Hansel and Gretel

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.

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.

I think this is a great movie from the Cannon Theatre... but you might want to keep it away from extremely young kids. it scared me so badly that even today, at 19, I have to fast forward through scenes. There are things that just scar you ... ya know? Grizelda the Witch was more terrifying than the Witch of the West in "Wizard of Oz". All around, a very good farie tale, but not my favorite out of the series.

I LOVED this film as a kid. I would dream of the gingerbread house yet have nightmares about the witch. Me and my sister's watched it loads then it just seemed to disappear from TV.

I recently found it on Netflix and watched it with my kids - aged 2, 3 & 5. I was excited to rewatch it and to also see their reactions as I do with all of my childhood favourites. Firstly, as the film got going, I was thinking "is that the bird from 90s Eastenders?". Sadly, I was also thinking "what is this bag of s***?!?"

However much I found myself disliking this film as an adult I couldn't help notice my kids all being transfixed to the screen as I must have been when I was their age. Suddenly I found myself enjoying the film again but as a parent both sharing a memory and making one new ones for little minds at the same time.

Whether child or adult, by the end of the movie I was craving some gingerbread and being badgered by the kids to make a gingerbread house. Roll on Xmas and their Aldi special!

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.