Amazon.com

If reading The Wind in the Willows as a child was, for you, an awakening to the near-mystical, make-believe wonders of the natural world, turning a cold shoulder on a video version of the Kenneth Grahame classic may seem to you a necessary measure to avoid memory muddling. Don't. This animated adaptation, gently narrated by Vanessa Redgrave, portrays Moley, Mr. Toad, and the rest of the riverbank battalion tastefully, wittily, and with charm by the bucketsful. True to the tale, these forest chaps are British, right down to their regal accents and suitable degrees of reserve. Lest you should conclude that such characteristics block the lecherous Toad from being a scoundrel or make Mole less of a lovable dimwit, though, the animals' adventures get under way lickety-split. Mole abandons his modest home in favor of an apprenticeship on the ways of the river alongside knowledgeable Rat and, in the movie's sole scary scene, winds up lost in the wild woods; Toad's enthusiasm for motorcars earns him a 20-year sentence and the insult of having to masquerade as a washer woman; and young Portly the otter goes missing, giving everyone a scare. Separating this cartoon caper from the herd is, of course, the writing--"nature kicks off its clothes" as part of the river's "wintertime poetry," and chums are richly celebrated; "In the company of friends," our narrator memorably intones, quoting Grahame, "even the most frugal of feasts is a banquet." Recommended for kids, and grown-ups, 3 and up. --Tammy La Gorce ... Read more

Reviews (89)

Toads adventures
At the start of this book, it's boring, but by the middle it gets exciting. In the beginning, it is difficult because you don't know what they're doing and what the author is trying to say. However, keep reading. It gets exciting because the characters get into more trouble. This book is good for ages 10-56.

The main characters are Mole, Rat, Badger and Mr. Toad. Badger doesn't show up a lot but he is important to the story. This book is about a mole, named Mole, who meets a water rat, named Rat. Rat brings Mole on a picnic so Rat and Mole go on Rat's boat to go on a picnic. On the way there, they meet Otter. The next day they go meet Mr. Toad at his home, Toad Hall. Toad invites them to go on a trip in a gypsy caravan. They go with him and one day a motor car goes by the caravan and Mr. Toad falls in love. He will go to any height to get it. Even steal one, which gets him, put in jail. The washerwoman's niece wants to break him out but it will cost him money. The washerwoman lets him go out in her clothes. He makes it out but he has no money and the police are gaining on him. The engine -driver lets him on free because the driver thinks he is a washerwoman. How will he get out of this mess?

Will the wits and minds of Mole, Rat and Badger combined bring Toad to his senses? Read "The Winds in the Willows" to find out.

Charm
Kenneth Grahame wrote this for his son and published this in book form in 1908. He has simply created a masterpiece, not just in children's literature, believe me many adults read this one with pleasure. The chapters follow the doings and adventures of Mole, Rat, Badger, and of course Toad. The prose is lyrical at times, the stories hilarious, and charm and wisdom flow from Grahame's pen. There has been many illustrators for different editions of this over the years. I like Rackham and Shepard and recommend the editions that have one or the others illustrations, or get two copies of "The Wind in the Willows" and you can have both of these fine illustrators work to enjoy. I read this book when a child and I come back to it again and again.

A primer on friendship
The Wind in the Willows is a delightful children's classic that touches upon many things; wonder, pastoralism, but most of all friendship between individuals very different from one another. One of the hallmarks of this classic is that the adventure stories remain entertaining to this day. A must read for any child.

Check your Text
In response to the 5 star reviewer, I encourage her to check her text's publication date. I used the Scholastic version of The Wind in the Willows for years and up until 2 years ago it was an unabridged version. That older version has been replaced by the Miles version, however, which is not unabridged. I discovered this by accident when I ordered it for my classes--believing I was getting the old Scholastic version--and found that the version my students received bore little resemblance to the one I had. Hence my warning about this text. The Miles version is NOT the one Scholastic used to offer and it IS drastically altered.

Uneven Version
"Wind" is the charming story of four friends living near the river bank - Mole, Badger, Rat and Toad. The story follows their adventures in the Wide World, and how true friendship keeps them together through "thick and thin."

Unfortunately, the story loses some of its appeal in this video version. It tells the tale well enough, but it just doesn't have the feel of a "classic." Sometimes, you have to read the book to fully appreciate it!

