Amazon.com

As with Grease (1978) and Footloose (1984) before it,Dirty Dancing was a cultural phenomenon that now plays more like camp.That very campiness, though, is part of its biggest charm. And if the dancing inthe movie doesn't seem particularly "dirty" by today's standards--or 1987's--itdoes take place in an era (the early '60s) when it would have. Frances "Baby"Houseman (Jennifer Grey, daughter of ageless hoofer Joel Grey) has beenvacationing in the Catskills with her family for many years. Uneventfully. Onesummer, she falls under the sway (as it were) of dance instructor Johnny Castle(Patrick Swayze). Baby is a pampered pup, but Johnny is a man of the world.Baby's father, Jake (Law and Order's Jerry Orbach), can't see the basicdecency in greaser Johnny that she can. It should come as no surprise to findthat Baby, who can be as immature as her name, learns more about love and life--and dancing--from free-spirited Johnny than traditionalist Jake.

Dirty Dancing spawned two successful soundtracks, a short-lived TVseries, and a stage musical. It may be predictable, but Grey and Swayze havechemistry, charisma, and all the right moves. It's a sometimes silly movie withoccasionally mind-boggling dialogue--"No one puts Baby in a corner!"--thatnonetheless carries an underlying message about tolerance and is filled with thekind of exuberant spirit that's hard for even the most cynical to resist. Notthat they'd ever admit it. --Kathy Fennessy ... Read more

Reviews (225)

The best movie from the 80s
In Dirty Dancing, Jennifer Grey stars as Frances "Baby" Houseman, a girl who goes on vacation to the Catskills with her father, mother and sister in the summer of 1963. She meets the handsome dance instructor Johnny Castle (Patrick Swayze), who works at the lodge where they're staying, and is smitten with him. When she volunteers to fill in for Johnny's dance partner, Baby experiences love and life firsthand from the free-spirited Johnny.

The DVD version of this movie is terrific. The clarity is amazing, the sound is crisp & clear and the bonuses are wonderful. With the bonus features, you get commentary from the movie's creator, a behind-the-scenes featurette (with no audio), the videos for "She's Like the Wind," "I've Had the Time of My Life" & "Hungry Eyes," biographies about the cast & crew (Jennifer Grey, Patrick Swayze, Cynthia Rhodes, Jerry Orbach, Jack Weston, the director, the producer, the writer and the choreographer), a short "Reliving the 60s" documentary, the theatrical trailer and a concert featuring the music from the movie.

If you love Dirty Dancing, I highly recommended getting this DVD. It would be a great addition to add to your collection!

Still superb!
...Dirty Dancing still stands incredibly well proving the point critics made about the film at the time of its release about it being a timeless classic! Dirty Dancing is simply the ultimate feel-good movie. The chemistry between Patrick Swayze (then relativley unknown) and Jennifer Grey (who has not starred in any major production since) is positivley electric and never strikes a false note. Its a charming story of a young, innocent teenager staying with her family at a holiday camp for her vacation who meets the exciting and rebelious dancer, Johnny who she immediatley falls in love with. They show each other a different side to life and soon become lovers. But as with all good love stories there are complications. Giving superb backing support is Cynthia Rhodes in a small but highly effective role as Penny Johnson who is forced into having an abortion and in the process must give up dancing whilst she recovers - enter Jennifer Grey. There are many fun and amusing scenes of Swayze frantically trying to teach Grey all the right dance moves whilst the touching romance between them gradually and beleavably builds. The ending is a triumphant high! What truly makes Dirty Dancing absolutley unmissable is the fabulous dancing which is highly erotic though never once tacky and is accompanied by a sizzling soundtrack that helps build the potential atmosphere. Superb throughout, Dirty Dancing is indeed a timeless classic!

Hands Down the BEST!
Dirty Dancing is hands down the best movie of all time! Enough said.

Honestly, how can this get less than 5 stars?
This is such a classic movie. It's cheesy, it's unrealistic and it's fun. What's not to love? Very fun film, one to watch again and again. I think every woman wants Johnny Castle, this movie is hot and cute and great. Not a lot to say, just that this is a wonderful film.

Great Gift
Made a wonderful birthday gift for my younger sister. Came in great condition and worked great. Even better it came at a discounted price!! ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Fairie Tale Theater rocks, especially Cinderella!
I love Fairy tales. The first time I saw this movie (and thisone Cinderella especially) I was enchanted and I loved it from thenon. Jean Stapleton gives this movie humor, Jennifer Beals gives it enchantment, and Matthew Broderick gives it a taste of what is still a celebrity in the late 90's! This movie ROCKS!

Faerie Tale Theatre: Cinderella
One of the most romantic episodes in the excellent Faerie Tale Theatre series, this one is the classic rags-to-riches story of Cinderella. Jennifer Beals beautifully portrays the role of Cinderella, and Matthew Broderick makes a delightfully witty Prince Henry. The appearances of Jean Stapleton as the fairy godmother and Eve Arden as the wicked stepmother are superb. The costumes, sets and music are truly divine in this wonderful faerie tale.

Happily Ever After start HERE!
What happens when you have Jennifer Beals playing Cinderella and Jean Stapleton as the fairy godmother? MAGIC!!! This is a wonderful film in the Faerie Tale Theatre series. Each actor/actress gives very memorable performances from Matthew Broderick playing the prince who is looking for love to Eve Arden who plays the unfair dictating stepmother. A perfect family film. A movie that no family or fan of fantasy should be without!

Amazing!
These videos were my absolute favorite as a kid, and at 20, I'm still watching them! They're all so beautifully done and have such wonderful actors! I'm saving all of my copies to show my children some day!

Great Movie
Wonderfully modernized version of the classic tale of Cinderella brought to life with wonderful actors. Great movie . Highly reccomend. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Whoopi Goldberg plays a Reno lounge singer who hides out as a nun when her villainous boyfriend (Harvey Keitel) goes gunning for her. Maggie Smith is the mother superior who has to cope with Whoopi's unorthodox behavior, but the cute script turns the tables and shows how the latter energizes the stodgy convent with song and attitude. A real crowd-pleaser and a perfect vehicle for Goldberg, this is a happy experience all around. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (36)

Sister Power!
Sister Act can easily be classified as one of the 90's better comedies filled with laughter that can surpass the likes of most movies out today. Whoopi Goldberg is as always hilarious and portrays Delores Van Cartier, a naive lounge singer who's boyfriend is a married mafioso (but she doesn't know this), and later she witnesses a murder commited by him which caused her to run to the police, who in turn stashed her in a church in San Francisco against her will. Mother Superior (Maggie Smith) takes her into the church, and discuises her as a nun with a phony alias: Sister Mary Clarence. The trouble comes later when Mother Superior doesn't like the decision to transform the out-of-tune (she improves their vocal skill) nun's choir into a funky retro 60's girl group. If you want a hilarious comedy, filled with laughter a minute, I will recommend this.

