Twitches (film)

Last updated
Twitches
Twitches.jpg
Promotional poster
Based on Twitches by H. B. Gilmour & Randi Reisfeld
Written byMelissa Gould
Dan Berendsen
Directed by Stuart Gillard
Starring
Music by John Van Tongeren
Production
ProducerKevin Lafferty
CinematographyManfred Guthe
EditorRobin Russell
Running time86 minutes
Production companiesCarla Singer Productions
Broomsticks Productions
Budget$20 million
Original release
Network Disney Channel
ReleaseOctober 14, 2005 (2005-10-14)
Related
Twitches Too (2007)

Twitches is a 2005 Disney Channel original movie, based on the Twitches book series published by Scholastic Press. Produced by Broomsticks Productions Limited, the film stars Tia Mowry and Tamera Mowry as Alexandra Fielding and Camryn Barnes, respectively. A sequel, Twitches Too , aired on October 12, 2007, as a part of Disney Channel's Hauntober Fest.

Contents

Plot

In the magical dimension of Coventry, the royal witch Miranda gives birth to identical twin daughters on Halloween night. The sisters are named Apolla and Artemis after the Olympian twins, the gods of the sun and moon, respectively; in accordance with their namesakes, Apolla wears an amulet in the shape of the sun and Artemis wears an amulet in the shape of the moon. Their father Aron DuBaer, a powerful warlock, transfers the entirety of his magical powers to protect them from an evil entity known as the Darkness and is killed in the process. Karsh and Ileana WarBurton, a magical couple and friends of the family, assume the task of protecting the twins and flee to a non-magical dimension known as Earth to give them up for adoption. Apolla is adopted by a wealthy couple who name her Camryn Elizabeth Barnes, while Artemis is adopted by a single mother and is named Alexandra "Alex" Nicole Fielding. Alex grows up to be a night owl and stays up until the moon sets, writing about the chronicles of magical twin sisters, unaware that her stories are true. She shares a single bedroom with her close friend Lucinda, after her mother passes away a few months prior to her 21st birthday. Meanwhile, Camryn is a passionate artist and a lark, who wakes up at sunrise to sketch realistic pictures; unbeknownst to her, the images she creates are of Miranda and her homeland Coventry. She is spoiled and outgoing, unlike her quiet and reclusive sister; however, the duo share the traits of kindness and intelligence.

On the twins' 21st birthday, Camryn and her best friend Beth decide to shop, while Alex tries to look for a job. After Karsh and Ileana manipulate Alex into entering the store where Camryn is trying on clothes, the sisters encounter each other for the first time since their infancy. Although Camryn is overjoyed to discover Alex, the latter flees the store, prompting the former to grasp her hand, causing a burst of energy. As their magic is released, they discover that they share a sisterly bond and attempt to understand each other. Karsh and Ileana reveal themselves to the twins and inform them about their magical background, after which Alex realizes that her stories about Coventry are true. According to an old prophecy, the sisters are the only ones capable of vanquishing the Darkness and restoring Coventry. As she has the gift of knowledge, Alex refuses to help fulfill the prophecy because her stories end with death. Camryn manages to convince Alex to stay, assuring her that they are unstoppable together, and the two practice their magical powers as they bond. They dub themselves Twitches, a portmanteau of the words "twin" and "witches."

In the meantime, Miranda senses that her daughters are alive and informs their uncle Thantos, whom she married after Aron's death. The Darkness arrives at Alex's apartment, but the sisters manage to transport themselves to Coventry, and the experience overwhelms Camryn. Despite her sister's pleas, she decides that she does not want to venture further into their destiny. She leaves to participate in her costume birthday party on Earth. Alex, determined to help Coventry without her sister, reunites with Miranda and meets Thantos, who informs her that if Camryn is alone, she is powerless against the Darkness. At her party, Camryn discovers that she used to draw a face in the Darkness and learns from it that Thantos is responsible for the Darkness, and she escapes to Coventry after Karsh and Ileana sacrifice themselves to help her. As she reveals their uncle's crimes to Miranda and Alex, Thantos arrives and admits to killing his brother Aron in an attempt to acquire wealth and power. Thantos then captures Miranda and goes on a rampage around the castle. The twins combine their magic of light and love to vanquish him and restore Coventry, simultaneously reviving their mother Miranda, Karsh, and Ileana. They then celebrate their birthday on Earth, alongside Miranda and Camryn's adoptive parents, David and Emily.

