The Witches (1990)

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

DIRECTION

Director: Nicolas Roeg

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
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
Script Supervisor: Mary Holdsworth

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

OTHER CREW
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)

PLOT SUMMARY

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)

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))

1997
May
18: UK - shown at the National Film Theatre, London (as part of the Fiendish Fun: Screening Dahl season)

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: 15 April, 2009