A part absolutely made for Whoopi Goldberg
I didn't expect to like this movie when my husband brought it home one Friday night - but I was wrong, wrong, wrong. It's hilarious, uplifting, and entertainint.
Goldberg plays a Reno casino singer who gets in trouble with the mob and hides out disguised as a nun in a teaching convent. Maggie Smith, every twitch and blink in place, plays the mother superior who must cope with Goldberg's high jinks as she energises the convent, its choir, its students, and her own life. And, omigod! The music! You'll want the soundtrack when you've finished watching the movie.
A feel good movie to die for.

You Can't Ban Me is wrong
This is a classic disgrace of a movie by Whoopi Goldberg, one of the suckiest actreses of our time. Much to the previous reviewer's chagrin, people who dislike her know real talent like Chris Rock, Richard Pryor, Sam Kinison(so we are not racists). It was RIGHT of Slim Fast to dump the greedy tyrant Goldberg from their ads after she made some candid remarks about the president. Anyway, this film is a masterpiece of garbage. I have zilch respect for Whoopi and despise everything she does.

A Wonderful, Feel-Good Movie with Plenty of Laughs
Deloris Van Cartier (Whoopi Goldburg) is a Reno lounge singer whose life is going nowhere fast. She just saw her married lover, Vince LaRocca (Harvey Keitel), a mob boss, kill a man and is in fear for her life. Deloris didn't want to cooperate with the police, but she wanted to live. However, after finding out where the police were planning on stashing her, Deloris wished that she was dead. How on earth was she supposed to pass herself off as a nun in a convent? Still, Deloris was determined to give it her best shot and became Sister Mary Clarence.

Deloris/Sister Mary Clarence hadn't been in the convent for a day before she was already causing problems and being called before Mother Superior (Maggie Smith). Mother Superior didn't know what to do with Sister Mary Clarence, but the perfect solution presented itself when she saw how Sister Mary Clarence reacted to the atrocious choir performance on Sunday. She promptly informed Sister Mary Clarence that she would be in charge of the choir and felt that that would keep her out of mischief. However, before too long, Sister Mary Clarence had the whole choir rocking and rolling as she took traditional religious songs and rocked them up and rock songs and made them religious. Unfortunately, Mary Clarence's many good works could not go unnoticed for long and she soon found the mob hot on her trail...

Sister Act is a funny, entertaining movie that just makes you laugh. The role of Deloris/Sister Mary Clarence was tailor made for Whoopi Goldberg and you can just tell that she is having a wonderful time. The supporting cast, led by Maggie Smith (Mother Superior), Kathy Najimy (Sister Mary Patrick), Wendy Makkena (Sister Mary Robert) and Mary Wickes (Sister Mary Lazarus) was also superb and each actress brought her own unique charm into her role. If you are looking for a fast, fun, hilarious movie that you can watch with the whole family - and sing along with, too! - this is a great choice!

I can't be torn apart from my God!!!!
Nothing you can buy could make me tell a lie to my God! This is Whoopi's best movie ever! My cousin and I were constantly singing the songs everywhere we went. One my favorite movies of ALL time. I wish they would come out with a DVD that contained more extra features though. ... Read more

Reviews (28)

Impressive production; all-around fine performance; good DVD
All things considered, I have to say that this is quite an enjoyable theatrical presentation of Balanchine's "The Nutcracker." Looking at "the show" itself, its most rave-worthy characteristic is how well the team of Peter Martins (ballet master), Emile Ardolino (director) and Ralf Bode (cinematographer) collaborated to actually "choreograph the camera" to the movements of the performers. Thanks to a talented movie crew and an incredible amount of consideration given to viewing angles (read the description in the disc's "special features"), the TV always seemed to be showing exactly what I wanted to look at on the stage. Add in some nice work by Industrial Light & Magic, decent narration, and a top-notch production team, and the result is a superb presentation.

From a performance standpoint, I'd give this an A-minus mainly because the versions of "The Nutcracker" I've seen most often cast the Nutcracker Prince in a much more active role dancewise. Still, everyone else did a fantastic job. Noteworthy were the Pas de Deux by the Cavalier (Damian Woetzel) and Sugarplum Fairy (Darci Kistler), and the powerful dance presence of Coffee (Wendy Whelan). The other "Sweets" performed very well also. So long as you try not to picture Macaulay Culkin as a ballet dancer, you'll be okay. Let's face it: you can't expect the little guy to measure up next to the NYC Ballet, but he is there to add a little star appeal and possibly sell ballet to your kids (which may not be a bad idea). Nuff said. By the way, the younger performers from the School of American Ballet were wonderful.

Regarding disc features, the DVD has some cool stuff to offer: two viewing formats, 30-scene index, and some good production notes regarding the history of the show, camera choreography and description of ILM's special effects.

Five Stars Despite Macauley
The one time that I've seen the George Balanchine production of 'The Nutcracker' in New York, I was standing at the back of the top balcony. I obviously couldn't see much even with the pair of 7x50 binoculars I brought, so I'm glad that this DVD has become available. The recording wasn't made before an audience but was nonetheless filmed on stage. It thus preserves the appearance and staginess of the original production, while the camerawork has more freedom and energy than it would have otherwise.

The dancers of the NYC Ballet and the students from its associated school, the School of American Ballet, have performed the Balanchine Nutcracker every Christmas season since 1969 (the film was made in 1993). I prefer this production in great part because children and not adults perform the children's roles unlike most of the other tapes and DVDs available. Here the kids are delighfully energetic and enthusiastic; the only sour note is Macauley Culkin as the nutcracker-prince. He attended the SAB for awhile, and he looks thoroughy bored at returning to his old haunts. I don't know if it's his fault or the director's, but his disdainful expressions are rather off-putting. He was obviously cast to draw a larger audience, and he certainly looks the part, but his dancing skills aren't good enough for what amounts to the lead role.

A recent article in the NYT said that the SAB has for some years been making a concerted effort to attract more boys (free tuition, no tights, frequent auditions, single-sex classes, etc.). The result is that all the boys' roles in this performance are filled by boys and not disgruntled little girls.

