Bewitched is a
2005 family
comedy-
fantasy produced by
Columbia Pictures and is a
re-imagining of the television series of
the same name (produced by Columbia's
Screen Gems television studio, now
Sony Pictures Television).
The film
was released in the United
States
and Canada
on June 24 2005. It was
written, produced, and directed by
Nora
Ephron and featured as co-stars
Nicole
Kidman and
Will Ferrell. Filming
took place in late 2004 and early 2005.
Plot
The film is not an adaptation of the television series, but rather
a
deconstruction of it. It is about a
witch named Isabel Bigelow (
Nicole
Kidman) who wants to give up magic and have a normal life,
despite her magic-loving father's (
Michael
Caine) warnings that she cannot live without it. She meets a
failing movie star named Jack Wyatt (
Will
Ferrell) who wants to find an unknown actress to play a witch —
and his wife — in a TV show, a modern adaptation of the classic TV
show
Bewitched, a ploy whereby
the egocentric actor can eclipse his co-star and claim the
spotlight entirely. Part of this is perpetrated by his agent
(
Jason Schwartzman), who is just
as obnoxious as Jack.
When she becomes more popular than he is and unintentionally takes
the spotlight away, the pompous, self-centered Jack decides to
downplay her role and make the show focus on Darrin (thus garnering
the audience's attention). Isabel becomes furious when she finds
out. Her harsh words, strangely enough, appeal to Jack who rarely
hears honest criticism. He begins to give her a bigger role and the
two begin to fall in love and enjoy filming their TV show.
Isabel eventually becomes worried that she has hidden her true
identity from Jack, and finally shows him her powers. He becomes
fearful of her supernatural nature and they separate. Devastated,
Isabel decides to return home, where Jack is told by Uncle Arthur
(
Steve Carell) she must stay for 100
years once she returns. Jack realizes that he loves Isabel for real
after all and tries to find her before she returns home. To his
surprise, he finds her at the studio soundstage, which she
considers her "home". Jack proposes to her and she accepts. Before
she accepts, it is revealed that she did not have to remain at her
home for 100 years before she could, once again, return.
Meanwhile the "spirits" of the old
Bewitched television show work their own
magic on Isabel and Jack by ensuring that the couple ends up in a
happy union of witch to mortal like on the original series. The
home in which Isabel and Jack finally settle in together is
numbered "1164" as a nod to the house from the original TV series
(at 1164 Morning Glory Circle); their new neighbors are also a nod
to their TV counterparts.
Cast
Characters from the series
Cameo appearances
Reception
The $85-million budgeted movie was panned by critics, and by many
of the original show's fanbase, yet earned a worldwide gross of
$131,413,159.
Rotten Tomatoes
reported that 25% of the critics gave positive reviews, based upon
177 reviews. The total US gross was $63,313,159 with international
at $68,100,000.
Nicole Kidman and
Will Ferrell's on-screen pairing was found
lacking by moviegoers and earned the two a
Razzie Award for "Worst Screen
Couple." It was also nominated for four Razzies including Worst
Director, Worst Actor (Will Ferrell), Worst Screenplay and Worst
Remake or Sequel.
The New York Times called the film "an
unmitigated disaster."
DVD
The DVD was released on
October 25,
2005 by
Columbia
TriStar. The DVD included
deleted
scenes, several making-of featurettes, a
trivia game, and an
audio commentary by the director.
Standard Edition
- Bewitched (Special Edition)
- Release date: October 25, 2005
- Format: DVD
- Running Time: 102 Min.
- Rated: PG13
- DVD Features:
- Deleted Scenes
- Casting a Spell: Making BEWITCHED Featurette
- Star Shots Featurette
- Why I Love BEWITCHED Featurette
- Director Nora Ephron audio commentary
- Witch Vision Trivia Track
- Bewitched Trivia Game
- Previews
- Studio: Columbia
- CC: English (US)
- Sub: English (US), French (Parisian)
- Color/B&W: Color
References
- Bewitched Movie Reviews, Pictures - Rotten
Tomatoes
-
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/02/movies/02barn.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1
External links