Good, not great. Three stars. ... Read more

Amazon.com

If The Wind in the Willows tugs viewers (and readers) through the river reeds with its graceful, enchanting words, The Willows in Winter hurtles them along with its bumpy adventures, all linked to the restless, irascible Toad. Here, the ever-proud proprietor of Toad Hall hangs up his former preoccupation with motorcars in favor of a far hipper mode of transport--airplanes. Though he fancies himself an avid aviator, Toady's nothing but trouble when he takes to the skies. Enlisted to survey the wild woods from up high for Moley, who never made it to Rat's house amid a river-swelling winter storm, he loops-the-loop one time too many, sending Ratty tumbling in thin air. Then there's the small matter that he swiped the plane he's piloting, an offense punishable by a lengthy prison sentence. And he's already a wanted toad for escaping on stolen-motorcar charges. While Toady's tricking an innocent chimneysweep into changing identities with him, Rat's semi-spiritual river wisdom tells him Mole's still alive, and, indeed, the weary traveler straggles up just in time for his own memorial service, requesting cheese on toast and a glass of hot toddy. All's well again along the river, but Toady's captured, and his complicated web of criminal deception lands him in court on murder charges. Well-connected, formidable Badger bails him out, but a lesson in humility awaits the wily bugger back at Toad Hall. High-flying fun skillfully wraps itself around a primer on friendship in The Willows in Winter; it's a can't-miss combination with dear, genteel characters guaranteed to win the hearts of viewers of all ages. --Tammy La Gorce ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Superb Toad! Incomparable Toad!
The animation is fine, the voices (including narration by Vanessa Redgrave, Michael Palin as Ratty and Michael Gambon as Badger) are fine, but Rik Mayall's Toad is the reason to buy this hilarious video. It's a shame the first in this series (the 1996 "Wind in the Willows") is out of print, because it is equally wonderful. (Don't buy the 1999 re-issue -- it's edited into three "episodes" which are repetitive and sometimes make no sense.) One quibble: live video "framing" the animated movie, though lovely, seems pointless. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

ANOTHER GREAT MOVIE FROM BET
THIS MOVIE IS JUST ONE OF MANY THAT I HAVE PURCHASED AND ENJOYED BY BET. AS ALWAYS,THE MOVIE IS WELL PRODUCED. THE ACTING AND CAST ARE SUPERB AND IT IS WORTH PURCHASING.

BET Films Finally Gets Something Right!
I recently bought this DVD and I really enjoyed it. I always loved Vanessa Bell Calloway. She's a great actress who's been underrated for way too long. I was happy to see her in a starring role. It's been a while.

The film starts off with Nikita Harrell, a famous novelist whose life begins to fall flat once she realizes she could be put in prison for not paying taxes. From that point on, the brilliant yet self-absorbed and mean-spirited Nikita steps on everyone who gets in her way in order to fix her own problems. One night when she's struggling with her latest manuscript she comes to a revelation: she wants to travel to Africa to see the motherland and find herself again. Nikita learns that a trip is not the only answer and turns her attitude around.

This film was lovely and hit close to home because I am an author myself. Nikita was a very selfish woman who learned the hard way that a bad life doesn't give you the right to treat people wrong. She learns to lean on the people who love her instead of running away from them. This is a beautiful family drama. I laughed and cried. My only complaint was that the film wasn't longer. I am not a big fan of BET film adaptations because the ones I've seen were not impressive. A Private Affair is the only BET film I would recommend to anyone. It's light-hearted yet dramatic and just plain fun. Vanessa Bell Calloway has chemstry with everyone she encounters and she convinced me of her part completely. Fans of intelligent black films should definitely get this movie. It's a movie no Vanessa Bell Calloway fan should miss.

Dramatic
I enjoyed this movie. I was it could have continued a little longer. Another good BET Movie. Way to go BET. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Wonderful production, much fun for young and old
The animation is great: The animal mannerisms are true to life, and the social commentary is a delight. Beautiful scenery, lots of detail in voices, mannerisms, garden scenery.

Really fun to watch for parents and kids. Disney avoiders--take note!

My 20-month-old sons love it, particularly the lovely music, and the opening photography showing Beatrix Potter in her village and house, amongst her animals.

Hugh Laurie (Wooster in Jeeves and Wooster) does Johnnie Townmouse.

A great bonus with this one, and in another of this excellent series, was an extraordinarily beautiful CD--English boys choir, the theme of the series--A Perfect Day sung by Miriam Stockley--some English dance hall/folk music, nice variety of gentle symphonic music composed by Colin Towns. A delightful surprise. It's a soundtrack for something, but what I've been unable to determine.

(This bonus cd appears in another of the series--Peter Rabbit?)

Delightful Animated Story
This video has nothing to do with ballet. Instead it is a delightful animated version of the Beatrix Potter stories, "Two Bad Mice" and "Johnny Town Mouse". These two stories are tied together with some common mouse characters. It stays true to Breatix Potters original books. I would highly recommend it for children or anyone studying Beatrix Potter's books.

Fun!
Oh, these two bad mice! So naughty. My kids get quite a kick watching the mice play in the dollhouse. These Peter Rabbit and Friends videos are quality viewing for children. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

The Mouse and the Motorcycle 2!
Hi, people! If you liked the TV special The Mouse and the Motorcycle(1986), yu'll really like this 1988 TV special! They were both based on novels written by Beverly Cleary, a children's author. It's about a mouse named Ralph who runs away from home on his toy motorcycle, and stops at a summer camp. There, he meets a lonely boy named Garfield (Fred Savage, later of "The Wonder Years") and they become friends. Well, I don't want to spoil it, so this is all I'm going to tell you about the story.
This film was originally aired on ABC in 1988, and, aside from cheap animation, is GREAT! Ya just gotta get it! And, in addition to this movie, get Mouse and the Motorcycle too. They are two excellent movies for all ages.