Cast

Production

Casting

Originally, Tia was supposed to play Camryn and Tamera was supposed to play Alex, but the two wanted their roles to be switched. For the first few days of filming, the cast and crew had a hard time telling Tia and Tamera apart. Kristen Wilson the actress who played Camryn/Apolla and Alex/Artemis's birth-mother is 9 years older than the Mowry Twins. Also Karen Holness who plays Camryn's adoptive mother is only a year older than Tia and Tamera.

Filming

Production for the film began in June 2005, entirely shot in Toronto, Ontario. [1] Special effects were used in conjunction with green screens to help simulate the magic tricks shown throughout the movie - the transitions between Earth and Coventry, the moon and sun put on the same horizon, and, with the aid of a wind machine, the visualization of the Darkness' presence.

Release

Broadcast

When the movie first aired on Disney Channel on October 14, 2005, it was viewed by 7 million viewers. [2] In four subsequent airings during its first weekend, the movie drew a total of 21.5 million viewers and was the week's most popular cable program. [3]

Home media

Twitches was released on Disney, in America in 2008 and in Romania in 2009

Sequel

A sequel, Twitches Too , premiered on October 12, 2007, in the US, October 26, 2007, in Canada, and November 2, 2007, in the UK.

Notes

  1. Martin, Denise (2005-06-22). "Mouse 'Twitches' for pic". Variety. Archived from the original on 2021-07-25. Retrieved 2020-09-28.
  2. Umstead, R. Thomas (21 October 2007). "Disney Scares Up Viewers". Multichannel News. Archived from the original on 26 February 2009. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
  3. Levin, Gary (26 October 2005). "Disney finds place for tweens". USA Today. Archived from the original on 30 October 2005. Retrieved 8 August 2017.

Related Research Articles

Tahj Dayton Mowry is an American actor and singer. He is the brother of identical twin actresses Tia Mowry and Tamera Mowry and is known for his role on the show Smart Guy as the main character TJ on The WB, though the show gained later recognition on Disney Channel. Mowry was cast as the voice of ten-year-old super genius Wade Load on Kim Possible as a nod to this role. He is also known for his roles as Michelle Tanner's best friend Teddy on Full House and Tucker Dobbs on Freeform's comedy show Baby Daddy.

<i>The Hot Chick</i> 2002 film by Tom Brady

The Hot Chick is a 2002 American fantasy comedy film directed by Tom Brady, written by Brady and Rob Schneider, and starring Schneider, Anna Faris, Matthew Lawrence, Eric Christian Olsen, and introducing Rachel McAdams in her film debut with supporting roles done by Robert Davi, Melora Hardin, Alexandra Holden, Maritza Murray, Tamera Mowry, Tia Mowry, Maria Elena-Laas, Matt Weinberg, Jodi Long, Angie Stone, Lee Garlington, Ashlee Simpson, Michelle Branch, and Michael O'Keefe. The film tells the story of mean-spirited cheerleader Jessica Spencer (McAdams) who secretly snatches some magic earrings dating back to 50 BC Abbysinia which causes her to unknowingly switch bodies with incompetent criminal Clive Maxtone (Schneider). When Jessica discovers that the switch was caused by a pair of enchanted earrings she had stolen, one of which accidentally ended up in Clive's possession, she enlists the help of her friends to get the earrings back together before the switch becomes permanent.

