Amazon.com

Best known today as the series that helped launch Johnny Depp to stardom, Stephen J. Cannell's 21 Jump Street was also one of the first hit programs for the fledgling Fox network, a status that lasted for most of its five-year run (1987-91), thanks to its engaging mix of youth culture and police drama. As outlined in the pilot, Depp's baby-faced Ofc. Tom Hanson is transferred to the special Jump Street division, a unit that utilized young cops to infiltrate juvenile crime. Unlike many of Fox's youth-oriented shows of the period (i.e., Beverly Hills 90210), Jump Street took its stories seriously, and addressed numerous social issues in its episodes; though some of the fashions and slang seem dated, the program remains entertaining decades later. The Jump Street set compiles all 13 episodes of the debut season, including the two-part pilot; the solid extras feature commentary by co-star Peter DeLuise, as well as interviews with fellow Jump Street officers Dustin Nguyen, Holly Robinson Peete, and Steven Williams (whose Captain Fuller replaced Frederic Forrest's Jenko halfway through the first season), as well as the prolific Cannell. --Paul Gaita ... Read more

Reviews (12)

21 Jumpstreet Where Are You?
I watched the first 4 seasons of Jumpstreet and it was good. This was the first show on the Fox network to be a hit. This show pulled higher ratings than Married with Children before the departure of Johnny Depp and newcomer Richard Grieco. This show deserves to be on dvd!!!!

YM
I'm so glad 21 jump street is coming on dvd. i've been waiting for it for a long time. I recently discovered this series and they stopped showing it on public TV so I was bummed out, but now I can buy it! yey Depp!

Woo-Hoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
They have all these ridiculous shows on coming out on (i.e, ALF) DVD, finally a show with more substance (I'm fibbing, I just love Johnny Depp). I'm looking forward to buying this on October 26..........

21 JUMP STREET!
21 jump street was my favorite TV series in my childhood..and I became Johnn Depp fan since 21 jump street...*_*....With this DVD my Johnny Depp collection is complete!! ^.^....Hope all seasons will release soon!!

Doug Penhall is the man!!!
How could anyone not love this show? The cast was awesome. Johnny Depp, Holly Robinson... but my favorite was Peter Deluise. That guy was both a stud and a riot.

I also must acknowledge the honesty the show brought to the air in terms of showing how emotionally hurt the school kids who got arrested were when they were busted by people they once thought of as friends. Some of the kids understood it was truly for their (and societies) own good, and others did not.

My favorite episodes involved Doug Penhall marrying Marta (a beautiful girl from El Salvador), and the pain of his wife being deported and murdered by their government once she returned home- extremely touching (and not what one expects from a teen cop show!)

This is one of my favorite series ever- and I really encourage everyone to go back and relive the first season. It's really a fun ride!!! ... Read more

Reviews (124)

Excellent
I watched this movie when it first aired and loved it so much that I bought the video. I have since watched it numerous times.

Brandy does not have near the voice to do a Rogers and Hammerstein. I still don't understand why she was cast as Cinderella. I hope she will not attempt another musical in the future. Whitney was Whitney. She succeeded in turning the fairy godmother into her image.

Fortunately, the rest of the cast more than make up for them. Overall, the acting was good. The singing (beside Brandy) was excellent. Whoopi Goldberg and Victor Garber were great as Queen and King. Whoopi was hilarious, but I wish she didn't have to sing. I agree with the other reviewers that Bernadette Peters stole the show as the wicked stepmother. Her singing and acting were superb. Jason Alexander was OK as the Prince's Valet, but why did he need that accent??? The two stepsisters were funny.

The real fairy tale is newcomer Paolo Montalban. He was exceptional in his TV debut and what a fantastic voice. I hope to hear him sing again. His prince was perfectly charming, and he could dance too.

Lastly, the mutlicultural casting is ingenious. All the actors and actresses were cast by their singing (except Brandy) and acting (except Whitney) ability. Disney didn't make this an all-white or all-black Cinderella so children of all races can enjoy it. For the people who think that this is not realistic, remember THIS IS A FAIRY TALE. If mice can change into horses and pumpkins into coaches that fly then why can't a white king and a black queen have an asian son. We don't need an scientific explanation to everything. Just enjoy the movie. ~

Great film!!
This version took a big risk and, eventhough its tough to see, it was a woderful film. True, Brandy doesn't have the best voice for R&H but her Cinderella was a stronger character and more believable, instead of the usual weak Cinderella. Having great B'dway stars like Bernadette Peters, Jason Alexander, Whoopi Goldberg, Victor Garber, Paolo Montalban and the two step sister brought life, woderful acting, and wonderful singing to the film. Even though Whitney Houston wasn't the best choice for the Fairy Godmother she produced the movie and you have to admit she can sing. The sets, costumes, and special effects were amazing and brought out the story book mood, something the other versions never did and R&H's score was beautifully brought back to its full glory that just wasn't in the 1965 production. Though the film has a few flaws it's a great film!!