I quite enjoy this DVD, and I highly recommend it. It has few extra materials; only some short biographies and some footage about making the film. I would like to have had some rehearsal and backstage footage since I'm not familiar with how a ballet is put together.

Not so Outstanding
This was a dissapointment. When I first watched the movie, I almost fell asleep during the first act. If I was you, just skip the entire first half and go right to the dancing snowflakes. The first act had no interesting roles dance wise. The second half was pretty good(dance roles of the sweets....hot chocolate,candy cane,etc.)Any part with Culkin was a drag, in the fact that his dancing was horrible and the steps that he was given were horrible too. The girl that played Marie looked like she could have been a good dancer, but they flunked out when giving her a role with no ballet dancing. If you are a fan of ballet dancing like me, I would not recommend this version of the Nutcracker. The only good parts were the dances of the sweets and the snowflakes, the rest was fast forward worthy material. So give yourself a break, and get a better version. I wish I had.

Good choice for young children
If you have a young child who wants to see the Nutcracker at home, this is the version to buy (I bought it for my 3 year old boy who loved the ballet): Here are its selling points and comments on some previous remarks

1. There really aren't that many versions out there. Baryshnikov's is not a very child friendly version. Yes it's true, this does not have the precision of some of the other corps but this version is really geared to young children. And it's a great version for them to see.

2. It is a plus that it features many child dancers. It allows children to see others like them dancing. Additionally, a big bonus is that there are acutally boys dancing male parts - parents of boys who love ballet like myself will appreciate this.

3. Yes, Culkinis a bad dancer but as someone else noted - if it helps sell the movie, then it gets ballet out to more people which is a plus (I personally think it's better than a Barbie doll version of Swan Lake). Again, for parents of boy dancers, it's nice to see a boy with a real dancing part.

4. The main character is called Marie because that's her name in the original book by ETA Hoffman (which by the way, is a VERY different story from the one we traditionally see in the ballet. It's a great book and for a special treat of the video performance of the real story see the Milwaukee Orchestra's Notes Alive: The Nutcracker: The Untold Story, based on Maurice Sendak's illustrations). In the original story, Clara is one of Marie's dolls.

5. I did not find Culkin's expressions to be disinterested or bored. To the contrary, I was impressed with his focus and respect throughout the show. There is a nice photo text book that accompanies this video. The book explains that the expression on his face early in the show may be his attempt to show that he is different, more refined, than the other more boisterous boys at the party including Fritz, Marie's brother.

The Enchanting Nutcracker- Balanchine's Masterpiece
The Nutcracker, is indeed the most enchanting ballet I have ever seen. It boils down to pure talent, as shown by the students of the School Of American Ballet. The students are by far the most talented and so are the company memebers. It is overwhelming to see such talent. Bravo! ... Read more

Reviews (4)

TheBoy Who Left Home to Find out Aboutr the Shivers
The Shivers is the greatest Faerie tale in the whole theatre.I grew up on these videos. I have been searching for a few years now to purchase these videos.I can't wait for them to become available. I would love to own the whole collection.These classic tales should be available for all children to see and enjoy.I must say The Faerie Tale theatre collection is the greatest among faerie tale production.

Utterly Enjoyable!
The Fairy Tale Theatre Series is wonderful. I watched them as a child, and still enjoy watching them. This one especially. It makes you laugh and at the same time has enough scare to it to make a child feel that they just watched their first horror movie. In actuality there there is nothing horrible about it. A perfect family entertainment movie.

Truly a classic!
Faery Tale Theatre movies are masterpieces! They follow the tales they tell fairly faithfully as they were originally written. I only hope they will soon be re-released as my children are now asking for copies, and I don't want to give mine up!

My favorite out of the Faerie Tale Theatre collection.
I am a collector of these series by Shelly Duvall. I have the complete 26 set of movies. It is a great set of movies for families, young and old alike. My sister's favorite is "Cinderella," starring Jennifer Beals and Matthew Broderick. My Mom's favorite is "Rumpelstiltskin," starring Ned Beatty. This is a great collection of movies and a must for every family. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Best Faerie Tale Theatre Ever!
I would have to agree with the previous review that this is the best episode of Faerie Tale Theatre. In adapting faerie tales for film or television, the biggest difficulty seems to be in capturing that sense of awe and wonder that the original stories invoke. Without picture illustrations and a child's imagination to fill in the blanks, the original stories often appear static and lifeless on the screen. At worst, the sublime becomes downright ridiculous. Faerie Tale Theatre is a great and entertaining show, but rarely has it captured that sense of magic. This episode is one time that is has, and the results are truly something to behold. Eric Idle is the only "name" here, but the rest of the cast is equally perfect in their roles. Nicholas Meyer creates an entire other world, utilizing medieval tones in setting and costumes, as well as an eerie score of pipes from composer James Horner. The effect is mesmerizing, and if the use of rhyme as dialogue takes some getting used to, it only adds to the haunting impact in the end. This episode may be too disturbing for the youngest children, but all lovers of faerie tales owe it to themselves to see this. It doesn't have the budget of big-screen fantasies, but I rank this right up there with the NeverEnding Story and the Dark Crystal. If you love those films, then you understand what I mean about the sublime.

Wonderful and surreal...as fairy tales should be.
In the early to mid eighties, Shelly Duvall produced a cable show for the then flagship HBO network called Faerie Tale Theatre. The intent was to bring classic childhood stories to an audience of young and old alike through big name stars, directors, and hip, irreverent writing. Without this series, there would not have been a "Princess Bride". Although many of these were excellent examples of the best television could offer, the finest hour (for me) was director Nicholas Meyer's interpretation of Robert Browning's "Pied Piper of Hamelin". Both faithful to the original poem and liberal in its creative embellishments, Meyer perfectly captured the eerieness of the story. The show starred Eric Idle and he makes a perfect Piper. Tall, pale, with piercing eyes and a hawklike nose, Idle looke every bit the character: part mystic, part mercenary. And his final march out of Hamelin with the children is truly the stuff of innocent nightmares. Without sentimentality, without any concession to cuteness, this episode proved that within all great children's stories lurked something magical and sinister...Just like adulthood. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Cybill Shepherd plays a pregnant woman whose husband is killed before their baby is born; once he gets to heaven, he begs for a chance to come back to her and his unborn child. The twist is that he returns in the form of Robert Downey Jr., boyfriend to Cybill's daughter (Mary Stuart Masterson). When the daughter brings him home from college, he gets his memory back--and starts coming on to her mom. Sounds like a Jerry Springer show--"Help! My dad has been reincarnated as my boyfriend!"--but this Emile Ardolino film actually has a passable amount of charm and wit, once it gets into gear. It gives you a sense of just how funny and charming Downey can be, given the right material. --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Favorite Movie Ever
I love this movie, it is the best movie ever. I like it so much I have become obssesed with it. I'm dying ot buy it but I don't find it anywhere because it's too old. Robert Downey Jr looks so cute in that movie I could just eat him up. I desperately need this movie in my stock. I'm totally in love with it. I've been asking my sister to get for me and she can't find it anywhere! That is so rude! I think they should sell more of the movie in shopping stores, I least they would make a lot of monw\ey with me trying to buy that movie! Well, Bye!

