Discover
-
Roald Dahl
Novel -
Jim Henson
Executive Producer -
Nicolas Roeg
Director -
Stanley Myers
Original Music Composer -
Celestia Fox
Casting -
Allan Scott
Screenplay -
Callum McDougall
Second Assistant Director -
Tony Lawson
Editor
-
CinemaSerf 10/21/2022 5:57:51PM
Young "Luke" (an enthusiastic Jasen Fisher) lives with his grandmother "Helga" (May Zetterling) after being mysteriously orphaned. His grandmother has made him worldly wise to the ways of witches, and so he is alert to the antics of "Eva" (Angelica Huston) when he and his ever-hungry new friend "Bruno" (Charlie Potter) meet in a seaside hotel. Overhearing her evil grand design as she addresses a convention of hags and crones, both he and his friend are turned into white mice - but can he get back to his grandmother and warn her before all the children in the world are gone? It's quite a quickly paced and fun adventure this, with plenty of escapades as the boys/mice have to steal the potion and thwart the witches. Jim Henson has provided some suitably grizzly effects and the supporting cast - especially the rather supercilious Bill Paterson as the father of "Bruno" help keep the film flow effortlessly for ninety minutes before an ending that might put you off pea soup for quite a long a while. It has dated a little, but is still an enjoyable piece of family cinema that I did quite enjoy.
Rowan Atkinson
Mr StringerBrenda Blethyn
Mrs JenkinsMichael Palin
Witch at Meeting (uncredited)Anjelica Huston
Miss Eva ErnstJim Carter
Head ChefJane Horrocks
Miss IrvineAnne Tirard
Lady #1Bill Paterson
Mr Jenkins