Fabulous!
My 2-year-old daughter and I have so much fun singing along with this video. She even asks me to dance during the ballroom scenes. It is a fabulous production.

great voices but ok acting
I've seen the version with Leslie Anne Warren and thought that anyone could sing and be Cinderella better than her, and with Disney's 1997 version someone did. Brandy brings to this role some much needed sophistication and class that, unfortunately, Leslie Anne did not. The movie is filled with great music and overall ok acting, but still can't anyone make a musical that is not corny or cheesy? Did the great musical end with Grease? Paolo was absolutely fabulous and a great find. His voice resounded with greatness. It's too bad that a musical can have such great singing talent, but not much in the acting department. Still, it makes for great background noise while reading or studying.

multi-ethnic cast shines!
Having grown up with the magic of Lesley Anne Warren as Cinderella, I wasn't sure the Rogers and Hammerstein musical could be topped, but the whole family was impressed with this one. Brandy does a wonderful job as Cinderella: demur, wistful, and understated, and her singing is beautiful (and I wasn't a fan before). The set and costumes and the supporting cast are all excellent! All of the actors manage to convey a sense of their characters' humanity (with the possible exception of Jason Alexander). The "evil" stepsisters are a hoot, Bernadette Peters is inspired, the royal parents capture every parent's concern for their offspring, and Paolo Montalban as the prince is someone anyone could fall in love with.... In short, this updated, multicultural Cinderella is worth putting in your DVD library. ... Read more

Description

Johnny Depp ruled as TV’s hottest young actor in this third season of the hit series that shot him to stardom. Depp stars as undercover cop Tom Hanson, who along with fellow officers Harry Ioki (Dustin Nguyen), Judy Hoffs (Holly Robinson Peete) and Doug Penhall (Peter DeLuise), tackles tough cases of teen pregnancy, drug dealers, child molestation, army desertion, racism, homelessness, murder and more, including the introduction of Dennis Booker (Richard Grieco). Steven Williams co-stars as Captain Fuller in the Fox-TV sensation co-created by Patrick Hasburgh and Stephen J. Cannell (HUNTER, PROFIT) that Entertainment Weekly still hails as "too cool for school!" 21 JUMP STREET – THE COMPLETE THIRD SEASON contains all 20 explosive episodes – including the unforgettable two-part cliffhanger finale in which Hanson wages a one-man war against the street gang that shot Ioki – featuring such guest stars as Bridget Fonda, Peri Gilpin, Dom DeLuise, Larenz Tate, Christopher Titus, Mario Van Peebles and Kelly Hu. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This charming update of Pygmalion (by way of the John Hughesoeuvre, most notably Pretty in Pink) rode the crest of the late-'90s wave of immensely popular teen films (Varsity Blues, etc.), thanks primarily to the immense charisma of its two leads, Freddie Prinze Jr. and Rachael Leigh Cook. When school star Zach (Prinze)--who's a jock, smart, and popular--gets dumped by vacuous Taylor (Jodi Lyn O'Keefe) after spring break, he's left dateless for the all-important prom. With a little goading from his less-than-sensitive best friend (hunky Paul Walker), he bets that he can make any girl into prom queen a mere eight weeks before the dance. The object of their wager: misfit Laney (Cook), a gawky art student too busy with her paintings and taking care of her brother and dad to worry about school politics. However, after a couple looks from Zach, and a few dates that reveal him to be a hunk of substance, Laney's armor begins to melt--and her stock at school soars. Soon enough, she's the lone candidate for prom queen against the bitchy and relentless Taylor.

What elevates She's All That above the realm of standard teen fare is its mixture of good-natured fairy-tale romance and surprisingly clear-eyed view of high school social strata. The lines of class are demarcated as clearly as if in a Jane Austen novel, but the satire is equally deflating and affectionate. Sure, high school could be bad sometimes, but it was lots of fun too; this is a movie good-natured enough to take time out for an extended hip-hop dance number at the prom. Director Robert Iscove (who also helmed the Brandy-starring TV adaptation of Cinderella) has also assembled a great young cast, including a scene-stealing Anna Paquin as Zach's no-nonsense sister, Kieran Culkin as Laney's geeky brother, and a stupidly goofy Matthew Lillard as a Real World cast member whose arrival shakes things up a little too much. And amidst all the comedy and prom drama, you'd be hard-pressed to find two teen stars as talented, attractive, and appealing as Prinze and Cook. Prinze is an approachable and sensitive jock, though it's Cook who's the true star, investing Laney with confidence, humor, and heart. Like Zach, you'll be hard-pressed not to fall in love with her. By the story's end, bothCook and the film will have charmed the socks off of you. --Mark Englehart ... Read more

Reviews (291)

Pygmalion '99
Let's get one thing straight before I make my critique: for those who are expecting an earnest depiction of high school students and high school life, look elsewhere. "She's All That" is as over-the-top as it can get and the movie ironically contains random jokes and parodies about supposedly realistic programs as well, namely the MTV-spawned reality show "The Real World" and its progeny series "Road Rules". This movie is all in good fun but it does manage to hint at a good deal of real life trifles that particular people suffer in that highly-influential and barely survivable place that we geeks and outsiders call "high school". Well, maybe not "high school" (probably closer to HELL), but anyone who was picked on or unjustifiably ostracized gets the picture.