"Chances Are" You'll love this movie
I love this movie, I would definately reccomend this movie to any Robert Downey Jr. Fan. Robert Downey Jr.'s character is overtaken by the spirit of Sybil Shepards husban that died before their daughter was born. Robert Downey Jr. is involved with the daughter and is visiting her home when he is visited by her fathers spirit which does not leave until the end of the movie. This is a great, cute movie.

Almost Perfect
I love Robert Downey Jr. and there is no doubt that he brings such a strong presence to any movie. In Chances Are he played his character well, and the rest of the cast were pretty good too. But I was still disapointed in the end results. When you first sit down to watch it you easily adapt to the characters, and you can't wait to find out what Robert's character Louie will discover next. He dies, comes back as a new soul, but accidently is left with his former life's memories. The story is great until the end! It kind of ruined it for me. But Robert is halarious, and his chemistry with Sybill Shepherd is perfect. Go rent it and find out for yourself. Either way it goes, it's an unique story and a ton of laughs, so it's still worth the watch!

Most disturbing movie I have ever seen
This is the most disturbing movie I have ever seen.
It is even more disturbing that it is meant/produced as a very light comedy.
It is the story to be disturbing. A man dies. In heaven there is a memory-wash and souls are routinely reincarnated memory-less.
A husband is reincarnated in a baby. When he grows up to be a boy of about 20, he goes and look for his wife. Finally, after tons of difficulties, he manages to convince his wife-widow that it is truly him, the deceased husband. At that point, in heaven they figure out that they made a mistake and forgot to memory-wash him; so they just give him a last minute memory-wash. Result: he marries his own daughter. The wife says "oh well, I'll just marry someone else" and everybody lives happily ever after.
I find this very, very offensive. Basically, in this movie there is
1. Incest. Even if the guy has been memory-washed by the time he marries his own daughter (so he does not know that he is her father); still he remembered to be her father up to 5 minutes before. It still disturbs me. People trained in Philosophy, will recognize the question "but is he really her father, now that he has lost his memory?". The movie has NONE of this subtlety, it just assumes it is not anymore and does on
2. Life is treated as worthless. In heaven, they do whatever they want. If they have to rectify a mistake 20 years later, they just squash all the emotions and life-story that happened in those 20 years. All emotions, aspirations, joy and sorrow of the husband for his wife are deleted without afterthought - just an annoyance that mistakes happen.
3. The wife-widow is the most appalling character. She is finally convinced that the boy is indeed her deceased husband in reincarnated form. Nonetheless, when his memory is "miraculously" washed (and he forgets to be his husband from the previous life), she gets over it extremely quickly, and does not ask herself too many questions at all. She marries in all speed a friend of her husband she had an eye on for long, and has no qualms about the fact that the boy now marries her daughter.
Now, most of the movie is spent in scenes with the husband trying to convince the wife it is really him. If I were the wife, and I were convinced (after so much effort) he is truly my husband, and then "miraculously" he does not recall that at all anymore, (and even assuming that I could get over it pretty quickly - which I would not) I would still have HUGE qualms with him marrying my daughter.

All this is meant and is treated as the lightest of Hollywood comedies.

It definitely qualifies as the most disturbing movie I have ever seen.

briefest of thrills
this is a trifle,with nary a redeeming thing to offer. Ryan
O'Neal,Robert Downey, and Cybil try to save this thinly
plotted farce, but alas, not to be done. This dog waffles
on forever,but pays back little except Cybil in a slip,
which come to think of it,is probably worthwhile for those
of you with freezeframe. Elsewise, be forwarned:this dog
won't hunt. The premise of Chances Are, couldn't be sold
to the point of suspenion of disbelief for even a glimmer.
An acting exercise, no more.All of the principals have
done far better. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

my personal fairy tale theatre movie
If your looking for a fairy tale for kids that can make even you laugh this is the one. Robin Williams will lighten the mood every time.

Bad for Children
This film contains language and sexual content. Robin Williams uses profanity and parental discretion is advised. It is a funny telling of the story for adults but not younger viewers... Parents should watch the movie first to decide if it is appropiate for their children, and trust me, it isn't!!!!

Undoubtably one of the best Faerie Tale Theatre videos.
This episode of The Tale of the Frog Prince, starring the hilarious Robin Williams and wonderful Teri Garr, is not only a very well told classic children's tale, but a comedy. It has plenty of bits an adult would find entertaining, none being underhand or crude, while still amusing to a younger audience. I grew up watching this series; I loved it then, and I still love it now ... A very good movie to see, and a deal if you can buy it anywhere!

Hilarious, but for adults
This is a hilariously funny version of a children`s fairy tale. Both Robin Williams and Teri Garr do a superb job in their portrayals of the frog-prince and the princess, but you will, most likely, be surprised at how well Rene Aberjonois (Clayton, fron the t.v. series Benson) does comedy. The only caveat is that because of the language and some the situations I would not recommend this video for pre-teens, but anyone else will definitely be amused! ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Faerie Tale Theatre: The Three Little Pigs
Hilarious episode from the Faerie Tale Theatre series with an all-star cast. Billy Crystal as well as his on-screen brother actors are excellent as the three pigs, and Jeff Goldblum is show-stealing as the Big Bad Wolf. Valerie Perrine is a knock-out and makes a surprisingly sexy pig in this faerie tale. A great comedic hit for the entire family to enjoy!

I love this series!
My brother, sisters and I grew up watching the Faerie Tale Theatre collection, and loving them all. By the way, they're not just for kids! My mother loved them so much she went out of her way to find them for my little niece to enjoy. I highly recommend them to anyone with (or even without) children to view them!

cute and appealing
Billy Crystal, Valerie Perrine, Doris Roberts and Jeff Goldblum star in the new telling of the tale from FAERIE TALE THEATRE.

