Ведьмы (1990) Online

1990 Anjelica Huston Mai Zetterling Jasen Fisher Nicolas Roeg

Original Title :: The Witches
Genre :: Movie / Adventure / Comedy / Family / Fantasy / Horror / Mystery
Year :: 1990
Directror :: Nicolas Roeg
Cast :: Anjelica Huston,Mai Zetterling,Jasen Fisher
Writer :: Roald Dahl,Allan Scott
Type :: Movie
Time :: 1h 31min
Rating :: 6.8/10

A young boy stumbles onto a witch convention and must stop them, even after he has been turned into a mouse.

Ведьмы (1990) Online

A young boy, recently orphaned, is taken to England by his grandmother. At a hotel in which they are staying, a group of witches have gathered to prepare a plot to rid England of all children.

Cast overview, first billed only:
	Anjelica Huston	-	Miss Ernst / Grand High Witch
	Mai Zetterling	-	Helga
	Jasen Fisher	-	Luke
	Rowan Atkinson	-	Mr. Stringer
	Bill Paterson	-	Mr. Jenkins
	Brenda Blethyn	-	Mrs. Jenkins
	Charlie Potter	-	Bruno Jenkins
	Anne Lambton	-	Woman in Black
	Jane Horrocks	-	Miss Irvine
	Sukie Smith	-	Marlene
	Rose English	-	Dora
	Jenny Runacre	-	Elsie
	Annabel Brooks	-	Nicola
	Emma Relph	-	Millie
	Nora Connolly	-	Beatrice

After a test screening, Roald Dahl angrily expressed to the producers how "appalled" he was at "the vulgarity, the bad taste" and "actual terror" in certain parts of the film. Dahl demanded his name and the title be removed from the film prior to release, but after receiving an apologetic, complimentary letter from Jim Henson, Dahl grudgingly withdrew his threat.

Most of the witches in the meeting are men in women's clothing.

Felicity Dahl has stated that Roald Dahl never again requested someone for a role in his book after the producers of Charlie und die Schokoladenfabrik (1971) denied his request to cast Spike Milligan as the title character. But he was ecstatic when Anjelica Huston was cast as the Grand High Witch, as she had been Dahl's personal favorite for the role.

It took Anjelica Huston eight hours of make up time to transform into "The Grand High Witch".

The last film Jim Henson personally oversaw.

When the boys are transformed into mice, the mice are played by rats and puppets.

Cher was considered for the role of the Grand High Witch before Anjelica Huston was cast.

The German title is "Hexen hexen", which literally means "Witches practice witchcraft".

The movie had been completed and readied for release in 1989, but Lorimar Productions' theatrical division folded. Lorimar struck a deal with Warner Bros. to release the film, but WB shelved it for over a year.

In the book, the boy doesn't have a name. In the film, he is called Luke.

Jim Henson's Creature Shop created three different sizes of puppet mice. The 'A' mice were the size of actual mice,being operated by almost hair-thin cables. The 'B' mice, also cable controlled, were about the size of a very large rat. The 'C' type was a very expressive large hand puppet, about three feet tall. However, the largest size was only used in about four shots, since director Nic Roeg found it difficult to cut from a close-up of a human to a close-up of a mouse. He preferred to keep the width of the shot the same, thus the miniature mice in scaled down sets were most often used.

In both the novel and in the movie, it is unexplained why the witches hate and victimize children and why The Grand High Witch wants every child in England wiped out.

In the book, Grandma falls ill from pneumonia. In the movie Grandma falls ill from a mild case of diabetes.

Cher, Eartha Kitt, Fiona Fullerton, Geneviève Bujold, Anne Bancroft, Olivia Hussey, Sigourney Weaver, Linda Blair, Faye Dunaway, Susan Sarandon, Jodie Foster, Vanessa Redgrave, Frances Conroy, and Liza Minnelli were all at some point considered for the part of The Grand High Witch prior to Anjelica Huston's casting. Huston's casting later satisfied Dahl.

The toy train Luke is riding on, which brings him to The Real Ghostbusters firehouse, is a Lego Space monorail train.

In the book, Grandma is a retired witch hunter and that she lost her left thumb in an encounter with a witch. In the film, Grandma tells Luke that she searched the world for The Grand High Witch and unlike the book, Grandma lost her left little finger, not her left thumb.

The building used for the Hotel Excelsior in the movie is Headland Hotel, a hotel located in Newquay, England.

Charlie Potter's first and only acting role. Charlie Potter became a barrister.

The film debuted in England in May 25, 1990 and was initially scheduled to open in the United States on the same day. Following positive test screenings in Florida earlier that year, WB bumped the American release to August and gave it a hefty promotional push in hopes of attracting a large audience of youngsters on vacation from school.

The film was released in the United Kingdom on 25th May 1990 over a week after the death of Jim Henson who died on May 16th 1990.

In the UK, two scenes were edited and cut so the film could get the PG rating. The beginning of the shot of the skin of the main witch's face getting removed and the last shot of Bruno transforming into a mouse.

In the book, Luke is British. In the film, he's American.

The snow landscape in the opening credits is Ulvik, Hardanger, Hordaland, Norway.

Charlie Potter's first and only acting role.

Rowan Atkinson modeled his performance as Mr. Stringer after Basil Fawlty in Das verrückte Hotel - Fawlty Towers (1975). John Cleese whom played Basil Fawlty in that sitcom was Rowan Atkinson's idol.

One of Mai Zetterling's final acting roles before her death on March 17th 1994.

The book won the 1983 Whitbread Award.

Angelica Huston used a German accent.

Miss Irvine was not in the book and was created for the film.

Rowan Atkinson's ITV sitcom Mr. Bean (1990) premiered the same year as the film. It premiered in the UK on 2nd April 1990, a month before the film's British cinema release.

