Babes in the Woods

An early attempt at the Brothers Grimm world to which Disney would soon lay claim. But more awkward and with much sloppier animation. The Hansel and Gretel stand-ins ("whose names I don't know") are shockingly devoid of personality - they've got weird little blank faces that even I could draw. When the boy is turned into a spider, it's both icky and somewhat of a relief, because at least now he's got some personality. Turned into a spider, not fattened up to be eaten. This witch just imprisons and transforms kids...the standard cannibalism was apparently too edgy.

The whole thing is also dated by the utterly inane song.

Is it just me, or is there something unearthly and horrific about the witch's final moments, after which the ring of laughing children just seems bizarre? And is the fact that the rock's 'arms' seem to have disappeared with the passage of time suppose to be a hint that this is all just the stuff of myth? So many questions.

I thoroughly enjoyed this Silly Symphony. I wouldn't necessarily deem it as a favourite, like I would Flowers and Trees and The Old Mill, but it manages to be both scary and charming. With nice colourful animation, particularly on the outside of the gingerbread house, a beautiful lullaby-like title song and dramatic and whimsical incidental music it is a delight visually and musically. The pace is secure and the cartoon eventful enough to be enjoyable, with some elements of other Grimm fairy tales and sticking to the overall structure of the original Hansel and Gretel tale. The characters are engaging, the two children are likable enough and look cute in the Dutch traditional dress, while the gnomes are friendly and jovial. I remember this though chiefly for the Witch, who is very scary not only how she is animated but how she speaks too. Concluded with a fun climax, in which the Witch is finally turned into stone, this is a lovely, charming Silly Symphony. 10/10 Bethany Cox

Two horribly animated children are skipping through the woods until they become frightened of everything from branches to bunnies. They discover an elf village and end up playing with them before an evil witch lures them to her candy cane house where she has other kids in captivity, only they're turned into various nasty creatures.

The kids break free, rescue the other victims and encase the witch in concrete or something, which ends up in the creation of "The Witch Stone".

I wasn't charmed by Disney's version of this Brothers Grimm tale. The animation wasn't that good and without the Disney trademark of anthropomorphic animals it just felt awkward.

For some reason, two little Dutch kids are rambling through the woods. As time goes by, numerous frightening things happen. They come upon a village of gnomes who accept them immediately. But soon the witch with the candy house shows up and they are taken in by her. The colors and sets are excellent. The story is a little weak, but it's not terrible.

This is quite a thrilling little fairytale, where two children stumble upon a village of gnomes in the woods. While they are friendly to the children, a witch suddenly arrives and kidnaps them.

The scenes where the children attempt to escape the witch's lair were quite exciting, as were the magic spells the witch casted. But, the gnomes' attempts to rescue the children and shower the witch with arrows were cheesy.

You could hardly make out the witch's dialog, whom is voiced by the actress that eventually voices the Evil Queen in Show White and the Seven Dwarfs.

Overall, not a bad tale. Reminds you a little of those full-length animated movies from Disney.

Grade B-