<i>Artemis Fowl</i> Science fantasy book series by Eoin Colfer

The Fowl Adventures is a series of eleven fantasy novels written by Irish author Eoin Colfer revolving around various members of the Fowl family. The first cycle, Artemis Fowl, follows elf Lower Elements Police Reconnaissance (LEPRecon) officer Holly Short as she faces the forces of criminal mastermind Artemis Fowl II; later on in the cycle they become friends and Artemis Fowl II saves the world a few times. The second cycle, The Fowl Twins, received positive critical reception and generated huge sales. It has also originated graphic novel adaptations.

<i>The Cheetah Girls</i> (film) American TV series or program

The Cheetah Girls is a 2003 American musical television film based on the book series of the same name by Deborah Gregory. This film marks the first Disney Channel Original Movie as a musical.

T*Witches is an American children's fantasy novel series by H. B. Gilmour and Randi Reisfeld which were published between 2001 and 2004 by Scholastic Press, a subsidiary of Scholastic Corporation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tia Mowry</span> American actress (born 1978)

Tia Dashon Mowry is an American actress. She first gained recognition for her starring role as Tia Landry in the sitcom Sister, Sister (1994–1999), opposite her twin sister Tamera Mowry. The sisters then starred together in the fantasy comedy film Seventeen Again (2000) and voiced the LaBelle sisters in the animated series Detention (1999–2000). The two also starred in the Disney Channel Original Movie Twitches (2005) and its sequel, Twitches Too (2007). They were featured in the reality series Tia & Tamera from 2011 to 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marques Houston</span> American singer and actor (born 1981)

Marques Barrett Houston is an American R&B singer, songwriter, dancer, model and actor. A member of the R&B group Immature/IMx from 1990 until 2002, Houston went solo in 2003. As an actor, he is known for his role as Roger Evans in the television comedy Sister, Sister. As a solo artist, Houston has released a number of successful studio albums that went platinum in the United States.

<i>American Dragon: Jake Long</i> American animated television series (2005–2007)

American Dragon: Jake Long, or simply American Dragon, is an American animated television series. It was produced by Walt Disney Television Animation, created by Jeff Goode and co-developed by Eddie Guzelian and Matt Negrete. It premiered on Disney Channel on January 21, 2005, and ended on September 1, 2007. Fifty-two episodes were produced.

<i>Sister, Sister</i> (TV series) American television sitcom (1994–1999)

Sister, Sister is an American television sitcom starring Tia and Tamera Mowry as identical twin sisters separated at birth who are reunited as teenagers. It premiered on April 1, 1994, on ABC as part of its TGIF comedy lineup, and finished its run on The WB on May 23, 1999, airing 119 episodes over six seasons. The cast consisted of the Mowry sisters with Jackée Harry and Tim Reid costarring as their respective adoptive parents, alongside Marques Houston as their annoying neighbor Roger. RonReaco Lee and Deon Richmond later joined the cast in the fifth season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tamera Mowry</span> American actress, television personality, and occasional singer (born 1978)

Tamera Darvette Mowry-Housley is an American actress, television personality, and former singer. She first gained fame for her teen role as Tamera Campbell on the ABC/WB sitcom Sister, Sister. She has also starred in the Disney Channel Original Movie Twitches and its sequel, Twitches Too, and played Dr. Kayla Thornton on the medical drama Strong Medicine.

<i>Bratz</i> (TV series) Computer-animated television series, based on a line of toy dolls of the same name

Bratz is an American CGI animated series based on the toy dolls of the same name. Produced by Mike Young Productions and MGA Entertainment, it aired on Fox's 4Kids TV from September 10, 2005 to October 14, 2006. In 2008, after a hiatus, it was renewed for season 2. It focuses on four female teens who run their own magazine. In 2021, a web series titled "Talkin' Bratz" that featured a similar CGI animation style to the original series, aired on the official Bratz TikTok page. Set in the same world as the original series, it saw cast members Olivia Hack and Ogie Banks reprise their roles as Cloe and Dylan, respectively. The voice actresses are an all-star cast featuring Hack, Soleil Moon Frye, Tia Mowry, Dionne Quan, Wendie Malick, Lacey Chabert, and Kaley Cuoco. From 2018-2020, the series' episodes were uploaded to the Bratz YouTube channel.

