Casper Meets Wendy
Encyclopedia
Casper Meets Wendy is a direct-to-video
and second spin-off
to the 1995 film Casper
. It was released by 20th Century Fox
in 1998. The film is a sequel
to Casper: A Spirited Beginning
It was aired on Disney Channel
around Halloween
night October 27, 2006. As of 2010, the rights to this film were still owned by 20th Century Fox, as this film and Casper
were the only Casper films not sold to Classic Media
.
), a member of The Ghostly Trio
, who releases gas which hits the scoreboard, causing a shower of sparks, also sparking terror. The other two ghosts of the trio, Stinky (Bill Farmer
), and Stretch (Jim Ward
), join in, causing panic in the park, as everybody scatters. Casper
(Jeremy Foley
), a shy, friendly ghost (whom all three ghosts are uncles to), arrives, attempting to settle the rattled crowd, but the people are just as scared. The park is eventually empty, as Casper's uncles plan a vacation.
Meanwhile, a dark character named Desmond Spellman (George Hamilton
) is settled down in his mansion. He is the greatest warlock
to ever exist, until the Oracle (Pauly Shore
) tells him that in the future Wendy the Good Little Witch
(Hilary Duff
) will be the greatest witch to ever exist, and so he plots to kill the "little mall rat", with the advised "Mystic Abyss". He creates two warlock enforcers: Jules (Richard Moll
), and Vincent (Vincent Schiavelli
) with a mix of chemicals in a blender, exposure to thunder and lightning, and a spill over his catwalk balcony
. He assigns them to go to Wendy's address (which the oracle printed on Desmonds' fax machine) and bring her to him. They prove what they think is a simple task by firing their hand guns through the wall.
Meanwhile, Wendy is living in the country with her three aunts Geri (Cathy Moriarty
), Gabby (Shelley Duvall
), and Fanny (Teri Garr
). While attempting to befriend the local paper boy, they foil it by slingshotting a green ball of goo at him, thus causing the newspapers to automatically slap him. She is angered, and while trying to prove herself to them, Jules and Vincent arrive with the purpose of abducting her. They begin attacking with their hand guns. She and her aunts narrowly escape Desmond's men as Wendy turns their weapons into water guns and traps them in a cage. On the run from her nemesis, she runs into Casper
, who has been violently thrown around by his three uncles. They then become great friends, but of course, in the tale, a ghost's worst enemy is a witch, and vice-versa, so her aunts don't get along with his uncles, and vice-versa. As a part of their plan to convince them to get along, he gets his uncles to haunt a dance, and she convinces her aunts to attend as well. The Ghostly Trio possesses three men at the party and end up flirting with the three witches. Though everything seems to go well, the plan is foiled when their real selves are revealed to Wendy's aunts, who bluffingly threaten them with magic. Later, Wendy tells Casper about Desmond and that she and her aunts can't use powerful magic, begging him not to tell anyone about this. He accidentally tells the Ghostly Trio, prompting them to attack her and her aunts. She feels she has no choice but to fight them and uses a spell to cover them in plaster. This action is picked up by Desmond's magic tracker. The witches are attacked by Jules and Vincent. Before Wendy and her aunts have a chance to escape, Desmond arrives. He tries to cast her into the Mystic Abyss to kill her, but Casper dives in to save her. Her aunts try to fight Desmond but they aren't powerful enough. Before he can throw them in along with Wendy, however, a giant three-eyed monster pops up and frightens him, causing him to fall into the Abyss instead. It turns out to be the Ghostly Trio, who combined together to defeat him. While they hold the Abyss open, Wendy's aunts pull her and Casper out of it. The Oracle proclaims that she is the greatest witch because she did something no other witch ever did: she befriended a ghost (Casper). Finally, she, her aunts, Casper, and his uncles all bid each other goodbye, but he and Wendy reassure each other that they'll be together again soon.
it holds a "rotten" rating of 20%.
