Amazon.com

Buried like a bone in a snowdrift, Balto never achieved the theatrical success it should have, but it's worth digging up. The film is structured on the true tale of a lead sled dog, Balto, that brought a diphtheria antitoxin to the small town of Nome, Alaska. The film balances comedy, villany, and drama very well and the voice work is above average. Safe family viewing, as even the villain's comeuppance manages a civilized resolution. The only problem is that the film never explains why these events in Alaska inspired New Yorkers to build a statue to the dog in Central Park. Maybe Balto eventually got mugged there. --Keith Simanton ... Read more

Reviews (51)

Wonderful!
This is a film I have no problem recommending to anyone! Suitable for adults and children alike, Balto is a movie that first touched my heart back in 1995 when it was first released and continues to reign as my all-time favorite animated movie. Kevin Bacon delivers an excellent performance as the humble and timid, Balto, while the rest of the voice cast brings to life his simple but captivating world. I can't say enough about this movie. While it isn't exactly historically correct, the movie uses the true story of Balto as a stepping-stone into a tale about friendship, love, and what real courage is. Relaying a timeless message of excepting others for who they truly are, Balto is a movie thats perfect for helping children realize that hate, prejudice, and discrimination are evil poisons. It also delivers a message about loving those who hate you and that one person (or dog) can make a difference- they just have to be willing to stand up and step in. These are lessons that not just children but also adults need to be reminded of and this is just the movie to do that. Forget Disney for awhile and check out this true masterpiece from Universal.

Couldn't be a better film!
This is a really good movie.I've been watching it for as long as I can remember.It's about a dog (part wolf)who is an outcast in Nome,Alaska.He's friends with a Russian snow goose called Boris (the funniest character in the movie) and 2 polar bears called Muk and Luk who can't swim.He's also in love with a dog called Jenna, and there's a villian called Steele.
When a disease strikes (with Jenna's owner, Rosie, among the sick) and the sled team sent to get the anti-toxin is lost, Balto must find and rescue the team and face avalanches,icicle falls and (of course) Steele.A brilliant movie.

A powerful story
My only regret with this movie, is that I did not catch it at the cinema! However when I first rented it from a video store, I instantly fell in love with it (and ended up re-renting it out quite a few times before finally receiving a VHS copy of my own later on). Now it is on DVD and so I have happily purchased this to keep forever more, it really is an absolute favourite of mine.

Story Summary:

Our main character is a half-dog, half-wolf protagonist who is shunned by the townspeople and rejects the outside life of the wolves, he doesn't belong anywhere. This story sees the children of the town threatened by a virus and when it seems that the life-saving medicine will be impossible to obtain, our protoganist throws himself into the world of both realities for the sake of others and getting his chance at proving his worth to the world, but not without it's trials and tribulations of course. Place in an overbearing and selfish lead husky, a gentle canine love interest, a cynical goose partner, and some fun polar bears, then be prepared for a ride filled with danger, love and humour. All carried along with a powerful message that "You don't need a pedigree to help someone" and of acceptance of the self so as to cherish those personal qualities that make you different and attempt to rise above the odds by acting to your fullest.

Elements:

The animation is wonderfully done, very impressive and carries the story well. As mentioned before, the music is also a treat, the end credits vocal fits the whole movie extremely well and is as powerful as the movie's message itself, the instrumental soundtrack also gives a powerful underlying atmosphere to all the dynamic scenes. The plot is played out well, as firstly you are gradually introduced to the main characters through fitting scenes and get a good feeling for who they are and how they carry themselves out in life, an important factor for following a character driven plot. Then there is a good variety in the action, causing our protagonist to be pitted against an array of odds that keep you gripped and doesn't let the pace die. As mentioned, the voices are all acted out very well.

Conclusion:

Either way this film is a must-see in my opinion, and one I have happily seen many times myself. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Sidenote:

However on another note, I believe the VHS cover would of been better than this new cover, it seemed to have a more powerful composition with a nice variety of colour. If I remember right, it doesn't outrightly say "true story", it was more like "the story that became a legend" which could still be in a fictional sense since it is a word often used in mystical themes, rather than the word "true" that pulls away any doubt of this not being from something or other based in reality. If I remember correctly that is. Either way, since I didn't enter this movie initially thinking in a forward manner of "This is based on a true story" I felt the ending words had an added impact. But this is an extremely minor point, and this movie is very impacting either way in my opinion.

So, as stated, this is based loosely on a true story. For the purpose of this version of the original story things have been re-invented and so on. I do not believe this being an alternative interpretation detracts from this movie, incase you wondered, and I feel it's very impacting and influential. When I first watched this film I had no idea of this being based at all on a true story, so when the final words came, "Based on a true story", I was very touched as the underlying achievement is extremely impressive. To see the bare facts you may wish to see other documentation in company with this movie, however.

All in all, a great and influential story.

Lots of fun!
Does it really matter that this isn't exactly "historical?" I mean c'mon people, it's entertainment, not a history book.

My only gripe is that is was released in 4:3, aka "Full Screen." This was probably done for the kiddies, but for those of us that enjoy a good animated flick, release it in widescreen! That's the only reason it doesn't rate 5 stars.

If you've got access to a region free DVD player, order the German version from Amazon.de. It's a much nicer presentation, in it's original 16:9, with the english dialogue track.

Maybe Universal will release a special edition here in the states, with the theatrical version. Don't hold your breath too long, tho!

Another Universal Classic Animated Feature
Balto has been around since 1995 and even today the animation is still spactacular. There is nothing but absolute beauty in every shot and in every note in the compelling music score. The voice acting is performed very well. Especially Phill Collins as Muk and Luk. If there's one complaint I have about this film is the fact that it's not acclaimed as much as it should be. I do wish that a widescreen presentation was availible and I don't very much agree with them changing the cover art. Unfortunatey Universal doesn't seem to care much. But the film is a joy either way. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Mixed bag
On one hand, "He's Your Dog Charlie Brown" is interesting and somewhat amusing as the tale of Snoopy behaving badly and having to stay with Peppermint Patty. This tale somewhat foreshadows the film "Snoopy Come Home." On the other hand I guess you have to really be a kid to enjoy "Flash beagle." I was in my twenties when I saw it and thought it was WAY too corny. Must be my age.

Worth seeing for Flashbeagle
The first special on this VHS, HE'S YOUR DOG, basically, in a word, sucks. The plot revolves around Snoopy needing to go to obedience school due to his bratty behavior. The story and dialogue are poorly written, and the animation is poor. Snoopy is such an unsympathetic character that the viewer doesn't care what hapens to him. The only redeeming things about this are some of the backgraound art and Vince Guaraldi's great soundtrack.

On the other hand FLASHBEAGLE is overall great, probably one of the 10 best specials of all time. This is like a Peanuts homage to musicals. At times the "dancing" looks stiff and awkward; however, this is probably the best animation you can expect when dealing with characters whose limbs are like macaroni. A lot of the songs are quite catchy, like the "Flashbeagle" theme song, "Listen to Lucy", and "Pigpen Hoedown".

