A staple of Disney Channel nostalgia for many people my age or younger is the Halloweentown film series. They're just fun and have become TV classics for many. During this month as I celebrate Disney Witches, I will be looking at all four of the films in this series. This series of films is just fun and I have been noticing a recurring theme with these witchy movies that I've been looking at and that is the theme of family. It is interesting to consider and this is something that I'll dive more into with my Hocus Pocus review but that film has a strong theme of sibling love, which serves as a great theme of familial love. Halloweentown also has a familial theme in that there is a divide between mother and daughter. For both sides really, we have a grandmother that wants her granddaughter to embrace her witch heritage and the granddaughter is interested in doing that but the mother does not want her daughter to embrace that side of her. This idea is reinforced through how the spell to defeat the villain is stronger in number when more than one witch recites it. This idea of witches being stronger together is akin to how witches would gather in covens.
Coven, basic group in which witches are said to gather. One of the chief proponents of the theory of a coven was the English Egyptologist Margaret Murray in her work The Witch Cult in Western Europe (1921). According to her a coven consists of 12 witches and a devil as leader
Now obviously, that is not the case with the family in a Disney Channel movie but it is something interesting to ponder about. This is where my mind took me during this movie with that line of thinking. Now, we are dealing with a movie more squarely aimed at children then even Hocus Pocus but here's a thing, this may be a Disney Channel movie but I am going to contend the notion that Disney Channel movies are bad. Sure, I've reviewed some bad and dull ones but also looked at one that I was pleasantly surprised by.
And the movie that we are looking at today is quite enjoyable and as I stated up above, it is beloved by many people of my age and a bit younger that grew up watching this movie.
The Plot
With that outta the way, what this movie actually about. Well, to answer that question, I think that we have to understand that there are three different answers that one can find. I'll break it down as such.
- Family
- The Bad Thing
- Exploration
Let's start with the idea of family, our movie opens in our world and that is when the wonderful Debbie Reynolds comes to visit her family. We learn that her daughter, Gwen hates Halloween and keeps her kids in the house on that night. Though, the reason is made clear as Gwen much like her mother is a witch but has attempted to repress it in not only herself but also her kids. As her youngest daughter, Sophie has started showing signs of magic. Now, this ties into what I mentioned in the introduction, there are three sides to the family and the idea of being a witch here, Debbie Reynolds as Aggie is proud of being a witch and wants her grandkids to embrace their heritage, Gwen thinks they should remain human as that's what they were born and then we have main character, Marnie that wants to embrace being a witch. Oh, and there's Dylan, who thinks his sister is weird.
Taking this further, we have the reason that Aggie came to visit her daughter and that's because there is a bad thing in Halloweentown. And what is that bad thing, its name is Kalabar.
He is the mayor of Halloweentown and has been making the citizens disappear one by one as he wishes to take over the mortal world and take it back to the dark ages. Yeah okay, the dark ages. Are we talking about the Witch Trials or something here because those didn't go that well.
So yes, he is the bad thing in the movie that looms large over the presence of the movie. We even see how his influence has affected one resident of Halloweentown namely Luke.
We get the sense that he used to be a good kid but he's now a bit of a jerk. Though, we learn that isn't who he truly is. It's a bit obvious that Kalabar is the bad thing that the movie is referring to. But that doesn't make it any less threatening or interesting. Now, where does the idea of exploration come in this movie? I believe that there are two answers here both in the kids exploring Halloweentown after they sneak onto the bus that takes Aggie back from the mortal world as we have the physical exploration of Halloweentown.
This may be a Disney Channel movie that didn't have the biggest budget but Halloweentown felt real. Sure, it might look like they just threw up Halloween decorations and called it a day but there's a certain charm to that set that you can't help but be enamored with. Oh, and the town where Halloweentown was filmed (St Helen, Oregon) transforms into Halloweentown every year.
That's cool and speaks to the love that there is for this movie and the exploration also speaks to the fun of this movie that we see that there is a lot of cool Halloween stuff here as our trio of kids attempt to gather ingredients need for a spell that Aggie was working on to stop the bad thing such as a werewolf hairdresser.
So, that's fun and makes for a fun setup as what to expect from Halloweentown, both the movie and the location. However, I think that this is looking at exploration on only a surface level. And the kids do get around in a fun way with taxicab driver, Benny.
No, not that one.