They don't get any better than this
This classic needs to be in every video library. Children of all ages will find this movie irresistable. I'm ordering my 4th copy because friends and family have a cute way of begging my copy away from me and ironically, I have no children. When guests come over, a guaranteed way to capture the attention of their unruly children is to put this in the VCR. It usually captures the attention of the adults too. Unfortunately, the film is only 45 minutes long.

I like Runaway Ralph because I like animal books.
Dear Beverly Cleary, I just read Runaway Ralph. I loved the book a lot. My favorite part was when Ralph met Chun because Ralph asksed Chum what kind of animal he was. I am going to ask you a couple of questions-OK? Why did you want to write so many books? Which of your books do you like the best? When you were little is this what you wanted to do? Please answer my questions. Sincerely, Sarah Teixeira END

Very good
The mouse on the motor cycle is kickin butt on his motor cycle he's trying to get back to his home but in the process he gets cought and put in a cage thats all for now END ... Read more

Reviews (8)

A Cute Tale
A cute tale about a young boy staying overnight at a motel with his parents, when he meets a furry little friend who resides inside the wall of his motel room. The boy and mouse help one another out in nice ways, making the stay enjoyable for both boy and mouse. Only the mouse and his family are animated in this film. Very good actors perform in the film, some of which are familar faces. My 8-year-old son enjoyed the movie, but my 10-year-old daughter was somewhat bored. The only qualm I had was I thought the voice of the mouse sounded somewhat overly "cutesy", borderline corny. The boy's voice was more mature than the mouse's. Overall, a nice family show for viewing with younger children.

Funny!
The Mouse & The Motorcycle is funny, but I did hear of the book, why I wonder if there are mice that can ride motorcycles, since Stuart Little could ride a toy car.

The Mouse From a Book now in a TV Movie
Hey kids! This 1986 television special, which was based on a best-selling novel, and also had two following movies: Ralph S. Mouse(1987) and Runaway Ralph(1988), also based on novels, is a great film. The animation is kind of cheap, but it is funny in most of it, and is a great family story. Talk your parents into getting it along with the other 2. You'll luv 'em!

The Mouse and the Motorcycle
I like when the mouse goes on the toy ambulance. Also, I like when the mouse rides the motorcycle. That's why I love this movie!

Adorable for Young and Old Alike!
First time I saw this film on a local public television station I sat enthralled. What clever and enjoyable entertainment! The little mouse is precious and the adventures he finds his way into and out of will keep both youngsters and "older" kids laughing throughout.

This is a great tape to pop in when the kids are restless and you need to quickly distract them! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Tom Tran is the missing piece to an epic war story!
Tom Tran's roll as the village boy sets the standard for movies such as Platoon and Full Metal Jacket. I can only ask: Where were the Academy Award nominations? Good luck Tom, and see you at the movies!

Tom Tran is the missing piece to an epic war story!
Tom Tran's epic film debut as the village boy, sets the standard for future village boy role's in such movies as Platoon and Full Metal Jacket. I can only ask: Where were the Academy Award nominations??? Good luck Tom, I will be watching for you. See you at the movies!!! ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Naval drama of the highest order

I saw this years ago, and finally purchased the 40th Anniversary VHS tape...a truly excellent and thought-provoking film.

When Billy Budd accidentally kills a sadistic officer on-board ship, the captain is forced to lay charges under wartime Naval law. In the process he unleashes larger issues about good and evil, and condemning a good man using "just the facts". If you liked the courtroom scene in The Caine Mutiny, you will find this fascinating.

One of the best films I've ever seen, that it's not on DVD is a tragedy...even more so because the picture quality on the VHS tape is very poor with terrible pan-and-scanning....Budd would cry.

As Close to Perfect as a Movie Gets
Billy Budd ranks as one of the greatest movies of all time. Melville's tale of good vs. evil receives flawless treatment from director Ustinov. Robert Ryan has never been better as the evil Claggert, who epitomizes unredeemable evil. Terence Stamp is perfectly cast as the uncorruptable Budd who wishes to see good in every man, even Claggert. The movie builds to an unforgettable climax and packs an emotional wallop like no other movie I have seen. This version of Billy Budd has been out of print for years. To have it back is a cause of celebration. Do yourself and your family a favor: watch it together. They surely don't make movies like this anymore!

