Les Contes de Pierre Lapin et ses Amis

You can keep watching the series just for the opening sequence. Wish they continued making animations like this...

THE WORLD OF PETER RABBIT AND FRIENDS - a magical place inhabited by disobedient bunnies, rambunctious kittens & practical hedgehogs - comes beautifully to life in this lovely British animated series based on the classic tales by Beatrix Potter.

The animation, which has been crafted to look like Miss Potter's original drawings, is first rate. Care has been given to find the perfect voice cast and several of Britain's finest actors (Sir Ian Holm, Sir Derek Jacobi, Hugh Laurie, Patricia Routledge, Prunella Scales, etc.) lend their considerable talents to the enterprise.

The animation is charmingly framed with live action sequences featuring Niamh Cusack as Miss Potter, filmed in the English Lake District at the author's beloved Hill Top Farm and the village of Near Sawrey.

In 1993, a TV series brought the classic tales of Beatrix Potter to life. This is great, unscary cartoons for kids without being too twee for grownups. Characters such as Peter Rabbit, Benjamin Bunny, Mr McGregor, Jemima Puddle Duck and Mr Jeremy Fisher wetre brought to life. Every Easter, they re-run them on the BBC. Advice: WATCH THEM.

I should preface this review by stating that I am a major fan of the Beatrix Potter series and therefore am also a major fan of the show The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends. This series does such a great job of reflecting the pure innocence that the books are known for. I personally don't understand why some of the books were a single episode while other times two books were combined into two segments per episode, although I can kind of understand this in the case of Peter Rabbit/Benjamin Bunny since the books are somewhat connected. I also wish that there was a Squirrel Nutkin episode. Those two small nitpicks aside, I absolutely adore the series. For one thing, I really love the animation, which is very felt-like. I know I use that comparison a lot but it's very noticeable here. Another thing that I very much enjoy is the dialogue, which is very nice and somewhat funny at times. Best of all, the stories always keep the whimsy and enchantment of the originals. Consisting Peter Rabbit and Benjamin Bunny, Two Bad Mice And Johnny Town-Mouse, Mrs Tiggy-Winkle and Jeremy Fisher, Tom Kitten and Jemima Puddleduck, The Flopsy Bunnies and Mrs Tittlemouse, Samuel Whiskers, Pigling Bland, Mr Tod, and The Tailor of Gloucester. Check out this magical land of disobient bunnies, rambunctious kittens, and practical hedgehogs.

This is this only video I own, of the series, and I am so enchanted by the live opening and ending sequences that I could watch them over and over, like a favorite song. They are more than worth the price of the video. In these short, exquisite moments I feel I am transported to Beatrix Potter's cottage and beautiful surrounding countryside. She comes in from a beginning rainstorm, to sit at her desk and begin writing her letter to her niece, with a bunny right there on her desk. The music that accompanies these scenes fits the moments beautifully. I leave the animated portions for the kids, they are, as earlier posters have stated, very true to the authors books.