Wonderful.--- Better than Best
By far, this movie is much, much better in every way possible than the 1943 movie and the 1994 movie. Those films were fine, but this particular version is in a class by itself. The acting, the photography, the dialogue, the plot, and the dog. I totally agree with what one other reviewer mentioned: that on the box, it says that "this is one of the best children's movies in years." It is NOT just a movie for children. It is a movie for all of us, young and old. Be prepared to shed some tears. It is a wonderful movie. Better than best. I loved it. I saw it in the movie theater a few months ago and now bought the DVD. The distributors did a poor distribution job. It was not heavily promoted or seen in a multitude of theaters. That was grossly incorrect thinking. This is a movie that can be viewed again and again. Superb!
Fun, even educational and Peter O'Toole shines in this one
This whole movie is charming but Peter O'Toole, to my mind, keeps the movie firmly in balance, neither too sentimental or too serious. He is, as always, a consumate actor and you can see just what a perfectionist he is when watching the Outtakes (some are pretty funny). He can laugh at himself and often does and seems to be having a great deal of fun in this film.
The DVD is well worth purchasing because it not only retells the beloved story of Lassie's attempt to get back to her family but contains a wealth of bonus features, unlike some DVDs. There is a special Animal Planet feature filmed from the set, cast and crew interviews and behind the scenes info as well as actual Animal Auditions! There was a lot of work put into this DVD and it shows.
This is a film that will be of interest, on some level, to everyone in the family. Even if the movie itself isn't your favorite part of the DVD (but it was for me), the Bonus Features are engaging.
Going Home: Old-School, Well-made Picture about the World's Most Famous Dog
The world's most famous dog comes back with more faithful story to the Eric Knight's original book. This Irish-UK-French production sets its plot in war-time Yorkshire, where a poverty-stricken family is forced to sell their beloved collie Lassie to a wealthy nobleman who is traveling to Scotland. You already know the rest of the story. Yes, Lassie comes back, no matter what it takes.
The story is simple, and should be so, but the film adds several episodes to it. Lassie's close encounter with Nessie is suggested (I'm not kidding), and there is one hilarious scene about Lassie "testifying in court," which is my favorite part. Perhaps without these episodes the film would have worked as old-fashioned family picture, but anyway you would find them amusing. And like old-fashioned family picture, the traits of each character are slightly exaggerated. Bad characters are really bad, theatrical `bad' that is begging to be despised by the audiences.
Remember, Lassie's...
Click to Editorial Reviews
No comments:
Post a Comment