, who plays head witch Gerti, played the villainous Miss Carrigan in the 1995 Casper
movie. Richard Moll
, who portrayed a principal in Casper: A Spirited Beginning, portrays Jules (one of Desmond Spellman's bumbling henchmen). Pauly Shore
, who voices King Kibosh's pitiful henchman, Snivel in, A Spirited Beginning, plays the ghostly Oracle. Ben Stein
returns for his third appearance in a Casper film, once again as a completely different character than his previous portrayals. Logan Robbins, who played one of the three bullies in A Spirited Beginning, appears as Josh's friend. This was Hilary Duff's first movie she acted in at the age of 11.
Direct-to-video
Direct-to-video is a term used to describe a film that has been released to the public on home video formats without being released in film theaters or broadcast on television...
and second spin-off
Spin-off (media)
In media, a spin-off is a radio program, television program, video game, or any narrative work, derived from one or more already existing works, that focuses, in particular, in more detail on one aspect of that original work...
to the 1995 film Casper
Casper (film)
Casper is a 1995 American comedy fantasy film starring Bill Pullman and Christina Ricci, based on the Casper the Friendly Ghost animated cartoons and comic books. The ghosts featured in the film were created through computer-generated imagery...
. It was released by 20th Century Fox
20th Century Fox
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation — also known as 20th Century Fox, or simply 20th or Fox — is one of the six major American film studios...
in 1998. The film is a sequel
Sequel
A sequel is a narrative, documental, or other work of literature, film, theatre, or music that continues the story of or expands upon issues presented in some previous work...
to Casper: A Spirited Beginning
Casper: A Spirited Beginning
Casper: A Spirited Beginning is a direct-to-video spin-off prequel to the 1995 film Casper, produced by Harvey Comics and Saban Entertainment and released by 20th Century Fox on September 9, 1997...
It was aired on Disney Channel
Disney Channel
Disney Channel is an American basic cable and satellite television network, owned by the Disney-ABC Television Group division of The Walt Disney Company. It is under the direction of Disney-ABC Television Group President Anne Sweeney. The channel's headquarters is located on West Alameda Ave. in...
around 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...
night October 27, 2006. As of 2010, the rights to this film were still owned by 20th Century Fox, as this film and Casper
Casper (film)
Casper is a 1995 American comedy fantasy film starring Bill Pullman and Christina Ricci, based on the Casper the Friendly Ghost animated cartoons and comic books. The ghosts featured in the film were created through computer-generated imagery...
were the only Casper films not sold to Classic Media
Classic Media
Classic Media, LLC, is an American production company and distributor of family programming. It was founded in 2000 by former Marvel Entertainment CEO Eric Ellenbogen and former Broadway Video executive John Engelman in hopes of acquiring mismanaged classic properties and giving exposure to...
.
Plot
The film opens with the tail end of a Friday night baseball game. With the bases loaded, the home team wins by a narrow margin as the batter hits the ball out of the park. Both the celebration of the home team and fans and the dread of losing for the visiting team are cut short as a mysterious spaceship floats over the park, thus snatching the attention of everybody there: the players, the fans, the hot dog and popcorn vendors, and the announcer! After the ship performs a tune, it dissipates into three floating balls of light. One of them forms into a ghost who initially appears as an alien, but thereafter, is revealed to be Fatso (Jess HarnellJess Harnell
Jess Q. Harnell is an American voice actor and singer, best known for voicing Wakko Warner on Animaniacs. Harnell has been the announcer for America's Funniest Home Videos since 1998.-Life and acting career:...
), a member of The Ghostly Trio
The Ghostly Trio
The Ghostly Trio are fictional characters in the Casper the Friendly Ghost series. Their first animated appearance was in Fright from Wrong, a cartoon of Paramount Pictures' Famous Studios theatrical series from the 1950s...
, who releases gas which hits the scoreboard, causing a shower of sparks, also sparking terror. The other two ghosts of the trio, Stinky (Bill Farmer
Bill Farmer
William "Bill" Farmer is an American voice actor and comedian, best known for being the current voice of the Disney characters Goofy, Pluto and Horace Horsecollar.-Early life:...
), and Stretch (Jim Ward
Jim Ward (voice actor)
James Kevin "Jim" Ward is a voice actor who has contributed to a large number of video games and movies. He co-hosts The Stephanie Miller Show, a nationally-syndicated liberal radio talk show which features a number of his impersonations of political figures and other celebrities and newsmakers...
