Hocus Pocus (1993 film) made to the script to make the film more comedic and made two of its young protagonists into teenagers; however, production was stalled several times until 1992, when Bette Midler expressed interest in the script and the project immediately went forward. Midler, who plays the central antagonist of the film (originally written for Cloris Leachman), is quoted as saying that "Hocus Pocus" "was the most fun I'd had in my career up to that point". Leonardo DiCaprio was originally offered the lead role of Max, but declined it in order to pursue "What's Eating Gilbert Grape". Principal photography began on
Bette of Roses Bette of Roses Bette of Roses is the eighth studio album by the American singer Bette Midler, released on Atlantic Records in 1995. It became Midler's final album for the label, twenty-three years after the release of her debut album "The Divine Miss M" (Midler was transferred to Atlantic's sister label Warner Bros. Records for her next two albums, then left the Warner group completely in 2002 when she signed with the Sony-owned Columbia Records). The title "Bette of Roses" is a play on one of the tracks, "Bed of Roses". "Bette of Roses" was Midler's first full-length studio album