Halloweentown (film)
Encyclopedia
Halloweentown is a 1998 Disney Channel Original Movie released in October 1998 to acknowledge the holiday
of Halloween
.
Gwen has more or less restored order when her mother Aggie, who is an expert witch, shows up for her annual Halloween visit. The kids are happier to see Aggie than Gwen is, and it is soon shown why: Aggie openly encourages the kids to get more involved in all things Halloween, and Gwen is nearly powerless to stop her.
Aggie seems especially intent on training Marnie as a witch, since it is Marnie's 13th Halloween. Marnie, of course, has no idea about any of this. Aggie drops a huge hint as she is about to head home: reading the kids a bedtime story, when Sophie sees a drawing of a witch that closely resembles her big sister, Aggie does nothing to stop Marnie from imagining such a thing.
Gwen and Aggie get into an argument about all of this, and Gwen insists Marnie will be raised as a normal person and not a witch. Aggie says she disagrees with this, but actually she is there for another reason: people have suddenly started mysteriously disappearing. Gwen thinks they just moved, but Aggie says it is not that simple.
Aggie desperately asks for Gwen's help, but Gwen declines. Aggie is distraught by Gwen's disregard for the safety of her old home and leaves, turning the chicken leftovers into a live chicken on the way out. Gwen is not aware Marnie was watching this the whole time.
Marnie runs back upstairs to tell Dylan what she just saw, and Dylan says she's crazy. They then follow Aggie covertly to a previously non-existent bus stop. When the bus indeed arrives, Marnie and Dylan sneak on board. Suddenly, the bus shakes violently and the bus is filled with flashing lights...and before they know it, the bus is landing in Halloweentown.
Aggie doesn't see Marnie and Dylan getting off the bus. At the same time, Marnie and Dylan don't see Sophie getting off the bus. Dylan notices her, and Marnie asks what she's doing here. Sophie says she was only pretending to sleep; she heard everything Marnie told Dylan, and followed them. They all begin to look for Aggie, who they have lost, when the mayor Kalabar approaches them. He whistles for the cab, which is driven by Benny, a skeleton with a bad sense of humor.
The three siblings find their grandmother's home, and against her better judgment, Aggie decides not to take them home immediately. She says she'll start Marnie's witch training, but has to take care of the bad thing first. She shows her grandchildren what she is talking about: in the cauldron, a vision of a hooded demon appears, laughing maniacally. Aggie has a talisman that she says can defeat this demon, but her witches brew is defective. So she has to take the kids into town and get the ingredients to make her own.
In town, Marnie discovers a broom shop, and the family is introduced to Luke, who looks like a normal human kid. He makes a clumsy pass at Marnie, which she turns down on the spot; after Luke offers to take Marnie out for an ice cream, she stares daggers at him. Benny earlier explained that Luke once looked like a troll, but claimed a shadow demon made him handsome.
Marnie picks a broom, and she and Aggie take it for a test drive. When they get back, a distressed Gwen has shown up and orders the kids to return home immediately. Marnie fights her briefly, but eventually knows she cannot win once her mother decided to ground her.
Gwen can't find another bus back to the mortal world, and when she tries to see if the mayor can do anything, she is shocked that the mayor is Kalabar, her old boyfriend. When Kalabar briefly leaves to handle another problem, Gwen and her kids see Aggie walking somewhere with Luke. Sensing Aggie might be in trouble, they follow Aggie and Luke to an abandoned movie theater.
Once inside, Gwen and Aggie find themselves battling the hooded demon that they had previously seen in the cauldron. The demon freezes Aggie and Gwen with an evil spell, and suddenly Marnie finds herself in charge.
She decides to finish what Aggie started, with some help from Dylan and Sophie, by gathering the ingredients for the witch’s brew that will hopefully make the talisman work. They are successful, and soon find themselves battling the demon, who reveals himself to be none other than Kalabar himself.
With the help of Luke, who has realized the error of his ways, Marnie disables Kalabar long enough but is effectived by the spell just as she is about the sleep she remembers what happens and drop the tailsman light up the jack o latern to unfreeze Aggie and Gwen, as well as all the other Halloweentown citizens whom Kalabar had trapped in the theater previously Gwen and Aggie rush to the kids to find out what happened. Marnie, Gwen and Aggie confront Kalabar. Kalabar is apparently bitter over the fact that their kind was forced to relocate to this new world because humans wouldn't accept them, and that Gwen passed him over years ago for a mortal man.
But the three of them alone aren't enough. Sophie has also been showing signs of possessing magic, and Dylan, when angered, also displays powers himself despite trying to deny it. The five of them combine their powers and destroy Kalabar using the talisman.
Gwen agrees to let Marnie start witch training and even invites Aggie to live with them. The film ends with the family going on to the bus to the mortal world, with a happy goodbye and thanks with Luke as the bus driver, and blast off.
