Customer Reviews

Bewitched [VHS]

5 star:		(40)
4 star:		(37)
3 star:		(54)
2 star:		(44)
1 star:		(72)

 

 

In a seemingly endless sea of remakes which quickly (and rightfully) sink into oblivion, Bewitched deserves credit for at least putting a new spin on the formula. I can't imagine anyone but Nicole Kidman in the role of Isabel...she simply glows, you can't take your eyes off her. Will Ferrell delivers his usual goofy, over-the-top performance, which suits his character just fine. And at the heart of it all is a sweet and (mostly) old-fashioned love story. It also pays due reverence to its source, as Isabel keeps a picture of Elizabeth Montgomery in her dressing room, and wonders what the "real" Samantha would do. Sure, it's not perfect. In fact (minor spoiler alert!), I knocked off a whole star for the whole "Uncle Arthur" nonesense in the final act. But I laughed. A lot, in fact. I was delighted with Kidman's performance. And I left the film feeling pretty darn good. What more could you want?

For once, don't believe what the majority of critics have said. Bewitched is a great romantic comedy.

Shame, shame, shame on Nora Ephron.

Bewitched, for many of us late blooming Baby Boomers is a television series that holds a warm place in our heart. Hollywood decides to milk it for its film potential (what with Hollywood being creatively bankrupt, this is no big surprise). The result - pure disaster!

Why?
Let me count the ways.....

The film is about how a studio is remaking "Bewitched" the television series, but they make Darrin the focus instead of Samantha. The lame actor playing Darrin casts an unknown for Samantha, but little does he know she (Nicole Kidman) is really a witch who only wants to be normal (just like the Samantha from the original television series). Now this unknown has never heard of Bewitched or Samantha (in the movie Kidman's character's name is Isabelle).

See how clever this is? Not!

Now, Isabelle has never heard about Bewitched before, yet she has a dotty old Aunt Clara who carries door knobs around in her pocket book (just like Aunt Clara on the old TV series). Bizarro world, huh?

And Isabelle has an eccentric Uncle Arthur just like the television series...(Fortunately he only shows up at the end of the film in order to completely finish it off).

Isabelle doesn't have a mother in the picture - only her father (Michael Caine, who sleep walks through his sad role). What about Endora you ask?

Well, Shirley MaClain plays Endora - only she is really playing an actress named Iris, who is playing Endora in the television series. Or is she just that?

Where's Dr. Bombay? What about Serina? Where's the witches council?

I'm sure that the producers thought this film might spark off a sequel. I sure hope not. This first film is so horrible it could turn people off to the charming television series from the 60's.

Michael Caine's "Daddy" keeps popping up on frozen food cartons and jars of dressing. In the television series, Maurice Evans' Daddy was a dignified Shakespeare quoting gentleman. Here, he is an Uncle Arthur knock off - which is weird since the producers bring in "uncle Arthur" later in the film.

Endora, as a character in the new television series, played by Iris something or other (actually played by MacClaine) is a ham actress of former fame, who may or may not really be a witch (although she doesn't know Isabelle). She's a joke - and not a funny one. Agnes Moorehead's Endora was never a joke.

The original television series succeeded so well, because the characters were clearly defined. It was very loosely based on the 1940's Veronica Lake film, "I Married a Witch". 1960's Bewitched used popular actors for the leads, but filled the supporting roles with well known, tried and true, well trained, dignified, and award winning character actors, like Agnes Moorehead - "Mother/Endora" (four times nominated for Academy Award), Maurice Evans - "Daddy"(Tony award winning Shakespearean stage actor), Marion Lorne (a fine radio actress), David White as Larry Tate (a reknowned stage actor);Estelle Winwood and Reta Shaw (character actors extrordinaire); Bernard Fox (Dr. Bombay); and Paul Lynde (Uncle Arthur).

It's a shame that the actors of merit in this film (Kidman, Caine, and MacClaine) are all wasted and play second fiddle to pitiful writing and sad direction and editing.

I really can't imagine a more horrible re-visioning of the charming 1960's television series.

This film doesn't deserve to even be associated with the name of that original series.

OMG! What a joke of a movie -- terrible script, terrible acting, terrible chemistry. One of the WORST large budget movies of 2005 or any other year! I cannot warn you enough to stay far away from this total waste of time. We had passes to see the movie free of charge at the theater when it came out. Luckily I am not out any money -- just my time! I have never been so embarrassed for actors in my life. I recall seeing Shirley McLaine ("Endora") in an interview and when asked about the movie she had a blank look on her face -- she said "Oh, was I in that?". She knew...Not once did anyone in the theater crack a smile, guffaw or even let out a small laugh -- NOT ONCE! And this was a packed theater in the first few days it was out! Several people walked out during the movie. I thought we would give it a chance and was actulally looking forward to it -- don't you take the chance... you have been warned! Watch the original TV show if you need a "Bewitched" fix! Bewitched? ...begone!