The endearing Rachael Leigh Cook and Freddie Prinze, Jr. star in this sugary ditty about a dude named Zack Silar (Prinze) who is ditched by his long-time armpiece Taylor Vaughn (O'Keefe) only six weeks before the prom. He suffers public humiliation in front of his jock companions and, moreover, the entire school. His less-than-sympathetic pal Dean (Walker) proposes a bet which the illustrious school president can't pass up: Dean will hand-pick the geekiest girl in the school and within the time allotted, Zack must transform her into a mega-babe and make her more than eligible for the elite status of prom queen. The deal is on and within only two minutes of searching, the "scary and inaccessible" Laney Boggs (Cook) makes her appearance by falling flat on her face in the courtyard - Dean has found his guinea pig. From here, Prinze and Cook do the traditional and recycled theme of geek-to-goddess. Suspension of disbelief is a pre-requisite for this transformation - the pretty and petite Cook is hardly an ugly duckling by any standard, her luminous brown eyes and almost pixie-ish beauty a complete distraction, even when she is supposed to look mousy (tortoiseshell glasses, stringy hair, sloppy clothes, etc.). Prinze comes off humble and sweet even when he is trying to be suave and arrogant, but this doesn't ruin anything. We rather want to see him that way because we want to believe that he really does care about Laney and that his reputation is the last thing on his mind. Prinze does this remarkably well. Matthew Lillard of "Scream" fame is a riot as a fictitious Real World cast member Brock Landers, a character that is obviously modeled from the obnoxious and insensitive Puck from Real World San Francisco. Of course, he's a lot more likeable because his character is a complete farce and Lillard almost steals the show. Almost unbearable is Paul Walker as Dean Sampson, the narcissistic jock who places the bet with Zack and manipulates it in his favor. Walker's delivery is so forced and obtuse that one would believe that is truly HIS nature and not just his character. Jodi Lyn O'Keefe is a comedic queen as the vacuous Taylor Vaughn, and Kieran Culkin and Eldin Ratliff are again part of the same cast list (The Mighty) but this time as Laney's younger brother Simon and her best friend Jesse, respectively. If you watch closely during a particular lunchroom scene, you will see Prinze's fiancé and "Buffy" TV star Sarah Michelle Gellar make a brief cameo.

"She's All That" borrows a lot of old themes but still remains fresh because of its enthusiastic cast and an above average script. If teen fluff is your fave, direct yourselves towards cookie-cutter flicks like "Down To You", "Ten Things I Hate About You", "Can't Hardly Wait" and the all-time classic "Clueless". If you want some BIG laughs, rent "American Pie" and watch for its sequel, due out August 10th. Lastly, if you really want to see Prinze show off his acting gams, rent "The House of Yes".

Oh God, not another one!
Here is another movie in which a guy makes a bet about girl, falls in love with girl, then girl finds out, etc. There have to have been at least 40 other movies and tv shows with this plot. Honestly, I would advise you to avoid all movies that have Freddie Prinze Jr. as their star. Every one that I have seen is rubbish.

In this movie, popular guy/jock Zack(Freddie Prinze Jr.) gets dumped by his self-absorbed witch of a girlfriend Taylor(how can you like a character who would go out with her?) for a rude self-absorbed tv star named Brock. While reeling from this shocking breakup, he makes a bet with a jerk friend of his(Okay, how did they become friends?) named Dean. The bet is that he can take any girl and make her a prom queen within the eight weeks before the prom. His "friend" picks out Laney, a misfit artist with horn-rimmed glasses and an extremely unbecoming haircut, played by Rachel Leigh Cook. A relative of mine glanced at the cover that features a photo of her and, after hearing a brief plot summary, said, "Oh, yeah right, like she could be a geek."

However, Cook manages it so well at the beginning that I found it difficult not to consider her a freak. Especially after the 'preforming arts' cafe scene. Anyway, Laney ends up flowering into a beautiful girl who gets nominated as prom queen (big surprise, huh?). The other nominee? Zack's old girlfriend Taylor.

Poor Zack begins to fall in love with Laney, but, unfortunately for him, his 'buddy' Dean decides that the new Laney is totally hot and tells her all about the bet. He omits the fact that it was his idea and that he selected her as the victim. Must have slipped his mind. Laney is shocked and hurt. Gee, what will happen? Will Zack be able to win her back? Ooh, that's a tough one. Oh, there is also a milisecond appearance by Sarah Michelle Gellar. This really does nothing to improve the movie. I suggest that you save your money.

Yuck
First of all, the main character, the dorky girl, isn't ugly. The "popular girl" is not very good looking and there is no way any of these people are highschool aged. This film is also totally sexist.

