The Witches [1990]

Country of Origin: UK
Year of Production: 1990
Running Times: 91 mins
Format: Eastmancolor     35mm
Ratio: 2.35:1
Sound: Dolby

PRODUCTION
Production Companies: Jim Henson Productions / Lorimar Film Entertainment
Executive Producer: Jim Henson
Producer: Mark Shivas
Line Producer: Dusty Symonds
Production Manager: Hans Otto Nicolayssen
Production Coordinator: Clare St John

SCRIPT
Script: Allan Scott
Book: Roald Dahl

DIRECTION
Director: Nicolas Roeg
2nd Unit Director: John Palmer
1st Assistant Director: Barry Wasserman
2nd Assistant Director: Callum McDougall
3rd Assistant Director: Mark Layton
2nd Unit Assistant Director: Chris Newman

PHOTOGRAPHY
Director of Photography: Harvey Harrison
Camera Operator: Gordon Hayman
2nd Unit Camera Operator: John Palmer
Clapper Loader: Dean Morrish
Focus Puller: Mike Evans
Gaffer: Steve Foster
Camera Grip: Kenny Athelfold
Stills: Stephen Morley
Electrical Equipment: Samuelson Lighting Ltd
Camera Systems: Michael Samuelson Lighting

EDITING AND POST PRODUCTION
Editor: Tony Lawson
1st Assistant Editor: Margaret Thompson
Post Production Coordinator: Jennie McClean-Cooke

MUSIC
Music: Stanley Myers
Arranger: Christopher Palmer
Music Recordist: Chris Dibble
Music Recorded and Mixed At: C.T.S. Studios, Wembley, England, UK

SOUND
Sound Mixer: Peter Sutton
Boom Operator: John Salter
Re-Recording Mixer: Gerry Humphreys
Dubbing Editor: Rodney Glenn
Assistant Dubbing Editor: Julian Rodd
Dialogue Editor: Derek Holding
Sound Effects Editor: Philip Alton
Sound Re-Recorded At: Twickenham Film Studios
Sound Equipment: Osborne Sound Ltd

MAKE UP AND COSTUMES
Key Make Up: Chrissie Beveridge
Assistant Make Up Sally Harrison, Sally Sutton
Hair: Tricia Cameron
Costume Designer: Marit Allen
Wardrobe Supervisor: Richard Pointing
Wardrobe Mistress: Dorothea Smylie
Wardrobe Assistant: Jenny Hawkins [uncredited]

SPECIAL MAKE UP EFFECTS
Prosthetic Make Up: Nigel Booth
Grand High Witch Make Up: Steve Norrington
Contact Lenses: Clive R. Kay [uncredited]

SPECIAL EFFECTS
Animatronics: Jim Henson's Creature Shop
Animatronic Designer: John Stephenson
Animatronics Coordinator: William Plant
Puppeteers: Anthony Asbury, Donald Austen, Sue Dacre, David Greenaway, Brian Henson, Robert Tygner, Steve Whitmire
Mechanical Designers: Chris Barton, Verner Gresty, Neal Scanlan, David Barrington-Holt
Mice Designer: Pauline Fowler
Puppet Mice: Jane Gootnick
Foam Lab Supervisor: Mike Osborn

VISUAL EFFECTS
Model Unit Director of Photography: Paul Wilson
2nd Unit 1st Assistant Camera: Jonathan Taylor
Optical Effects: Optical Film Effects
Optical Effects Technician: Zoe Cain [uncredited]
Titles and Opticals: Image to Image
Travelling Mattes: Meddings Magic

DESIGN AND SET CONSTRUCTION
Production Designer: Andrew Sanders
Supervising Art Director: Norman Dorme
Art Director: John King
Assistant Set Designer: Ingeborg Kvamme
Set Decorator: Robin Tarsnane
Property Master: John Mills
Stand-By Props: Alfie Smith
Chargehand Props: Micky Swift
Property Buyer: Don Worts
Construction Manager: Geoffrey Kingsley
Assistant Construction Manager: Bob Devine
Storyboard Artist: Mike Ploog
Production Design Concepts: Voytek
Draughtsmen: Jonathan McKinstry, Cliff Robinson

