Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #23256 in DVD
• Released on: 2006-02-06
• Rating: Parental Guidance
• Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
• Formats: Anamorphic, PAL
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English, Hindi
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 98 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
As one of many in the ongoing trend of resurrecting old TV shows and turning them into contemporary Hollywood product, Bewitched tries awfully hard to distinguish itself. It succeeds in lots of surprising ways, not least of which is the star power brought by Nicole Kidman and Will Ferrell. Even if they don't create the kind of romantic chemistry that would have elevated the already high concept, they act as delightful foils to each other, but more often to themselves. The conceit of this Bewitched is that it's a self-reflexive look at the entertainment business, with Ferrell playing Jack Wyatt, an actor starring in an updated version of the classic TV show. Out of favour with the Hollywood elite and desperately in need of a hit, he insists on an unknown to play Samantha, as he wants the show to be about him, since if something doesn't come his way soon, he's going to be hearing a lot of no's, despite the yes-men surrounding him. While his agent gets him the "unknown Samantha" deal, it's Jack himself who discovers his own leading lady in the delightful figure of Isabel Bigalow, who possesses just the right nose wiggle, not to mention other wiggles.

But wouldn't you know it, Isabel really is a witch, and exactly the kind of "good" witch trying to rely less on her magical powers that Samantha Stevens was back in her "real" world. Instead of a cranky mother like Endora, Isabel has a distinguished father, Nigel who lurks around her as a constant reminder that she can't be who she's not, and she certainly can't be the star of some zany TV show. As the plot thickens and the movie's reflexivity grows more convoluted, Nigel falls for the non-witch actress who plays Endora, and Jack and Isabel fall for each other. Here's where the Ferrell/Kidman gel doesn’t quite become aspic, but her perkiness and his goofiness are more than enough to make the entirety of the proceedings a delectable trifle. Director Nora Ephron has fun skewering her own business in the script she co-wrote with her sister Delia, and her eye for quality craft makes everything sparkle as it should. Even if we have yet to see the definitive remake of an old TV show on the big screen, at least Bewitched is well more than run-of-the-mill as so many adaptations have been, and so many will be.-- Ted Fry

Synopsis
Director Nora Ephron (SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE, YOU'VE GOT MAIL) breathes new life into the classic television show BEWITCHED in this romantic comedy of the same name. Movie star Jack Wyatt (Will Ferrell) had it all until he made a few bad films and his wife left him. Now, the washed up star is slated to play Darrin in a remake of the 1960s sitcom about a mortal man who unknowingly marries a beautiful, good-hearted witch. Determined to resuscitate his career, Jack and his agent, Richie (Jason Schwartzman), demand that an unknown be cast as the witch, Samantha, in order to maximise his screen time and star power. After an exhaustive search for the right actress and the perfect nose wiggle Jack spots Isabel Bigelow (Nicole Kidman) in a book store and is convinced that she can be the new Samantha. And right he is; Isabel really is a witch who is determined to try life and hopefully love without magic, much to the chagrin of her debonair warlock father, Nigel (Michael Caine). Immediately drawn to Jack, Isabel follows her heart and takes the role only to discover that he has no plan to share the spotlight with her, and can also be a big jerk. Can Isabel refrain from using magic to put Jack in his place and win his love? And how will Jack react when he learns Isabel's secret? More interesting than a standard remake, the screenplay by Ephron and her sister Delia nicely weaves in the characters and basic plot of the original television series while developing a completely new story and characters. Shirley MacLaine stars as a legendary actress who plays Samantha's mother, Endora, in the new television show and just may have a few secrets of her own. Steve Carell has an amusing turn as Uncle Arthur, a character originally played by comedian Paul Lynde.

Customer Reviews

Worth Watching
You can't compare this movie to the television series because in a way it's nothing like it. I thought when I went to see the film that it was going to be just like the television series, Samantha and Darren are a happy couple but the problem is she's a witch, Darren knows it, her mother keeps getting involved in the relationship and mad chaos begins in each episode.
But the film is actually about Will Ferrel wanting to remake Bewitched and when he finds Nicole Kidman in a book shop he thinks this is the girl to play Samantha in the remake of Bewitched. What he doesn't know is that Samantha really is a witch and when she overhears how the horrid Will Ferrel is just using her to make his way back into the limelight, she decides to put her magical powers to good use and seeks revenge on Ferrel with very funny results.
The beggining is slow, I have to admit, and at times the storyline does drag a little but if you stick with it I think you'll be pleased and amused towards the end.
But if you are expecting a movie remake of the Bewitched television series, this, sadly, isn't.

Awful!
It was my daughter's fault. She insisted I take her to see Bewitched, much against my better judgement. My memories of the original Bewitched TV series starring the incomparable Elizabeth Montgomery, Agnes Moorehead (who in her younger days appeared in Citizen Kane and The Magnificent Ambersons) and Dicks York and Sergeant were of an enchanting sitcom. Sadly, this film has sullied the memory for ever. Nicole Kidman faithfully imitates Montgomery's every gesture, but the rest of the cast descend down the plughole to oblivion, taking a woefully drab and humourless script with it.

If ever there was an argument against DVDs being sold at "full price", this is it. Save your money, and if you ever want to be reminded how bad Hollywood can be, watch this film when it's been justifiably remaindered.

There's bad.....and then there's Bewitched
With a cast that included Nicole Kidman, Michael Caine and Shirley MacLaine I expected good things from Bewitched. Boy was I wrong!! I seriously don’t think they could have done a worse job of making this film if they tried.

Will Ferrell plays Jack Wyatt, the washed-up actor who is trying to resurrect his film career by playing the lead as Darrin in the remake of the 1960’s sit-com Bewitched. All he needs is the perfect actress to play Samantha. Then he stumbles upon Isabel who has the nose-twitch that he wants and is just perfect for the part of Samantha. Endeared by Jack, Samantha signs up but it doesn’t take long until it becomes obvious who the real star of the show will be and although Isabel is a real witch she is on a quest to stop using her powers. But when Jack behaves like a ‘jerk’ she just can’t help herself.

Will Ferrell gives the most nauseating performance I’ve ever seen. His switch from bad-guy to good-guy is wooden to say the least. Nicole Kidman forgot everything she’s ever been taught about acting and gave the most mediocre performance of her career as Isabel. Only Michael Caine and Shirley MacLaine give performances worthy of mention. But all in all this film was just abysmal. There was no continuity of thought and nothing seemed to ‘mesh’. Awful is the best word to describe it.