), join in, causing panic in the park, as everybody scatters. Casper
Casper the Friendly Ghost
Casper the Friendly Ghost is the protagonist of the Famous Studios theatrical animated cartoon series of the same name. As his name indicates, he is a ghost, but is quite personable...
(Jeremy Foley
Jeremy Foley
Jeremy N. Foley is an American university sports administrator and former college athlete. Foley is currently the athletic director for the Florida Gators Division I sports program of the University of Florida located in Gainesville, Florida...
), a shy, friendly ghost (whom all three ghosts are uncles to), arrives, attempting to settle the rattled crowd, but the people are just as scared. The park is eventually empty, as Casper's uncles plan a vacation.
Meanwhile, a dark character named Desmond Spellman (George Hamilton
George Hamilton (actor)
George Stevens Hamilton is an American film and television actor.-Early life:Hamilton was the youngest son of bandleader George "Spike" Hamilton and his first wife, Ann Stevens . He was born in Memphis, Tennessee, and lived in Blytheville, Arkansas...
) is settled down in his mansion. He is the greatest warlock
Warlock
The term warlock in origin means "traitor, oathbreaker".In early modern Scots, the word came to be used as the male equivalent of witch ....
to ever exist, until the Oracle (Pauly Shore
Pauly Shore
Paul Montgomery "Pauly" Shore is an American comedian and actor who starred in several comedy films in the 1990s and hosted a video show on MTV in the late 1980s and early 1990s...
) tells him that in the future Wendy the Good Little Witch
Wendy the Good Little Witch
Wendy the Good Little Witch is a fictional comic book character from Harvey Comics. Wendy was introduced as a back-up feature as well as a companion for Casper in Casper the Friendly Ghost #20, May 1954. Soon, she was trialed in Harvey Hits, starting with #7. After a total of six appearances, she...
(Hilary Duff
Hilary Duff
Hilary Erhard Duff is an American actress, singer-songwriter, entrepreneur, and author. After working in local theater plays and television commercials in her childhood, she achieved fame playing the title role in the Disney Channel television series Lizzie McGuire. She also reprised her role in...
) will be the greatest witch to ever exist, and so he plots to kill the "little mall rat", with the advised "Mystic Abyss". He creates two warlock enforcers: Jules (Richard Moll
Richard Moll
Charles Richard Moll is an American actor and voice artist,best known for playing Bull Shannon, the bailiff on the NBC sitcom Night Court from 1983 to 1992...
), and Vincent (Vincent Schiavelli
Vincent Schiavelli
Vincent Andrew Schiavelli was an American character actor noted for his work on stage, screen, and television often described as "the man with the sad eyes." He was notable for his numerous and often critically acclaimed cameo appearances.-Early life:Schiavelli was born in Brooklyn, New York, to a...
) with a mix of chemicals in a blender, exposure to thunder and lightning, and a spill over his catwalk balcony
Balcony
Balcony , a platform projecting from the wall of a building, supported by columns or console brackets, and enclosed with a balustrade.-Types:The traditional Maltese balcony is a wooden closed balcony projecting from a...
. He assigns them to go to Wendy's address (which the oracle printed on Desmonds' fax machine) and bring her to him. They prove what they think is a simple task by firing their hand guns through the wall.
Meanwhile, Wendy is living in the country with her three aunts Geri (Cathy Moriarty
Cathy Moriarty
-Career:Her first film credit was Martin Scorsese's Raging Bull in 1980, as Vikki LaMotta, the wife of Robert De Niro's lead character. Her performance earned her a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She also appeared opposite Andrew Dice Clay in the short-lived CBS...
), Gabby (Shelley Duvall
Shelley Duvall
Shelley Alexis Duvall is an American film and television actress best known for her roles in The Shining, Popeye, Thieves Like Us and 3 Women....
), and Fanny (Teri Garr
Teri Garr
-Early life:Garr was born in Lakewood, Ohio in 1947. Her father, Eddie Garr , was a vaudeville performer, comedian and actor whose career peaked when he briefly took over the lead role in the Broadway drama Tobacco Road...