, Halloweentown High
, and Return to Halloweentown
. Return to Halloweentown was the only movie in which Kimberly J. Brown
did not reprise her role as Marnie Piper; the role was instead played by Sara Paxton
. Emily Roeske
also did not reprise her role in the final film, but her character was mentioned briefly.
Holiday
A Holiday is a day designated as having special significance for which individuals, a government, or a religious group have deemed that observance is warranted. It is generally an official or unofficial observance of religious, national, or cultural significance, often accompanied by celebrations...
of Halloween
Halloween
Hallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day...
.
Plot
The film begins with Marnie Piper and her mother, Gwen, arguing over why she and her younger siblings Dylan and Sophie can never go out for Halloween and wanting to go to a costume party that the "whole world is going to". Gwen patiently explains, but with no detail, it is little surprise that Marnie still has a problem with her mom's order.Gwen has more or less restored order when her mother Aggie, who is an expert witch, shows up for her annual Halloween visit. The kids are happier to see Aggie than Gwen is, and it is soon shown why: Aggie openly encourages the kids to get more involved in all things Halloween, and Gwen is nearly powerless to stop her.
Aggie seems especially intent on training Marnie as a witch, since it is Marnie's 13th Halloween. Marnie, of course, has no idea about any of this. Aggie drops a huge hint as she is about to head home: reading the kids a bedtime story, when Sophie sees a drawing of a witch that closely resembles her big sister, Aggie does nothing to stop Marnie from imagining such a thing.
Gwen and Aggie get into an argument about all of this, and Gwen insists Marnie will be raised as a normal person and not a witch. Aggie says she disagrees with this, but actually she is there for another reason: people have suddenly started mysteriously disappearing. Gwen thinks they just moved, but Aggie says it is not that simple.
Aggie desperately asks for Gwen's help, but Gwen declines. Aggie is distraught by Gwen's disregard for the safety of her old home and leaves, turning the chicken leftovers into a live chicken on the way out. Gwen is not aware Marnie was watching this the whole time.
Marnie runs back upstairs to tell Dylan what she just saw, and Dylan says she's crazy. They then follow Aggie covertly to a previously non-existent bus stop. When the bus indeed arrives, Marnie and Dylan sneak on board. Suddenly, the bus shakes violently and the bus is filled with flashing lights...and before they know it, the bus is landing in Halloweentown.
Aggie doesn't see Marnie and Dylan getting off the bus. At the same time, Marnie and Dylan don't see Sophie getting off the bus. Dylan notices her, and Marnie asks what she's doing here. Sophie says she was only pretending to sleep; she heard everything Marnie told Dylan, and followed them. They all begin to look for Aggie, who they have lost, when the mayor Kalabar approaches them. He whistles for the cab, which is driven by Benny, a skeleton with a bad sense of humor.
The three siblings find their grandmother's home, and against her better judgment, Aggie decides not to take them home immediately. She says she'll start Marnie's witch training, but has to take care of the bad thing first. She shows her grandchildren what she is talking about: in the cauldron, a vision of a hooded demon appears, laughing maniacally. Aggie has a talisman that she says can defeat this demon, but her witches brew is defective. So she has to take the kids into town and get the ingredients to make her own.
In town, Marnie discovers a broom shop, and the family is introduced to Luke, who looks like a normal human kid. He makes a clumsy pass at Marnie, which she turns down on the spot; after Luke offers to take Marnie out for an ice cream, she stares daggers at him. Benny earlier explained that Luke once looked like a troll, but claimed a shadow demon made him handsome.
Marnie picks a broom, and she and Aggie take it for a test drive. When they get back, a distressed Gwen has shown up and orders the kids to return home immediately. Marnie fights her briefly, but eventually knows she cannot win once her mother decided to ground her.
Gwen can't find another bus back to the mortal world, and when she tries to see if the mayor can do anything, she is shocked that the mayor is Kalabar, her old boyfriend. When Kalabar briefly leaves to handle another problem, Gwen and her kids see Aggie walking somewhere with Luke. Sensing Aggie might be in trouble, they follow Aggie and Luke to an abandoned movie theater.
Once inside, Gwen and Aggie find themselves battling the hooded demon that they had previously seen in the cauldron. The demon freezes Aggie and Gwen with an evil spell, and suddenly Marnie finds herself in charge.
She decides to finish what Aggie started, with some help from Dylan and Sophie, by gathering the ingredients for the witch’s brew that will hopefully make the talisman work. They are successful, and soon find themselves battling the demon, who reveals himself to be none other than Kalabar himself.
With the help of Luke, who has realized the error of his ways, Marnie disables Kalabar long enough but is effectived by the spell just as she is about the sleep she remembers what happens and drop the tailsman light up the jack o latern to unfreeze Aggie and Gwen, as well as all the other Halloweentown citizens whom Kalabar had trapped in the theater previously Gwen and Aggie rush to the kids to find out what happened. Marnie, Gwen and Aggie confront Kalabar. Kalabar is apparently bitter over the fact that their kind was forced to relocate to this new world because humans wouldn't accept them, and that Gwen passed him over years ago for a mortal man.
