Customer Reviews

Ben and Me Walt Disney Mini Classics [VHS]

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Ben and me is the fun-filled story of Benjamin Franklin's friendship with a little mouse named Amos. In the 1700's, Amos the mouse set out to make his way in early America. He soon found himself at the home of Benjamin Franklin, a young, unsuccessful printer and bookbinder. Seeing an opportunity to help Ben out and find a place for himself, Amos supplies Ben with helpful ideas to improve his life and business. Together they work on Ben's paper, and Amos invents the Franklin stove and bifocals. Soon, thanks to Amos, Ben is the successful and well respected publisher of the Pennsylvania Gazette, and he is fast becoming one of the most popular men in America. But Ben and Amos have a falling out one day, when Ben's experiments with electricity prove to be hazardous to Amos's health one time too many. The two spend several years apart, until war is in the air and America is ready to separate from its mother country of England. Ben goes to Amos for help, wanting his little friend to return home with him and resume their partnership, but Amos is still bitter after all these years. Amos draws up a contract that Ben must agree to if they are to be friends again, a contact that reads remarkably similarly to our own Declaration of Independence!
Ben and Me is a wonderful Disney Classic featurette about Ben Franklin and America's struggle for Independence. It is definitely a must watch around the 4th of July, and a must have for any fan of Ben Franklin, the American Revolution, or Disney Animation in general! I'm thrilled to have it in my video collection! Pick your copy up before it's gone!

Ben and me is the fun-filled story of Benjamin Franklin's friendship with a little mouse named Amos. In the 1700's, Amos the mouse set out to make his way in early America. He soon found himself at the home of Benjamin Franklin, a young, unsuccessful printer and bookbinder. Seeing an opportunity to help Ben out and find a place for himself, Amos supplies Ben with helpful ideas to improve his life and business. Together they work on Ben's paper, and Amos invents the Franklin stove and bifocals. Soon, thanks to Amos, Ben is the successful and well respected publisher of the Pennsylvania Gazette, and he is fast becoming one of the most popular men in America. But Ben and Amos have a falling out one day, when Ben's experiments with electricity prove to be hazardous to Amos's health one time too many. The two spend several years apart, until war is in the air and America is ready to separate from its mother country of England. Ben goes to Amos for help, wanting his little friend to return home with him and resume their partnership, but Amos is still bitter after all these years. Amos draws up a contract that Ben must agree to if they are to be friends again, a contract that reads remarkably similarly to our own Declaration of Independence!
Ben and Me is a wonderful Disney Classic featurette about Ben Franklin and America's struggle for Independence. It is definitely a must watch around the 4th of July, and a must have for any fan of Ben Franklin, the American Revolution, or Disney Animation in general! I'm thrilled to have it in my video collection! Pick your copy up before it's gone!

This is a wonderful video, which teaches alot about Benjamin Franklin, while being quite entertaining for children. My 2 year-old loves it. I wish Disney made more videos like this one.

Although I found Amos to be a little anthropomorphic, he functions as an excellent literary device to add comedy to an otherwise perhaps boring autobiography. While Amos probably did not write the first sentence of the Declaration, it seems quite likely, judging from recent historical findings, that he did indeed invent bifocals. Anyway this movie is da bomb!!! LOL!!11!!

The movie, Ben and Me, is a good historical, educational video for children yet it is also humorous. My mom even liked it! It teaches a lot about Benjamin Franklin and how he got his ideas, from a mouse named Amos! Buy this video and have fun! We sure did.

I watched this repeatedly as a small child, and I grew up to earn a Master's degree in American History! Coincidence? Probably. But maybe not!

_Ben and Me_ tells the captivating tale of a mouse who "helps" Benjamin Franklin as he creates some of his most famous inventions. It really does give kids a taste of history in a fun and accessible way. As for the reviewer who is wrapped around the axle about it making Franklin look incompetent...well, let's just say that I think the average six-year-old has a better grasp of reality than the reviewer gives them credit for.

I still have my original VHS recording from when I was small, but I came here looking for a DVD version to share with my kids for the 4th of July. Unfortunately, one doesn't seem to exist, so I guess we'll be borrowing a VCR from Grandma instead.

My granddaughter will like it. I seen it when I was a kid and thought I would get it for her to watch.

Though I was optimistic when I started the movie, I was soon appalled to see the way it portrayed Ben Franklin. Ben Franklin was a famous inventor, not a befuddled old man who can barely remember his own name! His 'Poor Richard's Almanac' was very popular, but this movie made it sound boring and unnecessary. Right from the point that Amos arrived in Ben Franklin's shop, he was helping him. Ben Franklin invented bifocals and the Franklin stove on his own, but here Amos is said to have come up with both! And in the incident where Ben Franklin flies the kite in the storm, the real scientific purpose is never even mentioned. Instead, Amos is again in the spotlight, put out at being a part of one of Ben's "silly experiments." The story suggests that Benjamin Franklin can't manage anything without the help of the mouse. And towards the end of the story, when AMOS is shown to have been the writer of the beginning of the Delcaration of Independence I couldn't believe my eyes! I couldn't and still can't believe how much they omitted or changed the real history, to show Amos as the hero in every situation. Educational and Historical? It might make a good animated film for kids just to watch for pleasure, but if you're looking for an educational video this is the wrong place to go!