Forgive me while I step into Robert Eberts shoes for a quick second, and say that Bewitched is probally the most Romantic Comedy I have seen for quite some time. But again, since Will Ferrell is in it, I might be slightly prejudiced on that account.Bewitched is simply lovely, sweet, sincere and romantic the movie centers around a love stricken witch Isabel (Nicole Kidman) who has fallen head over heels for Hollywood's biggest failure in movie making Will, "He's such a adorable mess," Isabel breathes.


Nicole Kidman plays Isabel, a witch who wants to be normal and live like the mortals. Its a hard transition, made harder by not being sutable to work at anything since she always had magic at her command. Enter Will Ferrell, a terrible actor who's just coming off a major flop film. He is handed the idea to play Darrin in the remake of Bewitched, which he uncertainly takes. The only problem arises is that no suitable Samantha can be found to wiggle her nose properly. That is until Ferrell finds Isabel that one fateful day in the bookstore, where she is wiggling her nose like the best of them.
Enchanted, he begs Isabel to sign on to the show, using words like "I need you" to convince her. Having never been trained in the ways of the world, Isabel is overcome and agrees believing he is professing his love to her.

But love doesn't come easily, for Ferrell is eager to get back in the publics good graces, and is consiquently blind to the lack of quality his character portrays in the overeagerness to believe himself one of the greats.
Nicole is consiquently given parts only where she stands around, and never any dialouge in the attempt to make Ferrell seem bigger and better. That is until she finds out.... and hell hath no fury like a witch unleased.

I shan't say more, but if you are a Ferrell fan, don't miss this movie, need I say more on that score?

Hard to say where this one went wrong, but allowing Will Farrell free reign to chew the scenery was definitely a large mistake. Farrell can be quite good when kept under control but his endless mugging destroyed what little charm this move had. Yes, I know his character was supposed to something of a jerk, but not a complete jerk. And why make him a jerk anyway?

By the way, I never had any expectation that this was going to be a remake of the TV series. I knew the plot going in. But the movie simply wasn't done very well.

I've never been a big fan of TV shows turned into movies. I can't think of one that was any good; However, I had high hopes for one of my favorite classic TV shows in the hands of Nora Ephron. Wow, was I disappointed! In the special features Ephron talks about how the movie would have failed if they simply remade the TV show, and maybe she's right, but what she created was downright terrible. The normally great Nicole Kidman was horrible and not even the usually funny Will Ferrell could save this bad movie. The entire plot is silly. If you liked the classic TV show, don't rent this movie.

I knew this would be bad going in, but not this bad. I laughed once in 90 minutes - pretty sad. The rest of the time, I squirmed in agony from the truly dreadful plot, the bad writing, and the uninspired acting. Just a mess of a movie that should have been scrapped and entirely reworked. Who green lights this stuff? Did someone think this was worth producing? A talented cast is utterly wasted in perhaps the year's worst movie.

Like so many people, I used to watch Bewitched when I was little. I was excited to see the movie, and thought the idea of adding a new twist to the plot, instead of doing a simple remake, was great. Nicole Kidman, Will Ferrell, Shirley MacLaine, Michael Caine, Nora Ephron, a beloved story: they sound like the perfect ingredients for a great movie, right?

Wrong.

Not even all those talents on and off screen are able to save this lame movie, which manages not to hit a single funny or entertaining note. My guess is Kidman and many of the other actors agreed to do this movie before reading the screenplay, which is dull, unoriginal and terribly uninspired. If you love the old Bewitched, don't ruin your memories. Skip this.

I loved the TV series, and I think Elizabeth Montgomery would turn in her grave, this movie is so bad! This is Nicole Kidman at her most hateful. That stupid little voice she put on. If this were the first movie I've ever seen with her in it, I would never watch another movie with her in it. Will Farrell was just as hateful.
The idea was good that they were going to do a remake of the series in the movie, but the writing was so bad. Another movie that is an insult to human kind. Hollywood must think we are really stupid to fall for this movie. It could be that little kids will like it, but for an adult, no way! I don't think I can watch a Nicole Kidman movie after this. I have no respect for her work after this.
I was very dissapointed in this movie. The TV series was so wonderful!

I was anxiously waiting to see the video of Bewitched since I hadn't been able to see the movie when it was in the Theater. I was however a little taken back by the bad reviews it had received and couldn't understand how such star power of Nicole Kidman and Will Ferrell along with Michael Caine and the rest of this cast could make something that would be so panned. But after seeing this movie I now understand. What a mess. It wasn't the actors that made this a mess but the director and whoever put this together. Nothing made sense. They introduce the fact that Iris (Shirley Mclean) is a witch and then never follow through or even confirm it except for one line from Uncle Arthur. They never explain how a supposed character from the original show (Uncle Arthur) shows up in real life. They introduce Aunt Clara, but when Isabelle reverses time she never shows back up?? Was Aunt Clara like Uncle Arthur and a character from the original show that comes to life??? I doen't even really think this movie deserved 1 star...but this system doesn't give the option of no stars. Do yourself a favor....Save your money and don't buy this movie....buy the second season of the original show and enjoy a classic.