But the three of them alone aren't enough. Sophie has also been showing signs of possessing magic, and Dylan, when angered, also displays powers himself despite trying to deny it. The five of them combine their powers and destroy Kalabar using the talisman.
Gwen agrees to let Marnie start witch training and even invites Aggie to live with them. The film ends with the family going on to the bus to the mortal world, with a happy goodbye and thanks with Luke as the bus driver, and blast off.
Cast
- Debbie ReynoldsDebbie ReynoldsDebbie Reynolds is an American actress, singer, and dancer.She was initially signed at age 16 by Warner Bros., but her career got off to a slow start. When her contract was not renewed, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer gave her a small, but significant part in the film Three Little Words , then signed her to...
- Aggie Cromwell. The mother of Gwen and grandmother of Marnie, Dylan and Sophie. - Judith HoagJudith HoagJudith Hoag is an American actress.She is perhaps best known for portraying April O'Neil in the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film, as well as in the 1998 feature film Armageddon...
- Gwen Piper. The daughter of Aggie and the mother of Marnie, Dylan and Sophie. - Kimberly J. BrownKimberly J. BrownKimberly J. Brown is an American actress. She is best known for her roles as Marah Lewis #3 on The Guiding Light and Marnie Piper in the Halloweentown film series .-Career:...
- Marnie Piper. The first born child of Gwen and the main character. - Joey ZimmermanJoey ZimmermanJoseph Paul Zimmerman is an American actor and musician. He is sometimes credited as Joey Zimmerman, Joseph Zimmerman, J. Paul Zimmerman and J.P. Zimmerman....
- Dylan Piper. The second born child of Gwen. - Emily RoeskeEmily RoeskeEmily Marie Roeske is best known for her role as Sophie Piper in the first three Disney Channel Original Movies, Halloweentown, Halloweentown II: Kalabar's Revenge, and a small role in Halloweentown High. Also, she was karate girl in 3 Ninjas: High Noon at Mega Mountain and Alicia in Fell's Redeemer...
- Sophie Piper. The last born child of Gwen. - Phillip Van DykePhillip Van DykePhillip Van Dyke is an American actor best known for his role as the goblin Luke in the first two of the Halloweentown movie series.-Private life:He was born in San Francisco and currently resides there....
- Luke. A goblin. Later revealed he has a crush on Marnie. - Robin ThomasRobin ThomasRobin Thomas is an American film and television actor.He was born Robin Thomas Grossman in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. His best-known television roles are as Mark Singleton in the soap opera Another World , and as Geoffrey Wells on the 1980s series Who's the Boss?...
- Kalabar. The mayor of Halloweentown and the main antagonist of the film. - Rino RomanoRino RomanoRino Romano is a Canadian voice actor who has portrayed Batman in the animated series The Batman, Spider-Man in Spider-Man Unlimited, and Tuxedo Mask in the English dub of the anime Sailor Moon...
- Benny (voice). The skeleton taxi driver.
Sequels
Halloweentown was followed by three released sequels; Halloweentown II: Kalabar's RevengeHalloweentown II: Kalabar's Revenge
Halloweentown II: Kalabar's Revenge is a 2001 Disney Channel Original Movie released for the holiday of Halloween. This is the second in the Halloweentown series.-Plot:...
, Halloweentown High
Halloweentown High
Halloweentown High is a 2004 Disney Channel Original Movie released in October 2004 for the holiday of Halloween. This is the third in the Halloweentown series. It is also the last Halloweentown film to feature Kimberly J...
, and Return to Halloweentown
Return to Halloweentown
Return to Halloweentown is a Disney Channel Original Movie that premiered on October 20, 2006. It is the fourth and final film in the Halloweentown series. In this sequel, Marnie Piper and her brother, Dylan Piper , go to Witch University to attend college in Halloweentown...
. Return to Halloweentown was the only movie in which Kimberly J. Brown
Kimberly J. Brown
Kimberly J. Brown is an American actress. She is best known for her roles as Marah Lewis #3 on The Guiding Light and Marnie Piper in the Halloweentown film series .-Career:...
did not reprise her role as Marnie Piper; the role was instead played by Sara Paxton
Sara Paxton
Sara Paxton is an American actress, model and singer. She grew up in California and began acting at an early age, appearing in many minor roles in both films and television shows, before coming to wider renown in 2004, after playing the title role in the series Darcy's Wild Life and Sarah Borden...
. Emily Roeske
Emily Roeske
Emily Marie Roeske is best known for her role as Sophie Piper in the first three Disney Channel Original Movies, Halloweentown, Halloweentown II: Kalabar's Revenge, and a small role in Halloweentown High. Also, she was karate girl in 3 Ninjas: High Noon at Mega Mountain and Alicia in Fell's Redeemer...
also did not reprise her role in the final film, but her character was mentioned briefly.