The jist of this movie was that there is a dork, everyone treats her like crap they make her all pretty (They take of a pair of thick glasses...WOW) and then she lives happily ever after with the jerk that bet everyone he could turn her into prom queen. Charming. Kind of reminds of of Ten Things I Hate about you does it not? A film which I also dislike.

it's all bad
This is the last ripple in the wave of teenage movies that gripped the nation in the late 1990s. A la Pygmalion, My Fair Lady and Pretty Woman, a girl looked down by general society gets a makeover by a respected man and everyone loves her. yay!

But this is the most boring version yet! It is nice that Freddie Prinze Jr's character is a popular jock who is also on the honor roll -- but that's it for changes and surprises. Unless you count the fact that everyone at the prom does a synchronized choreographed dance. Watch if it is on TV, but don't spend actual money on it.

This exemplifies what is bad about "teen movies"
Not only is this film completely predictable, it is also entirely implausible. Cook is simply NOT believable as the "ugly duckling." The characterizations are one-dimensional, and the plot twists are as stagey and disconnected as would be in a high school skit.

Is it any wonder that this was the primary source for "Not Another Teen Movie"? ... Read more

Reviews (183)

"You're the one playing games Kelly!"
Okay, I admit I rented this movie. Yes, I am properly shamed. But you know what? It's actually not that bad. Sure, it's silly, improbable, and goofy beyond all belief (the outfits alone...) but "From Justin to Kelly" is also surprisingly sweet and good natured. Our favorite ex-Idolers star as "Justin Bell" and "Kelly Taylor", two young adults in Florida on Spring Break. Justin is supposed to be a wild party boy, and Kelly is the down home girl from Texas (she is described at one point as "one bonnet short of Amish"). They meet, have an instant connection, and spend the whole movie overcoming various obstacles (mostly Kelly's evil best friend) before finally finding true love.

The big surprise here is how natural Clarkson and Guarini are on screen; they read their lines with assurance and ease. There is one good musical number, a couple of decent ones, and one really bad one. The songs are pleasant, and made better by Clarkson's beautiful voice. The dialogue is better than we have any right to expect, and while the pace is leasuirely the film holds your interest.

I put this one at about 3.5 stars. If you love Clarkson or Guarini, rent it. If you're fifteen and having a slumber party, buy it. And if you're a Clay Aiken fan, hope for a sequel.
GRADE: B-

a decent spring brake movie
i dont care what others say. i liked this movie. it was good. and often funny. though some of the dance sequences were corny and 2 songs suck.......its still good whether there singing or not im entertained. i recomend this movie.

THIS MOVIE RULES
THIS MOVIE WAS THE BEST MUSICAL SORT OF MOVIE I HAVE EVER SEEN AND THE SONGS WERE SUNG BY TWO GREAT SINGERS.THIS MOVIE IS GREAT FOR ALL AGES.

THE BEST MOVIE EVER
THIS MOVIE IS THE BEST I HAVE EVER SEEN. KELLY CLARKSON IS MY FAVORITE SINGER. THIS MOVIE WILL GET YOU UP AND DANCING THROUGH OUT THE MOVIE!

Sorry Kelly, the movie blows!
I am a HUGE American Idol fan. My daughters and I all watch AI faithfully, BUT THIS MOVIE IS HORRIBLE! Even my 12 year old daughter thought it was cheesy.
Also, whats with the blonde girl and her southern accent? Its SO fake sounding, I wanted to jump through the TV and make her shut up! ... Read more

Reviews (82)

Freddie Prinze, Jr.
I well remember, and well liked, FP Jr.'s father, and his TV series "Chico and the Man." A while back, I saw FP, Jr. being interviewed on a talk show, and I thought he came across as so down-to-earth, charming, and cute as can be. But I was totally unfamiliar with his work as an actor.

I finally got around to renting this movie, and thought it was very enjoyable. Similar to "When Harry Met Sally....," but of course no where nearly as great as that classic, superlative film. But still quite pleasant. Leonard Maltin, with whom I usually agree, rated this movie BOMB -- he is absolutely, unequivocally WRONG.

However, after renting ths movie, I did rent FP, Jr.'s "She's All That," and "Head Over Heels." Maltin liked those movies better than "Boys and Girls," but again, he is WRONG -- those two were the bombs, unfortunately. In fact, despite FP, Jr.'s enjoyable screen presence, they were virtually unwatchable.

"Boys and Girls" is a lovely movie (a bit of a weak performance by Forlani was a bit of a drawback, but the rest of the cast was very good, and so was the writing, and the direction).

I feel certain you will enjoy the lovely "Boys and Girls."

Boys and Girls is one of the best teen movies!
This Movie is The Best! The Best Scene is the Scene in the Nightclub to "Stop The Rock" By Apollo 440. Freddie Prinze Jr. is hot in it and Claire Forlani is keeping it real. Funny clip at the end with Jason Biggs. Buy before you rent! It Totally Rocks!