A hidden gem of Ustinov as director. A winner film!
This film is unforgettable. Superb adaptation , wonderful cast Terence Stamp as Billy Budd and Robert Ryan , and the extarordinary talented Peter Ustinov carries this film to a good port.
You'll feel the unjustice in your own flesh. The depicted situations will keep you at the border of your seat.
One of the winners films in this specially and wonderfilly creative year.
A must in your collection.
We are expecting hopefully the transfer in DVD!

Favorite Movie
This is the most important film that I share with others. Not only as shown by previous reviews does it show how human pragmatics in law and our attempts to design a just reality fail the ideals of humanity, but reveals a basic unavoidable contradiction with idealistic hope and pessimistic thought that are part of the reality we face. Pragmatically, logically and leagally this is reavling portayal of the mechanics of existence. This movie seems to be a post modern quintessential.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LAW AND JUSTICE
The difference between Law and Justice was driven home to me by this film. I was a junior at Cal when I first saw it. Every inflection, every nuance is just perfect - it is truly as if you are there. A parable, a ripping yarn, to see it is to be stunned by it. I graduated and went to law school, now I am among the top 11% of lawyers in the country [Martindale-Hubbell "av"] and the story this movie tells still sticks in my mind as the perfect example of why the law can not always achieve justice. A real trial lawyers movie - up there with 12 Angry Men, Judgment at Neurenburg, etc ... Read more

Reviews (3)

An Indepth Depiction of Alzheimers Disease
This movie was sensational to say the least. Road To Galveston is the story of a woman who loses her husband and is driven to make a living for herself. The career that she chooses is one in which she provides care for Alzheimers patients. The touching thing about this movie is that it is extremely informative. It depicts three separate stages of this dreadful disease: the beginning, intermediate, and advanced stages. It also provides a clear understanding of the challenges that family members must endure as they watch their loved-one yeild to this disease. I recommend this movie to anyone who is faced with the unfortunate challenge of providing care to someone who has been diagnosed with Alzheimers. It will prepare you for the journey that, if understood, does not have to be so dreadful. In this movie, Cicely teaches us how to love those less fortunate than us through their circumstances. The sound track is really nice as well. It will make you laugh and cry!

Amazing Film
Never before have I seen such heartfelt performances on television. This movie moved me to the point of tears and Cicely Tyson is a great actress in command of her craft. I would recommend this film to anyone who needs to know what good television writing is.

Excellent Movie
This is an exceptional movie about a woman who is faced with living on her own after her husband dies. Tyson portrays a very believable southern woman who takes in alzheimer patients to support herself. Worth renting; buying it, hopefully the price will come down! ... Read more

Book Description

Raymond Briggs, creator of The Snowman, tells a magical Christmas

story that will appeal to everyone who wants to believe in Santa Claus.


Meet Father Christmas: a very human gift-giver with a tough job to do. You'll

find out that he sometimes gets a little grumpy living at the icy North Pole

and squeezing down chimneys, but he more than makes up for it in heart and

humor. Raymond Briggs brings this endearing character to life in over 100

wonderfully illustrated vignettes that follow the adventures of Father

Christmas on his big night of the year.


"...one of the most irrestibile yuletide books to appear in many

years."--The Horn Book




... Read more

Reviews (23)

4 stars for content reasons only... see below
Narrated by none other than Santa himself, FATHER CHRISTMAS is a cute look at the "rest" of Santa's life. Go along for the ride as Santa vacations in France, Scotland and even Las Vegas before returning to the comforts of home.

Not traditional in any sense of the term, this film brings a more modern feel to the "life of Santa". Use parental discretion when purchasing this video... young children may become confused by this story and might come to you with questions such as why Santa has no Mrs., why he only has four reindeer, and why he lives in a house that appears to be in a city. This film is, however, perfect for the post-kindergarden crowd who understand that there is more than one way to look at things and will not be bothered by trivial differences in detail. Also of note is a brief gambling sequence during Santa's visit in Las Vegas. While the video doesn't make mention of it, it does show Santa involved in the act. If you actively avoid exposing your child to this activity, (sadly) you should avoid this film as well.

A mere 24 minutes, this video is perfect for families who don't want to miss out on classic Christmas entertainment but don't want their kids parked in front of a tv for hours. (NOTE: if you have a DVD player, I highly recommend purchasing the joint copy of The Snowman (also by Raymond Brigs and a personal favorite of mine) and Father Christmas - you'll get two holiday classics for far less than the cost of purchasing them seperately).

ENJOY!

Father Christmas is a winner
This comic-strip-like book is very British, slightly irreverent, and quite funny. Actually, I think it makes a good Christmas book for adults, but children too can enjoy the warmth and comfort of the many pleasant holiday scenes depicted.

Father Christmas
Nice but a disappointment as the grumpy charm of the original has been editted out and replaced with a sanitized version conforming to preceived American tastes.

The staple of my family's christmas since it was printed
Ever since I can remember, this book was out on christmas day and my mother would read to me in her best english accent. this is a timeless piece, there is always something new to it and we cherish the book. pure genius and enjoyment!