One of the more light-hearted entries in the series, its a delightfully comic piece, played out by master comedians Crystal and Roberts, with the beautiful Perrine cutting a mean figure as a porker indeed.

The series was a huge success, boasting a huge multi award-winning cast (Tonys, Oscars, Emmys, Grammys, Golden Globes, etc), and creator/producer Shelly Duvall has earned laurels for one of the finest family series in years.

Best of the Fairie Tale Theatres
I must have rented this video 40-50 times for my then pre-school age son and daughter. We all had the lines memorized. Billy Crystal is terrific as one of the pigs (Peter, Paul and Larry) and Jeff Goldblum is a howl as the wolf. The whole cast is great. This is truly a film that everyone in the family will love. The best.

As Unforgettable as Nat
This was a household staple rented over and over from our local video store, played over and over for all ages whenever our guests seemed willing. There was never ever anything but laughter and appreciation; I'm still trying to find the Samuel Barber music played just so. Please let me know if you know where I can get a copy... there are future grandchildren and grandnieces/nephews in my life whose lives will be incomplete without it. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Enough of Washington Irving's Magic Resonates
RIP VAN WINKLE is the kind of pseudo-fairy tale that can mean nearly anything that the reader wants. In the hands of director Francis Ford Coppola, RVW is a surprisingly entertaining version of the Washington Irving novel that was resurrected by the Fairie Tale Theater. A previous reviewer castigated Coppola for what he termed the cheapness of the sets. Yet, as I watched the film for myself (no children involved), I was carried along by what I saw as a deliberately surreal style that successfully mimicked the much more somber tone of the text. Rip (Harry Dean Stanton)is presented as a henpecked husband of wife Vilma (Talia Shire), a woman whose cacophanous shrewishness more clearly suggests Margaret Hamilton's Wicked Witch of the West than the shrill yelping of say Hillary Clinton. In such a non-threatening world, Vilma's harsh voice and equally harsh hairdo do little more than serve as plot devices to propel Rip into the haunted mountains of the Catskills, where the tale's true power resides. Rip leaves the outer level surreal world of his village to enter the inner level surreality of the Magic Mountain of Commander Heinrich. There he sees the magical ghosts whose own deaths 150 years ago prefigure his own looming sleep death of twenty years. Rip's return is a balancing of his own confusion of his long sleep with an equally confusing long sleep of the burgeoning united colonies. The silliness of the mayor (Tim Conway) suggests the subtext that the changes in Rip's village--astounding as they must seem to the bewildered Rip--are only the precursor to further changes that involve granting rights to women and people of color. When Rip finally accepts the reality of his new life, so does the viewer accept the notion that even the seeming reality of momentous changes must be viewed against future and even more momentous ones. RIP VAN WINKLE succeeds in resonating this message as well as far more "serious" films.

Faerie Tale Theatre: Rip Van Winkle
Atmospheric and delightful version of the Washington Irving classic from Faerie Tale Theatre. Francis Ford Coppola creates a spellbinding film with Harry Dean Stanton turning in a great performance as the man who liked to sleep alot! Talia Shire is wickedly funny as Rip's wife, Wilma. Alot of people probably think the same thing as I do, that the sets are a little too fake such as the sheet used for water when the goblins talk about their misfortunate shipwreck. Overall however, it's another excellent episode.

Francis Ford Coppola seems to be directing in his sleep....
First of all, let me state that Faerie Tale Theatre is one of the best children's series ever made. It walks the fine line of being entertaining for both children and adults without pandering to either. However, this is by far the weakest entry in the series and should be avoided by all but completists. The dark aspects of Washington Irving's book have been toned down in service of a bland script and oddly tacked-on environmental message. There are glimpses of the sort of magic and wonder the story invokes, but mostly this is a lifeless and static adaptation. Francis Ford Coppola is the most acclaimed director to work on the show, but he's directing on autopilot here. The script by Mark Curtiss and Rod Ash (who have notably written the most as well as the lamest scripts in the series) wanders aimlessly in the first half before crashing to a halt in the second. Harry Dean Stanton as Rip is one of the few good things here, but Talia Shire is woefully miscast (although I think that was the point) as Rip's overbearing wife. The series always runs on a shoestring, but here it really shows. During Hudson's flashback of the storm at sea, even young children will be rolling their eyes at the toy boat tossing around on a blanket. Some of the set pieces do deliver (most memorably the encounter with the ghosts) and Carmine Coppola's music is pretty enough, but I can find little else to recommend here. Maybe if you need help falling asleep.... ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Definite kid-pleaser
My three-year-old daughter fell in love with this the first time we borrowed it from the library. I enjoyed it myself; my only gripe is Conchata Ferrell's performance. This usually very talented actress seems bored to tears and injects absolutely no feeling into her role as Thumbelina's mother. It's as if she was directed to perform as stoically as possible. I don't get it at all. I am also not impressed with Carrie Fisher's singing here. I know she is capable of singing quite beautifully, I just don't think the folkish songs in this tale are well suited to her instrument. It's hard to pull off such dirges unless the singer has that ethereal, almost mediaeval quality to her voice (think Loreena McKennitt, Mediaveal Baebes). But those minor complaints are of no consequence whatsoever to the intended audience. Children will certainly be enchanted! It's witty script and a fun production.

The Little Thumb with a Big Heart
"Thumbelina" is a fantastic retelling of the classic Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale, "Little Thumb".

Produced in 1983 (and released the following year), as part of Shelley Duvall's charming live-action "Faerie Tale Theatre", the narrative is told with good humour, imagination, and a great sense of fun. The magnificent cast adds much colour and warmth to the proceedings. In particular, Carrie Fisher, in the title role, delivers a captivating performance. She makes an extremely attractive heroine, not to mention one who's "more than just another pretty face". She's an absolute delight, adding her unique qualities to the role. Not only is she pint-sized in real life (although not quite as tiny as a thumb!), she has a lovely, deep voice that is quite at odds with her diminutive stature. When she sings, it is a beautiful and rewarding experience. Indeed, she sings with "an angel's voice". (This is also a highlight for any Carrie Fisher fan, as she began her career as a singer, and yet she only sings briefly in "Hannah and Her Sisters", 1986, and in the Walt Disney live-action comedy, "Sunday Drive", also released in 1986.)

Carrie Fisher is supported by equally delightful character actors. The late Burgess Meredith is in top form as Mr Mole, the second would-be husband of Thumbelina. Likewise, William Katt makes a very positive impression as the Prince of the Flower Angels.