Should friends become lovers?
Should you be yourself, or smooth out the rough edges? What about opposites? After many bad endings, how do you know if love is going to be worth the trouble?

Jennifer & Ryan are pre-teens when they meet. Jennifer is being very forward, discussing the implications of her period. Ryan is a geek, trying to plan everything, who doesn't think Jennifer is his type, and pushes her away. As the plane takes off, he is afraid of flying. I actually missed this symbolism, but something at the end of the movie reminds you of it.

For the next 5 or so years, and dozens of chance meetings, this scenario repeats until the viewer can hardly stand it. Ryan will not pick up on Jenny's advances. For contrast, his roomate works entirely too hard at meeting girls. Does Ryan play it too straight and careful? Is Jenny too slutty? Is her roomate gay? There are lots of interesting angles and subplots, exaggerated so you don't have to be a genius to pick them up, which I find helpful. :)

For the next 3 years Ryan & Jenny are best friends. Then something complicated happens, involving all four characters (including Jenny's roomate). No, not group sex, it's not that kind of movie, but some strange things, and I will try not to give awayany more .

What do you get when you cross Eric Rohmer (director of French "talkie" films about the early stages of relationships, in fact he made one called "Boyfriends and Girlfriends") with Jane Austen (early 19th century author of carefully plotted romances, e.g. the award winning "Sense & Sensibility")? You get something like "Boys & Girls." Unfortunately, it is the only movie in this vein that Robert Isgrove directed.

Ultra-feminists will not like the ending. Everyone else will. A few people will not like the way the flashbacks are done, but it is not overdone. Audio track is selectable for English or French (suggesting Isgrove was possibly aware he was making an intellectual French-style movie, albeit the ending is very American rom-com). Subtitles can be had in Spanisn or English (for the hearing impaired). Lots of previews of other similar movies on the DVD, but no info about cast, director or "making of." Decent pop soundtrack.

As long as your expectation is reasonable (it's not quite as silly and cute as a teen comedy - they meet only once in high school years, most of the action is in college, and they do sometimes pass up parties to hit the books), you should enjoy the movie.

A great movie
Freddy and Claire have many interesting scenes together. From being on a plane together, to falling in love in college, the comedy never ends. Freddie is the tag-along friend as Claire has many boyfriends. Biggs thinks that he's using claire as a "fake girlfriend". I don't want to reveal too much, but it's a good comedy and u should check it out!

For all you Alyson fans out there!!
I just wanted to let you know that Aly has a total of two minutes screen time in this movie... And this movie is totally not worth it!! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Best of the Best
You'd be hard pressed to find a better collection of top-notch Star Trek episodes anywhere. Picard is one of the best Star Trek captains ever and Patrick Stewart the best actor to appear in the series. So right there you've got a winning combo. Add to that some of TNG's most interesting, thought provoking, and emotionally compelling episodes and you just can't loose.

Included on this DVD are the episodes:

The Big Goodbye
Sarek
Family
The Drumhead
Darmok
The Inner Light
Tapestry

Combined they not only provide a well rounded study of Picard but show off the heights to which TNG sailed. Anyone who is a fan of the show who didn't get the complete series on DVD or would like to be introduced to TNG should pick up this DVD collection.

Engage!

This is a fine set for non collectors.
I cannot understand the attitude of collectors that call this set "double-dipping". After all,you don't have to buy it,do you? No-one is twisting any collectors arm.
If you are a non-collector that just wants a "best of" series then sets like this are fine.
For example,there maybe fans that don't want to buy the largely mediocre first season of Star Trek:The Next Generation,but do want the Peabody Award winning episode "The Big Goodbye" from that season which is on this set. If that is the case,then this set is ideal for them.
In fact,one of the things that has been neglected by studios is that "best of" sets would be a good idea for fans of TV shows that don't want all of the episodes. I think that would be a very good thing.
"Best of" sets do have their place for fans that don't want to waste money on bad Trek episodes like "The Way To Eden,Angel One,Q-Less,Bride Of Chaotica" and other stinkers from the various Star Trek shows. I could make a bigger list of the bad episodes,but this review would take up too many pages.
Wouldn't it be nice if fans could buy the best episodes on any television series on one DVD set? I think that would be a great idea that would be embraced by some buyers.
This set also has a non-Trek documentary narrated by Patrick Stewart called "From Here To Infinity" which makes a nice extra.

Yet another Star Trek DVD double-dip hose-job to be avoided
Sigh... once again Paramount tries to pull off the ol' dreaded DVD double-dip ploy (read my SYLT guide on this annoying phenomenon at www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/guides/guide-display/-/3CVFIEG84F2PF/ref=cm_aya_av.sylt_sylt/002-6135121-8178428) on the Trekkie crowd by releasing NextGen DVD sets based on a theme (like this "Best of Captain Picard" dealie) after having put them out in full-season sets over a year back (as of this writing)! Come on, now-- everybody knows that you're supposed to put the theme-based stuff out BEFORE the full-season sets if ya wanna squeeze the maximum amount of 'double-dip' buckage outta the fans! Take the distributors of the 'South Park' DVDs for example: they put out a couple single-disc volumes-- many of which had some kinda theme to 'em-- and THEN they put out the full-season sets. They did it this way because they knew they wouldn't make nearly as much of a killing the other way around! So remember: if you're gonna hose me and my fellow Trekkie DVDphiles, you may as well do it in a way that gets you as much of that filthy lucre as possible! Remember: the inferior product first, and THEN the 'new-and-improved' product! Just a little lesson in marketing for all of ya's out there!