Mr. Stringer the hotel manager is played by Rowan Atkinson. In real life, Rowan Atkinson's idol was comedian, actor and writer John Cleese. John Cleese created the BBC sitcom Fawlty Towers (1975) which he starred as tense, rude and put-upon hotel owner Basil Fawlty.

In the book, the soup is green pea soup. In the film, it's cress soup.

The novel Luke's grandmother is reading at the hotel is Mr Lucton's Freedom by Francis Brett Young.

Brenda Blethyn and Jane Horrocks later co-starred in Little Voice in 1998.

Filmed in 1989.

In the film, one of the witches offers Luke a bar of chocolate and The Grand High Witch and the witches plot to transform all the British children into mice by putting the formula into bars of chocolate. Author Roald Dahl is famous for writing the classic children's book "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" which was adapted into Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971) and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005).

Jane Horrocks and Brenda Blethyn later starred in Little Voice (1998).

In both the book and the film, it is not explained why the Grand High Witch and all witches hate children and why The Grand High Witch victimize them and why they want to get rid of them.

In the film, The Grand High Witch is posing as the chairwoman of and all the witches are posing as members of The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (RSPCC). It's ironic because the witches victimizes and are cruel to children.

The film reflects on the real life dangers of stranger abduction, child cruelty and child murders: In the film, Erica is abducted by a witch when Erica is seen walking alone through an alleyway. The Woman in Black tempts Luke by offering him a bar of chocolate and a snake to lure him from his treehouse and so she can abduct him. The Grand High Witch gives Bruno a bar of chocolate which she has spiked with formula 86 which happens off-screen. The Grand High Witch plots to wipe out every child in England by transforming into mice. The Grand High Witch attempts to kill a baby by pushing the pram down a hill which Luke stops the pram from going over a cliff into the water. The Woman in Black steps on and kills the Witch cook which she mistakes the Witch cook for a child ignoring the Witch cook's warning that formula 86 is in the crest soup.

Angelica Huston's former boyfriend Jack Nicholson had previously starred in the earlier Warner Bros. supernatural fantasy comedy The Witches of Eastwick (1987).

The toy playset Luke sleeps in which is destroyed when changes back into a boy is The Real Ghostbusters firehouse from The Real Ghostbusters (1986). Angelica Huston later starred opposite Bill Murray in The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004). Bill Murray had played Peter Venkman in Ghostbusters (1984) which The Real Ghostbusters (1986) was based on.

Roald Dahl hated the happy ending, in which a sorceress appears to transform the mouse back to a boy. In the ending of Dahl's novel the boy is still a mouse, with he and his grandmother making a plan to bring down the witches.

The studio actually shot the ending that was more faithful to the Dahl book (Luke remains a mouse) in addition to the "happy ending," and test-screened the film with both. The result, as seen in the final product, is that test audiences chose the latter ending.

The dark tone of the novel was significantly mellowed in order to make the film more appealing for younger audiences. In Roald Dahl's book, for instance, the grandmother is much brisker; Luke is in the car with his parents at the time of the accident; Bruno Jenkins is an obnoxious and pampered boy who Luke does not like at all, and it is implied his equally snob father has him drowned in a water bucket by the Hotel's janitor; the Grand High Witch's plan includes having teachers and parents kill the children in mouse form and, most notably, Luke does not recover his human form, which ultimately means he has very few years of life left. All these changes infuriated Dahl, who never again in his lifetime allowed any film adaptation of his works and left, in his will, very specific and high standards for any future ones.

It is hinted throughout the movie that Grandma and the Grand High Witch are old enemies: When Grandma is telling Luke about the witches at the beginning of the movie, she tells Luke that she searched for The Grand High Witch, but claims to had never found her. In the afternoon tea scene, when Grandma sees the Grand High Witch, Grandma says to Luke that she looks familiar and that she may had seen her before. Just before Luke is transformed into a mouse, The Grand High Witch says to Luke that Grandma is an old adversary and when The Grand High Witch transforms into a mouse, the Grand High Witch says to Grandma "Next time, old woman." which Grandma responds "No! No next time! This time! It's-your-turn!". It's possible Grandma had set out to find The Grand High Witch to avenge Erica and the other children that the Witches have victimized and Grandma may had encountered The Grand High Witch before she became The Grand High Witch and the Grand High Witch could had been the witch whom took Grandma's finger and possibly transformed her into an animal.

When Miss Irving is seen eating alone eating in her hotel room, she is seen saying "I didn't want to be one of them, anyway." This hints that Miss Irving was a good witch and that she may had been forced to serve the Grand High Witch, not by choice and Miss Irving using her powers to change Luke back to normal is her atonement for the part she played in the Grand High Witch's evil acts she committed upon the children and she decides to be a good witch again.

The book had a unhappy ending. After the Grand High Witch and the witches are all killed by the hotel staff, Luke and Grandma return home and begin their plan to rid the world of witches by using the potion to change the Grand High Witch's successor and her assistants into mice and allow the cats to destroy them. Luke learns that mice can probably live only another 9 years and decides that in the end, himself and Grandma will die together.

Luke doesn't recognize the Woman in Black in the meeting scene when he learns of The Grand High Witch's evil plot to wipe out the children by transforming them into mice. Surely, Luke would had recognized the Woman in Black and suspected that all the women at the meeting are witches, as Luke spots the purple tint in one of the witches' eyes.

In some parts of the movie you can clearly see that the actors lines don't match their lips meaning either they were not saying that or their lips were not even moving at the time. 1. When the grandmother is talking about Erica and her younger self walks in to Erica's house and the mother says come have some cake it's clearly not the line that the actor said. 2. When Bruno Jenkins is talking about comparing margarine to butter this line is Ab libbed 3. When the hotel manager is stunned by what he sees when the grand High whitch's power makes the lobby spin the papers up and he is saying what the devil but that's not what he is saying you can clearly see he said something else and his lips don't match his lines 4. When Mrs. Irving is sitting in her hotel room all alone stating that she didn't want to be one of the witches anyway her lips weren't moving at all. However a voice is coming through closed lips

Miss Irving changing Luke back to normal at the end of the movie is Miss Irving's redemption.

