Product Details

• Actors: Jack Warden, Jeremy James Kissner, Jesse James, Jon Voight, Cheryl Ladd
• Directors: Kevin Brodie
• Writers: Kevin Brodie, Ouida, Robert Singer
• Producers: Alain Keytsman, Frank Yablans, Lawrence Mortorff, Lyle Howry
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC
• Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Warner Home Video
• VHS Release Date: March 7, 2000
• Run Time: 100 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 0790748746
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #252,367 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

An appreciation for fine art, virtue, and relationships marks this family film set in Europe when Flanders was still Flanders before it was swallowed up by France and Belgium. But parents should be aware that this 95-minute video also features a good dollop of death, beginning with the demise of the hero's mother at the very beginning when he is just a baby. Raised by his impoverished grandfather (Jack Warden), Nello (Jeremy James Kissner) nevertheless finds happiness in the dog he finds left for dead, a neighbor girl who becomes his soul mate, and the talent for drawing he inherits from his mother. He even becomes the protégé of the town's premier painter (Jon Voight). But life holds many bitter lessons for Nello, including the death of his grandfather when he is a teen, betrayal by those he trusts, and his own near-death. Gorgeously shot on location by director and cowriter Kevin Brodie, this movie has many rewards, including, finally, a happy ending. For mature 7-year-olds and up. --Kimberly Heinrichs

From Parents' Choice®

The opening scene is a grabber: A poor woman clutches her baby as she staggers through a blizzard. It sets the stage for a lovely film based on the 19th Century children's novel by Ouida Sebestyen. A remake of the original movie made in 1914, the story is about a poor farm boy named Nello who comes across a near-dead dog in the woods. He nurses the dog, a Bouvier-a large working breed of dog known as the Bouvier de Flanders-back to health. They become inseparable as Patrasche, the dog, pulls Nello's milk cart to town and back every day. But Nello dreams of more than farming. He wants to be an artist.

The film beautifully portrays his determination and courage in the face of adversity. Jesse James plays Nello at 7. Jeremy James Kissner plays Nello at 12. They both give heartfelt performances. Jack Warden is Nello's Grandpa, who shows Nello that if he has love, he has all he needs. Jon Voight is the art master who helps Nello realize his dream.

It's a good story for everyone-and a worthy reminder to be true to what your heart most wants to do. A 2000 Parents' Choice® Silver Honor.

Reviewed by Ann Oldenburg, Parents' Choice® 2000

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A Boy Meets A (Very Unique) Dog: Classic Tale for Children, April 30, 2002

By 

Tsuyoshi (Kyoto, Japan) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: A Dog of Flanders [VHS] (VHS Tape)

It's a long loved story from the pen of the 19th Century then popular female writer Ouida, and now "A Dog of Flanders" is again treated as a movie for family viewing. Though the result turned out a mixed bag, it's not totally a messed job, and if you think about giving something to a kid, this is not a bad choice. And this film displays something very intersting about the cultural difference between Japan and USA.

This famous short story follows a hard-working Belgian boy Nello, whose ambition is to be a great painter, namely this case, Reubens. Through the boy is loved by his grandfather Daas and his girlfriend Aloise, and not least his Bouvier dog Patrasche, his life is not an easy one, bringing milk to the town every day with Patrasche pulling the cart. One day, he is "found" by a graet master of painting Michell (Jon Voight with a hevey accent), and Nello learns from the master that there is an annual contest for aspiring painters. But while he was trying to finish his work, a tragic accident happens to his life.

The film makes great changes to the original short story (especially the ending), but how you respond to that liberty will depend on your judgement. The fact that the critical reaction was at best very luckwarm proves that adults viewers might find this one very ordinary and mundane, and probably the film deserves better treatment. Though the locations are perfect, the story looks too banal, and -- this is more important -- it doesn't know its audience. Parents might be uncomfortable to see a dog is beaten by a drunken guy, or most of all, the secret of Nello's parentage is revealed. In fact, Nello's mother comes back home in the opening blizzard scene with a baby Nello -- clearly an echo of "Oliver Twist" -- but some kids (under the age of 3-6) may find it hard to understand why she think she is "disgraced" (the film uses this word at the end). Strangely Victorian here, but anyway, not a big matter, though.

As a whole, "A Dog of Flanders" is a satisfactry movie for older kids, and though it shows its hands too predictable way, the story itself is good, and it conveys surely its messages to kid's heart. The leading actors are in good form, and the dog is ... er ... very unique. so if you like dogs, you may be interested. And for adult viewers like me, it is a good thing to see Cheryl Ladd (ex-Chalie's Angels) again.

[ABOUT THE DIFFERENT ENDING OF THE FILM: COULD BE A SPOILER ... MAYBE NOT]

The Japanese version of this film has a different ending, which imdb doesn't seem to record. Japanese version doesn't have the last 5 minutes of the American counterpart, making the ending faithful to the original book. This is because this story is a vastly loved one in Japan owing to its very popular TV series made about 20 years ago, and every Japanese viewer knows its original ending. Producers, therefore, must have judged it unwise to "compromise" its ending as its new American version does. The actual difference is as follows:

Japanese version: Nello meets his mother again; they hug each other; (then the film directly jumps to the final cut of American film showing statue of Ruebens); two lights, presumably souls of them, going up to the Heaven; end credit rolls up.

This is a minor thing, I know, but it is intersting to note this differnce between Japanese and American sensibility.

And if you like this one, you may watch older version made in 1959. There is a Japanese animated version (2000) too, and this fact testifies to its popularity of this story. The original writer Ouida (a pen name for Louise De LaRamee, Bristish writer) herself loved dogs so much, and she is known for her life surrounded by dogs in Italy when she was old and impoverished. Check out the book too, if you like.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Heartwarming film for the whole family, April 26, 2000

By 

G. Roger Priddy (Walnut Cove, NC USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Dog of Flanders (VHS Tape)

A Dog of Flanders is a touching film, and well shot with beautiful scenery. No it's not a masterpiece, far from it, but it is a solidly good family film, you don't see very often now-a-days. The two main children characters are acted well by the young actors and actresses, Warden is good as the aging grandfather, and John Voight, one of my favorite, is once again superb in his role as a very talented artist, Michael. The film's title is A Dog of Flanders, but don't be fulled, it really isn't about the dog (who was cute) that much. It's more about a poor, young boy (Nello) with lots of artistic dreams, overcoming obstacles to be the best that he can be. The ending is good if a bit predictable (my father knew how it would end only a few minutes into the movie). A Dog of Flanders is good, clean, enjoyable, family fun. It doesn't make your brain frazzle with its storyline, and no Oscar winners are here, but I'll take it any day over these shoot-em-up, cuss-em-out, vulgar movies hollywood is churning out by the minute today.

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Really sweet and winsome, October 15, 2002

By 

D. M Paul (Mineral Wells, WV USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Dog of Flanders [VHS] (VHS Tape)

It starts out slow with what looks to be a really boring rainy village dog film but turns out to be a wonderful and original movie. The acting is great on all hands but especially by the lead actor who plays Nello. Adults and children alike will enjoy it. There is a fight scene with a cleaver which though not bloody at all could frighten young children. Also a scene with a gypsy fortune teller that as achristian I zipped over. It is a sweet story that is very inspiring.