As for the bonus 'From Here to Infinity' documentary show (narrated by ol' chrome-dome himself) that's to be included with this set: I've seen it, and found it a bit of a bore. Stewart narrates without any of the emotion or character he put into his most famous pop-culture icon. And it didn't help that the script he was reciting contained few cosmological factoids that I found even remotely interesting. Oh well-- there's always the Discovery and Learning Channels if I wanna see some truly interesting space docs...

'Late ... Read more

Reviews (3)

From Evening World News this movie is so cool.
I remember hearing about this movie from the news and I missed watching the movie until now this move is very cool and it keeps you glued to the screen. I highly recommend this dvd.

It's the "War of the Worlds" as presented on TV...
As the reviewer below mentioned, this made-for-TV movie is loosely based on Orson Welles's famous radio broadcast in 1938. The broadcast was based on the classic 1898 novel "War of the Worlds" in which seemingly-invincible, octopus-like Martians invade and lay waste to England before suddenly dying from a simple Earth virus. Welles took this sci-fi story and turned it into a disturbingly realistic, minute-by-minute radio news broadcast of Martians landing in the New Jersey countryside and then moving towards New York while destroying everything in their path. Welles intended for the broadcast to be a ratings-boosting Halloween "trick", but many people thought that it was a real news story and panicked, packed up their cars and families and headed for the hills to escape the Martian "invaders". In "Without Warning", CBS-TV attempted to do what Welles did on CBS radio decades earlier: present a frighteningly realistic TV News broadcast of an alien invasion of the Earth. The two-hour movie is presented as a genuine news broadcast - there's the typical TV newsroom you see on CNN or Fox News; there's the team of anchorpeople giving updates (to add to the realism Sander Vanocur, a real reporter who's covered Washington politics since President Kennedy, was hired to play the anchorman); and there's the "live" satellite feeds from around the world as the evidence rapidly mounts that the Earth is being visited by not-so-friendly aliens. And the story is at least as frightening as the Welles version so many years ago. Originally, reports come in of a large UFO that's been shot down by the Air Force; an entire town in Wyoming suddenly disappears, with empty cars lining the streets and people's half-eaten dinners sitting on their plates; a zombie-like little girl is found talking what appears to be "nonsense" (it's actually a message from the aliens), then a missing skier in Europe turns up spouting the same gibberish; then large asteroids are spotted heading for the Earth's major cities, poised to destroy them; and the US military in a hurried press conference announces their plan to destroy the asteroids before they hit the Earth. I won't give away anymore of the plot (the ending is a real chiller), but this fast-paced film grabs hold of you quickly and doesn't let go until the very end. I saw this movie by accident when it originally aired, and although I wasn't "fooled" (I'm a big fan of Orson Welles' original broadcast, so I knew it had to be fake), this film nevertheless is chilling to watch in its realism. If there ever is an alien invasion of the Earth (which I doubt), then this movie probably gives an accurate portrayal of how the TV news media would cover it. Highly recommended!

It's what you've been waiting for!
This is the television movie that stirred up a lot of trouble for CBS in 1994. Despite repeated disclaimers every commercial break, many viewers really thought this was real. Sound familar? It should. The style is loosely based on Orson Wells' War of the Worlds radio cast, where the story is told through breaking news coverage.
I worked at a CBS affiliate and scared people kept calling wanting to know if it was real.
Anyway, this is a fun movie. It is not HAMLET and is a bit over the top at times. But if you get into the spirit of things you might occasionally feel a chill go up your spine. ... Read more

Description

Three pig brothers leave home to build their own houses, only to be confronted by a wolf who is hungry for pork. ... 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

Description

A prince who was turned into a frog by a witch's spell is ultimately saved by the kiss of a self-centered princess. ... 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

Description

A cowardly king offers a young man who isn't afraid of anything all the riches in the land if he rid the castle of a ghost. ... 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

Description

A motley crew of animals help a young girl who is no bigger than a thumb make her way home after she is kidnapped by a toad and taken to live on a lily pad in a swamp. ... 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

Description

When her sadness becomes so overwhelming that a princess refuses to leave her room, a king searches the land for someone to make his daughter laugh. ... 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

Description

A clever cat comes up with a way to transform his master into a nobleman, but first he demands a new wardrobe. ... 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

Description

When a selfish mayor refuses to pay a Pied Piper for ridding the rats from the town, the Piper gets rid of all the children in the town as well. ... 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

Reviews (124)

Excellent
I watched this movie when it first aired and loved it so much that I bought the video. I have since watched it numerous times.