Wonderful children's classic
This is a marvelous and a very funny book:) A Christmas book to be read over and over. I loved it when I was young and still love it today. Have a merry bloomin' Christmas! ... Read more

Reviews (4)

a face to kill for
this is a very good movie. it has love, caring, warmth, it is a movie i have watched at least 10 times. it's about a young woman with a deformed face that thinks,she has a man whom she think loves her,but instead kills her father, she goes to prison for him.she has her revenge for him,and finds her true love once again.i recommend this ever woman, who had loved once and have lost that once true love.

Nice but over priced!
To tell you the truth, this is a nice light movie. It tells a story of a Tycoon daughter (she has a deformed face) who was manipulated by a horse trainer. This horse trainer becomes her husband and destorys her... I do not want to ruin the story. But it all revolves around REVENGE.

The actress is the one from the comedy "Wings". She did a good job in this film.

It is nice to watch it once, but it is not so special to be bought and kept in a library... especially for $!!!

great movie
THIS IS A GREAT MOVIE! IT TELLs A STORY OF STRENGTH AND SURVIVAL! I WOULD RECOMEED THIS MOVIE TO ANY ONE WHO HAS A CARING HEART!

So So
I have to admitt that this movie was better then I thought it would be. I liked most of it but when I first started watching it I was like hopefully this is a good movie because it dint seem like it would be. It was good but it was not the best. Let me put it this way it was better then I thought it would be. ... Read more

Description

In the classic tradition of heroic Disney adventures comes the extraordinary MIGHTY JOE YOUNG -- a thrilling story full of excitement, friendship, courage, and heart. The legendary Joe, a playful, smart fifteen-foot-tall gorilla, and his lifelong best friend Jill Young (Charlize Theron) have grown up together in the remote mountains of Central Africa. When Joe's peaceful existence is shattered by poachers, Jill and zoologist Gregg O'Hara (Bill Paxton) rescue their innocent friend and move him to the safety of an animal conservancy in California. But Joe's safety is short-lived. No longer a myth, his notoriety makes him a target for an enemy from his past -- a ruthless hunter who will do anything to capture the Mighty Joe. From the moment you meet him to his incredible display of courage, Mighty Joe Young will fill your eyes with wonder and your heart with magic. ... Read more

Reviews (27)

One of the Best Comedies of the Ninties.
New Yorker Mitch Robbins (Billy Crystal) turns 39 and thinking that he will be misrable for the rest of his life. Then his two best friends (Daniel Stern & Bruno Kirby) offer a present to Mitch by bringing him to a cattle drive in New Mexico. Then mitch's life start to change unexpectedly by going on his fantasy vacation with his friends. They are set out to find thier freedom and thier adventure, they will remember for a life time.

Directed by Ron Underwood (Tremors, Heart & Souls, Mighty Joe Young-Remake) made a extremely likeable entertaining ambitious comedy. Crystal, Stern, Kirby and Jack Palance's wonderful Oscar Winning Performance makes this Contemporary Comedy Classic really worth watching. Crystal also Executive Produced the film. There's a nice music score by Marc Shaiman (South Park:Bigger, Longer & Uncut). DVD's has an fine anamorphic Widescreen (1.85:1) transfer and an good Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround Sound. DVD only extra is the Original Theatrical Trailer. This is Wonderfully Written by Lowell Ganz & Babaloo Mandel (City Slickers 2:The Legend of Curly's Gold). Watch for Jeffery Tambor, Yearley Smith, Robert Contanzo, Jake Gyllenhall, Danielle Harris and that's Crystal real-life Daughter-Lindsay Crystal playing his Daughter in the flim. One of the highest grossing films of 1991. This is One of the Best & Most memorable comedies ever made, see it. Grade:A.

Buckaroo Bonanza....
This review refers to the MGM Contemporary Classic DVD Edition of "City Slickers".....

Saddle up Buckaroos, for the funniest city dude meets cowboy adventure since Bob Hope roamed the plains!

Mitch(Billy Crystal) is going through a mid-life crisis. He sells "air" for a New York radio station and finds that as he nears 40, his life seems unfulfilling. His buddies Ed(Bruno Kirbly), an aging Romeo, and Phil(Daniel Stern), pitifuly henpecked, also seem to be feeling the strain. They decide a little vacation is in order and head for a New Mexico cattle ranch to enjoy life as they "bring in the herd".

This "fantasy" vacation turns into one hysterical adventure. Learning to rope and ride is trickier(and funnier), then you think. But the toughest part is dealing with the tough ranch hands. One in particular..."Curly"(Jack Palance)...is one bad hombre as he scares these guys out of their wits.

They are joined by several others as the drive begins from New Mexico to Colorado and anything than can go wrong... does! There's a stampede, a runaway wagon, and Mitch even has to deliver a calf. Their cell phones are no help here! There's also mucho male bonding going on during the trek. These guys even bond with the cows! They learn about each other and with the help of the very tough Curly, they even learn what is important in life.