This wonderful fairy tale is further enhanced by excellent production values, including great music, atmospheric sets, and good costumes and creatures like Mother Toad, her hapless son, Herman, the Fieldmouse, and the Swallow.

The script faithfully follows the original story, although the gender of the Fieldmouse has been changed, making for a more convincing friendship with Mr Mole to exist, as well as creating a heartfelt guardianship of Thumbelina along strictly platonic lines.

This well-written and perceptive tale ("I'm always the bride, but never the bridesmaid") makes for enchanting family entertainment. "Thumbelina" delivers a great message, too, but above all, it's storytelling at it's most memorable.

I applaud executive producer Shelley Duvall, and all involved, for giving such a wonderful gift. It's up there with Jim Henson's equally engaging "Storyteller" anthology series, produced in the late 1980s, and the "The Doll", an Emmy Award winning episode of "Amazing Stories" (of the same era).

For me, it's an extra special treat because Carrie Fisher became much more than just Princess Leia with this performance. Besides, she continues to melt me every time she smiles as the Ultimate Flower Angel! Let's hope that this "Faerie Tale Theatre" production, along with my other favourites like "Beauty and the Beast", are re-released soon. Preservation on DVD for future generations is highly recommended. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Puss in Boots
This is a great movie. It's real light hearted and comical. The characters are all very love-able, except for the ogre of course! I also thought it was neat that all the main characters are African American. I highly recommend this film if you're looking for a good, clean, fun movie to enjoy. ... Read more

Reviews (19)

Winning Sequel!
it doesn't happen often, but occasionally a sequel far excedes the original. this is one of those times. guttenberg, sellick & danson are hilarious as the would-be batchelors turned babysitters, but now they have a much older mary to deal with. during the opening credits, you get to watch mary grow in a sequence of silent out-takes. nancy travis returns as actress/mother who is now successful. all live under one roof, but dealing w/ a 5 year old proves to be much more trying than dealing w/ a baby. this movie takes you thru twists & turns of each character's lives, all very funny. i only give it 4 due to a bit of a "serious" slowdown in the middle. this is a must see for any warm-hearted comedy fan or a fan of any of the fine actors who give excellant preformances. look for fiona shaw, who shows up about half way thru, adding even more humor as a stodgy(maybe not?) private school headmistress. enough laughs & silly humor in this one to keep all viewers amused. it's even tame enough for the kids, with no serious language & very few adult situations. i'll not ruin any of the surprises for you by going into any details, but i'm sure all will enjoy this one!

The continuing story of Three Men and a Baby
In November 1987,Tom Selleck,Steve Guttenberg and Ted Danson began to delight audiences with their #1 blockbuster "Three Men And A Baby". Three years later,the sequel "Three Men And A Little Lady" was released. It didn't score as high as the first film at the box office. Robin Weisman is the 5-year-old little lady Mary in this film. The six-month-old baby in the first film was played by twins Lisa and Michelle Blair. The three men of course,are Peter Mitchell(Selleck),Michael Kellam(Guttenberg) and Jack Holden(Danson). Peter,Michael,Jack,Mary and Mary's mother Sylvia(Nancy Travis) are all living together now. Peter,Michael and Sylvia in one scene are at a meeting with the principal of an elementary school that Mary has been enrolled in. Jack,an actor dressed as Count Dracula,shows up at the meeting late(he was filming a TV commercial). Mary in another scene is taught by Peter the definition of the word "penis". Peter and Sylvia are both shocked. Michael was quite amused. There's also Edward,who's an Englishman like Sylvia. Edward directed Sylvia,who's also an actress,in a broadway play. Edward and Sylvia,romantically involved,plan to marry in their native England,taking Mary with them. Edward deceptively schemes to enroll Mary at the Pileforth Academy,a boarding school there. In another scene,Sylvia is extremely angry at Peter because of some comments he made when Edward visited. She slapped him hard in the face. So Sylvia,Mary and Edward head for England. So Peter,Michael and Jack throw a party just like they did in one scene from the first film. Mary was sad to leave her father Jack and his two roommates. So Peter and Michael surprisingly travel to England to visit Sylvia,Mary and Edward. Jack was filming a movie so he couldn't join his roommates. Jack,dressed as the late Hollywood great Carmen Miranda,phones Michael in England. Jack said he wouldn't be able to attend Edward's and Sylvia's wedding. But,Jack,as himself,later arrives in England in time for the wedding,which never happens. As the bogus wedding begins,Peter,Michael and Elsabeth,Pileforth's principal,crash the ceremony with the enrollment list for the next term on which Mary appears. Sylvia had not known about it until this point and she become furious at Edward. I said "bogus" because the unofficial ceremony was performed by Jack,made up as an elderly priest. Sylvia decided she's going to continue living in New York and tells Peter,"You can see Mary as much as you like." Peter told Sylvia that he loved her. So a real certified priest enters the chapel,marrying Peter and Sylvia. Jack catches the bridal bouquet thrown by Sylvia after the ceremony. WAITING FOR A STAR TO FALL,performed by Boy Meets Girl,on hit parade in the fall of 1988,is played during the end credits. By the way,Sylvia's mother,of course,attended her daughter's wedding. She also visited in New York where Sylvia,Mary,Peter,Michael and Jack live.

It Was Okay but Not Great!
I liked Three Men and a Baby so I watch Three Men and a Little Lady and sorry but I just thought it was a decent sequel but nothing special or amazing and I was disappointed, it just didn't make me laugh and smile as much as Three Men and a Baby did and wasn't as enjoyable and is a 2 1/2 star movie at best!

It just doesn't even compare to the first movie!

It Was Okay
I liked Three Men and a Baby so I watch Three Men and a Little Lady and sorry but I just thought it was a decent sequel but nothing special or amazing and I was disappointed, it just didn't make me laugh and smile as much as Three Men and a Baby did and wasn't as enjoyable and is a 2 1/2 star movie at best.

Awesome
A great way to followup the classic "three men and a baby"!!! you have got to see this one if you loved the first one. its a must!!!!!! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Faerie Tale Theatre: The Nightingale
Mick Jagger stars as the Emperor of Cathay in this beautiful and lavish production from Faerie Tale Theatre. It's one of the most touching faerie tales, and it turns out to be one of the best episodes from this series. Jagger turns in an excellent performance as the Emperor, and Barbara Hershey is absolutely charming as the loyal kitchen maid. A spellbinding episode that is one of my favourites.

Sweet and affecting
Mick Jagger stars as the Emperor of Cathay in THE NIGHTINGALE, FAERIE TALE THEATRE'S great new telling of the tale.

