Customer Reviews

Heidi

5 star:		(51)
4 star:		(19)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

Finally,after about three years of suffering through a horrible-looking unrestored black & white/colorized version of Shirley Temple's 1937 version of "Heidi",Fox and co-partner Legend Films,an excellent company specializing in digital film restoration and digital film colorization,has now brought us for the very first time a brand-new,sparkling,and outstanding new restored b&w transfer of this great film which contains a brand-new color version,and it's the real deal ! Avoid seeing,renting,or owning the original DVD release ( mint green cover ) of this film that Fox has put out from 2002 which used a horrendously bad computer colorized version from 1986 that was also the same transfer later used for the 1994 video release that used a very grainy,dark,and murky print with extensive color shift from color-to-black & white-back to color and a great deal of reddish pink,gray,brown and blue tones.This new version made nearly 19 years later uses a brand new,digitally restored black & white version from a very good 35mm print that barely shows any wear,tear,splices,damages,or smear as well as including a very beautiful-looking new digitally made color version which looks very stunning,realistic,and almost storybook-like,especially the beautiful-looking shots of the Swiss Alps in the opening ! It really does look like it was filmed in Technicolor and is a much better comparision piece over the original color version.The only bonus features that are included,as it did with the original DVD release is an unrestored b&w theatrical trailer with a great deal of grain,dirt,and low contrast.Interestingly,the menu design used here in the new version is the exact same one as the original DVD version.All in all,I highly recommend this,one of Temple's last great Fox films,for any DVD collection and for any Shirley Temple fan and get rid of old colorized VHS and DVD release.This is the real deal here and you will not be dissappointed by the excellent restoration and coloring of this great family film !!

"Heidi" is a charming film, and one of Shirley Temple's best star vehicles. It was originally released in 1937, near the end of Temple's long reign as the Number One box office attraction in America. In addition to a captivating performance by Miss Temple in the title role, it features excellent supporting turns from Jean Hersholt as the Grandfather, and the wonderful character actress Mary Nash as Temple's vitriolic adult nemesis (she also did a masterful job of menacing poor Shirley in the 1939 version of "The Little Princess"). Give the movie ****1/2 for its endearing sentimentality and lush production.

But rate the DVD an utter BOMB, and a dud at that. Fox Home Video offers two versions of the film on this disc, neither one of which is an acceptable transfer of this fondly-remembered and eagerly-anticipated release. One is the wretched "colorized" version that was released during that dreadful time in film history when modern businessmen dared to tamper with the classic artistry of bona fide filmmakers from the Golden Era (an experiment which critics and consumers alike rejected ... how many black and white classics are being colorized today?). The other version offered on the DVD is a substandard transfer of a very poor black and white print that is an insult to consumers. It doesn't do the original film justice, and more importantly, it's NOT the best print currently available. I predict that in a couple of years, Fox will offer a "newly restored" edition, and make the public buy this title once again to get an improved copy that should be available NOW. (Can you say, "Disney's 'Little Mermaid'"?)

I recommend you wait, and hold on to your money. Do not encourage studios by purchasing whatever inferior product they toss into the marketplace. This DVD is an insult to both Miss Temple whose box office popularity saved 20th Century-Fox from ruin during the depths of the Depression, and to the public who wishes to enjoy her unique talents on DVD.

When eight-year-old Heidi (played by Shirley Temple) is orphaned, her maternal Aunt Dete (Mady Christians) takes her to live with her gruff and unsociable paternal grandfather, Adolph Kramer (Jean Hersholt). Through her sweetness and love, she brings the Grandfather out of his shell, and back into the company of men. Disaster strikes when Aunt Dete steals Heidi away to be the companion of a rich man's invalid daughter (Marcia Mae Jones). Showing nothing but kindness to all around her, she holds out hope that somehow she will be reunited with her grandfather and all of her friends. [Black-and-white, created in 1937, with a running time of 1 hour, 28 minutes.]

Perhaps a little saccharin compared to today's movies (thank God!), Heidi still has a powerful storyline. Combining rich dialogue with beautiful scenery, this movie even includes a sleigh-chase scene! I must also mention that this movie includes Arthur Treacher (playing Andrews the Butler), one of my personal favorites.

This movie is such a wonderful echo from another time. I must say that I doubt that the Hollywood of today could produce such an uplifting story, full of wonderful values. I have two children (7 and 10), and this was a great movie to watch with them, having nothing objectionable--in fact quite to the contrary. So, if you have children, then I can't recommend this movie enough!

When I first decided to buy Heidi, I read some of the reviews. They were not very good. I purchased it anyway & I was glad I did! This movie is great. Shirley Temple is a wonderful & talented young lady. This movie does her justice in every way. The black & white movie is remastered & it looks really good. The color version is just as good. The way they made the mountains so vibrant & clear is really nice. It makes one feel like they are there. The whole movie is perfect. I have the VHS tape from when it first came out & the color isn't very good. My family will cherish it for a long time to come.