3-1/2 stars -- Peanuts classics
Until a couple of years ago, if you couldn't catch a Peanuts cartoon/special on TV or pick up a Peanuts treasury from the library, then you were out of luck. But now, classic Peanuts material is much easier to find. One such classic -- well, CLASSICS, rather -- is this video, which contains He's Your Dog, Charlie Brown from 1968 and It's Flashbeagle, Charlie Brown from 1983.

He's Your Dog is about everyone complaining to Charlie Brown about Snoopy's lack of obedience, and Flashbeagle is loosely based on Flashdance (which came out earlier that same year) with Snoopy playing the lead character. Both specials are good -- actually, the latter is GREAT -- but there are some other points I would like to cover.

To understand why I gave this video a 3-1/2-star rating, let me go into more detail about the specials. As I said before, He's Your Dog is about Snoopy's lack of obedience. He even causes problems to Charlie Brown, because he insists on walking Snoopy on a leash, and Snoopy behaves as though he can't breathe -- or that Charlie Brown's grip is too strong on him, I'm not sure which. Anyway, Charlie Brown sends Snoopy to stay with Peppermint Patty for a while to learn some discipline, which Patty briefly explains to Roy.

Actually, that's another thing I've always wondered about. What exactly is the deal with Roy? He always just happened to appear around Peppermint Patty, and I'm not sure if he lived with her, or if SHE lived with HIM, or what. And why was he always wearing that hat from camp?

Anyway, back to the movie. After a while it looks as though Snoopy is well-mannered, but when Charlie Brown comes to pick him up, he makes the mistake of bringing the leash with him, which causes Snoopy to literally tear up the leash. Okay, Snoopy can tear up a leash with his bare hands, yet he is unable to get out of the leash when Charlie Brown is walking him?

Flashbeagle has more of a party theme, as the kids are all at a party (I'm not exactly sure whose party it WAS, though) and they get into games ("Lucy Says", like Simon Says) and dance routines (Charlie Brown's "The Pigpen Hoedown") and such. The only thing really wrong with this special was that the animation was kind of lazy. If more than one person was in any shot, you'll notice that the person talking was usually the only person moving -- nobody else was even blinking. Maybe United Feature Syndicate didn't want to shell out too much money and instead just stuck still frames in.

Finally, I don't understand why these two videos are packaged together because their respective themes aren't even remotely related (and don't say they're both about Snoopy; you know that's not what I mean). But this is still decent enough to pick up if you want to relive some nice Peanuts memories.

Anthony Rupert

they call him flash, flash, flashbeagle
my kids can't get enough of this video. my 7 yr.old loves lucy's says and wants me to forward the tape to the party.
my 4 yr old loves snoopy when snoopy play fight with lucy by
licking her. he sometime plays like he's snoopy and does the
same thing. great laughs all around.

Our kids' favorite Peanuts Double Feature video
We own several of the Peanuts Double Feature videos, and this one is our kids' favorite.

The first program, "He's Your Dog, Charlie Brown" is one of the earliest Peanuts specials and is my favorite of the two episodes on the tape. Snoopy's initial, ornery mischief-making is quite humorous, and his eventual taming by Peppermint Patty is a nice lesson in responsibility and gratitude. It's classic Schultz that many parents(like me) will find both nostalgic and funny.

The second, "It's Flashbeagle, Charlie Brown!," seems dated to me in certain respects (particularly the disco theme), but is far and away the kids' (ages 6 and 3) favorite. Flashbeagle is the most musical of all the Peanuts special outings, with a number of catchy, character-specific songs that never fail to get our daughters up and dancing (our 3-year-old now sings along with "Listen to Lucy").

This is a solid Peanuts tape worth having in your kids' video library. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

The movie was good.
Boy, it's astounding how many "11-year old viewers" on Amazon are so surprisingly literate and exacting in writing reviews. You'd think that maybe it was just an adult trying to pass themselves off for whatever reason, but no, certainly, it couldn't be that. Besides, we all know how much concern the average pre-teen has for accurate portrayals of historical figures in film.

A Real Disappointment----
Though I was optimistic when I started the movie, I was soon appalled to see the way it portrayed Ben Franklin. Ben Franklin was a famous inventor, not a befuddled old man who can barely remember his own name! His 'Poor Richard's Almanac' was very popular, but this movie made it sound boring and unnecessary. Right from the point that Amos arrived in Ben Franklin's shop, he was helping him. Ben Franklin invented bifocals and the Franklin stove on his own, but here Amos is said to have come up with both! And in the incident where Ben Franklin flies the kite in the storm, the real scientific purpose is never even mentioned. Instead, Amos is again in the spotlight, put out at being a part of one of Ben's "silly experiments." The story suggests that Benjamin Franklin can't manage anything without the help of the mouse. And towards the end of the story, when AMOS is shown to have been the writer of the beginning of the Delcaration of Independence I couldn't believe my eyes! I couldn't and still can't believe how much they omitted or changed the real history, to show Amos as the hero in every situation. Educational and Historical? It might make a good animated film for kids just to watch for pleasure, but if you're looking for an educational video this is the wrong place to go!

How well do we really know Ben Franklin?
Ben and me is the fun-filled story of Benjamin Franklin's friendship with a little mouse named Amos. In the 1700's, Amos the mouse set out to make his way in early America. He soon found himself at the home of Benjamin Franklin, a young, unsuccessful printer and bookbinder. Seeing an opportunity to help Ben out and find a place for himself, Amos supplies Ben with helpful ideas to improve his life and business. Together they work on Ben's paper, and Amos invents the Franklin stove and bifocals. Soon, thanks to Amos, Ben is the successful and well respected publisher of the Pennsylvania Gazette, and he is fast becoming one of the most popular men in America. But Ben and Amos have a falling out one day, when Ben's experiments with electricity prove to be hazardous to Amos's health one time too many. The two spend several years apart, until war is in the air and America is ready to separate from its mother country of England. Ben goes to Amos for help, wanting his little friend to return home with him and resume their partnership, but Amos is still bitter after all these years. Amos draws up a contract that Ben must agree to if they are to be friends again, a contract that reads remarkably similarly to our own Declaration of Independence!
Ben and Me is a wonderful Disney Classic featurette about Ben Franklin and America's struggle for Independence. It is definitely a must watch around the 4th of July, and a must have for any fan of Ben Franklin, the American Revolution, or Disney Animation in general! I'm thrilled to have it in my video collection! Pick your copy up before it's gone!

Entertaining AND Eductational
This is a wonderful video, which teaches alot about Benjamin Franklin, while being quite entertaining for children. My 2 year-old loves it. I wish Disney made more videos like this one.