). While attempting to befriend the local paper boy, they foil it by slingshotting a green ball of goo at him, thus causing the newspapers to automatically slap him. She is angered, and while trying to prove herself to them, Jules and Vincent arrive with the purpose of abducting her. They begin attacking with their hand guns. She and her aunts narrowly escape Desmond's men as Wendy turns their weapons into water guns and traps them in a cage. On the run from her nemesis, she runs into Casper
Casper the Friendly Ghost
Casper the Friendly Ghost is the protagonist of the Famous Studios theatrical animated cartoon series of the same name. As his name indicates, he is a ghost, but is quite personable...
, who has been violently thrown around by his three uncles. They then become great friends, but of course, in the tale, a ghost's worst enemy is a witch, and vice-versa, so her aunts don't get along with his uncles, and vice-versa. As a part of their plan to convince them to get along, he gets his uncles to haunt a dance, and she convinces her aunts to attend as well. The Ghostly Trio possesses three men at the party and end up flirting with the three witches. Though everything seems to go well, the plan is foiled when their real selves are revealed to Wendy's aunts, who bluffingly threaten them with magic. Later, Wendy tells Casper about Desmond and that she and her aunts can't use powerful magic, begging him not to tell anyone about this. He accidentally tells the Ghostly Trio, prompting them to attack her and her aunts. She feels she has no choice but to fight them and uses a spell to cover them in plaster. This action is picked up by Desmond's magic tracker. The witches are attacked by Jules and Vincent. Before Wendy and her aunts have a chance to escape, Desmond arrives. He tries to cast her into the Mystic Abyss to kill her, but Casper dives in to save her. Her aunts try to fight Desmond but they aren't powerful enough. Before he can throw them in along with Wendy, however, a giant three-eyed monster pops up and frightens him, causing him to fall into the Abyss instead. It turns out to be the Ghostly Trio, who combined together to defeat him. While they hold the Abyss open, Wendy's aunts pull her and Casper out of it. The Oracle proclaims that she is the greatest witch because she did something no other witch ever did: she befriended a ghost (Casper). Finally, she, her aunts, Casper, and his uncles all bid each other goodbye, but he and Wendy reassure each other that they'll be together again soon.
Reception
The film was poorly received. On Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
it holds a "rotten" rating of 20%.
Cast
Casper Meets Wendy features a number of cast members from previous installments in the Casper film series. Cathy MoriartyCathy Moriarty
-Career:Her first film credit was Martin Scorsese's Raging Bull in 1980, as Vikki LaMotta, the wife of Robert De Niro's lead character. Her performance earned her a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She also appeared opposite Andrew Dice Clay in the short-lived CBS...
, who plays head witch Gerti, played the villainous Miss Carrigan in the 1995 Casper
Casper (film)
Casper is a 1995 American comedy fantasy film starring Bill Pullman and Christina Ricci, based on the Casper the Friendly Ghost animated cartoons and comic books. The ghosts featured in the film were created through computer-generated imagery...
movie. Richard Moll
Richard Moll
Charles Richard Moll is an American actor and voice artist,best known for playing Bull Shannon, the bailiff on the NBC sitcom Night Court from 1983 to 1992...
, who portrayed a principal in Casper: A Spirited Beginning, portrays Jules (one of Desmond Spellman's bumbling henchmen). Pauly Shore
Pauly Shore
Paul Montgomery "Pauly" Shore is an American comedian and actor who starred in several comedy films in the 1990s and hosted a video show on MTV in the late 1980s and early 1990s...
, who voices King Kibosh's pitiful henchman, Snivel in, A Spirited Beginning, plays the ghostly Oracle. Ben Stein
Ben Stein
Benjamin Jeremy "Ben" Stein is an American actor, writer, lawyer, and commentator on political and economic issues. He attained early success as a speechwriter for American presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford...
returns for his third appearance in a Casper film, once again as a completely different character than his previous portrayals. Logan Robbins, who played one of the three bullies in A Spirited Beginning, appears as Josh's friend. This was Hilary Duff's first movie she acted in at the age of 11.