He is quite good in his acting role here, although one can't help thinking that someone more suitable could have been found, considering the series' impeccable casting in all its productions.

Barbara Hershy plays the Little Kitchen Maid who opens the Emperor's heart by bringing him the magical Nightingale, who is voiced by Shelly Duvall (creator and producer of the series).

Also featured are Mako and Edward James Olmos. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

My favorite childhood movie!
My sister and I were recently discussing our favorite movies when we were little. And this one was it. We had the disney movies and stuff, but this movie is funny and a great story. We use to watch this movie a lot! A great, perfect movie for children.

Fond Memories
I rented every volume of the Faerie Tale Theatre that the video store had at least 100 times when I was a kid. All these years later, this is the one I remember the most. That must say something for the quality of this story. Kids and parents will love it.

The Princess Who Had Never Laughed
I really enjoyed this movie. It was very comical. It's the funniest Faerie Tale Theatre film I've seen yet. And it teaches a very good moral too! A great family film! ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

This faithful broadcast TV remake of the classic Jule Styne/Stephen Sondheim musical looms as a career triumph for top-lined Bette Midler--and a bittersweet measurement of how far mainstream film and TV have retreated from the glories of musical theater. By the time Midler, as the mother of all stage mothers, observes, "I was born too early and started too late," it's only too obvious that the star's words are an ironic inversion. Had Midler been born earlier, she certainly would have reigned as a major musical comedy star. In a role form-fitted to Ethel Merman's brassy persona and brassier voice, Midler more than holds her ground musically and, especially, dramatically.

Titled partly for its source, the life of stripper Gypsy Rose Lee, Gypsy alludes as well to the itinerant life of her family. The show's focal point isn't the titular character, but rather her manipulative mother, Mama Rose (Midler), who channels her own frustrated dreams of stardom into Baby June, the curly blonde daughter who always eclipses sister Louise. The story follows Rose's machinations as she tirelessly reinvents June to defy the passage of time and even puberty itself. By the time Louise herself conquers the marquee as Gypsy Rose Lee, Rose's single-minded focus has alienated her long-suffering lover and agent, Herbie (a well-cast Peter Riegert), and surrendered to the inherent compromise of burlesque.

Midler's Rose reveals glimpses of vulnerability and a delusional monstrousness that provide a dark, gritty subtext. Studded with wonderful songs, the Styne/Sondheim scoreunderlines those themes deftly, especially in Sondheim's multileveled lyrics. This Gypsy also benefits from uniformly nifty casting:in addition to Reigert (Crossing Delancey, Local Hero), Cynthia Gibb slowly blooms as Louise, and Jennifer Rae Beck, Andrea Martin, Christine Ebersole, and erstwhile new-wave singer Rachel Sweet are delights. --Sam Sutherland ... Read more

Reviews (20)

glorious return to the classic musical
This made-for-TV version of the classic Broadway show GYPSY is remarkable. It sticks primarily to what to see if you were in a theatre. The show is essentially what you would see if you were on Broadway.

Bette Midler is dynamite as Mama Rose, the ultimate stage mother. She reportedly recorded most of her songs live, without the pre-recorded vocal track. The role had been a dream of Midler's for years. She makes an indelible impression in the role.

Cynthia Gibb (THE KAREN CARPENTER STORY) plays Louise, who would blossom into the burlesque stripper Gypsy Rose Lee. She has a pleasant singing voice and charming acting style. She has been highly acclaimed for her performance here.

Peter Riegert plays Herbie, Rose's love interest. In a very under-developed and not very well-written role, Riegert tries his best. He also sings wonderfully.

In supporting roles are Jennifer Beck as June, Christine Ebersole as Tessie Tura, Anna McNeely as Elektra, Linda Hart as Mazeppa, and Jeffrey Broadhurst as Tulsa.

A glittering, lavish, explosive production that can be revisited again and again.

What the show deserves
Finally, a film version that does this classic show justice. It keeps the original book intact, along with Jerome Robbin's expert choreography, adds some smart dierection and a tour-de-force performance by Midler. Though Midler may look a little too young to play Mama Rose, she pulls off the part remarkably well. You can see her determination to make her daughters succeed and deep sadness at her own failures in songs like "Some People," "Everything's Comming Up Roses," and "Mama's Turn." The movies fine script really gives Bette something to work with in term of character development and she succeeds. The supporting cast is strong enough to stand up against Bette, which is saying a lot. The actress playing the title character really evolves throughought the show from a meek tom-boy to a successful stripper. She handles not only both ends of the spectrum, but everything in between as well. The music, of course, is wonderful, and it's giving good showing in this production. _Gypsy_ is a wonderful show, and its a good thing someone came along to preserve it the way it should be done.

BETTE ITS HER GREATEST ROLE
Bette midler plays ROSE HOVIC who always has her daughters in acts.
As they grow up June leaves and Louise becomes a stripper.
This leads rose too...............................................

Gypsy is Awesome!
THIS MOVIE IS EXCELLENT! PLEASE SEE IT, ESPECIALLY ON BROADWAY NOW, WITH BERNADETTE PETERS. I LOVE THE MUSIC, AND THE STORY, AND ESPECIALLY STEPHEN SONDHEIM, THIS IS A MASTERPIECE, IT MAKES YOU CRY.

Bette is great
I bought this CD on a recommendation not knowing what to expect.

Well, I was stunned by Bette Midler's performance. It's Rose's show of course.

The supporting roles are good as well. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Faerie Tale Theatre: The Three Little Pigs
Hilarious episode from the Faerie Tale Theatre series with an all-star cast. Billy Crystal as well as his on-screen brother actors are excellent as the three pigs, and Jeff Goldblum is show-stealing as the Big Bad Wolf. Valerie Perrine is a knock-out and makes a surprisingly sexy pig in this faerie tale. A great comedic hit for the entire family to enjoy!

I love this series!
My brother, sisters and I grew up watching the Faerie Tale Theatre collection, and loving them all. By the way, they're not just for kids! My mother loved them so much she went out of her way to find them for my little niece to enjoy. I highly recommend them to anyone with (or even without) children to view them!

cute and appealing
Billy Crystal, Valerie Perrine, Doris Roberts and Jeff Goldblum star in the new telling of the tale from FAERIE TALE THEATRE.

One of the more light-hearted entries in the series, its a delightfully comic piece, played out by master comedians Crystal and Roberts, with the beautiful Perrine cutting a mean figure as a porker indeed.