The funny lines and gags are non stop, and there are some very poignant moments as well. It'll have you smiling and often laughing out loud. You won't want it to end, but luckily...there's a sequel.."City Slickers 2..The Legend of Curly's Gold".

The film was honored with several awards. Among them Jack Palance took an Oscar for Best supporting actor, as well as a Golden Globe and a Best supporting actor from the American Comedy Awards. Billy Crystal was also honored at the American Comedy Awards as Funniest Actor in a lead and the People's Choice Awards voted the film the Favorite Comedy of the year. They are joined by some outstanding and seasoned character actors. Jeffrey Tambor, John Mostel, David Paymer, Patricia Wettig, and Helen Slater and the wonderful Noble Willingham all keep us in stitches as well. The music by Marc Shaiman is as fun as the story and Direcotr Ron Underwood and Photographer Dean Semler bring us some real cinematic delights.

The transfer of the DVD is very nice. An excellent picture in widescreen presents the beautiful Western scenery and terrific colors. If you watch the original theatrical trailer, you can really notice the difference made by the transfer. Although the sound in Dolby Stereo was good, it could have been better. This film with all the great music and action needs to be in 5.1. It may be viewed in French(Mono) and has subtitles in Spanish and French, but no other special features. Just a really funny flick that will take you away for about 2 hours.

So sing along to the tunes of "Rawhide" and "Bonaza" with Mitch, Phil, Ed and Norman the cow along the big trail...have fun...Laurie

Poignant Comedy
This is one of those great comedies that also speaks to the great truths of life. I have watched this film over and over again and am always left with a wonderful feeling after having watched it. It lifts my spirits when I am low and helps to remind me what is truly important in life.

Mitch Robbins (Billy Crystal), Phil Berquist (Daniel Stern) and Ed Furillo (Bruno Kirby) are three friends approaching mid-life at break neck speed. Each year they go on increasingly more dangerous adventures which Mitch's wife (Patricia Wettig) describes as desperate and juvenile attempts to hold on to their youth. When Ed suggests mushing along the trail of Admiral Byrd as a way to top running from bulls in Spain, Mitch is ready to quit the adventure trips and settle into senior life at the ripe old age of 39. After a demotion at his job and a surprise at his birthday party where Phil and his icy wife Arlene (Karla Tamburelli) have a blow out after she learns of his infidelities, Mitch's depression gets the better of his wife who sends him on one more adventure - to find his smile.

And so it is that the trio finds themselves on a cattle drive in the American west with five other lost souls and Curly (Jack Palance) as the cattle boss. Palance is wonderful as the gruff old cowboy who intimidates everyone around him (Mitch:"Kill anyone today, Curly?" Curly: "Day ain't over yet."). Yet he knows the secret to life and relates the cryptic answer to Mitch during the ride. As they drive the cattle and overcome obstacles like stampedes, drunken escapades by the trail hands and their own personal struggles, Mitch comes to realize what Curly's answer means and that it is the only answer he needs to bring the pieces of his life back together.

A Big Letdown!
WARNING: Spoilers Ahead!! I hate it when they do this!! The first hour of this movie is so funny I laughed out loud on a number of occasions. Something I don't usually do when I watch a comedy by myself but this was just too hilarious. Then, a cow gets shot just after giving birth, Jack Palance dies and is buried on the trail, two horses get killed going over a cliff with the wagon and a cute little calf nearly drowns in a river. After being bullied and deserted by drunken cowboys, the "city slickers" manage to drive home the herd of cattle and are informed that the cows that "trusted" them will be ground up for hamburger....but hey, that's life! Billy Crystal finds his family is the most important thing to him, and he adopts the little calf, but no jokes could make me even smile after the middle portion of this movie that starts out broad comedy and mutates into warm'n'fuzzy, overly-sentimental, and very predictable fluff. Not my idea of a "feel-good" movie... a little sad actually. When it started I was making plans about buying the sequel. When it ended I decided to sell the original. I can see why there are so many used copies for sale at Amazon Marketplace.
This could have been up there with the best National Lampoon Vacation movies (started out that way) but they blew it.

