Halloweentown (1998)

After learning she is a witch, a girl helps save a town full of other supernatural creatures.

Director:

Duwayne Dunham

Writers:

Paul Bernbaum (story), Paul Bernbaum (teleplay)

Stars:

Debbie Reynolds, Kimberly J. Brown, Judith Hoag

2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Debbie Reynolds	...	Aggie Cromwell
Kimberly J. Brown	...	Marnie Piper
Judith Hoag	...	Gwen Cromwell Piper
Joey Zimmerman	...	Dylan Piper
Phillip Van Dyke	...	Luke
Emily Roeske	...	Sophie Piper
Robin Thomas	...	Kalabar
Shannon Day	...	Aerobics Instructor
J.W. Crawford	...	Dentist-Creature (as James W. Crawford)
Jordyn F. Fields	...	Friend #1 (as Jordyn E. Fields)
Elizabeth Fugere	...	Friend #2
Nurmi Husa	...	Frankenstein
Johnny Useldinger	...	Ghost
Vincent Gambino	...	Goblin
Judith M. Ford	...	Harriet

Storyline

Marnie, Dylan, and Sophie Piper have their first out of many adventures! On Halloween, while Marnie is arguing with her mother Gwen, the kids' grandmother Aggie comes to visit. Aggie wants to start Marnie's witch training before her 13th birthday or Marnie will lose her powers forever. But there is another reason for Aggie's visit. Something dark & evil is growing in Halloweentown & Aggie wants help to defeat it. While Aggie & Gwen are arguing, Aggie uses magic which Marnie observes. After Aggie leaves to return to Halloweentown, Marnie, Dylan and, unknown to Marnie and Dylan, Sophie follow her onto the return bus. Soon afterwards, Gwen follows the children to Halloweentown. While there, Aggie & Gwen are attacked by the dark force in a movie theater. Marnie, Dylan & Sophie race to get the ingredients to activate Merlin's Wand to stop the evil.

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Plot Keywords:

witch | girl | magic | halloween | grandmother | 

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Genres:

Adventure | Comedy | Family | Fantasy

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Certificate:

TV-G

Details

Official Sites:

official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

17 October 1998 (USA)

Also Known As:

Boszorkányváros

Filming Locations:

33244 Southwest Sequoia Street, Scappoose, Oregon, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Singer White Entertainment,Ventura Valley Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

84 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

According to Kimbery J. Brown, The flaming hairdryer Marnie accidentally picks up is actually real with real flames and there was no special effects involved.

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Goofs

When Sophie appears from behind the bus she tells Marnie that she followed them onto the bus, however when Marnie and Dylan sneak onto the bus, Dylan closes the door behind him as the bus moves off.

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Quotes

Marnie Cromwell: A pentagram. Lon Chaney had one of these on his hand when he was bit by that werewolf.
Aggie Cromwell: I've always said that the movies could teach us so much.

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Connections

Followed by Halloweentown II: Kalabar's Revenge (2001)

User Reviews

Could be the best Halloween movie ever. Seriously

There is a wonderful scene toward the end of the one-of-a-kind TV series DEAD LIKE ME where the main character uses Halloween, the day when the veil between the living and the dead is thinnest, to contact her family.

It is a pretty good scene.

And one of the best twists on the Halloween theme I have seen.

This is another great twist on the October holiday.

Yes, it is Disney-sweet (DUH!) but in measured doses, and made that much more interesting by a great cast and the incomparable Debbie Reynolds.

Reynolds who was in her late 60s when this was filmed just takes the fantastical plot, puts it onto her back, and carries the movie right through to to finish.

In the annals of film her grandmotherly Aggie Cromwell may well go down in history tied nose-to-nose with Julie Andrews' Mary Poppins as the best relative any child could possibly hope to have.