Ben and Me Is a Great Historical Educational Video
The movie, Ben and Me, is a good historical, educational video for children yet it is also humorous. My mom even liked it! It teaches a lot about Benjamin Franklin and how he got his ideas, from a mouse named Amos! Buy this video and have fun! We sure did. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

awesome movie
this is an awesome movie .... my most memorable part of this movie was the mad hatter song ... "you like hats? i'm mad about hats" lol ... def worth buying

who doesnt love the carebears?
aright.. i never write reviews. but i personally LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS MOVIE! i saw it when i was a kid.. and never forgot any scene or song lyric. i purchased a copy the movie years later (im now 18) and still love it! i dunno recent years i've been shot back into the 80's cartoons. they were just so much better then some of the stuff now.. dont get me wrong spongebob is coo.. but i'd pass him up for carebears anyday.

"You Are As Special As You Think You Are"
How could I argue with the wonderful message in this movie? What little girl couldn't relate with Alice? Okay, granted this was a really weird concept. What any of this really has to do with Alice in Wonderland escapes me. That white rabbit drove me crazy nagging everyone about how they were running out of time. That mad hatter song was really annoying. Yes, the antics of the evil wizard's two inept minions were far more aggravating than comical. But who can't relate with Grumpy Bear's ongoing search for breakfast? Okay, so the whole idea of the care bears having this adventure in wonderland and having all these vague references to the real wonderland is really bizarre, but let's try to look past that. This movie has incredible messages. First, we've got the young girl with the self-esteem issues who gains a lot of insight when she travels to wonderland and learns that you really are as special as you think you are. Secondly, I picked up on another message altogether that no one else seems to have discussed yet. There seems to be a message about appreciating and maintaining diversity. I know it sounds crazy, but the evil wizard was determined to rid wonderland of all its beautiful colors and its unique varieties, and the care bears were determined to stop him from making wonderland bland and black-and-white. It was subtle, and I certainly didn't pick up on it when I was five, but I think the film makers intended for the audience to pick up on that message. Obviously, this movie isn't nearly as popular as the other care bears movies, but I really believe this one is worth watching.

Care Bears: Adventures in Wonderland
GREAT movie for kids, even us older folks!!! One of the best Care Bears movies!

For Any Care Bear Lovers.
If you are familiar with the Care Bear movies, this one is the most colorful of the series; and if you are not familiar with them then this will be an extra special treat. The plot combines the Care Bears and the Care Bear Cousins with the hapless Alice of from Lewis Carol's novel, Alice in Wonderland. Complete with a white rabbit, a mad hatters, not to mention cheesy-yet-catchy song. Definitely for anyone who enjoys animated films. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Pilchard the cat finds a missing chinchilla, nervous Lofty delivers a joist to a worksite (almost) by himself, Dizzy the cement mixer gets to play sheepdog, and the whole crew builds a competition-worthy snowman for Lofty while he's out rescuing folks in these four episodes emphasizing working together. Meanwhile, the crew builds pens for a petting zoo, fixes a burst pipe, takes down a wall in Mr. Bentley's home, and builds a new barn for Farmer Pickles. Bob and Wendy prove admirable parent figures by handling each mishap with patience and a ready solution, earning the devotion and cooperation of their machinery. Ah, if only real families were such constructive crews! With four additional 2-minute shorts, this positive-minded program clocks in at 43 minutes. (Ages 2 to 5) --Kimberly Heinrichs ... Read more

Reviews (1)

LOTS OF FUN FOR A BOB FAN!
My [little] son enjoys this DVD and I like the "teamwork" message that it sends. I also like that includes an easy-to-use menu and that the previews are AFTER the shows. I think that in the past, the Bob DVDs were designed differently. They got it right this time! ... Read more

Reviews (18)

Snoopy For Head Beagle!
The 1st part of this 7th volume of This Is America, Charlie Brown features the Peanuts gang at the many museums of the Smithsonian Institution. Snoopy gets upset when he see the Red Baron's airplane, Charlie Brown is flattered to see a lunar space module named after himself and Snoopy, Sally wonders if the paintings displayed were "paint by numbers" paintings, Lucy spots a cartoon of herself pulling that football away from you-know-who ("How did we wind up there?", she wonders), and Linus witnesses a big mouth and dares to tell Lucy "We finally found something with a mouth bigger than yours!"

The 2nd part of this video talks about the Presidents. Charlie Brown and Linus go back to 1865 and visit Abraham Lincoln as he's on his way to Gettysburg, PA. Linclon discusses the Civil War and a speech he's currently getting ready to give (known as the Gettysburg Address, of course!). Then the gang goes to 1901 in Yosemite National Park to hear Theodore Roosevelt talk about his plans to conserve wildlife. Finally, they go to the 1930's and witness the Great Depression. Franklin D. Roosevelt is inaugurated and promises aid to those out of work. Dave Grusin provides this video's soundtrack, and selections of it are featured on the CD Happy Anniverdsary, Charlie Brown.

Loan Ben a Kite, Charlie Brown!
In Volume 6 of This Is America, Charlie Brown (The Birth of the Constitution), the Peanuts gang are asked to help out while our Founding Fathers discuss the Constitution in 1788. Charlie Brown helps with valet parking (saddling up horses) and experiments with some new games, Snoopy is the guard-dog, Peppermint Patty and Marcie serve water, Linus is the greeter, and Lucy is in charge of cleanup (and of course, complains about it!). Questions abound: should the new country have more governmental power or less? Lucy thinks the solution is to have a queen! Benjamin Franklin stops by Charlie Brown's house to borrow one of his kites for his latest experiment! Snoopy and Woodstock clown around with colonial wigs and try rowing a sinking boat (with Snoopy posing as General George Washington!). This video features a lovely soundtrack by George Winston (known for his Windham Hill collections), who plays Vince Guaraldi's original standards on both piano and harpsicord.

Great cartoon! (And educational, too.)
This Is America, Charlie Brown cartoons were very innovative specials that featured the Peanuts characters in important moments in history, and gave kids (as well as parents) a fun insight on how certain histicorial characters (and their influences) came to be. This episode is about the how the Constitution was created, as well as how the legislative, executive and judicial branches affected the delegates. The special mainly revolved around Linus and Peppermint Patty, but the other usual characters were there as well (Schroeder was only in one scene, but he didn't have any line).

I knocked off a star because the idea of Charlie Brown inventing all those sports, like basketball and baseball ("I bet that hitting a ball with a stick would make a great game!"), was a little too surreal. But it's all right because the special is still great. These This Is America specials rarely come on television any more, so if you want to see them, click the ADD TO CART button.

Anthony Rupert

It was good.
My 4 year old and my 6 year old enjoy this tape very much. They have learned much about the Transcontinental Railroad. This video is packed with a lot of facts, but done in a way that the children enjoy watching. I am well pleased that it is a part of our collection.