Brandy does not have near the voice to do a Rogers and Hammerstein. I still don't understand why she was cast as Cinderella. I hope she will not attempt another musical in the future. Whitney was Whitney. She succeeded in turning the fairy godmother into her image.

Fortunately, the rest of the cast more than make up for them. Overall, the acting was good. The singing (beside Brandy) was excellent. Whoopi Goldberg and Victor Garber were great as Queen and King. Whoopi was hilarious, but I wish she didn't have to sing. I agree with the other reviewers that Bernadette Peters stole the show as the wicked stepmother. Her singing and acting were superb. Jason Alexander was OK as the Prince's Valet, but why did he need that accent??? The two stepsisters were funny.

The real fairy tale is newcomer Paolo Montalban. He was exceptional in his TV debut and what a fantastic voice. I hope to hear him sing again. His prince was perfectly charming, and he could dance too.

Lastly, the mutlicultural casting is ingenious. All the actors and actresses were cast by their singing (except Brandy) and acting (except Whitney) ability. Disney didn't make this an all-white or all-black Cinderella so children of all races can enjoy it. For the people who think that this is not realistic, remember THIS IS A FAIRY TALE. If mice can change into horses and pumpkins into coaches that fly then why can't a white king and a black queen have an asian son. We don't need an scientific explanation to everything. Just enjoy the movie. ~

Great film!!
This version took a big risk and, eventhough its tough to see, it was a woderful film. True, Brandy doesn't have the best voice for R&H but her Cinderella was a stronger character and more believable, instead of the usual weak Cinderella. Having great B'dway stars like Bernadette Peters, Jason Alexander, Whoopi Goldberg, Victor Garber, Paolo Montalban and the two step sister brought life, woderful acting, and wonderful singing to the film. Even though Whitney Houston wasn't the best choice for the Fairy Godmother she produced the movie and you have to admit she can sing. The sets, costumes, and special effects were amazing and brought out the story book mood, something the other versions never did and R&H's score was beautifully brought back to its full glory that just wasn't in the 1965 production. Though the film has a few flaws it's a great film!!

Fabulous!
My 2-year-old daughter and I have so much fun singing along with this video. She even asks me to dance during the ballroom scenes. It is a fabulous production.

great voices but ok acting
I've seen the version with Leslie Anne Warren and thought that anyone could sing and be Cinderella better than her, and with Disney's 1997 version someone did. Brandy brings to this role some much needed sophistication and class that, unfortunately, Leslie Anne did not. The movie is filled with great music and overall ok acting, but still can't anyone make a musical that is not corny or cheesy? Did the great musical end with Grease? Paolo was absolutely fabulous and a great find. His voice resounded with greatness. It's too bad that a musical can have such great singing talent, but not much in the acting department. Still, it makes for great background noise while reading or studying.

multi-ethnic cast shines!
Having grown up with the magic of Lesley Anne Warren as Cinderella, I wasn't sure the Rogers and Hammerstein musical could be topped, but the whole family was impressed with this one. Brandy does a wonderful job as Cinderella: demur, wistful, and understated, and her singing is beautiful (and I wasn't a fan before). The set and costumes and the supporting cast are all excellent! All of the actors manage to convey a sense of their characters' humanity (with the possible exception of Jason Alexander). The "evil" stepsisters are a hoot, Bernadette Peters is inspired, the royal parents capture every parent's concern for their offspring, and Paolo Montalban as the prince is someone anyone could fall in love with.... In short, this updated, multicultural Cinderella is worth putting in your DVD library. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Not that bad...
Ok, so I watched this movie today and it was actually better than I expected. Longer too ~2hr 45mins which is something to rival Star Wars.

I also managed to see the original movie again a couple of weeks ago (after first seeing it years and years ago). What was most noticable to me were the flashbacks to the past which were so different to what was in the original movie. Ok, I don't mean not using any of the original actors like Heather Locklear or Drew Barrymore (like they would do this kind of movie now anyway) but the way the parents died, for example, was completely different to the way it was portrayed in this movie.

It was also sad how John Rainbird had developed his own personal little army which would eventually lead to a gigantic showdown btwn Charlie and the young "gifted" boys. I did however like the young guy who was helping Charlie through the majority of the movie. It's always nice to have someone you can trust who won't just run away when they learn the truth about you - as frightening as that can be. Too bad things didn't go as he or Charlie expected in the end.

I think the girl who played Charlie did a pretty good job but it's a bit of a shame that they didn't use the bits from the first movie as the flashback sequences. However, seeing they inserted some extra footage in the flashback scenes that weren't in the original movie it's understandable that they would need to use other actors to play those roles. Of course the special effects - including sound - were much better in this movie. Not surprising since the first movie was done 18 years ago.

See it on video if you're curious to see how Charlie turns out.