The series was a huge success, boasting a huge multi award-winning cast (Tonys, Oscars, Emmys, Grammys, Golden Globes, etc), and creator/producer Shelly Duvall has earned laurels for one of the finest family series in years.

Best of the Fairie Tale Theatres
I must have rented this video 40-50 times for my then pre-school age son and daughter. We all had the lines memorized. Billy Crystal is terrific as one of the pigs (Peter, Paul and Larry) and Jeff Goldblum is a howl as the wolf. The whole cast is great. This is truly a film that everyone in the family will love. The best.

As Unforgettable as Nat
This was a household staple rented over and over from our local video store, played over and over for all ages whenever our guests seemed willing. There was never ever anything but laughter and appreciation; I'm still trying to find the Samuel Barber music played just so. Please let me know if you know where I can get a copy... there are future grandchildren and grandnieces/nephews in my life whose lives will be incomplete without it. ... Read more

Reviews (28)

Impressive production; all-around fine performance; good DVD
All things considered, I have to say that this is quite an enjoyable theatrical presentation of Balanchine's "The Nutcracker." Looking at "the show" itself, its most rave-worthy characteristic is how well the team of Peter Martins (ballet master), Emile Ardolino (director) and Ralf Bode (cinematographer) collaborated to actually "choreograph the camera" to the movements of the performers. Thanks to a talented movie crew and an incredible amount of consideration given to viewing angles (read the description in the disc's "special features"), the TV always seemed to be showing exactly what I wanted to look at on the stage. Add in some nice work by Industrial Light & Magic, decent narration, and a top-notch production team, and the result is a superb presentation.

From a performance standpoint, I'd give this an A-minus mainly because the versions of "The Nutcracker" I've seen most often cast the Nutcracker Prince in a much more active role dancewise. Still, everyone else did a fantastic job. Noteworthy were the Pas de Deux by the Cavalier (Damian Woetzel) and Sugarplum Fairy (Darci Kistler), and the powerful dance presence of Coffee (Wendy Whelan). The other "Sweets" performed very well also. So long as you try not to picture Macaulay Culkin as a ballet dancer, you'll be okay. Let's face it: you can't expect the little guy to measure up next to the NYC Ballet, but he is there to add a little star appeal and possibly sell ballet to your kids (which may not be a bad idea). Nuff said. By the way, the younger performers from the School of American Ballet were wonderful.

Regarding disc features, the DVD has some cool stuff to offer: two viewing formats, 30-scene index, and some good production notes regarding the history of the show, camera choreography and description of ILM's special effects.

Five Stars Despite Macauley
The one time that I've seen the George Balanchine production of 'The Nutcracker' in New York, I was standing at the back of the top balcony. I obviously couldn't see much even with the pair of 7x50 binoculars I brought, so I'm glad that this DVD has become available. The recording wasn't made before an audience but was nonetheless filmed on stage. It thus preserves the appearance and staginess of the original production, while the camerawork has more freedom and energy than it would have otherwise.

The dancers of the NYC Ballet and the students from its associated school, the School of American Ballet, have performed the Balanchine Nutcracker every Christmas season since 1969 (the film was made in 1993). I prefer this production in great part because children and not adults perform the children's roles unlike most of the other tapes and DVDs available. Here the kids are delighfully energetic and enthusiastic; the only sour note is Macauley Culkin as the nutcracker-prince. He attended the SAB for awhile, and he looks thoroughy bored at returning to his old haunts. I don't know if it's his fault or the director's, but his disdainful expressions are rather off-putting. He was obviously cast to draw a larger audience, and he certainly looks the part, but his dancing skills aren't good enough for what amounts to the lead role.

A recent article in the NYT said that the SAB has for some years been making a concerted effort to attract more boys (free tuition, no tights, frequent auditions, single-sex classes, etc.). The result is that all the boys' roles in this performance are filled by boys and not disgruntled little girls.

I quite enjoy this DVD, and I highly recommend it. It has few extra materials; only some short biographies and some footage about making the film. I would like to have had some rehearsal and backstage footage since I'm not familiar with how a ballet is put together.

Not so Outstanding
This was a dissapointment. When I first watched the movie, I almost fell asleep during the first act. If I was you, just skip the entire first half and go right to the dancing snowflakes. The first act had no interesting roles dance wise. The second half was pretty good(dance roles of the sweets....hot chocolate,candy cane,etc.)Any part with Culkin was a drag, in the fact that his dancing was horrible and the steps that he was given were horrible too. The girl that played Marie looked like she could have been a good dancer, but they flunked out when giving her a role with no ballet dancing. If you are a fan of ballet dancing like me, I would not recommend this version of the Nutcracker. The only good parts were the dances of the sweets and the snowflakes, the rest was fast forward worthy material. So give yourself a break, and get a better version. I wish I had.

Good choice for young children
If you have a young child who wants to see the Nutcracker at home, this is the version to buy (I bought it for my 3 year old boy who loved the ballet): Here are its selling points and comments on some previous remarks

1. There really aren't that many versions out there. Baryshnikov's is not a very child friendly version. Yes it's true, this does not have the precision of some of the other corps but this version is really geared to young children. And it's a great version for them to see.

2. It is a plus that it features many child dancers. It allows children to see others like them dancing. Additionally, a big bonus is that there are acutally boys dancing male parts - parents of boys who love ballet like myself will appreciate this.

3. Yes, Culkinis a bad dancer but as someone else noted - if it helps sell the movie, then it gets ballet out to more people which is a plus (I personally think it's better than a Barbie doll version of Swan Lake). Again, for parents of boy dancers, it's nice to see a boy with a real dancing part.

4. The main character is called Marie because that's her name in the original book by ETA Hoffman (which by the way, is a VERY different story from the one we traditionally see in the ballet. It's a great book and for a special treat of the video performance of the real story see the Milwaukee Orchestra's Notes Alive: The Nutcracker: The Untold Story, based on Maurice Sendak's illustrations). In the original story, Clara is one of Marie's dolls.

5. I did not find Culkin's expressions to be disinterested or bored. To the contrary, I was impressed with his focus and respect throughout the show. There is a nice photo text book that accompanies this video. The book explains that the expression on his face early in the show may be his attempt to show that he is different, more refined, than the other more boisterous boys at the party including Fritz, Marie's brother.

The Enchanting Nutcracker- Balanchine's Masterpiece
The Nutcracker, is indeed the most enchanting ballet I have ever seen. It boils down to pure talent, as shown by the students of the School Of American Ballet. The students are by far the most talented and so are the company memebers. It is overwhelming to see such talent. Bravo! ... Read more