A really great and funny character that is wisecracking that appears in the first two and fourth movies in this franchise
However, while the exploration of Halloweentown is fun and for a lot of the kids that watched this movie back in 1998, it was a big appeal. I think that that is only part of the appeal of the exploration. This ties back into what I mentioned at the beginning about family. There is a large exploration of family in this film. Now, at first, my mind went to this line from Kylo Ren.
It's not quite the same as what is seen within this movie but there is a seed of this. Looking at the character of Gwen for a moment, we find out early on that she is a single parent as her husband has passed away.
It's a small little thing but it does loom over the movie and does explain a little about why Gwen acts the way that she does as she isn't so much letting her past die as much as she is attempting to put that part of her life behind her.
That Lion King quote does somewhat sum up what Gwen goes through and while I wish the film would have done more with the dead husband/dad thing, there is a sense that Gwen has become comfortable living in the human world and wants to forget her witch side altogether because she has spent so much time away from Halloweentown. This is made even more interesting considering that Kalabar and Gwen dated before she left Halloweentown.
Now, more could have been done with this idea but it works for the most part. Now, Gwen and Aggie do get frozen by Kalabar in an old rundown theater and it's up to the kids to save them and after they do, we see that power of family as all members embrace the magic of being a witch or a warlock in Dylan's case to take down Kalabar. And that defeat is quite impactful, even if the effects could use some work.
Now, this does make things interesting and does tie into the exploration aspect that I've mention alongside the family angle that I've been attempting to reinforce throughout the review. Now, let's go back to two things that have been mentioned throughout the review. The Jack O' Lantern that is seen in St, Helen is a crucial plot point in the movie as well as the ingredients that the kids gather as they are used to light an item known as Merlin's Talisman.
Now, you'll recall that I mentioned that Kalabar wanted to take the human world back to the Dark Ages. Well, Merlin used this item to vanquish the Dark Ages. And well by placing it in Jack O' Lantern in the town square, the family was able to defeat Kalabar. Yeah, this light versus darkness but it works.
Now, let's move onto characters.
Characters
Main Character
Marnie played by Kimberly J. Brown
In this first movie, Marnie is a little annoying as she is a 13-year old kid that thinks she's older than she is. In other words to quote a beloved '90s musical.
That is how Marnie carries herself throughout this first movie and while it could get tiresome at points, I do understand where she is coming from especially after we learn that if a young witch does not start training by the age of 13, they'll lose their powers. She is a bit stubborn and headstrong but a lot of people are like at 13. However, there is still a lot of heart in her character.
Supporting Characters
Aggie Cromwell played by Debbie Reynolds
The heart of the Halloweentown film series is Debbie Reynolds as Aggie. Reynolds at this point in her career had more than established herself but even in a TV movie for kids, she never gave it less than her all. (Also see Mickey Rooney in The Phantom of the Megaplex for an old Hollywood actor being the best part of a Disney Channel movie) She brings so much life to Aggie and you can see how much she loves being a witch and wants to pass that onto her grandchildren as she is proud of her witch heritage. Also, she has one of the funniest moments in the mortal world, when she turns leftover chicken into a live chicken.
Okay, so that gif is of her turning it back into leftovers but it's still quite funny.
To an outsider, Aggie may seem a bit kooky but she is very wise once you listen to her.
Gwen played by Judith Hoag
I went back and forth on Gwen while watching this movie, I found myself really getting annoyed with her insistence that Marnie is a human and should not be allowed to study witchcraft. Because, while Marnie may be a kid in this movie, I feel like that is a choice that she should be allowed to make that choice herself. The movie makes it quite clear that Gwen wants to put this part of her life behind her. Fair and the movie does attempt to explore this but I do think that it could go into a little more. There is a seed of a good idea there but I dunno, they could've delved deeper. Plus, you think she'd be used to strange creatures.
Dylan played by Joey Zimmerman
I believe reviewer Calluna described Dylan best in her review of this movie by saying that he's a cross of a mini Rick Moranis and Minkus from Boy Meets World. In this first movie, Dylan is sadly the most annoying character as he's the type that wants to deny the existence of magic right in front of him. Sometimes, you can't be logical when it comes to magic. Thankfully, he does get better as the series progresses
Sophie played by Emily Roeske
In this first installment, Sophie isn't bad but she almost feels like a stock kid character. She's cute and has some fun moments as her magic starts to show herself such as when her magic tries to give her a cookie after her mom told her that she couldn't have one before dinner. She is very excitable and has a lot of cute moments like this where she wishes the lock on the gate of Aggie's house would turn into a frog.
