Their weekly meetings to discuss ideal partners had been unknowingly channeling magical energy.

  • powers
  • magic
  • levitation
  • tennis ball
  • discovery
  • coven
Q3

What happened to Felicia Alden and why did her husband kill her?

Felicia became obsessed with exposing what she perceived as the women's sinister intentions with Daryl. The three women, manipulated by Daryl, performed a dark spell against Felicia. The spell caused her husband Clyde to fly into an uncontrollable rage, leading him to beat Felicia to death. Her death was indirectly caused by the women's spell, though Clyde was the one who physically killed her.

Foreshadowing: Felicia had warned the town about the women's suspicious relationship with Daryl and actively campaigned against them.

  • felicia alden
  • clyde alden
  • death
  • murder
  • spell
  • husband
Q4

How did the women use the voodoo doll to defeat Daryl?

Alex created a voodoo doll using Daryl's hair and wax while he was distracted. When the women stabbed, burned, and otherwise harmed the doll, Daryl experienced each attack in real time, at one point feeling the pain while in a church, where he regurgitated cherry pits just like Felicia did before her death. This proved the doll worked and gave them power over him.

  • voodoo doll
  • hair
  • wax
  • defeats
  • cherry pits
  • spell
Q5

What caused Daryl to transform into a monster?

When Daryl discovered the women were attacking him through the voodoo doll, he stormed back to the mansion in a rage. His fury was so intense that it triggered a physical transformation, he grew into a colossal, grotesque monster. The women's fear and the overwhelming magical energy caused this terrifying metamorphosis.

  • transformation
  • monster
  • fury
  • rage
  • monstrous form
Q6

Why did the three women decide to separate after Felicia's death?

After Felicia's death, the women's magical powers became dangerously unstable and difficult to control. Their emotions were heightened, their powers were erratic, and being together amplified the chaos. They chose to separate hoping that distance would help them regain control over their abilities and their lives.

Foreshadowing: Their powers had already shown signs of becoming uncontrollable during the Felicia incident.

  • separation
  • powers
  • control
  • chaos
  • emotional
Q7

What was the significance of Daryl regurgitating cherry pits?

When Daryl was being attacked through the voodoo doll, he suddenly regurgitated cherry pits in the middle of a church. This connected him to Felicia Alden, who had also spit cherry pits just before her death, indicating that the spell the women had cast on Felicia had somehow linked Daryl to her fate or that he shared her magical essence.

Foreshadowing: Felicia had spit cherry pits during her violent episode, a detail that puzzled observers.

  • cherry pits
  • felicia
  • church
  • curse
  • connection
Q8

What happened at the end when Daryl appeared on television screens?

Eighteen months later, the women have rebuilt their lives in Daryl's mansion, each with a baby boy. When Daryl suddenly appears on multiple television screens asking them to 'give Daddy a kiss,' the women instantly recognize the threat and work together to shut off every screen immediately. This shows they remain united and powerful enough to prevent any return of his influence.

Foreshadowing: The women's reconciliation was necessary to combine their powers against Daryl.

  • television
  • ending
  • screens
  • baby
  • reunion
  • victory
Q9

Why did Daryl want to get rid of Felicia Alden?

Felicia was the only person in Eastwick who instinctively sensed Daryl's evil nature and actively worked against him. She mocked him publicly, spread rumors about the women to the townspeople, and refused to be charmed by him. Her persistence threatened Daryl's control over the town and his influence over the three women, making her a dangerous obstacle he needed removed.

Foreshadowing: Felicia refused to attend the recital where Daryl made his entrance and warned others about him.

  • felicia alden
  • enemy
  • opposition
  • clyde
  • rumors
Q10

How did Daryl exploit each woman's fears after they separated?

After the women separated, Daryl visited each one individually to torment them using their deepest fears. Alex envisioned herself surrounded by deadly snakes. Jane experienced rapid aging, watching herself become elderly in moments. Sukie felt unbearable physical pain throughout her body. These psychological attacks were meant to break their will and bring them back to him.

  • fears
  • snakes
  • aging
  • pain
  • psychological torture

Movie threads

More Movies Like The Witches of Eastwick, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes The Witches of Eastwick tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Movies about seductive supernatural empowerment like The Witches of Eastwick

Stories where women discover their hidden power through a dangerous, charismatic force. If you liked The Witches of Eastwick, explore more movies where women discover their hidden powers through a charismatic but dangerous catalyst. These films blend dark comedy, supernatural forces, and themes of female liberation, creating a chaotic and empowering viewing experience.

  • empowering
  • supernatural
  • seductive
  • chaotic
  • liberating
  • darkly comedic
  • Tone: dark, seductive, empowering
  • Pacing: variable, building to chaotic climax
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern typically involves a period of dissatisfaction or boredom in the protagonists' lives, disrupted by a seductive outsider. This catalyst unlocks a potential they never knew they had, leading to a period of wonder and chaos. The story culminates in a confrontation where the women must unite to overcome the very force that empowered them, claiming their autonomy.

Why they belong together: Movies in this thread share a core theme of female empowerment unlocked through supernatural means, often with a darkly comedic tone. They feature a volatile mix of seduction, manipulation, and liberation, resulting in a high-intensity, variable-paced story that is both thrilling and ultimately affirming.

Movies about small-town supernatural secrets like The Witches of Eastwick

A quiet community is disrupted by sinister forces hiding in plain sight. Discover more movies like The Witches of Eastwick where a peaceful small town becomes the setting for dark secrets and supernatural upheaval. These stories feature charismatic outsiders, hidden powers, and a volatile mix of horror and dark comedy that disrupts suburban normality.

  • small-town
  • supernatural
  • secretive
  • chaotic
  • darkly comedic
  • mysterious stranger
  • Tone: dark, mysterious, whimsical
  • Pacing: variable, starting steady, ending fast
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative begins by establishing the quiet, sometimes suffocating, normality of a small community. The arrival of an enigmatic figure or occurrence acts as a catalyst, revealing supernatural elements and long-buried secrets. The story progresses as the townspeople, often a core group, grapple with the unfolding chaos, leading to a climactic confrontation that restores a new, altered order.

Why they belong together: This thread groups movies based on the shared setting of a small town disrupted by supernatural forces and the thematic focus on secrets, seduction, and the dark side of community. They consistently blend a dark tone with comedic elements and feature a variable pacing that builds from steady mystery to explosive chaos.

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Every angle

The Witches of Eastwick (1987) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about The Witches of Eastwick in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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