The Witches (1990)

Country of Origin: USA
Year of Production: 1989
Running Times: 91m
Length:
Format: 35mm
Colour Format: Eastmancolor
Ratio: 2.35:1
Sound: Dolby Stereo

DIRECTION

Director: Nicolas Roeg

PRODUCTION
Copyright: © 1989 Lorimar Film Entertainment Company
Production Companies: Lorimar Film Entertainment presents from Jim Henson Productions a Nicolas Roeg film
Distributed by: Warner Bros. a Warner Communications Company
Executive Producer: Jim Henson
Producer: Mark Shivas
Line Producer: Dusty Symonds
Production Manager - Norway: Hans Otto Nicolayssen
Production Coordinator: Clare St. John

SCRIPT
Screenplay by: Allan Scott
Based on the Book by: Roald Dahl

DIRECTION
Second 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
Second Unit Cameraman: John Palmer
Director of Photography - Model Unit: Paul Wilson
Camera Operator: Gordon Hayman
Focus Puller: Mike Evans
Clapper Loader: Dean Morrish
Gaffer: Steve Foster
Camera Grip: Kenny Athelfold
Stills Photographer: Stephen Morley
Camera and Electrical Equipment: Samuelsons Ltd.
Filmed with Panavision equipment

EDITING AND POST-PRODUCTION
Film Editor: Tony Lawson
1st Assistant Editor: Margaret Thompson
Post Production Co-ordinator: Jennie McClean-Cooke
Laboratory: Metrocolor London Ltd.
Originated on Eastman Colour Film from Kodak

MUSIC
Music by: Stanley Myers
Music Arranger: Christopher Palmer
Music Recorded by: Chris Dibble
Music Recorded and Mixed at: C.T.S. Studios, Wembley

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
Effects Editor: Philip Alton
Sound Re-recorded at: Twickenham Studios
Sound Equipment: Osborne Sound Ltd.

COSTUMES AND MAKE-UP
Costumes Designed by: Marit Allen
Wardrobe Supervisor: Richard Pointing
Wardrobe Mistress: Dorothea Smylie
Wardrobe Assistant: Jenny Hawkins (uncredited)
Chief Make-up Artist: Chrissie Beveridge
Assistant Make-up: Sally Sutton, Sally Harrison
Chief Hairdresser: Tricia Cameron

SPECIAL MAKE UP EFFECTS
Make-up Grand High Witch: Steve Norrington
Prosthetic Make-up: Nigel Booth
Contact Lenses: Clive R. Kay (uncredited)

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

VISUAL EFFECTS
Travelling Mattes: Meddings Magic

TITLES AND OPTICALS
Optical Effects: Optical Film Effects
Titles Design and Optical Effects: Image to Image
Optical Effects Technician: Zoe Cain (uncredited)

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

OTHER CREW
Production Accountant: Brian Bailey
Assistant Accountants: Sarah Dean, Ann Thrift
Production Office Secretary: Gay Whelan
Assistant to Mr Roeg: Roy Hyatt
Floor Runner: Sholto Roeg
Production Runners: Richard Whelan, Mark Challenor

LOCATIONS
Filmed in: Bergen, Norway, The Headland Hotel, Newquay, Cornwall and Bray Studios, England
Location Manager - Norway: Philip Kohler
Location Manager - England: Liz Kerry

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Special Thanks to: Rusty Lemorande & Ileen Maisel
Also thanks to Go;dcrest Studios Sound Department

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

CAST

Anjelica Huston (Miss Ernst/Grand High Witch)
Mai Zetterling (Helga)
Bill Paterson (Mr Jenkins)
Brenda Blethyn (Mrs Jenkins)
Rowan Atkinson (Mr Stringer)

introducing
Jasen Fisher as Luke

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)
Rosamund Greenwood (Janice)
Angelique Rockas (Henrietta)
Ann 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
MPAA: 29401

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

2009
September
27: UK - television broadcast (on Living/Living +1)

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

OTHER SOURCES

screen
credits

KEYWORDS

witches, children, transformations, mice, magic

Last Updated: 2 October, 2009