Villain
Luke played by Phillip Van Dyke
Luke is interesting as he starts out as a minion for Kalabar and it had a feeling of selling his soul to the devil. Which is something that many people believed that witches did and this is also tied into appearance as we've seen witches would make deals/potions to make themselves better looking. We will be looking at one such character on Halloween day. There's also a bit more here and while it's obvious, it's not what's on the outside but the inside as Luke may look good in his human form but he had an ugly attitude to go with it. Though once we get to know him at the end, we see his real form and we see him and Marnie start to strike up a friendship.
Yeah, he's a goblin and he's a cool one once you get to know him.
Kalabar played by Robin Thomas
It's a little obvious that Kalabar is the villain of the film, even as he attempts to hide it. As he tries to wear a veneer of being a friendly mayor at first. But even then, something seems off like when he gives Sophie a lollipop.
Yeah, as cool as that is, I wouldn't eat something someone pulled out of their ear. I'd be afraid that there was earwax all over it. Now, as I mentioned above, Kalabar is the bad thing that is a big element of this film (I used Sophie's wording for that one) and he wants to take the mortal world back to the dark ages as he felt scorned but again.
Those didn't go so well. And he wanted to conquer the mortal realm because he felt scorned by both the people of that realm and because Gwen chose a human over him. Sorry, dude.
My Final Thoughts
The strongest element found in Halloweentown is the strength of family in both how family can stand and work together to tackle any threat that comes their way. And also how, it's okay to embrace one's family heritage, even if you have put it behind you. It may not always seem easy but sometimes, it's for the best. Join me next time as we look at the sequel...
Halloweentown II: Kalabar's Revenge
This may be a Disney Channel movie that didn't have the biggest budget but Halloweentown felt real. Sure, it might look like they just threw up Halloween decorations and called it a day but there's a certain charm to that set that you can't help but be enamored with. Oh, and the town where Halloweentown was filmed (St Helen, Oregon) transforms into Halloweentown every year.
That's cool and speaks to the love that there is for this movie and the exploration also speaks to the fun of this movie that we see that there is a lot of cool Halloween stuff here as our trio of kids attempt to gather ingredients need for a spell that Aggie was working on to stop the bad thing such as a werewolf hairdresser.
So, that's fun and makes for a fun setup as what to expect from Halloweentown, both the movie and the location. However, I think that this is looking at exploration on only a surface level. And the kids do get around in a fun way with taxicab driver, Benny.
No, not that one.
A really great and funny character that is wisecracking that appears in the first two and fourth movies in this franchise
However, while the exploration of Halloweentown is fun and for a lot of the kids that watched this movie back in 1998, it was a big appeal. I think that that is only part of the appeal of the exploration. This ties back into what I mentioned at the beginning about family. There is a large exploration of family in this film. Now, at first, my mind went to this line from Kylo Ren.
Let the past die
It's not quite the same as what is seen within this movie but there is a seed of this. Looking at the character of Gwen for a moment, we find out early on that she is a single parent as her husband has passed away.
Marnie Cromwell: [rolls her eyes] Halloween is cool, nature boy, it's ancient, it's strange, and, besides, Mom and Dad met on Halloween.
Dylan Cromwell: Shhh! What're you doing? You know talking about Dad always bugs Mom out.
It's a small little thing but it does loom over the movie and does explain a little about why Gwen acts the way that she does as she isn't so much letting her past die as much as she is attempting to put that part of her life behind her.
Oh yes, the past can hurt. But, you can either run from it or, learn from it.
That Lion King quote does somewhat sum up what Gwen goes through and while I wish the film would have done more with the dead husband/dad thing, there is a sense that Gwen has become comfortable living in the human world and wants to forget her witch side altogether because she has spent so much time away from Halloweentown. This is made even more interesting considering that Kalabar and Gwen dated before she left Halloweentown.
You could've had me, the most powerful warlock of all. You could've ruled with me as my queen, but you chose a human instead!
Now, more could have been done with this idea but it works for the most part. Now, Gwen and Aggie do get frozen by Kalabar in an old rundown theater and it's up to the kids to save them and after they do, we see that power of family as all members embrace the magic of being a witch or a warlock in Dylan's case to take down Kalabar. And that defeat is quite impactful, even if the effects could use some work.
Now, this does make things interesting and does tie into the exploration aspect that I've mention alongside the family angle that I've been attempting to reinforce throughout the review. Now, let's go back to two things that have been mentioned throughout the review. The Jack O' Lantern that is seen in St, Helen is a crucial plot point in the movie as well as the ingredients that the kids gather as they are used to light an item known as Merlin's Talisman.