User reviews

Nejind

The Witches is the rarest thing you'll ever see: a black comedy for children. Adults just assume that kids don't have the level of wit and sophistication to appreciate sly and sarcastic humour, but here that theory is challenged with a vengeance and this film proves itself to be a wickedly entertaining, knowingly cruel pantomime.

The story finds a young boy named Luke moving in with his Grandma following the death of his parents. She lives in Norway and is something of a witch expert. Pretty soon, she has filled his mind with tales of witchery and caution. Grandma falls seriously ill and is advised to go to the English seaside to recover, accompanied by Luke. Whilst there, Luke uncovers the fact that the RSPCC meeting in the hotel is actually a front for a society of witches. He is captured by them and metamorphosised into a mouse, but still comes up with a plot to wipe them out.

This film is enormous fun, punctuated by offbeat performances (Huston as the Grand High Witch of All the World is terrifying and funny in equal measure) and splendid puppet work. The story uses the moral that children should "never talk to strangers", but enhances it with the ingenious and disturbing premise of witches being responsible for evil acts towards children. The story has real pace and purpose, and constantly turns up another surprise or twist just when you think you've figured out what's coming next. The supporting performances are very nicely judged (Atkinson as the snooty hotel manager, Zetterlig as the wise grandmother, etc.). All in all, this is a must-see kids' flick for kids and adults of all ages.

Amerikan_Volga

i've always thought this was a great movie since i was little, it was one of those movies that you'd go over to see at your grandma's on Halloween, just scary enough for a kid, where the'd be afraid, but not usually enough to give nightmares(although i can remember having a few from this- those with very small children be warned!) i felt that the tales that the grandmother spins are the tantalizing part of the movie, with them being treated as a joke in the beginning, but then going on to, not only back them up, but to show that they actually happened. i feel that this was a very well put together movie, and Anjelica Huston as the grand high witch gives the movie a special flavor, like she was meant to play the role. If i talk much more i'll end up giving the thing away, so i'll leave you with this- it's a wonderful movie for kids, and, for hose adults who haven't seen it, when watching, keep in mind that this is a children's movie:) enjoy!!

Xaluenk

This is a movie which is highly underrated. It is a fantastic adventure about a young boy and his wise grandma who go on vacation along the English coast. Unknowlingly running into Grandma's most feared enemy- the Grand High Witch. When Luke accidentally crosses paths with the Grand High Witch and her Witch minions, it is up to him, Bruno Jenkins, and Grandma to save all the children of England!

Anjelica Huston does a marvelous job at portraying the snobbishly aristocratic Eva Ernst as well as her unmasked counterpart, the evil Grand High Witch. She definitely steals the show in this one, although Mai Zetterling does give one that warm nurturing feeling as the wise but kind grandma. And Jasen Fisher did a good job as well.

Not only is the acting good, but the special effects.. or should i see puppets and makeup.. are marvelous! The grand high witch without her face mask is really a terrible sight! And the little mice, really puppets opposed to the technological computer created special effects, really work out great and give a more earthy feel non animated animal movies.

If your an adult and your looking for a nail biting psychological thriller your looking in a very wrong direction. But if you are looking for a classic, fun, adventure for all ages- I suggest you watch this. I give it an A+!!!!!!!!

Bandiri

Yet another book by the famous storyteller Roald Dahl has been transferred to the silver screen. To be honest I have not read the book but I can assure you that the film consists of all the sinister irony, the creepiness and an amusing touch of morbidity which dominates all the fairy tales this fellow has printed on paper. The Witches is a rather forgotten little gem with a biting script, an engaging direction and entertaining performances from the entire cast. Roald Dahl (and consequently the writer and the director) made his own version of witchcraft. He used scary images and frightening themes not to insult the occult fans but simply to poke fun at some cliched lore and legends. As a result the film suffered from a severe identity crisis and failed to reach a target audience: a bit too dark for kids and the adults easily misjudged it as a run-of-the-mill childish corny movie. No wonder the film is to date an unknown fantasy flick. However for the lucky viewers it is a fondly remembered satire with a cult status.

Luke (Jasen Fisher) is a little boy whose parents take him on vacation to visit his grandmother Helga (Mai Zetterling). Helga has Norwegian origin and knows many things about witches, evil creatures which manage to lure small children only to kill them later. Apparently Helga has encountered a witch in her childhood. Luke seems to enjoy his grandmother's stories. When Luke's parents are killed in a car accident Helga takes the orphaned child under her custody and does her best to fill the void. When Luke is attacked by a strange woman who most probably was a witch, Helga realizes that her grandson has suffered enough already and needs a break. The two of them take a getaway trip to a luxurious British hotel by the seashore. During their residence in the hotel, a convention is being conducted by a group of women calling themselves "The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children." Their leader is Miss Ernst (Anjelica Huston), an aristocratic lady whose gothic and sharp characteristics seem to vaguely ring some bells in Helga's memory. Luke accidentally attends the convention only to find out it is actually a coven of the hideous witches his granny has described to the last detail. The witches hide their ugly real faces under masks. Miss Ernst is of course the notorious Grand High Witch, the most repelling, terrifying, powerful and infernal of them all. The Grand High Witch is fed up with her underlings and decides that enough time has been wasted: therefore she forms a master plan according to which they will eliminate easily all the children in the country. It is now up to Luke and Helga to save the United Kingdom from this massacre.