Great movie, horrible dvd
I love this movie! Its among my top favorites. However, the DVD [is bad]! One reason, the dubbing. The first half of the movie is fine, but about half way through, the words being spoken by the characters dont match up with their mouth. It looks like a bad Bruce Lee movie! Im not one to complain, but it just kept getting worse! At one point the whole line was almost spoken before the characters mouth started moving! I just baffles me that those responsible for transfering this movie to DVD took no care at all in doing it! I really dont know how this DVD made it to stores without someone noticing this huge fault and trying to make it better. Like I said, this is my favorite movie, I give it the lowest rating for the lack of dubbing quaility! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

deaf and dumb, too
This TVM directed by Michael Toshiyuki Uno is notable for how Laura Linney steals the tube, as the daughter of Joanne Woodward as Washington congressman faced with the issue of drug addiction. The use of real life pictures of Woodward with her own daughter, and the fact that she co-produced, tells you that the subject has personal significance for Woodward. Unfortunately for her the teleplay by Nina Shergold, based on a story by Michael McTaggart and Ellen M Violett, presents Woodward as a harridan, evidence of the negative effects of a working mother. At one point Fritz Weaver as her husband says "Trying to reason with you is like standing in front of a bulldozer". If the idea of making the drug addict a torch singer who idolises Billie Holliday is perhaps rather overstated, the teleplay also raises a generational comparison between drug taking and alcoholism. The music score by Patrick Williams is used to lovely effect in one scene, when a baby is first held, but otherwise we get soaked in inspirational uplift. Watch for Patti D'Arbanville, and Allison Janney.

Strong Performances, Strong Message
Joanne Woodward gives a strong performance as a determined, sometimes domineering, yet well-meaning congresswoman coping with her daughter's drug addiction on the eve of announcing her run for the U.S. Senate. Woodward (who earned an Emmy nomination for this film, which she also co-produced) and Laura Linney, who portrays her substance addicted daughter, show the strong love/hate dynamics in their character's relationship. Linney, (later co-starring opposite Jim Carrey in "The Truman Show," and earning an Oscar nomination for "You Can Lean on Me") gives a heartfelt, unflinching portrait of a woman struggling to deal with her substance abuse/recovery as she asserts her independence from her mother, and Woodward superbly brings to life yet another strong, intelligent female character in her long line of smart, well-chosen, and expertly acted roles. The sensitive, intelligent script by Nina Shengold pulls no punches in illustrating the debilitating side of drug use, yet is never preachy.

This film handles difficult subject matter that may have seemed cliched or melodramatic in other hands in an honest, straightforward manner; much credit to all involved for first class work. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

One of Playboy's best
This is one of the best of Playboy's videos, at least that I've seen. All these women are sexy and gorgeous, especially Erica and Molly. Sure, the settings are sometimes hokey, and the music is, well, it's not good. But I didn't buy the tape for the music :-) The scenes are well shot, the girls look great, and Erica and Molly get as friendly as they can in a Playboy video. If you like Playboy, this is worth getting.

tastful
best video i've watched in years .keep up the good work playboy.

Gorgeous Looking Web Girls, A Must See...
Lots of nice, sexy web girls. You can't believe how Playboy have made this into more than just a video. Playboy makes it like you're in some other unknown world (fantasy). Playboy always know how to produce their film.

Rating: Strong Buy ... Read more

Reviews (30)

The American Version
Beautiful animation based on Raymond Brigg's Books. Although the Snowman is intact to its origional content. It's a wonderful tale of a boy who builds a snowman who comes to life, and has a north pole adventure in the middle of the night, Meeting santa, and returning home. In the end the snowman melts. Bitter-sweet, and wonderful, its told not in words but in action.

Father Christmas has been re-narrated by an american actor. The Charm of the British version is lost. The origional hosts a cranky, cantankerous Brit Santa who, sick of the cold, wet snow-time job, goes on a vacation in different parts of the world. His adventures are full of tongue-in-cheek Brit humor that adults can watch, and children will not notice. The movie shows a Santa who kicks back eats, drinks, gambles in Vegas, and complains along the way. There are even two parts cut out of this version: One is of santa in the outhouse, Second is part of a Scottish pub scene were Santa and the musician there have a few drinks, and He ends up barefoot in the bar dancing with a number of onlookers. It's all tastefully done to British Standards. The American(P.C) version of this show a chipper Santa, and looses all the charm of the origional. Even the song: 'Bloomin Cristmas' looses all humor with an American Voice-over.

I recommend this to anyone who wants a dvd of the snowman, but I would skip the whole Father Christmas of this video. Find the origional F.H.E version on Ebay, or somewhere's else.

The Snowman/Father Christmas Double Feature
Grab some hot cocoa, a warm blanket and each other and snuggle up for this annual Christmas favorite!

The Snowman / Father Christmas double feature DVD is great for families with children of all ages. Short but sweet, each of these shows are roughly 24 minutes in length, making them perfect for parents who don't want their kids parked in front of the tv for hours.

The colored drawing effect of The Snowman will delight viewers while the relaxing soundtrack makes one forget there is no dialogue. Its simplicity nurtures the imagination.

Father Christmas, narrated by none other than Santa himself, has a more modern cartoon feel to it but manages to bring the viewer back full circle to The Snowman with a scene borrowed from it called "Snowman's Party". Go along for the ride in Santa's flying camper as he vacations in France, Scotland and even Las Vegas!

If you want a wholesome Christmas DVD that the whole family can enjoy year after year, you've found it. ENJOY!

