Hello to everyone who has been following this blog for many years - I'm still blogging, I'm just moving over to https://www.claireheffer.com/blog - please continue to follow and let me take this opportunity to thank everyone who has been kind enough to visit over the years. May the lists continue...

Thursday 27 December 2018

FILM 1904: THE WITCHES



FILM 1904: THE WITCHES

TRIVIA: After a test screening, Roald Dahl angrily expressed to the producers how "appalled" he was at "the vulgarity, the bad taste" and "actual terror" in certain parts of the film. Dahl demanded his name and the title be removed from the film prior to release, but after receiving an apologetic, complimentary letter from Jim Henson, Dahl grudgingly withdrew his threat.

Most of the witches in the meeting are men in women's clothing.

Felicity Dahl has stated that Roald Dahl never again requested someone for a role in his book after the producers of Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971) denied his request to cast Spike Milligan as the title character. But he was ecstatic when Anjelica Huston was cast as the Grand High Witch, as she had been Dahl's personal favorite for the role.

It took Anjelica Huston eight hours of make up time to transform into "The Grand High Witch".

The last film Jim Henson personally oversaw.

The German title is "Hexen hexen", which literally means "Witches practice witchcraft".

CherEartha KittFiona FullertonGeneviève BujoldAnne BancroftOlivia HusseySigourney WeaverLinda BlairFaye DunawaySusan SarandonJodie FosterVanessa RedgraveFrances Conroy, and Liza Minnelli were all at some point considered for the part of The Grand High Witch prior to Anjelica Huston's casting. Huston's casting later satisfied Dahl.


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