The imagery used by the director is effective and plays a crucial part for the atmosphere of the movie. Congratulations to the SFX and make up crew for their awesome depiction of the bare skulled sorcerers. Yeah, yeah it is quite scary for kids but whatever. Dahl never cared for stereotypes and neither should we. The whole concept is a multileveled parody: firstly the childish phobias of mean witches are depicted pleasantly. Secondly, the underlying metaphor the film tries to pull off at how cruel these social workers and charity people can be, instead of preventing the cruelty, is funny. There are also many other humorous scenes (obviously wanting to counter balance the scary ones) like when Bruno, an overweight spoiled rich bulimic boy who was transformed into a mouse by the witches, says compliantly to his freaked parents "Don't take it so hard mom! You did after all want me to lose weight, didn't you?" Speaking of the mouse, I would also like to make a reference to the professional puppeteering and dubbing SFX by Jim Henson which are very successful. Generally the effects for this movie are well crafted and not at all dated. The director also did a good job in setting the creepy scenes or the action sequences (like the finale).

The casting was also inspired. I liked seeing Fisher in the central role, not necessarily because he gives a standout performance but because we finally get a real character and not a piece of cardboard. Luke doesn't apply to any of the stereotypes we see in cinema generally. He is not the cute and painfully sappy sweet little boy, or the nerdy goof and he is definitely NOT the do-it-all superhero who destroys everything in his wind-blowing path (a la Dennis the Menace or Home Alone). Mai Zetterling (who is also the narrator) gives a warm performance as the wise grandmother and also the most dramatic one of the entire film. She provides therefore the human element of tragedy in the movie. Anjelica Huston arguably steals the show in a challenging role. She is exceptional being threatening and spooky (not necessarily in her real grotesque appearance but with her ice cold stare). The kid who plays Bruno adds much comic relief in an obviously preachy role about the sin of gluttony. Oh, there is also a cameo by a then obscure Rowan Atkinson who is sadly underused. For you obsessed Atkinson fans out there you may check him out in a verbal (albeit brief) character.

Enough said, I think. The Witches is a strange film which has a perfect (but misunderstood) balance between a dark fairy tale and a snicky adult satire. It is well worth watching for fantasy fans anywhere. I don't know if it is the best (or faithful) ADAPTATION of Dahl's novel, but I believe sincerely that it is the best MOVIE BASED on a Roald Dahl novel. Recommended? You betsa!!!!

THE WITCHES 8.5 / 10

SoSok

White gold

"The Witches" is funny, and a little scary for those who haven't seen it. Music, Effects, Acting, Editing, and overall production of the film is a plus.

Anjelica Huston is terrific and Jasen Fisher is pretty good as Luke.

cyrexoff

The film adaptation of Roald Dahl's classic ``The Witches" is a breathtaking spectacle that will delight a variety of viewers. Anjelica Huston is simply outstanding as "The Grand High Witch." She is the perfect actress to portray the dark, albeit laughable, character.

Luke (Jasen Fisher) is a young boy living with his grandmother, Helga (Mai Zetterling). Mai is perfectly cast as the doting, adventuresome grandmother. Helga regales Luke with stories of witches, dangerous creatures who seek to harm children.

I particularly liked the lack of Americanization in this film, as opposed to a similar counterpart, the adaptation of ``Matilda." The film stays true to the book for the majority. Unfortunately, the happy ending, which was loathed by Roald Dahl himself, detracts from the seemingly perfect adaptation.

In any event, 'The Witches' is sure to be a hit among kids (and adults as well). Anyone who has enjoyed the book is sure to enjoy this film version.

Uickabrod

Very strange fantasy in which a young boy Luke (Jasen Fisher) and his friend Bruno (Charles Potter) get in trouble with some witches (led by Anjelicia Huston). Luke's Norwegian aunt (Mai Zetterling), a former witch, helps him battle the others.

When this came out in 1990 critics loved it, but audiences stayed away. Real witches attacked the film because it portrayed witches as evil, ugly and wanting to kill all children. They overreacted--it's just a FANTASY, not reality. Also it was way too strong (and strange) to attract a family audience...too scary for kids and adults assumed it was a kids movie. But it is a good fantasy for high schoolers and adults.

Nicholas Roegs' direction is off-putting (he directs it like it's high art), but the special effects are truly incredible (especially the mice) and there are wonderful performances by Zetterling and Huston (going WAY over the top in her acting).

It's a very strange movie--definitely a one of a kind. It's worth a look.

Jaberini

The boy Luke (Jasen Fisher) is spending vacation in Norway at the house of his grandmother Helga Eveshim (Mai Zetterling) house with his parents. She tells stories of evil witches and how her best childhood friend was kidnapped by a witch. Out of the blue, Luke's parents have a car accident and die and Helga becomes Luke's guardian. They move to England and one day, a woman approaches and speaks to Luke, but he identifies that she is a witch. One day, Helga falls ill and her doctor tells that it is her diabetes. She decides to travel to a seaside hotel to recover from her diabetes. On the arrival, Luke befriends the fat boy Bruno Jenkins (Charlie Potter) and has problems with the manager Mr. Stringer (Rowan Atkinson) because of his pet white mice. Meanwhile a group of women from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children arrive for a convention with their leader Miss Eva Ernst (Anjelica Huston). But soon Luke learns that Eva is indeed the Grand High Witch and their convention is to distribute a magic potion to turn boys into mice in England. When the Grand High Witch sees Luke, she turns him into a mouse. What will the boy do?

"The Witches" is one of the most delightful movies from the 90's. This film has not aged and the timeless story is wonderful no matter the age of the viewer. That cast is perfect and Anjelica Huston is fantastic in the role of a powerful witch. The make-up and special effects are magnificent and still impressive twenty-seven years later. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Convenção das Bruxas" ("Witches Convention")

Gralsa

This is the genuine article, a children's movie enjoyable by the whole family. It deals with the legends of evil witches by showing children that good overcomes evil. There is a good deal of slapstick and silliness that reminds older folks of the Hal Roach "Keystone Cops". However, the silliness never obscures the human message. This is also not a "Jackass" film with dangerous stunts for kids to try at home. For a change, love is portrayed as something true and valuable to be desired and pursued. The cast is excellent from top to bottom, with the best actors doing some of their sometimes most understated and often brightest over-the-top work. It has been a family favorite from coast to coast ever since it came out and our extended clan can't recommend it highly enough.

