You know, normal witch stuff.
But then things start looking up at least briefly.
(They have absolutely no clue about Angelovs death, which wont bode well for the sisters later.)
Illustration by Matthew Cooley. Images in illustration by Warner Bros./Getty Images/Handout, 2; Warner Bros./Everett Collection; Adobe Stock, 4.
Akiva Goldsman (Writer):I got involved through Denise.
I had been doing a lot of work at Warner Bros. at the time.
Denise sat me down and talked to me about the movie, and it was pretty exciting.
Dunne had just directed the 1997 rom-comAddicted to Lovewith Meg Ryan and Matthew Broderick.
That is all their projects that they have in development.
You sort of get to pick and choose.
We had met years earlier at Sundance, whenHope Floatswas being shown there.
I loved Sandy, I was dying to work with her.
So this script came my way, and I really loved it.
Dunne:I had to deal with my lack of real passion or even interest with magic and witches.
It just wasnt an interest in my wheelhouse of things.
So I almost turned it down.
I grappled with it for quite a while.
[But] then I thought about the women in my family.
I thought about my grandmother, who was from Mexico.
A very tough, shrewd woman who had been through a lot.
And her daughter, my mother, who was also a terribly strong woman, who had sickness.
She had multiple sclerosis, but she had such inner strength.
And then I thought of my daughter.
That was all I needed.
I saw the possibilities of the magic, and that became a very illuminating word to me.
Once I got a handle on it, I was off and running.
Dunne:That was really important to me.
That was a through line that meant a great deal to me.
I wanted to make it as realistic as possible and not have it just be a bad guy.
In the script, he was written as a country-western shit-kicker, a redneck kind of guy.
That made it feel much more real and much more threatening.
Putting the Lime in the Coconut
With three writers, the screenplay went through many changes.
Di Novi:I have always been a fan of [Nilssons].
That song is unusual for him, its not your typical song of his.
I think hes so unique, and it was a brilliant idea on Griffins part to use that.
Dunne:My addition was Coconut.
He was really drunk and would start to yell facetiously, The planes going down!
I mustve been around 16 years old, because I just got my drivers license.
I was too young to actually be allowed to go in the thing, but whatever.
And that song came on and I became possessed.
I came up with this dance that was so insane.
The people then cheered uproariously when I finished.
I certainly was under a spell in that discotheque, and it came to mind.
Dunne shot on a Steadicam, and they played Coconut in real time.
The result was hours and hours of hearing the song.
Di Novi:I was worried about it.
It was taking so long, we did a ton of takes.
But it was fun, so nobody really complained.
I did much more than we needed, just because it felt so good doing it.
It always feels funny.
Di Novi:People dont realize that Sandy could be a professional dancer.
Shes an absolutely incredible dancer.
Nicole can do anything.
But Sandy is just an amazing dancer.
Sandra Bullock (Sally Owens):Nothing was choreographed.
We knew how much room we had and where the camera was.
Denise is kind, but what I was doing wasnt dancing it was more like avoiding the camera.
But there was a night that I forced Nic to go to a salsa club with me.
She was a good girl and sat in the corner, and I left no stone unturned.
Dunne:Ill tell you, what motivated the dance was something called tequila.
I cant say it was me, but somebody said, Why dont we really drink tequila and margaritas?
Yeah, I think it was [Nicole].
She was a troublemaker.
So we all had shots of tequila and off they went.
It really made it sing.
Bullock:I can neither confirm nor deny that it was Nic who brought the tequila.
Butifshe did, then it would have been supported by the ladies.
Nicole Kidman (Gillian Owens):Im with Sandy… that stays within the coven!
I dont remember how much we partook details are sketchy.
But I do recall Griffin throwing back.
At one point, Dunne also joined in on the dancing.
Dunne:I was so carried away, I joined them in one of the takes.
Di Novi:Griffin will do anything for a laugh.
But after a few times, all four of us just let go and had fun.
We all really adored each other.
Kidman:It was like capturing reality.
It was so fun!
Dunne:Nothing like an angry drunk getting going.
It really frustrated Terry Semel, who was the head of Warner Bros. at the time.
I remember him saying, Stick to one tone.
And he was quite cross about it.
So certain things were actually softened to sort of address that almost-order.
Putting the needles in Gorans eyes, I had a much more brutal scene.
But Griffin and I were probably edging things a little darker.
And that let the lighthearted parts shine.
I think we all recognize a version of that from many dinner tables in our lives.
At first, Channing and Wiest werent satisfied with the insults in the script.
Dunne:They were very disenchanted with the insults.
In fact, the scene quite honestly played really badly.
They werent into it, and then it affected everyone else.
Its just a process, and thats why you have rehearsal.
The part I dont remember is if it was rewritten with brand-new insults.
Bullock:I honestly dont remember.
As I said in my earlier answer, the details of that night are very hazy…
But I cant imagine it wasnt written in the script.
Such a dramatic shift from complete freedom and safety to darkness makes perfect sense.
Not in servitude and not in a defensiveness just experiencing freedom and joy together.
Historically, women feel safest when women are with other women.
Thats what is so beloved about the movie.
Dunne:Its a movie that once people have seen it once, they watch it several times afterwards.
There are midnight margarita parties around.
you could see them online.
And of course around Halloween, it becomes a real event in peoples homes to watch the movie again.
I think people relate to it.
For a lot of people, its a wishful memory about a joyous family dance of abandon.
Everyone felt the scene and the film worked particularly well because of the chemistry between Bullock and Kidman.
Goldsman:The chemistry between Sandy and Nicole was magical.
It feels like its occurring in real time.
Thats the thing that you always want.
When youre watching a movie, you want to believe its just happening right then.
And that scene feels like that like youre just looking through a window.
I mean, they really are both thoroughbreds.
They really wanted to work together.
At that time, women didnt have that many opportunities to work with another [female] star.
It was a very unusual movie in that it had two big stars.
Nicole was kind of a new star, but clearly an amazing actress.
Scenes like this one have become the postfeminist equivalent of corporate nerds doing the white mans overbite.
The witch sisters get empowered, all right into wild and crazy girls.
There was one review I always quote: How many women can you fit in one movie?
InPractical Magic, too many.Dunne:The vast majority of critics were men.
I think thats why the movie has been a slow burn in terms of mass popularity.
Weve made some strides.
Bullock:Well, Hollywood made the movie and fully leaned into it.
Kidman:I just remember loving the film.
I wont be pulled off it if I love it.
And I love it!
I stick to what I like, it doesnt sway me.
Ive probably made a lot of films like that.
I rememberMoulin Rougewas the same way, and the movie finds its audience.
But in the years since, its transitioned from a cult favorite to a classic Halloween film.
Dunne:I framed pages from the spell book.
But I honestly had no idea how much of a followingPractical Magic had until a few Halloweens ago.
It was a total surprise.
My sister and the women in my life are my foundation.
Some of the best memories I have made are with them.
I feel happiest, funniest, bravest, and safest when I am with them.
Turns out I am not the only one, and boy does that feel good.
Kidman:I think sisterhood is powerful!
Goldsman would go on to win an Oscar for writing 2001sA Beautiful Mindand co-create Star Trek series includingPicard.
ButPractical Magicremains a highlight.
Theres this whole thing that if I say a word about it, I burst into flames.
Dunne:This should be directed by a woman.
There are so many TikToks of women sobbing and saying, Oh my God, I can keep going.
This gives me something to live for.
Do they feel any pressure to follow-up the beloved film?
But cmon, we are witches!
We will work our magic.
Bullock:I cant wait to do a repeat.
Next time, [Nicole] is getting on the dance floor.