MISCELLANEOUS
Script Supervisor: Mary Holdsworth
Production Accountant: Brian Bailey
Assistant Accountants: Sarah Dean, Ann Thrift
Production Office Secretary: Gay Whelan
Assistant to Nicolas Roeg: Roy Hyatt
Production Runners: Mark Challenor, Richard Whelan
Floor Runner: Sholto Roeg

LOCATIONS
Locations: Bergen, Norway; Headland Hotel, Newquay, Cornwall, England, UK
Location Manager [UK]: Liz Kerry
Location Manager [Norway]: Philip Kohler

CASTING
Casting: Celestia Fox
Additional Casting: Alderman and Andreas Casting

CAST
Anjelica Huston [Miss Ernst / Grand High Witch]
Mai Zetterling [Helga]
Jasen Fisher [Luke]
Jane Horrocks [Miss Irvine]
Anne Lambton [Woman in Black]
Rowan Atkinson [Mr Stringer]
Bill Paterson [Mr Jenkins]
Brenda Blethyn [Mrs Jenkins]
Charlie Potter [Bruno Jenkins]
Sukie Smith [Marlene]
Rose English [Dora]
Jenny Runacre [Elsie]
Annabel Brooks [Nicola]
Emma Relph [Millie]
Nora Connolly [Beatrice]
Rosamund Greenwood [Janice]
Angelique Rockas [Henrietta]
Anne Tirard [lady 1]
Leila Hoffman [lady 2]
Jim Carter [head chef]
Roberta Taylor [witch chef]
Brian Hawksley [elderly waiter]
Debra Gillett [waitress]
Darcy Flynn [Luke's mother]
Vincent Marzello [Luke's father]
Serena Harragin [doctor]
Grete Nordra [Norwegian witch]
Elsie Eide [Erica]
Kristin Steinsland [child Helga]
Merete Armand [Erica's mother]
Ola Otnes [Erica's father]
Johan Sverre, Arvid Ones, Sverre Rossummoen [policeman]

A young American orphan boy, Luke, is brought to England by his grandmother and they move into a hotel in a quiet coastal town. There Luke discovers that the seemingly innocent convention being held there is actually a gathering of witches who are planning to destroy all the children in the world.

Argentina
Video Distributor: Argentina Video Home

Germany
Laserdisc Distributor: Philips [51297]

USA
Theatrical Distributor: Warner Bros.
Video Distributor: Warner Bros. Home Video
Laserdisc Distributor: Warner Home Video [671]
DVD Distributor: Warner Home Video [671]

CENSORSHIP HISTORY

Argentina
Rating: Atp

Chile
Rating: TE

Finland
Rating: K-8

Germany
Rating: 6

Sweden
Rating: 7

UK
Rating: PG

USA
Rating: PG

1990
Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards, USA
Best Actress [Anjelica Huston] - winner [also for The Grifters [1990]]

National Society of Film Critics Awards, USA
Best Actress [Anjelica Huston] - winner [also for The Grifters [1990]]

1991
BAFTA Awards, UK
Best Make Up Artist [Christine Beveridge] - nominated

Boston Society of Film Critics Awards, USA
Best Actress [Anjelica Huston] - winner [also for The Grifters [1990]]

Fantasporto, Portugal
International Fantasy Film Award Best Film [Nicolas Roeg] - nominated

Hugo Awards, USA
Best Dramatic Presentation - nominated

1990
February
16: USA - theatrical release

1991
February
Day Unknown: Portugal - shown at the Fantasporto Film Festival
22: Sweden - theatrical release

March
29: Finland - theatrical release

November
Day Unknown: Germany - laserdisc release [Philips [51297]]

1999
June
22: USA - DVD release [Warner Home Video [671]]

2002
January
25: Czech Republic - shown at the Febio Film Festival

Saving the world from witches is a tall order for a boy they've turned into a mouse!

Hexen hexen - German title
La maldición de las brujas - Spanish title
Kuka pelkää noitia - Finnish title
Les sorcieres - French Canadian title
Boszorkányok - Hungarian title
Chi ha paura delle streghe? - Italian title
Czarownice - Polish title
Häxor - Swedish title

KEYWORDS

witches, children, transformations, mice, magic

Last Updated: 6 March, 2007