Hansel et 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.

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.

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 watched this film when I was about 6 or 7 and absolutely loved it. I used to rent it along with two other films from the same company, Puss in Boots and Snow White. When I was about 11 the video shop closed down and since then I have been searching for this film. I can still remember the words to the songs and I am now 21! Finally I have found a copy of it and cannot wait til I get it. I'm sure my son will enjoy it as much now as I did then. It is well recommended for children of all ages, although some children may find the witch a little frightening, it just depends on the child. It is a hard film to find but I would recommend looking for it and the other titles I mentioned earlier, it will be a well loved film for children and for adults!

"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!