Peanuts does it again
Once again Charles Schultz's lovable charachters manage to bring entertainment in a successful combination with education to children. As the Christmas special and Thanksgiving special take moments to recognize the history of these holidays, this series of videos brings America's history to young viewers. In the Great inventors, Alexander Graham Bell's discovery of the telephone is pure entertainment. I found myself learning along with my kids. I think this series is an outstanding attempt to introduce American history to even the youngest viewer. While there are some moments that the stories are probably lost on the young viewer, kids are introduced to the langauge of our history that may help them remember these events when learning about them in school. I recommend this series to any parent who is looking for a way to introduce these concepts and events to his or her children. ... Read more

Amazon.com

What can two little mice possibly do to save an orphan girl who'sfallen into evil hands? With a little cooperation and faith in oneself,anything is possible! As members of the mouse-run International RescueAid Society, Bernard and Miss Bianca respond to orphan Penny's call forhelp. The two mice search for clues and, with the help of an old cat namedRufus, track Penny to the clutches of the evil Madame Medusa in adilapidated ship in Devil's Bayou. It turns out that Medusa is using Pennyto locate and retrieve the Devil's Eye Diamond--a stone she'll stop atnothing to possess. With a cunning plan, courageous acts, cooperation fromlocal animal life, and lots of faith, Bernard and Miss Bianca helpPenny find the diamond and escape from Medusa. The result of theiradventure is that Bernard and Miss Bianca become close friends and Pennygets adopted. This somewhat dark, classic 1977 animated Disney film is based on MargerySharp's The Rescuers and Miss Bianca, and features the AcademyAward-nominated song "Someone's Waiting for You." Voice talents includeEva Gabor as Miss Bianca, Bob Newhart as Bernard, Geraldine Page as MadameMedusa, and Jim Jordan (radio's Fibber McGee) as Orville Albatross. Followedby the sequel The Rescuers Down Under. (Ages 5 to 11) --TamiHoriuchi ... Read more

Reviews (38)

Nero!!...Brutus!!....Stop that making that noise in there!!!
The Rescuers is one of my all-time favorite Disney films to watch. I saw this movie when I was 6 years old and now that I'm 21, I still love this movie.
The story begins when a little girl named Penny is kidnapped by a evil woman named Madame Medusa who forces Penny to search and find a large diamond called the Devil's Eye, thats hidden in a underground cove called Devils Bayou. Penny, however, manages to send messages in bottles to get help from the outside, and the R.A.S. Rescue Aid Society, the secret organization that's composed of mice from around the world answer Penny's call for help and they send two mice Bernard, who's the janitor, and a agent from Hungray named Miss Bianca. The only way to get to Devil's Bayou is the Albatross Air Service that's ran by Orville, a bumbling, wise-cracking albatross who's the pilot, flight annoucer, and the plane.
When they do get to Devil's Bayou, Bernard and Bianca witness a escape attempt made by Penny, who get snatched by Medusa's two bumbling pet alligators, Nero and Brutus.
My favorite scene is where Nero and Brutus are trying to catch Bernard and Bianca when they're trapped in a pipe organ, and while Nero is playing the organ, Brutus trys to catch them when the air comes up through the pipes.
If you want a good family classic to watch, give The Rescuers a try, I love it.

I didn't know
I didn't know that Disney was planning are releasing this movie on dvd, until today. And I watched this movie tonight. I had a vhs copy of this movie around. And I think this was the first Disney movie to have a sequel, and this movie was out about 13 years, before the sequel to this movie was made. It tells a story about 2 mice, 1 a janitor and the other a lady on a mission to save a young girl named Penny that was kidnapped from an orphanage. As the movie opened, Penny (Michelle Stacey) drops a bottle that is a cry for help, and the bottle finds its way to New York, where a couple of mice discovers it, and the Recure Aid Soceity calls to order, a meeting. A janitor mouse named Bernard (Bob Newhart) brings ladder (that is really a comb), cames the comb, and goes inside, manges to get the message out of the bottle, but keeps falling back to the bottom of the bottle. The message is all watered out, and a mouse named Miss Bianca (Eva Gabor) manges to make out some of the message, including Penny's name. Miss Bianca decides to ask to take the misiion, even though Bernarnd doesn't think it is a good idea for Miss Bianca to go alone. So the chairmouse, decides for Miss Bianca to selct a co-agent to go with her, and she has a lot of vanletters, which makes it hard for her to chose, and she picks Bertand.

Theatre Gem
I remember my parents taking me to see this gem of a film in the theatre. I was captivated by the cute girl Penny and the two mean gators. This film was a fun Disney film. It seemed weird when they released "Resuers Down Under" WAY before this one?!?!? But now you can complete or expand your Disney collection with this piece of Disney Gold!

Cool film!
Although this film doesn't particularly follow the same story line as the forgotten Margery Sharp classic, I have to admit that the film is better in it's own way. To start, in the book, the rescuers, janitor Bernard, Lady Miss Bianca and sailor mouse Nils go into the Black Castle to rescue a Norweian poet, but this is just some no-one who you really don't get to know that well, since he comes at the end of the book and barely even speaks, you can't feel for the character, however, Penny is filled with charming personality, and you learn to love her as you watch the film. Nils was a very charming little mouse in the book, too bad he wasn't in Disney's film. Then Madame Medusa is a great villain compared to the boring jailers and gate keepers in the book, since they do nothing to stop the young poet from scaping. In Disney's film, Madame Medusa has held Panny captive for months because she needs her to find the world's largest diamond, and the rescuers are flying into a journey to her rescue. Lovable film, pretty disappointing DVD, hopefully Disney will give us another, better edition.

There unconfirmed rumors that a new sequel, The Rescuers III: Journey to the Black Castle is in the works, and this time, little cute Nils would be joining us, I would loooove to see that!

R-E-S-C-U-E, Rescue Aid Society....
When a young girl's plea for help it found via bottle in the ocean, Miss Bianca of the Rescue Aid Society, along with her partner Bernard, go on an action packed adventure to rescue her.

Young Penny had disappeared from Morningside Orphange one day and no one has seen her since. With a tip from the Orphange's wise old cat, the two mice track down a pawn shop run by Madame Medusa. She is the one, along with her goofy sidekick Snoops, who kidnapped Penny and is holding her hostage deep in the bayou on a rundown Riverboat. Time after time Penny attempted to escape, only to be tracked down and brought back to her prison by Medusa's two pet crocodiles. The only reason Medusa is holding Penny hostage is because Penny is the only person small enough to fit down into the cave where Medusa's greatest desire, the Devil's Eye diamond, is at.

With the help of Miss Bianca, Bernard and some of the swamp's resident critters, Penny manages to bring Medusa her coveted diamond, outsmart her crocodiles and escape back to the orphanage and, ultimitly, unite Penny with the family she so yearned for.

