Product Details

• Actors: Martin Short
• Format: Animated, Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC
• Language: English
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 2
• Studio: Live / Artisan
• VHS Release Date: September 28, 2004
• Run Time: 75 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (175 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0002CHJYQ
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #82,197 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

137 of 141 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great, even if you are a manly man., October 22, 2004

By 

Tommy Jeffers (Pana, IL United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Barbie As Princess & Pauper [VHS] (VHS Tape)

When my wife called me to ask if I minded her getting this video for my three-year-old daughter, I of course told her that it was fine. I knew I would be stuck watching it over and over because my little girl loves to watch things with her daddy. We sat down before bedtime and popped it in the VCR, and I committed myself to being a good daddy and to spending some quality time with my little one. The movie opened with a rip-roaring musical number, and the quality of the computer animation was very impressive. Being a Mark Twain scholar (I did my thesis on Twain), I was expecting a goofy, silly movie adaptation of the story. After all, Barbie is about as interesting to me as fly vomit. However, what I found was a wonder. The story was excellent, but the songs were the best part of the film. The quality of the musical numbers rivals that of any Disney production. The VHS tape came with a CD with all of the major songs on it. My little girl sits and sings them to me and even asks her dad to join in on the "boy parts" of the song. What struck me about the movie most was the excellent character development in this short film. It was, I have to reluctantly admit, wonderful. Princess Annaliese, Erika, King Dominick, Julian, and the two cats are wonderfully portrayed. However, the stand out character is most definitely Preminger. This is a top-notch villain because he dosen't fit the established mold. He is prissy, vain, and feminine. However, he is also sly, conniving, and cruel hearted. His musical number "How can I refuse?" is among the best "villain songs," I have ever heard...bar none. There is also a great subplot involving the cats. Even the minor characters stand out. I've watched the film over and over with my little girl, and I have to admit that I enjoyed it every time. And I don't feel a bit unmanly at all.

34 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Nicely Done, September 28, 2004

By 

Lunataina "lunataina" (APO, AE, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Barbie as the Princess and the Pauper (DVD)

I just saw this one and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. I knew my daughter would love it, but I didn't expect to like it as well. The story was sweet and I thoroughly enjoyed it. My daughter was particularly delighted with the singing. She loves to sing, and musicals lend themselves for repeated encores by my daughter who learns songs faster than I ever could. If you have never watched a Barbie movie, I would recommend you give them a try, especially if you have a little girl in your home. They are much better than what most people who have not watched them think they are. The messages in the movies are positive, and the movies themselves are captivating and well made. As a parent I can say that I do not get as tired of the Barbie movies as I do of most other cartoon movies when forced to watch them repeatedly by my child. That is a big plus in my book. Barbie Princess and the Pauper is a nice follow up film to the other Barbie movies. We look forward to the next installment in the series.

Also recommended: Barbie and the Nutcracker, Barbie as Rapunzel, and Barbie in Swan Lake

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Barbie Has Outdone Herself - Superb DVD - And that Music!!, November 4, 2004

By 

L. B. Fritz (Stroudsburg, PA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Barbie as the Princess and the Pauper (DVD)

Having two daughters ages 5-1/2 and 7, we have all the previous Barbie movies and love them all - they are quality products, beautifully crafted and artistically gorgeous - and the music is always delightful (I mean, how can you go wrong with Swan Lake and the Nutcracker, but the original music from Rapunzel is hauntingly beautiful and extremely moving as well). So there was no question we would purchase Barbie As The Princess and the Pauper.

WOW! Barbie has outdone herself with this new DVD. As her first "Animated Musical," I must admit I was slightly skeptical, especially following the outstanding music that came before in the other Barbie DVDs. Imagine my surprise when I found myself completely blown away by the music and lyrics in every song of this DVD. Simply a first-rate job: Clever, singable (addictively so) and emotionally moving songs, one after another. And kudos to the songwriters for bringing back the beauty of the simple duet: The songs sung by Princess Anneliese and Erika together are just gorgeous and lovely.

Oh, and don't worry - after getting over the beauty and richness of the music and songs, you will not be disappointed in any way by the story and animation, which is once again captivating, interesting, and intelligent. I am most impressed with all of the Barbie DVDs in that they always give Barbie's character a mature, strong, assertive, intelligent persona - so opposite of what so many people used to believe (and probably still do) the Barbie dolls conveyed to impressionable young girls. The dolls may be all about fashion and perfect figures and shopping and boyfriends, but in the DVDs, Barbie is kick-ass smart, strong, decisive and compassionate (and, of course, still beautiful and perfectly-figured).

As the plot is well-written, fast-moving, and action-packed, even Daddies and older brothers will find themselves drawn to the story and animation in spite of themselves! (And get a load of Martin Short as the voice of the bad guy, the "evil Preminger" - this may be one of his best roles to date!)

All in all, we are just pleased as punch with this DVD, and have watched it again and again. We also have the CD of the songs in the car, and I have actually listened to it a few times when my daughters were not even in the car! The songs just make you feel good inside. As long as Barbie continues starring in DVDs of this quality and caliber, we will certainly be purchasing them as soon as they hit the store shelves. And make sure not to miss the "outtakes" at the end of the film - funniest animated outtakes I've seen since Toy Story and Monsters Inc.!

Unequivocally 5 stars.