Hänsel und Gretel

I first saw this movie in 1988 and recently in 2002 I wished I could watch it again. Fourteen years on, I still remember this film.

Everyone plays their part well. It is a fantastic story which can be enjoyed by adults and children alike. The songs are great, the scenery is lovely and when you see the witch's house and garden, I think you'll agree that they are excellent.

I don't need to go into detail about the story. We all know it unless we've been living in a cave for years. Even though you know what the film's conclusion is going to be before you see it, it doesn't detract from the enjoyment.

Check this movie out. However, you'll have a hard time doing that because I haven't spotted it on TV, cable or at a video store since I first saw it. Perhaps someone will release it onto DVD one day.

This is another of the beautiful Cannon Movie Tales,that aired on the Disney Channel starting in the late 80's and on ito mid-90's.This one is beautifully photographed.The songs are adapted from the opera so they are not new but are still beautiful.I saw this at about 7:00 on a Friday night on The Disney Channel.I fell in love with it and could not find it anywhere.Luckely,Amazon had a copy.It has not lost its charm.Cloris Leachman is the most evil witch ever filmed.She gave me the creeps.This film is ideal for family viewing.Little children will be frightened so make shure you are there for a person to lean on.

"Hansel And Gretel" is the best 'movie tale' Cannon Films produced. This version of the story is taken from the Hunperdinck opera, but its's still a recognizable rendition. The cast is fine, Hugh Pollard as Hansel, Nicola Stapleton as Gretel, David Warner and Emily Richard as the parents. But the REAL treat here is Cloris Leachman, as Grizelda, the Witch. This veteran actress is simply terrific, whether coaxing the children inside her gingerbread house, or threatening them with death. She also sings well, something she has rarely done in films. The production is tasteful, as are the new songs, adapted from the opera. A bit tense at times for young kids, "Hansel And Gretel" is nevertheless, a classic!

I remember this being on the Disney Channel in the late 80's and mid 90's. It is the most terrifying version of the story that you will ever see. Based on the Brothers Grimm story, it follows two children named Hansel(Hugh Pollard) and Gretel(Nicola Stapelton). Theyb are sent out into the forest to pick berries and they stray from the "safe" woods and enter the forbidden North Woods were they meet a witch named Griselda (Cloris Leachman). They think they have found shelter, but have really landed in the liar of an evil witch who likes to eat children.

The opening is not faithful to the Brothers Grimm story, but it is forgivable, because of the terrifying last half, Cloris Leachman's performance, Nicola and Hugh as the two children, and some nice sets and music numbers.

Keep this one away from children under age 7.

When I was a child,"Hansel And Gretel" used to scare me to death,particularly the bone the unfortunate boy showed to the witch.

The Grimm brothers ' widely known fairy tale has undergone some changes and,as far as the parents are concerned ,for the best.David Warner portrays a meek woodcutter who seems a little under her wife 's (Emily Richard)thumb who has sometimes cruel words -but the fairy tales are often cruel- when she tells her children going to bed that they should not awake .

The fairy tale revolves round a familiar topic: the fear of starving ,which was not only in fairy tales ("Tom Thumb " is another example ,which shows analogies with "H and G" :the candies ,cannibalism).

In this food shortage ,all is temptation:on a small scale ,the baker's shop,and on a larger one,the witch's house.But too much pastry and sweets makes you sick.

The second part is ,IMHO,less successful: the children remain true to form ,but I do think that Cloris Leachman overacts and makes her character more ludicrous than really scary .Enough is enough!The same can be said of the final "fireworks".

All and all ,it is an enjoyable show for the whole family.

Two very interesting variations on the same theme (strictly for adults and teenagers):

"Whoever slew Auntie Roo?"(1971) Curtis Harrington.

"Les Amants Criminels " (1999) François Ozon.