A touching tale. I can see why this is considered a classic! ... Read more

Reviews (5)

A Great Halloween Tape
This is my favorite video, I love it! I watch it over and over- not just at Halloween. A lot of the narration is quoted from the book. I love everything about it: the story, the characters, the animation... It's a great video for people of all ages.

Beware the Headless Horseman!
This classic cartoon features the voice of Bing Crosby in Washington Irving's tale of the schoolmaster who loved the fair Katrina, but also believed in spooks! Children over age 7 will love to be scared by this funny Halloween tale...but keep the lights on! 5 stars!

Sing it again Bing
"The Old Crooner" himself, Bing Crosby, narrates and sings this cartoon classic based on Washington Irving's All Hallow's Eve tale. Extremely exomorphic educator Ichabod Crane is competing against Brom Bones ( an ancestor to Gaston in Beauty and the Beast?) for Katrina, the wealthy farmer's daughter. So is it Brom or the Legendary Headless Horseman of Sleepy Hollow pursuing Ichabod through the perilous forest?

Disney set the high standard in animation. Here, the initial and moonlit views of Old Baltus van Tassel's farm and the woods are reminiscent of Van Gogh's Starry Night. This is a must-have Disney Classic.

Very Good!!!
Usually I don't care for Disney Flicks but this one I fell in love with! Even though educational it was very funny! The whole family loved it! It is espeacially good during the season of fall! I would recommend it to anyone!!!

very good and atmospheric
a disney classic suitible for both adults and children.The fables centerpiece is ichabod(voiced by Bing Crosby)whose surreal air binds the cartoon.His frame and persona are both vintage disney.The final 10 minuets are still unserpassed for atmospheric quality as the haunting tunes ebb further into the dark night sky.A sadly under-publisised masterpiece.They don't make 'em like this anymore!!!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

A delightful tool to help kids learn their letters, Richard Scarry's Best ABC Video Ever finds Busy Town pals Huckle and Lowly Worm discovering that it's Alphabet Day at school. Their teacher, Miss Honey, invites her students to join in a spirited rendition of "The Alphabet Song." Next comes a series of 26 vignettes developed around each letter and cleverly intertwined with Sergeant Murphy's investigation into the mystery of some stolen bananas. Simple, sweet, and as entertaining as it is instructive, this production exemplifies the great care put into the Richard Scarry video series. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (24)

Entertaining way for toddlers to learn their ABC's
My almost two year old loves any Richard Scarry video; the songs, the animal characters and the stories totally captivate him. This video tends to be a bit slower paced than the others we've seen (Best Learning Songs, Best Busy People) and doesn't have as many catchy tunes as the others. The ABC song at the beginning and end is really it. But the alphabet is acted out by Miss Honey's class in a sweet and interesting way, with each student introducing their letter and telling a story about it (Patty had a party and got pretty presents). These videos are great, clean, non-violent alternatives to regular t.v. and kids love them!

My 2 and a half year old son asks for Richard Scarry by name
My 2 1/2 year old son can't get enough of Richard Scarry. The Beat ABC Video Ever is his favorite. He loves the stories the children tell with each Alphabet and he has learned to sing along with the alphabet song. The animation is amateurish, but all in all is great! Watch out Teletubbies!

It's the Best
My 3-year-old can't get enough of this one. He watches it attentively all the way through and then asks for it to start over. I didn't get it to teach him the alphabet - he is a fan of Richard Scarry books and we happened to come across this video at the library. I had to buy it because he begged for it every day. I do think he is starting to recognize letters just from watching this video so many times!

Great - my son loves it!
This is a great educational DVD; I bought it for my 18 month old son and he loves it. It doesn't have fancy bells and whistles, and looks old fashioned compared to other children's DVDs, but it holds his attention well. It doesn't have songs though, just the alphabet song, so it may not be interesting for children younger than 18 months.

In terms of teaching the alphabet, we also have Sesame St Do The Alphabet, and I prefer the Richard Scarry. The Richard Scarry consistently goes through each letter, with a short, cute, animated segment for each. (The Sesame St is haphazard, covering some letters only.)

The DVD is about 30 minutes, which I think is ideal for maintaining a child's interest.

#1 Video for your child's collection...
This video may be the most valuable one you'll ever own. Children ages 2+ are mezmorized by it, but more importantly they learn the alphabet just by watching it. This video taught my three children and countless children from my preschool their alphabet. It is the best alphabet learning tool I've found. ... Read more

Reviews (18)

Cool dance steps (& Jennifer Love Hewitt = Excellent Workout
Move over Jane Fonda! Now Barbie has her own workout video, and it is COOL!

Brought to life through the magic of stop-motion animation by Academy Award-winning Will Vinton Studios, Barbie (and her friend, Kim) teach a 30-minute dance/aerobics class to a group of real live girls (ages 7-11).

And one of the featured girls just happened to turn out to be TV and film superstar Jennifer Love Hewitt! (You can't miss her -- she's in the front row).

Also, it says on the box that all the songs are sung by Love Hewitt. The songs are upbeat and fun, and the girl can sing!

I highly recommend this tape to anyone (girls of all ages and their moms) looking for a great way to pick up some cool dance steps while they get a much-needed workout.

Barbie: You GO girl!

Great workout for everyone
I have been doing the Barbie workout religously since I was 13. Kind-of embarassed to say, but I am now 20 and still do it everyday. It is a great workout, not to intense, but still gets you going. You are filled with energy after finishing the 30 minute workout. I even know it by heart and after I my dad threw mine out, I continue to do it without the tape. Jennifer Love Hewitt is also in it.

Barbie R0x0rs
Wow my mom got me barbie workout for my 8th birthday. i am now 17 and its my favorite workout video. I do it everyday, the set if soo bright and pretty.. and well pink. you cant help put feeelin like your in a perfect barbie world while your working out.( great workout for the mid-winter slums) The workout.. or Dances are pretty fun.. although i didnt catch on till i was about 16 heheh. i dont see how any 8 year old could do it.. but for those of you wakcy old peeps dont be embarrassed casue it barbie.. she rox and will give you a great a workout!
my tip.. for the added workout try running inplace as they march and do the "Barbie Basic" 1....2... 3.. BARBIE!YEah!