Now, you'll recall that I mentioned that Kalabar wanted to take the human world back to the Dark Ages. Well, Merlin used this item to vanquish the Dark Ages. And well by placing it in Jack O' Lantern in the town square, the family was able to defeat Kalabar. Yeah, this light versus darkness but it works.
Now, let's move onto characters.
Characters
Main Character
Marnie played by Kimberly J. Brown
In this first movie, Marnie is a little annoying as she is a 13-year old kid that thinks she's older than she is. In other words to quote a beloved '90s musical.
...I'm old for my age
That is how Marnie carries herself throughout this first movie and while it could get tiresome at points, I do understand where she is coming from especially after we learn that if a young witch does not start training by the age of 13, they'll lose their powers. She is a bit stubborn and headstrong but a lot of people are like at 13. However, there is still a lot of heart in her character.
Supporting Characters
Aggie Cromwell played by Debbie Reynolds
The heart of the Halloweentown film series is Debbie Reynolds as Aggie. Reynolds at this point in her career had more than established herself but even in a TV movie for kids, she never gave it less than her all. (Also see Mickey Rooney in The Phantom of the Megaplex for an old Hollywood actor being the best part of a Disney Channel movie) She brings so much life to Aggie and you can see how much she loves being a witch and wants to pass that onto her grandchildren as she is proud of her witch heritage. Also, she has one of the funniest moments in the mortal world, when she turns leftover chicken into a live chicken.
Okay, so that gif is of her turning it back into leftovers but it's still quite funny.
To an outsider, Aggie may seem a bit kooky but she is very wise once you listen to her.
Gwen played by Judith Hoag
I went back and forth on Gwen while watching this movie, I found myself really getting annoyed with her insistence that Marnie is a human and should not be allowed to study witchcraft. Because, while Marnie may be a kid in this movie, I feel like that is a choice that she should be allowed to make that choice herself. The movie makes it quite clear that Gwen wants to put this part of her life behind her. Fair and the movie does attempt to explore this but I do think that it could go into a little more. There is a seed of a good idea there but I dunno, they could've delved deeper. Plus, you think she'd be used to strange creatures.
Dylan played by Joey Zimmerman
I believe reviewer Calluna described Dylan best in her review of this movie by saying that he's a cross of a mini Rick Moranis and Minkus from Boy Meets World. In this first movie, Dylan is sadly the most annoying character as he's the type that wants to deny the existence of magic right in front of him. Sometimes, you can't be logical when it comes to magic. Thankfully, he does get better as the series progresses
Sophie played by Emily Roeske
In this first installment, Sophie isn't bad but she almost feels like a stock kid character. She's cute and has some fun moments as her magic starts to show herself such as when her magic tries to give her a cookie after her mom told her that she couldn't have one before dinner. She is very excitable and has a lot of cute moments like this where she wishes the lock on the gate of Aggie's house would turn into a frog.
Villain
Luke played by Phillip Van Dyke
Luke is interesting as he starts out as a minion for Kalabar and it had a feeling of selling his soul to the devil. Which is something that many people believed that witches did and this is also tied into appearance as we've seen witches would make deals/potions to make themselves better looking. We will be looking at one such character on Halloween day. There's also a bit more here and while it's obvious, it's not what's on the outside but the inside as Luke may look good in his human form but he had an ugly attitude to go with it. Though once we get to know him at the end, we see his real form and we see him and Marnie start to strike up a friendship.
Yeah, he's a goblin and he's a cool one once you get to know him.
Kalabar played by Robin Thomas
It's a little obvious that Kalabar is the villain of the film, even as he attempts to hide it. As he tries to wear a veneer of being a friendly mayor at first. But even then, something seems off like when he gives Sophie a lollipop.
Yeah, as cool as that is, I wouldn't eat something someone pulled out of their ear. I'd be afraid that there was earwax all over it. Now, as I mentioned above, Kalabar is the bad thing that is a big element of this film (I used Sophie's wording for that one) and he wants to take the mortal world back to the dark ages as he felt scorned but again.
Those didn't go so well. And he wanted to conquer the mortal realm because he felt scorned by both the people of that realm and because Gwen chose a human over him. Sorry, dude.
My Final Thoughts
The strongest element found in Halloweentown is the strength of family in both how family can stand and work together to tackle any threat that comes their way. And also how, it's okay to embrace one's family heritage, even if you have put it behind you. It may not always seem easy but sometimes, it's for the best. Join me next time as we look at the sequel...
Halloweentown II: Kalabar's Revenge
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