Saithi

i think this is one of the best films i have ever seen i first got it when i was 8 and that was 10 years ago and to this very day i'm still laughing away like i have never seen it before, even the kids love it! i think Angelica Huston is the best character in the film i love her attitude towards all her follower witches she is one of my all time favourite actresses and would love to meet her i love all her films too! don't believe there is 1 bad thing i could say about that film highly recommended too all children and parents even the oldies, would make a great gift for all the family, they don't make them much better than this.

Jeb

No doubt Roald Dahl is a great children's author but maybe perhaps children will feel less scared reading the book than seeing it on film!

The story of a boy and his grandmother, finding out that the hotel they are staying at has a witches convention which is planning to turn all the children in England into mice is very well done. Though the major concerns I have is 1. The head witch in her real form 2. The scene when people turn into mice (espically the English kid) WARNING THOSE SCENES SCARE CHILDREN CAUSE IT SCARED ME! So parents, just put your arm around your kid the whole time, just in case.

Performances are good, espically from Angelica Huston and Rowan Atkinson. Jasen Fisher is quite a cheesy lead to have, I reckon.

A good family movie with very scary scenes so I'll warn you there.

Aurizar

Roald Dahl may not have enjoyed the towering (financial) success of J K Rowling, but he knew how to spin a good yarn for kids.

'The Witches' screens an excellent blend of The Master's dark story and British slap-stick humour, the whole thing realised in a seaside hotel that might be run by Basil Fawlty.

These witches have gathered at the hotel to finalise plans for the extermination of nasty, smelly children (good luck to 'em, I say). Ably led by Angelica Housten - who camps it up so far over the top as Grand High Witch that you almost wish she could win - they are going to put her master-plan into execution, using a particularly powerful magic poison.

Our young hero, staying there with his invalid grandmother, accidentally discovers their plan, and being captured, is turned into a mouse.

The whole adventure becomes a race against time to stop them before it's too late.

Dahl has such a dark humour that - brought to screen - almost qualifies for an adult rating. Some of the scenes of - what are, in effect, child cruelty - are singularly out of step with modern political-correctness (now there's a real poison). And some of the scenes of metamorphosis, especially amongst the witches, are almost the stuff of nightmares. This is certainly not suitable for tots. Rowan Atkinson's groping of the hotel staff may also raise an eyebrow or two amongst more sensitive viewers.

The movie has extremes. At one level it is hilarious, at another it is extremely creepy, then at another it seems oddly realistic, with people engaging in fractious and believable arguments. The switch from one situation to another is sometimes a little uneven. Rowan Atkinson plays a strange role as hotel manager; at once the rubber-faced clown of 'Mr Bean', then later as suave as one of his 'Blackadder' incarnations. Then, at other times he is the lecherous groper of room-maids. Once again, it's a little uneven.

Dahl can be shocking. He is a phenomenon you really need to have grown up with. He doesn't baulk at belching and farting, or even torture and cannibalism. And most kids love his anarchic style of story-telling. Enid Blyton he ain't. Despite the wobbly continuity of this movie, it offers a worthy presentation of his work that will have most kids, grown-up or not, thoroughly entertained.

Lavivan

...but the bits that are good are not original, and the bits that are original are not that good.

With impressive special effects, evil witches, a brave hero, and all that this film has to offer, children will probably enjoy this film immensely or be scared out of their wits (or possibly both).

But only if they haven't read the book.

If you've read the book, this is my warning to you: They added the character to the film. A *good* witch who goes around undoing the evil doings of the other witches. If you liked the book's ending, *do not* watch this film.

Shezokha

What is very possibly the best Roald Dahl book of all time has been transformed into a rather good movie. For the most part the Dahl adaptations: James and The Giant Peach, Matilda, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (the film is called Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory) are rather good anyways on film although most of them lack the bitting (and often satirical) wit of Roald Dahl's books. The Witches really came through with Angelica Huston's character, the Grand High Witch. Her entire performance is so over the top and wonderful, it is almost as if Dahl had written her character's performance into the script. Anyways, that being said, there are some rather silly touches in the film that do not quite fit in. The first being that the ending is completely different, although i agree with another user in that the ending of the book would not adapt well to the screen and wouldn't appeal to Hollywood audiences. The other problems I have are minor, the character played by Jane Horrocks (of Absolutely Fabulous, Little Voice, and Chicken Run) wasn't in the story either, but her character is crucial to the ending so I'll let it slide. The other problem is that in the book Luke's parents die on the first page, on their way to his grandmother's house (did I mention that Luke has no name in the book?), in the film version his parents die after they get there, a minor point, but it isn't quite as empowering for the main character. And speaking of Luke...could the producers of this film found a more boring character? I understand that the book is rather introspective, most of the story is told through the characters retelling of the story, but in a movie format, it is difficult to sympathize with a character that barely says anything at all. Regardless of these slight problems I have with the transition from book to film, this movie is one of the best family movies ever made, right nearly as good as bedknobs and broomsticks, watcher in the woods, and labryinth. Better than it's more hollywoodized counterpart; hocus pocus. Please do your brain a favor though, read the book. The Witches is a wonderful, magical story filled with adventure and fun. One final note, to the user who condemned this film for advocating a stereotype, you are obviously not big into your wiccan history. The witches here are not wiccan witches, but demonic creatures from a different plane of existence. Think of them as the evil counterpart to your more familiar wiccan creatures: slyphs, gnomes, undies, salamanders, etc... A true wiccan would understand the difference, as would the thousands of people viewing this movie. I highly doubt your nose grows a full foot longer once you've removed your face, and I highly doubt any one else would think that too - This is the reason why wicca is called wicca nowadays and not Witchcraft, to separate the two practices - signed, an amateur wiccan theologist.