terrific
hey, come on people, this video was not funny or real old silly looking in anyeway but actually it is still an amazing workout that i got shaped up and lost wieght. also the music is awesome, love Hewette who sang all the songs.. it goes very fast and you might not get caught up in the first time but it is ok. in general, the video is perefect for girls 7 and up to 17 i guess, to get you fit and know a lot of aerobic workouting skills. go barbie

pretty fast, but great way to get kids moving
Looking back on the many times I would pop in this tape and dance through it in my basement, the only thing that I can't stand is the sound of Barbie's voice and the animation with her bopping on her own little platform throughout the duration of the video. However, this tape is otherwise an excellent thing to get kids standing up and moving, and it isn't a bad choice for adults, either. That might sound corny, especially with the "Barbie" label, but this is by no means a little "kiddie" workout. It is intense, fast-paced, and lots of fun. The music is great, too, with all of the singing coming from Jennifer Love Hewitt, who is actually one of the kids dancing on the video. You might be surprised that this voice is coming out of her-- for a kid that young, she really can sing!!
Yes, the dance steps are very quickly presented and performed. There really isn't much instruction for them; the dancers on the floor in the video just demonstrate it for you, but each move is repeated quite a few times before they move on to the next one, so you should have enough time to jump in. I don't know; I never seemed to think much about the intensity of it when I danced to this video as a kid, and I know I just always danced to it and did my thing and enjoyed all of it. However, I just pulled the tape off my shelf for the first time in about 5 years and watched it again because the reviews here that commented on the unreasonable difficulty of the workout interested me, and I wanted to see exactly what I had worked out to so many times as a 9-year-old kid. I remember when my sister and I found Jennifer Love Hewitt's energy on this video quite humorous. You absolutely cannot miss her; she's right there in the front row, putting her entire body into every move, whether it's as simple as marching in place or as elaborate as the "Bunny Flop." Her ability to keep that energy up throughout the entire workout is pretty admirable, and you might be able to spot some good funny facial expressions from her if you look closely, but I think she appears a little unrealistic here for a 10-year-old girl. This might be a part of what some young girls who have tried this tape have been frustrated by. Just watch Hewitt's performance from start to finish, and you'll get what I mean. She really is something else.

The dance steps might take a little practice for some, but I feel that this is something that kids can definitely do with enjoyment. There are 10 people dancing on this video--nine kids and one adult instructor. The only two out there who perform each move almost flawlessly are Jennifer Love Hewitt and the instructor Kim. The other two girls in the front row with Hewitt are pretty good too, but if you watch the younger ones in the back, they're certainly not performing the moves exactly the same. They're following along, yes, but they are also kind of just doing their thing, dancing with smiles on their faces and not caring about doing it perfectly. This is exactly how young kids should approach this video; just do what you can, have FUN, and keep doing it, because like anything else, you get better and better every time you do it. If that's the attitude that you go in with, there's no kid that can't have a ball with this video. It gets them up and going, and that's what's important. This is why I recommend the Barbie Workout; there are people here who say it's too much to keep up with, but it kept me moving when I used it, and I honestly had a good time with it. And parents and teens--don't be ashamed to join the kids on this one. As far as good workouts go, even Barbie knows how to kick it. Break a sweat, feel good about getting a nice exercise, and have fun. That's what the video was made for! =) ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Great Gumby vehicle that your kids will love
This is a clever Gumby movie, created in the mid 1990s, with lots of interesting characters. It has somewhat of a low budget feel to it, and not as sophisticated as the claymation of Nick Parks's Wallace & Gromit or Chicken Run. The music soundtrack is largely a one-man synthesizer, with the exception of the rock songs played by Gumby and the Clayboys, which are slick. The audio mixing is a little annoying since the sound engineer pumped the character voices through a cheesy digital effect, thus making the characters sound like they're talking into a tin can. Nevertheless, the movie plot holds up well and, most importantly, my kids love it and use the story line as a springboard for imaginary play. My copy of the video had a small Gumby action figure included under the shrink wrap.

My son loves Gumby
My 2 year old loves Gumby. He found the tape hiding in our VCR cabinet and wanted to watch. It was love at first sight. He has to watch the movie all the time. I just wish you can find more things on Gumby.

Gumby Returns!
I am probably the biggest Gumby fan alive. I was a member (proudly) of The Gumby Fan Club back in the mid 80's when Gumby was on Channel 5 and 9. He disapeared for a long time. I was in college when I saw that "Gumby:The Movie" was playing, and was sorry that I couldn't see it on the big screen.I didn't rent it- I bought it ASAP! Great for kids, and die hard fans, but too long and it doesn't know when to quit. Still it's hard not to love Gumby.Magical, as Gumby enters the story books and meets adventure at everyturn. You'll see scenes re-created by Gumby and Pokey from "Star Wars", and "Terminator". Why this didn't come out in the 80's when Gumby was riding high, is a mystery. Still, I'm glad Gumby finally made it to the big screen. Not for everybody's taste.

A great video for kids & adults!
A wonderful video - that we all enjoy! My two year old loves this video as he dances as Gumby strums the guitar. He sings along with the tunes in the video! One movie where he actually watches the video from start to finish! Great story plot that entertains not only the kids but the adults as well! I'm off to purchase another gumby video!

the gratest one of them all
I think that this is a great movie if you have never seen it before do not rent it buy cause you are going to love it. It is a funney movie and if you like books you will like it also so watch tihs movie and it will make you laugh more than laugh. ... Read more

Description

It's the day of the annual Bow-Wow Ball at the Dalmatian Plantation! Pongo, Perdita, and Nanny do their best to keep your favorite puppies from Disney's live-action hit, 101 DALMATIANS, out of trouble before their friends arrive for the big party. Videos features a never-before-released song from Disney's animated 101 DALMATIANS. Don't be late -- you'll have a ball. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

I can't stand this! But my kid loves it!!
My husband and I bought this video because we mistakenly thought it was going to be a "cartoon", like the majority of the other Sing-Along videos. We were really disappointed when we played it for our 1 yr old for the first time- just a bunch of dogs running around to music. LOL My daughter is nearly 15 months old now, and today when the movie ended, she started crying! So we had to rewind it and play it again. Apparently seeing real live dogs is amazing to her. She's completely mesmirized! I rate the video low for my own reasons.. but I'm sure my daughter would give it a 5. LOL

Great Fun!
My 2 year old son LOVES this video. He watches it nearly everyday and prefers it over his old favorites, Barney and The Wiggles. He loves watching the dogs and their antics and he also likes to dance along with the children. This is a cute video and definitely worth buying for the young dog lover in your household.

Glad its gone
This video is quite different from the other sing along song videos because it does not have on screen lyrics,i had it at one time and now its gone and i'm glad because it was boring.

Disney's Sing Along Songs: 101 Dalmatians - Pongo & Perdita
My girls love this video as well as all the Disney Sing Alongs (we own ALL of them). They tend to prefer these with the actual characters and kids (beach party, disneyland fun, campout, circus 101 dalmations) than the cartoons - but still love them all!

Wore out the first, had to buy another
My daughter has loved this tape since she was 18 months old. Now almost five, she only watches it once a month or so, but in the old days we used to watch it 2-3 times a day. Needless to say, we wore out one copy and had to buy another.