- Cathy MoriartyCathy Moriarty-Career:Her first film credit was Martin Scorsese's Raging Bull in 1980, as Vikki LaMotta, the wife of Robert De Niro's lead character. Her performance earned her a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She also appeared opposite Andrew Dice Clay in the short-lived CBS...
as Gert, one of Wendy's aunts - Shelley DuvallShelley DuvallShelley Alexis Duvall is an American film and television actress best known for her roles in The Shining, Popeye, Thieves Like Us and 3 Women....
as Gabby, the second of Wendy's aunts - Teri GarrTeri Garr-Early life:Garr was born in Lakewood, Ohio in 1947. Her father, Eddie Garr , was a vaudeville performer, comedian and actor whose career peaked when he briefly took over the lead role in the Broadway drama Tobacco Road...
as Fanny, the third of Wendy's aunts - Hilary DuffHilary DuffHilary Erhard Duff is an American actress, singer-songwriter, entrepreneur, and author. After working in local theater plays and television commercials in her childhood, she achieved fame playing the title role in the Disney Channel television series Lizzie McGuire. She also reprised her role in...
- Wendy the Good Little WitchWendy the Good Little WitchWendy the Good Little Witch is a fictional comic book character from Harvey Comics. Wendy was introduced as a back-up feature as well as a companion for Casper in Casper the Friendly Ghost #20, May 1954. Soon, she was trialed in Harvey Hits, starting with #7. After a total of six appearances, she...
, who is determined to prove to them that she can use magic just as well as they can. - George HamiltonGeorge Hamilton (actor)George Stevens Hamilton is an American film and television actor.-Early life:Hamilton was the youngest son of bandleader George "Spike" Hamilton and his first wife, Ann Stevens . He was born in Memphis, Tennessee, and lived in Blytheville, Arkansas...
as Desmond Spellman, the antagonist of the film. - Richard Moll as Jules
- Blake FosterBlake FosterBlake Anthony Foster is an American actor and martial artist.Foster was born in Northridge, California, the son of Patricia and John Foster.Foster was the Huggies baby at the age of sixteen months in 1986...
as Josh Jackman - Logan Robbins as Josh's Friend
- Vincent SchiavelliVincent SchiavelliVincent Andrew Schiavelli was an American character actor noted for his work on stage, screen, and television often described as "the man with the sad eyes." He was notable for his numerous and often critically acclaimed cameo appearances.-Early life:Schiavelli was born in Brooklyn, New York, to a...
as Vincent - Michael McDonaldMichael McDonald (actor)Michael James McDonald is an American actor, writer, comedian, and director, best known for starring in the sketch comedy show MADtv. McDonald joined the show during the fourth season and remained in the cast until the end of the thirteenth and penultimate season, having become the...
as Spike (Human Stretch) - Travis McKenna as Phil (Human Fatso)
- Patrick Richwood as Vince (Human Stinky)
Voices
- Jeremy FoleyJeremy Foley (actor)Jeremy Arturo Foley is an American actor. Jeremy is perhaps best known for his appearance as Billy in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode "Nightmares", as well as his supporting role of Griffen Lowe in the Nickelodeon show Caitlin's Way. Foley also played Graham in Dante's Peak...
- Casper the Friendly GhostCasper the Friendly GhostCasper the Friendly Ghost is the protagonist of the Famous Studios theatrical animated cartoon series of the same name. As his name indicates, he is a ghost, but is quite personable... - Jim WardJim Ward (voice actor)James Kevin "Jim" Ward is a voice actor who has contributed to a large number of video games and movies. He co-hosts The Stephanie Miller Show, a nationally-syndicated liberal radio talk show which features a number of his impersonations of political figures and other celebrities and newsmakers...
- Stretch, one of Casper's uncles - Bill FarmerBill FarmerWilliam "Bill" Farmer is an American voice actor and comedian, best known for being the current voice of the Disney characters Goofy, Pluto and Horace Horsecollar.-Early life:...
- Stinky, the second of Casper's uncles - Jess HarnellJess HarnellJess Q. Harnell is an American voice actor and singer, best known for voicing Wakko Warner on Animaniacs. Harnell has been the announcer for America's Funniest Home Videos since 1998.-Life and acting career:...
- Fatso, the third of Casper's uncles - Pauly ShorePauly ShorePaul Montgomery "Pauly" Shore is an American comedian and actor who starred in several comedy films in the 1990s and hosted a video show on MTV in the late 1980s and early 1990s...
- The Oracle, a clairvoyant spirit