Querlaca

Roald Dahl's novel of supernatural women who want to rid the world of children becomes a film which shows some pretty nice effects.

It stars Angelica Huston as the Grand High With who holds a meeting at a hotel, where at the same time a former witch hunter and her grandson, Luke, are staying. The Grand High With is then battled against by the two while Luke has been turned into a mouse.

It's a pretty gruesome film due to the fact that children will be watching. The film may prove a little too much for them but it's great, with good performances and some enchanting music at the start, the film gives the look of a real family movie. ****

Kardana

Luke's grandmother always warned him of witches child hating women notable for their baldness, lack of toes and purple tinged eyes, however it is a tragic accident, not witches, that robs him of his parents and sees him placed in her care. Soon he has his first experience with a witch and learns just how frightening they can be. Later they are staying in a hotel where Luke's mice gets him into trouble with the manager. Although this is naught compared to Luke's discovery that the group of women in a RSPCC conference are really all witches in a meeting chaired by the global head witch herself! With a grand plan to wipe out children in England, Luke must act to stop them but when he is discovered and caught, it seems very unlikely.

Although I read the book many times as a child I had never seen this film until recently. The first thing that strikes you about it is how dated and rather cheap it feels it doesn't look very polished and has the look of a British family film made on a tight budget (which of course it is). It is difficult to get over this feeling and the television-programme look to it due to the film stock and sets doesn't help. However get used to it and the story is actually pretty effective and does the spirit of the book proud by being an imaginative tale that will be genuinely frightening for children a good thing when done properly as Roald Dahl shows regularly. The story is enjoyable with some frightening bits, some humour and generally good telling throughout. The makeup is sufficiently hideous and the puppetry on the mice is good considering the budget.

The cast are mixed. Fisher is poor and only adds to the "cheap television film" feel; he can't act for toffee and he doesn't do anything that good although he is better as a voice than he is in the flesh. Zetterling isn't that much better although hers is a support role. Small roles from Atkinson, Horrocks, Blethyn, Potter and others all add a bit of depth without ever shining or sticking in the memory. Thank goodness then for Huston, who dominates the film with a performance that fits the character perfectly. She gyrates sexually as she prepares to use her formula on a child and she totally convinces as the lead witch while also having fun with such an evil character.

Overall this is an enjoyable low budget affair despite the rather dated and cheap look it consistently has. It would greatly benefit from a remake with greater resources and a better delivery that gets the menace right in a polished product but this is still a good film although perhaps occasionally too scary for younger children.

Golden Lama

With Roald Dahl's tale of mythic women who wish to rid the world of children taken to film, it's only natural that fans may get upset. They need not be frightened too much, as with Roald Dahl's humour and dark cruelty towards children from adults used throughout the film, the film stands strong.

The start works really well with a beautiful piece of music looking over the rooftops of Luke's (the central character)grandmother's home town. Then it turns out that his grandmother is teaching him about witches, before becoming overwhelmed by the death of his parents. His grandmother decides to return to England at a hotel where a convention of evil witches is taking place.

Angelica Huston as the Grand High Witch is simply astounding, with her performance showing the character with all the imagination that is held within her.

Mai Zetterling is favourable as Luke's grandmother who attempts to bring down the witch's hideous crimes.

The film is enchanting, adorable, frightening and funny and it's a treat for children. Although it can be quiet terrifying for very young children.

Hiylchis

this movie is so funny. it's also pretty terrifying as well. i don't think most kids under ten years old can probably handle these scares, but i would still recommend it for all ages because it is so genuinely quaint and witty and very cute. everything Jim Henson created was pure magic.

i've actually read Roald Dahl's children book. i'm a big fan of Dahl's witticisms and having read this, i'd say this adaptation, except for the ending, sticks closely to the book. this is a strange work of paranoia and chauvinism, pretty much aimed at women and femininity. so basically Dahl should take most of the blame here. most children's stories are made to comfort or educate, Dahl's 'The Witches' mostly seems designed to alarm and incite. i don't see too much of a problem with that really, because it's done with such humour and well, life isn't always pretty or cozy.

every time i see this i can't believe how funny it is. i mean just downright hilarious. and it's humour is very subtle and sophisticated for a children's work. it satirizes the very nature of the feminine. the horrible witches here are the very opposite of the nurturing mother figure. that's evident in the hilarious front the witches have which is a charity for the prevention of child abuse. rather than nurture, these women want to kill. and they don't want to kill just anybody, they want to kill children. the very opposite of the mother image.

not every woman is a baddie. chubby little Bruno has a nice enough and normal mother, and Luke's cigar smoking granny is positively butch. and the witches themselves are diluted somewhat by the conversion of the littlest witch.

Anjelica Huston almost steals the show away from Henson and director Nicholas Roeg's brilliantly atmospheric and eerily real stylization. Huston's witch is terrifyingly homicidal, masked by a thin acceptance of refinement and graciousness. she proudly asserts her dominance over the other's by belittling the others and occasionally killing some by zapping them into cinders. Huston does this with a complete restraint while still pushing the performance wildly over the top. it's honestly a little unnerving as to how well she seems to understand her horrifying characterization.

the two little boys who play the unfortunate Luke and his chubby pal Bruno are outstanding. especially the kid who plays Bruno. he truly seems to channel the comic qualities of his role.

this movie is definitely for kids. even young kids might find it exciting. but parents should be cautioned, i find this movie to be pretty chilling and frightening. and the horrors the witches inflict on the two little boys looks painful and horrible.

this move is sophisticated and stylish, first rate entertainment for children. and it's message is more productive than you might think. don't be so trusting, life is full of cruelty. sometimes paranoids have real enemies.