Unfortunately, the other Disney Sing Along Songs videos are not nearly in this tape's league. ...But this one is just a bunch of dogs and kids having a party, singing songs, and having fun. Very well done. ... Read more

Amazon.com

In these tales from the island of Sodor, Thomas and friends welcome Skarloey home from the menders, and Oliver and Toad teach some trucks a lesson. The usual busy sets and clever, mock action are on hand. The Skarloey story is better than average. There's a bonus music video, "Don't Judge a Book by Its Cover." --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Not Bad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This episode is really good even though George Carlin replaced Ringo Starr. I also like the other episodes like Thomas Gets Bumped (which I got in 1991 when I was born in Downtown Charleston) I liked all the adventures of Thomas and Friends.
I wonder what Thomas Meets the Queen will be like. Do you?

The sequal of the little engines
I watched this video for the first time in 4 years. Thomas and the Special Letter is pretty much just a sequal of a video before it, "Rusty to the Rescue". This video has the return of the little engines Peter Sam and Sir Handel along with new little engines like Skarloey and Duncan. There's also "the bluebell engine", Stepney. Each one of their stories that there in show what character their displaying. Duncan starts to Rock N' Roll and Rock N' Rolls himself off the rails. Stepney and Duck pull a passenger train that a new diesel was supposed to pull. The only thing that was bad about this video was that in each story another new engine would return instead of showing a story about the classic engines (Gordon, James, Thomas).

Thomas and the Special Letter was pretty good
One of the things I really like about Thomas the Tank Engine is the little engines. This video along with three or four others, has a lot of these stories containing the little engines. Lately they've put one or two little engine stories every other tape. Rusty's face sure did get bigger. Home at last makes you wonder why Skarloey's repairs took so short and he gets back and Rheneas still isn't home. And appartently there were so many changes while he was gone so he must have been gone awhile. Oliver had a good episode in this one too and so does Stepney. The Diesel from Bowled out reminded me of a combination of Daisy and Diesel becasue he didn't lie or make so many insults but he was still very rude. Duncan pretty funny because he's so stubborn. Peter Sam is innocent and friendly to others unlike Sir Handel but he hasn't been even mentioned in any recent ones. They also discontinued his train so I wonder if he's not on it anymore. That would be a shame becasue Rock N Roll was pretty good. This tape has no bad episodes and I would recommend it to any Thomas lover.

Thomas and the Special Letter and Other Stories
This is a great video! See what happens when Sir Handel tries to compare himself to George the steam roller, and Oliver and Toad teaching the freight cars a lesson. See if Duncan will ever like Rusty the diesel and stopping "Rock 'N Roll". See what happens when Thomas and his friends go to a big city, and what happens when a mean diesel comes when Stepney leaves the railway.

The story stops are: Thomas and the Special Letter; Home at Last; Rock 'N Roll; Steam Roller; Toad Stands By; Bowled Out; and the music video "Don't Judge a Book By its Cover".

Overall, this is a GREAT video. I know you'll like it.

wow!
This is a cool video. I'm glad I have the video. It contains the following stories: Thomas & The Special Letter, Home At Last, Rock 'N' Roll, Steam Roller, Toad Stands By, Bowled Out, and the song "Don't Judge A Book by Its Cover." ... Read more

Amazon.com

Good company makes any trip more enjoyable. In this animated double episode from the Dora the Explorer series, preschool viewers get better acquainted with little Dora's closest and most helpful travel companions: Backpack, Map, and Boots the monkey. Together, the group successfully returns Dora's library books on time and rescues Boots's red boot, all in about 45 minutes. However, this team of talking pals accomplishes so much more than simply enhancing the story lines. Whether Dora faces a grumpy troll, a huge rock, or a raging waterfall, her three sidekicks provide ample opportunity for interactive learning. All the characters speak and sing to their viewing audience, challenging them to point to the right supply from Backpack's cache, verbally repeat the route suggested by Map, and shout simple English and Spanish commands with Dora. Bright, evenly paced, and repetitive enough to inspire quick comprehension, this series scores big with little adventurers. --Liane Thomas ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Dora the explorer¿Dora's backpack adventure
I love dora and so too does my 2 year old. we are from Australia and i have ordered heaps of books and videos from amazon[.com] for us both to watch and read. They are all fantastic products, with great learning skills. Thanks amazon[.com].

Great learning tape
This is a great learning tape!! Children use problem solving skills, counting, logic, and of coarse learn a little spanish along the way. Dora is adorable, as well as the rest of the animals in the cast. Every preschooler we have over that has watched this tape loves it, whether it be a boy or girl.

Less than stellar
I must agree with some of the other reviews herein; the advertising is heavy-handed in the beginning and this sort of thing is what would encourage one to just tape the shows off of the TV instead of buying this book. It really discourages me to buy any other titles from Nickleodeon. Shame on Nickleodeon!

"i'd give it 0 stars but that was no option"
KIDS, THERE ARE FOUR THINGS YOU SHOULD SAY NO TO IN LIFE:
1.TOBACCO AND CIGARRETTES
2. ALCOHOL
3. DRUGS
4. THIS PIECE OF JUNK THAT I AM REVIEWING

Best animated baby's video -- 8mo.-2 yrs
We didn't realize how much our daughter liked Dora until our local cable company dropped "Nick Jr." programming, when she was 8 mo. old. At age 15mo. she saw Dora's picture at a bookstore, and thereafter would ask us, "D-D-D-Dora". Anything an 8 mo. baby remembers that long must be good.

So we got the Prince video, and the only problem is our tolerance for r-r-r-repeat showings.

We really like the clear language used, the repitition, the sort of "normal" fantasies (as opposed to sensory overload action/sound), and the Spanish inclusion. If they'd do the same stories with Chinese inclusions (or French, etc., etc.,) that would be great.

Our great objection is the 7 minutes of senseless advertisements at the beginning of the tape. When will Americans wake up and object forcefully to the invasive carcinoma that is excessive commercialization of society? ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Animated Christmas classic... but not for the little ones
As others have pointed out, this should not be confused with the live action version of "Carol" filmed in 1951. This is the animated version of "A Christmas Carol" that won the Academy Award for Best Animated Film for 1972. It aired on TV a few years later and has not been seen on televsion since.

It was produced by Chuck Jones (How the Grinch Stole Christmas) and directed by Richard Williams (Raggedy Ann and Andy). But don't be fooled into thinking that this is a cartoon for the little ones. This is a serious animated 30 minute film that *will* scare small children. Believe me, I know. I first saw this version when I was six or seven years old and the sequence with Jacob Marley in particular scared the you-know-what out of me.

Bottom line: if your kids gets spooked easily, you're better off buying them a Disney video for Christmas instead. But older children and adults should enjoy this intelligent, well- animated film immensely.

A Christmas Miracle
To begin with, a warning: many of the reviews you'll find here are incorrectly filed and unrelated to this remarkable animated gem. Many of the reveiwers here seem to be talking about the Alister Simms original live action feature--a classic in its own right and deserving of all due praise--and not discussing this specific version of the Dickens classic. This can be confusing and frustrating (at least it was for me during my initial attempts to locate this lost classic at AMAZON.com). That said, let's proceed.