Kristen Wilson is a former American actress, best known as Miranda DuBaer in Twitches and Twitches Too and as Lisa Dolittle in the films Dr. Dolittle, Dr. Dolittle 2, and Dr. Dolittle 3.

<i>Seventeen Again</i> 2000 television film by Jeffrey W. Byrd

Seventeen Again is an American fantasy–comedy film. It first aired on Showtime on November 12, 2000, and was released on DVD on April 9, 2002. The film was also included as a bonus feature on the Sister, SisterComplete Collection box set released in March 2016. Directed by Jeffrey W. Byrd, it stars Tia Mowry & Tamera Mowry, and their younger brother Tahj Mowry.

<i>Twitches Too</i> 2007 television film by Stuart Gillard

Twitches Too is a 2007 Disney Channel Original Movie. It is the sequel to the Disney Channel Original Movie Twitches, released in 2005. The film began production in late April 2007 and was released on October 12. It aired during Disney Channel's Halloween Month. The Disney Channel Original Series, Wizards of Waverly Place, premiered following the film's premiere. The first trailer was released during the premiere of High School Musical 2. On its premiere night, the movie brought in 6.96 million viewers. For 15 years, it was the last non-musical Disney Channel Original Movie sequel to be produced until Under Wraps 2 (2022).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cory Hardrict</span> American actor

Cory Hardrict is an American actor. He has appeared in film and television since the late 1990s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Melanie Barnett</span> Fictional character in the American sitcom The Game

Melanie Barnett-Davis is a fictional character, portrayed by actress Tia Mowry, who appears in the American sitcom The Game, which aired on the CW Television Network and BET from 2006 to 2015. Introduced in a backdoor pilot on the sitcom Girlfriends as Joan Clayton's cousin, Melanie chooses to support her boyfriend Derwin Davis' career with the San Diego Sabres, a fictional National Football League (NFL) team, rather than attend medical school at Johns Hopkins University. The series focuses primarily on Melanie and Derwin's complicated relationship, with her fears of his infidelity at the center of many of the episodes' storylines. Mowry left the series in 2012 upon learning that her role would be reduced as a result of co-star Pooch Hall's decision to reduce his role on The Game to appear in the crime drama series Ray Donovan. Both actors reprised their roles in the series finale, in which Melanie gives birth to twins.

<i>Tia & Tamera</i> American TV series or program

Tia & Tamera is an American reality television series that aired on the Style Network from August 8, 2011, until September 22, 2013. Originally titled Tia & Tamera Take 2, the series started off as a television special that aired on July 17, 2010. It was announced in February 2011 that the special was picked to series. Later, the series was changed to its current title and debuted on August 8, 2011, on the now defunct Style Network. In September 2011, Style Network renewed the show for a second season, which later premiered on June 11, 2012. Season 3 was announced on February 12, 2013, with it premiering on July 14, 2013. The third season concluded September 22, 2013, and was the last program to air on Style, which re-branded as Esquire Network the next day. Tia & Tamera began airing on E! starting October 15, 2013, along with former Style Network series Giuliana and Bill.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tia Tamera</span> 2019 single by Doja Cat featuring Rico Nasty

"Tia Tamera" is a song by American rapper and singer Doja Cat featuring fellow American rapper Rico Nasty. It was written by Doja Cat, Kurtis McKenzie, David Sprecher, Lydia Asrat, and Rico Nasty, while being produced by the former two. It was released for digital download and streaming on February 20, 2019, by Kemosabe Records and RCA Records as the second single to the deluxe edition of Doja's debut album Amala.