Samugor

Luke and his grandmother are taking a holiday in an English hotel when he discovers an RSPCC delegation are actually a coven of witches with a fiendish plan to kill every child in England. Things get worse when they turn him into a mouse. How can he and his Gran defeat these evil harpies ?

Based on one of Roald Dahl's classic funny / scary children's books, this a great ripping yarn full of spooky moments, gruesomely gross scenes, hilarious characters and lots of amusingly heroic episodes. Roeg is perhaps an unusual choice to direct a children's film but he creates an evocative mood (the story of the girl trapped in the picture brings me out in goosebumps every time) and casts the film to perfection with great character actors who bring out all the laughs and scares the story packs in. Zetterling - the gifted director of movies like Scrubbers - is just fantastic as Grandma, with her sly glances, matter-of-fact delivery and ever-present cigar, and is well matched by the formidable Huston as the Grand High Witch (whose hands alone are worth catching this movie for). Paterson does a great schtick as a loudmouthed hotel guest (he briefly flusters Huston by asking "Just flew in, did you ?"), Atkinson is on fine form as the officious manager, and Horrocks has a scene-stealing little part as a flunky. There are some great sequences; the big "Weetches ov Heenkland !" speech, Luke's daring escape from the conference room, the mouse-in-the-kitchen escapade and the suitably comic/violent finale. Dahl's stories are frequently gleefully horrible (one reason why they're so popular with kids), and this film, despite a happier ending than the book, exploits that quality to the full. The jaunty score by Stanley Myers, full of duelling violins and trumpets, bounces the whole thing along with gusto, bringing the humorous element to the fore and finishing off this delicious dessert of a movie. Sadly, this was the last film that the late great Jim Henson worked on before his untimely death at the age of 53, but it epitomises the imaginative, funny and enthralling love of storytelling which he brought to everything he did. Shot in Bergen in western Norway and Newquay in Cornwall.

NiceOne

A rare film where adults and children can enjoy watching together. It's unfortunate this film has been forgotten with the avalanche of the Vampire/Werewolves movies. Based on Roald Dahl's dark junior novel of the same title, this movie is about a boy whose Grandmother warns him non-stop about the dangers of the secret world of the Witches. After a health scare by his Grandmother, they check into a seaside resort where the Witches of England have come together for their annual convention.

The movie is supremely cast especially with the ever-talented Anjelica Huston as the Grand High Witch. Dahl himself had favored Huston in the title role. She plays the character deliciously and truly seemed to enjoy herself. Her rapport with Mia Zetterling and Jasen Fisher is impeccable. This movie made me fall in love with Anjelica Huston and is a movie I would watch over and over without getting bored.

Watch this movie if only to see how Anjelica Huston plays the role perfectly but I assure you you will enjoy the plot and scenery as well. Look for Rowan Atkinson in a comical role here as well.

Yozshujind

This movie is not just a Halloween classic, but a CLASSIC in every way possible. This is one of only two movies i still own on VHS (the other is The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course, but that doesn't really need to be explained does it?).

I have seen this movie more times than I can count, so many in fact that the original VHS cartridge became worn out, the tape was transferred into another cartridge, then years later retaped on to a new tape to hold off the film from degrading further. This year I think I am finally going to force my lazy ass to get it on DVD.

This movie is about an American kid who's parents die and he is sent to live with his granny in England. Soon the kid discovers that Angelica Huston apparently finds children stinky and wants to eliminate them all by buying up candy shops and selling goodies tainted (ha ha ha taint) with "Formula 86″ that turns kids into mice. Now maybe it's just me, but as I watch this film as an adult I always want to tell Angelica Huston that if she really wanted to wipe those kids out she should have laced the chocolate with Anthrax and kill them outright rather then turn them into mice. Hell if she doesn't want to kill them why not just lace the goodies with herpes? Any way, The kid a.k.a. Luke and his crazy old granny (who apparently knows a ton about witches) are hanging out in this hotel where the witches are having a convention about snuffing out kids when he discovers their plans. After witnessing his fatty boom batty friend Bruno turned into a mouse he tries to tell his grandmother, but is apprehended and turned into a mouse himself.

Now if it were me, I wouldn't be that upset. Think about it, you still have your human brain, you're just a mouse. You don't have to worry about money or bills or any of that stuff. On top of that it's the animal kingdom, if there is some fine mouse pussy that you want, you just mount up and go to town. No dating, no consequences, you're a mouse. Anyhow he gets his granny's help they defeat the witches, save his friend and go to America.

It is a kick ass flick.

http://heystupid.wordpress.com/category/stupid-movies/

Bremar

Wasn't sure what to expect from this 1990 kiddie fantasy film, but thought it was worth taking a look at for Dahl's original story and performances by Rowan Atkinson and Anjelica Huston. The film passes the grade -- it doesn't talk down to either its child or adult audience, and contains a dark sense of humor combined with memorable characters.

The plot concerns a little boy named Luke (Jasen Fisher), recently orphaned, who is taken with him grand mom (Mai Zetterling, showing impressive gravitas in this role) on a holiday by the beach, staying at a posh hotel run by a "stuffed shirt" who sleeps with his hired maids, Mr. Stringer (Atkinson). They become enmeshed in a conspiracy launched by the Grand High Witch (Huston) to turn every child in England into a mouse. After he and a corpulent friend are turned into mice, Luke must attempt to save the future of the Kingdom and escape all cats in the vicinity at the same time.

The film is somewhat remarkable for being so straightforward -- these witches just HATE children and that's pretty much what they are about. I'd say the screenplay was good; I haven't read the Dahl story but it had enough of the sense of irony and self-awareness that I've seen in his other books to believe it's a reasonably faithful adaption. Roeg tones down his sometimes chaotic style of directing and gets some fine work in here, even managing to make some of the film's more casual scenes memorable.