You guys need to lighten up
After browsing through a few of my fellow critics reviews I need to say this, lighten up. This movie is not that bad considering that it is a sci-fi channel miniseries style film. For a movie that does not need to rely on saying things like (beep) or having tones of (sexual intercourse) that most sequels rely on they really pulled off a treat to the eyes.

I think the problem that most of my fellow critics had was the fact that they read the book, did not like the first film because it did not faithfully adapt to the book. Who cares? The first film was fine and the second one lived up to it's predecessor.

Malcom McDowl played a fine Rainbird as he did an excellent job just like George C. Scott did. The new Charlie (what you expected Drew Barrymore to reprise her role) does a good job as the now grown up Charlie trying to survive as she is still being hunted. Rainbird new plan of more experimented kids provides a deadly advisary for her and overall I would say this movie is worth seeing.

However like I said I am little more liberal with the way I see movies but I honestly think that if one was to give this half a chance they would enjoy it. It is entertaining to watch to those who are willing to give it a chance.

Should not be compared to the original.
Many people are comparing this to the original and because of that are giving it bad reviews. This should not be. If you are looking for complete continuity of the original, then your looking in the wrong place.

Instead, view this a a completely seperate movie. It's also important to realize that this was a mini series, not a regular movie, so it's long.

Yes, it differs in many aspects from the original, but if you can look past that, its a very good movie/mini series.

Interesting but long...
I really think that the Sci-Fi channel did a really good job on this movie, especially when you compare it to the other movies that they've done. All and all it was really interesting but it's definately one of those movies that you can't get up and walk off for a second because then you don't know what is going on anymore. I watched the movie on cable and they made this 2 hour movie last for a whole 4 hours and honestly I think that was just plan out unnecessary!!! Not to ruin it for anyone but... the ending is really disappointing and kind of predictable especially if you've watched any kind of horror movie EVER!

Better than I thought...
Okay, this movie was made by the Sci-Fi channel so I'm not going to be so hard on them for not having the best script/special effects/story. I'm just going to focus more on the entertainment factor.

Yes, I was a huge Firestarter fan. I was a bit disappointed in the changes from the past during the flashback pieces... but the main story was still there. But this is the biggest reason I did not give them five stars... diverting from the real story.

However, I did enjoy the entertainment value. The idea of more children with unique abilities was fun... I wish they had shown more of these children. A glimpse at Charlie's life as she was all grown up was interesting, as well as other characters from the Lot 6 experiment.

The only thing I did not like was the ending... but this is the story of Charlie so it should have been expected. I'll leave it at that so I don't blow the ending for anybody. But it somewhat disappointed me.

No, this wasn't as good as the original. Of course, Stephen King wrote it and didn't have a hand in this, so of course it is better. I wasn't expecting much and was prepared to turn it off it if didn't catch my attention well. But I was entertained and I watched it to the end. Overalll, I would say, "Job well done, Sci-Fi Channel."

Would I recommend it? Maybe... if your expectations are high (don't expect a Terminator 2 type of sequel) then I would suggest skipping out on this one. But if you are into a night (this is a long movie) of cheap entertainment, pick this up! ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Not that bad...
Ok, so I watched this movie today and it was actually better than I expected. Longer too ~2hr 45mins which is something to rival Star Wars.

I also managed to see the original movie again a couple of weeks ago (after first seeing it years and years ago). What was most noticable to me were the flashbacks to the past which were so different to what was in the original movie. Ok, I don't mean not using any of the original actors like Heather Locklear or Drew Barrymore (like they would do this kind of movie now anyway) but the way the parents died, for example, was completely different to the way it was portrayed in this movie.

It was also sad how John Rainbird had developed his own personal little army which would eventually lead to a gigantic showdown btwn Charlie and the young "gifted" boys. I did however like the young guy who was helping Charlie through the majority of the movie. It's always nice to have someone you can trust who won't just run away when they learn the truth about you - as frightening as that can be. Too bad things didn't go as he or Charlie expected in the end.

I think the girl who played Charlie did a pretty good job but it's a bit of a shame that they didn't use the bits from the first movie as the flashback sequences. However, seeing they inserted some extra footage in the flashback scenes that weren't in the original movie it's understandable that they would need to use other actors to play those roles. Of course the special effects - including sound - were much better in this movie. Not surprising since the first movie was done 18 years ago.

See it on video if you're curious to see how Charlie turns out.

You guys need to lighten up
After browsing through a few of my fellow critics reviews I need to say this, lighten up. This movie is not that bad considering that it is a sci-fi channel miniseries style film. For a movie that does not need to rely on saying things like (beep) or having tones of (sexual intercourse) that most sequels rely on they really pulled off a treat to the eyes.

I think the problem that most of my fellow critics had was the fact that they read the book, did not like the first film because it did not faithfully adapt to the book. Who cares? The first film was fine and the second one lived up to it's predecessor.

Malcom McDowl played a fine Rainbird as he did an excellent job just like George C. Scott did. The new Charlie (what you expected Drew Barrymore to reprise her role) does a good job as the now grown up Charlie trying to s