Beautiful story...broken DVD
I have purchased this DVD twice and have tried to play them on our regular DVD player as well as on two laptops. No matter what I've tried, The Snowman has never played. Only the very different and very awful Father Christmas will work. I finally gave up and bought the VHS tape of The Snowman, so that my children could see the most wonderful and haunting Christmas movie ever made.

Sanitized American version
First, the DVD is defective. Only the Father Christmas story plays. This version is a sanitized American version which eliminates the British Engllish expressions that give life to the story. SKIP THIS DVD! If you ever have a chance to see a British PAL video, you'll see why.

Beautiful
Although both animations are lovely, 'The Snowman' is the real masterpiece of the two. The Briggs book is brought to life, and the story is actually enhanced by the lack of narration.

Having loved this video since I was young, I wanted to introduce it to my young son (he's 5). I had a suspicion that, as fast-paced as today's shows and games are, he would find this dull. I was pleasantly surprised that the story won out, and that he was into it from beginning to end. (I also recommend the 'Kipper' series of videos for this calm but engaging style of storytelling.)

'Father Christmas' is nice enough. It's a good bonus feature, but isn't quite as wonderful as 'The Snowman,' and doesn't hold my son's interest (or mine) as well. I understand that the British version is racy and lot more charming.

Anyhow, it's a real treat to be able to share this movie with my son! ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Speechless..Well Spoken Movie.
An oddity of sorts because you have the two actors who played Batman and Superman in one movie (Micheal Keaton and Christopher Reeve respectively). With that aside, SPEECHLESS delivers on the grounds of a decent romantic/screwball comedy. Keaton and Geena Davis play speechwriters for rival candidates in a New Mexico senatorial campaign who meet and fall in love under unusual circumstances. They must keep their love alive when the campaign becomes intense and they must keep their loyalty to their respective candidates. Typical light characters played by Keaton and Davis and Christopher Reeve thrown into the mix as an old boyfriend of Davis trying to revive the old relationship. Overall, solid entertainment that's unoffensive with snappy dialogue.

Speechless or SCRIPT-LESS? Cute but not exactly "brainy"
Gena Davis and Michael Keaton fall in love "at first sight". OK, I'm still with them. They BOTH are involved in OPPOSING political campaigns, neither knowing about the other's activities at first. OK, it's about 10,000 to 1 now. After several additional twists and turns (resulting in incredibly unlikely situations), they end up together, apparently living happily ever after. Now the odds have increased to about 10 million to one! -- This story is about as likely as the unspeakably unbelievable love story delivered by Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks in "You've Got Mail".

I was entertained by this "light fluff", especailly when "their song" was worked in. The two leads worked well together, no problem there. I just found the story to be shamefully unbelievable. If you enjoy romantic comedies, you're getting a great romance, but be warned of the "I Love Lucy" loonacies!

Quer se apaixonar ?.......Então veja esse filme.
É impossível não se apaixonar por Michael Keaton ao ver esse filme, ao lado de Geena Davis, eles fazem um dos casais mais belos e engraçados do cinema. Vocês irão morrer de rir com a hilária passagem em que eles fazem uma palestra para adolescentes em uma escola, assim como diversas outras, também muito engraçadas. Mas antes de ser uma comédia, esse filme é um romance que não deixa nada a dever a filmes como : Uma linda mulher e Sintonia de amor. Nenhum romântico pode deixar de vê-lo.

Delightful and Funny
Speechless is delightful! The chemistry between Davis and Keaton is the best I have seen in a long time. In my opinion, this is Davis at her best! Plus, the story is very interesting and has those great "ups and downs". I also give high marks for Christopher Reeve and it is sad to see that this was one of his last pre-accident movies. As with most romantic comedies these days, the characters have to go to bed, but thankfully, it is kept off screen. Rated PG-13 for some language and implied sex.

Semi-cute
Geena Davis is of course cute, but this romantic comedy about speech writers in opposing political camps is fluff and cotton candy, kind of like something from Neil Simon without the bite and with only a quarter of the wit. The candidates and the issues are trivialized and made into clichés. (But that's good.) Must have been written by a speech writer! She's a liberal Democrat and he's an amoral Republican hired gun. It might have been more interesting if they had switched them around. It's all surface and sound bite mentality including the performances by the leads, Geena Davis and Michael Keaton, who together produce enough chemistry to rival cold dishwater. If you're really, really bored and it's a choice between, say, a rerun of "Suddenly Susan" and this, flip a coin. Or better yet, go scrub the kitchen floor. This is the sort of mush that will turn your brain to cottage cheese.

Some observations: Christopher Reeve is sadly miscast: he makes a very soft heavy. Geena can smile and smile and smile and occasionally frown. Big deal. Poor Bonnie Bedelia. They made her look so dowdy, so as not to upstage Davis. It must be frustrating to know that not only are you more talented than the star, you are even better looking; but for an actress in Hollywood, younger always wins out. ... Read more