You, dear viewer, are truly in luck. You have stumbled upon one of the few genuine miracles of Christmas: Chuck Jones' animated version of the Christmas Carol. I saw this amazing presentation during its original broadcast (I believe it was on ABC, lo these many years ago) and I have NEVER forgotten it. If you are a Dickens fan, a Christmas Carol fan, or simply a fan of remarkable animation, you MUST own this video. That it was not immediately enshrined as a Christmas Classic to be repeatedly viewed after its initial boradcast remains one of the great, tragic mysteries of our times. I dare say this version of the Dickens tale (which I must confess I consider not simply a "beloved Holiday tradition" but a genuinely brilliant piece of modern literature worthy of all the stuffy academic consideration often heaped upon more "serious"-- but far less gifted--written endeavours). I searched in vain for more than twenty years, hoping to stumble upon the minor wonder again. And now, thankfully, I can share my happy fortune with you, Constant Reader.

Rendered to capture the flavour of the original pen and ink sketches and etchings which accompanied Dickens tale in print, this animated version brings home the world of Scrooge's England in a way both startling fresh, yet immediately familiar. The fine line work of the graphic design lends a rather fleeting, spectral quality to the entire affiar--perfectly in keeping with the tone and context of the story itself. I defy a child not to be captivated by this animated version's mesmerizing visual character. Supported as well by wonderful voice characterizations and carefully edited music and sound, this ANIMATED CHRISTMAS CAROL should make everyone's Top 10. To see it, is to be transported. Buy this video and you will own a treasure to be cherished for every Christmas to come. GOD BLESS US EVERY ONE!

One of the Best Christmas Carol versions
All the comments made by the other reviewers are true. This twenty-three of so minute classic is, in my humble opinion, in the top four or five versions of Dicken's Christmas Tale. The first being the other Alastair Sim Christmas Version (1954). This ranks up there with either two or three as the "BEST."

It is sad that like so many other fine versions of A Christmas Carol, this hasn't been shown very regularly on any network or cable channel in recent years. This makes it all the more imperative that it come out on DVD.

So Goodtimes Video (or whoever owns the rights). Please put it out on DVD. It's worthy of DVD release.

Sincerely,

JThree

carolyn@dia.net

YOU'VE GOT TO SEE THIS ANIMATED FILM!!
I, like the other reviewers, saw this spooky, animated version of "A Christmas Carol" about 30 years ago. The networks never showed it again. I found it on Amazon.com, recently, & bought it --- It's as incredible as I remembered it!!

The short, 27 minute long, animated film is beautiful to watch. It is so well done. The film is not for the very, very young, who might be frightened by the haunting images. You will definitely enjoy this classic animated film, just as much as the younger people.

You will not forget it. I can't understand why the networks haven't shown this film every Christmas Holiday. Buy it -- you'll enjoy it!!

5 * IF it had been longer but still wonderful!
I ordered this on Christmas Day 2002 after learning that it did indeed exist on video! I got it yesterday (Kudos to Amazon for fast shipping!) and watched it this morning. It lived up to my memories of seeing this 30 yrs ago & did not disappoint me. Moving and creepy like any authentic A CHRISTMAS CAROL should be!
(Marley & the Phantoms, and the Waifs at the Christmas Present Ghost's feet may disturb small children- they sure gave me the chills this morning *L*) ... Read more

Amazon.com

What keeps airplanes aloft? How do birds fly? How do pilots steer a plane? These questions and more are explored in this installment of the award-winning science videos from Scholastic. Ms. Frizzle's class is taking part in a model-airplane contest to explore the principles of aerodynamics, when Mrs. Frizzle shrinks herself and a few class members so that they can fly their plane themselves. When the remote control breaks, the kids in the airplane must learn to fly it. Those remaining on the ground must somehow turn the Magic Schoolbus into an airplane so they can rescue their classmates. Through trial and error, the whole class discovers that in order to fly, an object needs to have wings, moving air, power, and steering. They discover firsthand how birds' wings act as propellers, and how birds and planes steer with rudders and flaps. Finally, with some help from an eagle, they learn to take off, fly, and land. Kids will learn about aerodynamics by observing what works and what doesn't as the characters try to stay aloft. Or, as Ms. Frizzle puts it: "Sometimes you have to do the wrong stuff to find out what the right stuff is supposed to be." --Elisabeth Keating ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Great Episodes For Those Familiar with the Story
I find it very odd that so many episodes were skipped in between the last video and this one. However, as long as you are already familiar with the events of the series, that does not detract from the enjoyment of these three episodes.
If you are unfamiliar with Digimon beyond having seen the videos prior to this one, then I can't honestly recommend this video, It doesn't catch you up to speed as to what has happened in past episodes, and you'll be quite lost.
But for anyone who was a loyal viewer, these will be recognized as some of the episodes that were most eagerly awaited, and a pivotal point in the series. They hold all of the adventure and emotion that Digimon is known for.

The Eighth Child Saga completed well with 3 great episodes..
While I cannot explain the reasons as to why Saban and Fox Kids decided to skip the rest of the File Island series and the Crest series, including the first episodes of this one, I will ignore that and focus on this release. These are by far the best episodes in all of the first season mainly because a lot is revealed about the characters and contains so much action the hard-core Digimon fan will be pleased.

Some may not understand where this tape leaves off of, and to find out one will need to watch the series on television. To sum up what has led to this, an eighth Digidestined has been discovered and the Digidestined must head back into the real world to rescue this child before Myotismon, a vampire-type digimon, and his minions destroy it and stop the others from ruining his plans of taking over both worlds. It isn't that hard to figure out that this new child is related to one of the current Digidestined, and leads Tokyo to be rampaged by an onset of events that will reveal an even greater surprise for all of the Digidestined and their digimon--and what happens in the end will no doubt lead on to another more dangerous adventure.

These three episodes have many qualities that the rest of the season has built itself upon, including its unique references to Biblical beliefs. Character development is also an aspect covered in here, covered very greatly and with interesting twists, and many will come to enjoy the wonderful computer-graphic digivolutions to the new level known as Mega. If one thing is for certain, these three episodes will stand out among the rest of the season because it is the turning point for the rest that is to come, and pull the viewers into the storyline.

I still recommend that one sees the episodes prior to these because they will appreciate this tape even more, but still that does not mean one should not have a copy of the best episodes of season one, which will become a basis of what happens in season two. You MUST watch it!

From a UNIVERSITY student
Hey College Student, I've got news for you: Digimon can't be a "rip-off of Pokemon" because Digimon was created before Pokemon as the next generation of Tamagotchi, the original virtual pet, in Japan. Try learning the facts before you spread your ignorance over the net. You are an embarrasment to college students and to your entire species.
That being said, I wish that this VHS had episode 29 because ABC Family cut out any mention of the "Hightonview Terrace terrorist attack" in its broadcast. But it doesn't. Life goes on...

what a bunch of *********