I have to admit I'm a fan of Rowan Atkinson, and this was one of his better small roles. I've never seen him in a romantic situation as they showed which was a novelty. He's perfect for the role, which he invests with his best sniveling self-superior nerd act.

If there's a problem with the film for me, it was with the lengthy sequences where the Grand High Witch explains her plan to the other witches. It went on for far too long for an expository scene in a children's film, and I can only imagine that the film-makers (chief among them Jim Henson as exec producer, one of his last credits) wrongly believed that the animatronic work on the GHW's "true face" would sustain the scene's dynamics. Instead we feel as if we are watching a puppet talk for 5 or 10 minutes, which is exactly what we're doing. At this point the scene fails to generate the excitement or dread that it should -- or that for example Walter Murch created in his scenes with the evil headless witch in "Return to Oz". We've seen too much already, there is nothing for the rest of the film to build up to. I felt that Huston is a great actress and they should have allowed her to do the scene instead of cheating with effects. The scenes with Huston in her campy witch persona without makeup are among the best in the film.

Only other problem, the ending felt a bit rushed to me, the problems were solved a bit too easily. On the whole though, this is a film I would think kids would enjoy and adults will not feel insulted by, so people might want to think about seeking this out instead of a lot of the awful stuff being done nowadays. It's become an oldie-but-goodie in the fast-moving kiddie fantasy world.

BOND

The Witches is one of Roald Dahl's finest books. Not only is it a great read, just like everything else he ever wrote, its also one of his most terrifying. The point that it puts across is children all over the world are preyed upon by evil witches, and will kill them for no other reason than the fact that they can't stand children. Roald Dahl was often rather cruel to children in his books, and in The Witches he even goes so far to remark that they smell like dog droppings to witches.

The film version was sadly overlooked upon its release in 1990. A shame really because of the talent assembled, and also because its remarkably successful in maintaining Dahl's trademark menacing overtones. In fact The Witches is a disturbingly sinister children's film. And really the only complaint I have is the disappointingly optimistic ending. If only it had the courage to see things through to their natural conclusion like the book, I would have given the film 10/10, and it may have even surpassed Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, the finest example of a Dahl screen adaptation.

The villains in Roald Dahl's books are nearly always adults. And in The Witches, they get their most terrifying roles to play. The witches of the world are explained to us in a marvellous little vignette that has the actual feel of a lyrical fairytale. But written by the Brothers Grimm.

Helga Eveshim (a charming performance by the late Mai Zetterling) is a retired witch-hunter. She explains to her grandson Luke how dangerous witches are. How instead of pointy hats and broomsticks, they look perfectly normal, have pleasant smiling faces, and work in ordinary jobs. But really they're bald, they have purple eyes, feet with no toes and a strong sense of smell for sniffing out children.

After we learn the tragic tale of an innocent child entrapped in a painting by a witch, the story shifts from Dahl's native Norway to an English hotel. While Helga and Luke are staying there, a witches convention arrives, led by the Grand High Witch (a grandstanding show from Anjelica Huston).

She is not satisfied with the witches dealings with children. And so she's come up with a way to get rid of them all in one stroke. A magic formula that can turn a human into a mouse. The witches will buy as many sweet shops as they can, and put the formula into the chocolate. Luke overhears the plot, and along with a greedy boy called Bruno, both are turned into mice. With the help of Helga, they must stop the witches here and now before they carry out their plan.

The Witches is a fantastic kids film. In fact, I would say its far more enjoyable for adults, because they can appreciate more the technical skill that went into making it, not to mention the sly level of satire that went over my head as a child.

It makes plenty of digs at British culture, especially the staff you get at British hotels. Check out Rowan Atkinson as a Fawlty Towers like owner, carrying on a relationship with one of the cleaning staff.

But the chief pleasures of the film are the rousing adventures Luke and Bruno have as mice in the hotel. The makeup work and animatronic effects provided by the late Jim Henson (his last film as it turned out) are superb. The voices of Luke and Bruno are perfectly synchronised with the puppetised mice, who are a plucky heroic duo. And the true appearance of the Grand High Witch is as frightening as she is ugly. Even at the end of his life, Jim Henson was still a genius and everything he touched turned to magic. We miss you Jim!

The acting from all involved is excellent. Mai Zetterling plays the part of Luke's grandmother with considerable charm and maternal warmth, and even Atkinson is amusing as he watches the events at his hotel descend into chaos.

But its Anjelica Huston who dominates, bringing fire, zest and complete evil to the part of the Grand High Witch. She can command a whole room to silence by the power of her voice alone. Which is all the more remarkable considering her scenes where she's buried under tons of makeup. But her personality continues to shine through, and is equal parts hilarious and terrifying. Anjelica Huston is one of my favourite actresses, and she really impresses in one of her first starring roles.

The film's more sinister side is considerably disturbing at times. The Witches is a very intense film, complete with tight angles showing the witches grinning evilly, scenes of Luke nearly getting his tail cut off, and the very uneasy scene when a witch tries to coax Luke out of his treehouse with promises of chocolate and friendship that has an almost disturbing residue of realism to it.

But The Witches is also a lot of fun, especially Luke and Bruno's hijinks. Running across corridors, chased by cats, wreaking havoc in a kitchen, its all tremendously entertaining. But as I mentioned before, the only sour side is the ending.

The film adds an unnecessary character of a good witch, played by Jane Horrocks. She sympathises with Luke, and turns him back into a boy, where the book more daringly kept him as a mouse. I do like Jane Horrocks, and she's likable in the part, but the happier ending feels out of place with everything else in the film, and spoils what was a rip-roaring adventure.

Nevertheless, I highly recommend The Witches. Its a refreshing alternative to the sugary sweet pickings of todays kids films. Its smart, fun, scary and helped immeasurably by great music too.

Fantastic stuff!

Ballardana

This is a truly delightful movie. Only its scariness keeps it from being a children's classic. Anjelica Huston is really terrific, as is the entire film.

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