Produced by Jim Henson (The Muppets), whose famed Creature Shop provided the amazing special effects, The Witches is a fanciful and exciting story about orphaned nine-year-old Luke (Jasen Fisher) and his grandmother (Mai Zetterling) who turn the tables on a witch’s plot to turn all the children of Britain into mice.
Although the movie doesn’t quite live up to Roald Dahl’s novel, Academy Award-winner Angelica Huston is splendidly horrid as the Grand High Witch and the prologue is truly upsetting.
Co-starring comedy legend Rowan Atkinson (of Mr Bean and Black Adder fame), and Jason Fisher (Parenthood). The US version has a tacked-on happy ending.
This was the final project for Jim Henson before his untimely death.
Miss Ernst/Grand High Witch
Anjelica Huston
Helga
Mai Zetterling
Luke
Jasen Fisher
Mr Stringer
Rowan Atkinson
Mr Jenkins
Bill Paterson
Mrs Jenkins
Brenda Blethyn
Bruno Jenkins
Charlie Potter
Miss Irvine
Jane Horrocks
Marlene
Sukie Smith
Dora
Rose English
Elsie
Jenny Runacre
Nicola
Annabel Brooks
Millie
Emma Relph
Beatrice
Nora Connolly
Woman in Black
Anne Lambton
Janice
Rosamund Greenwood
Henrietta
Angelique Rockas
Luke’s Mother
Darcy Flynn
Luke’s Father
Vincent Marzello
Doctor
Serena Harragin
Norwegian Witch
Grete Nordrå
Erica
Elsie Eide
Director
Nicolas Roeg