I've always loved this movie and was thrilled to get it on DVD but the picture quality is horrendous. This is the worst DVD I've ever seen from a major studio. The colorized version was done back in the 80's before the process was refined and it looks awful. The black and white version is even worse. It looks like someone dragged the film down the street and then transfered it to DVD. Shame on Fox for leaving this version the only one available.
Postscript-I picked up the remastered release in the pink package and it's a fine transfer of the movie-about time Fox! Hopefully the rest of the good Temple vehicles will be released in as good a shape as this one. Recommended.

Heidi is an excellent film, of course starring Shirley Temple as the witty Heidi, about a young orphaned girl who is sent away by her mean aunt to live with her strict and stern, but loveable, grandfather in the Alps. The film consists of many hilarious moments, like when Heidi is learning to milk a goat and when she tries to yodel in the village. My favorite scene is when Heidi asks her Grandfather to tell her a story. He reads her a story about a little Dutch girl with a pair of wooden shoes. The story comes alive and Shirley plays the little Dutch girl. The movie is excellent for young children and for people who loved the novel, to me, the picture is much better. The scenery is spectacular for being a 1937 film and the costume designs bring you into the time of Heidi. No Shirley Temple collection is complete without Heidi!

HEIDI has such beautiful color, it truly looks like it was truly filmed in color!!!! The colors are so vibrant, they jump right off the screen! Shirley has never looked this beautiful on film before, its as if this color has made her features come much more to life!!

The mountain scenes are beautiful, where when we see The grandfather or Shirley outside of the cabin, the trees and the sky are so beautiful. The tress are beautiful green, and the sky is beautiful deep blue!!

The clothes that Shirley wears are beautiful with the color and, wait till you see the christmas tree and all its colors!

One of the main reasons as to why HEIDI looks so good is because it was remastered and its truly flawless,its so clear and sharp!! Again, Shirley has never looked so good ,and her adorable beauty truly shines strong!The skin tone is done to perfection and, truly this great Shirley movie has never looked as good as this before!!

Temple is wonderful in one of her best-remembered roles as the waif who goes to live with her broken-hearted grandfather (Jean Hersholt) Both bitchy Mady Christians and Mary Nash (as the mean governess) give memorable performances as does the fragile Marcia Mae Jones as the crippled girl Heidi befriends and helps to walk again. This was just what the public wanted in 1937; 63 years later, children continue to be enchanted by this film which is based on the book by Johanna Spyri. Available colorized.

I have numberous complaints from various fans and friends about the quality of the DVD and I am in an uproar with FOX who really owe Shirley's fans better since, Shirley Temple is still a money maker and her movies are enjoyed worldwide-- I see it's no longer avaible so I'm only hoping that they plan to re-release it not poor quality this time. But, if you still want to see Shirley in Heidi which you should I recommend the VHS version I own it and find no problem with the quality of the tape and the picture is perfect.

Shirley sparkles in this movie taken as her age and value depreciated. The story will always remain a classic and in this version of Heidi it does not stick entirely to the story but, enough still to make it interesting. Jean Hearsholt does a wonderful job as the Grandfather who becomes charmed and beloved by Heidi. Shirley also does wonderful as the spunky cheerful natured girl who melts Hearsholt's heart. Stunning scenry and decent dialogue make this movie worth owning! My cousins love it and we watch it over and over again we get a little frightened when Shirley is almost sold to the gypsies... but, we love the scene in which Heidi begs the police not to take her away from her grandfather you see all that talent and acting shine through! And I hate to admit it but, I almost cry each time!

This is the movie I watch again and again... one of Shirley's better movies despite the fact it only has one song really "In Our Little Wooden Shoes." This has all the charm and wonderful beauty of a Shirley film, it also manages to be a good holiday film as well. A classic for all fans of the book and a keeper for all old movie and Shirley fans!

Shirley Temple movies have never lost their charm. My niece loves them and this is her favorite one. We have a habit of commenting on the characters, discussing the plot, and comparing notes on the Shirley Temple movies. I have to laugh each time I take a movie over to her house. She says: "Will you be reviewing this one?" Well, this movie was so enchanting, I completely forgot to take notes!

This is the 1937 version, renewed in 1965 and is a colorized version of the original black-and-white classic. It is actually the best-known version of the classic story of Heidi.

In this movie, Heidi doesn't let anyone deter her from enjoying life. Even her reclusive grandfather turns to butter when Heidi steals her way into his heart. Heidi is a little orphan girl who is left to live in the Swiss Alps. Her cruel aunt not only leaves her with her grandfather, she also returns and kidnaps her to make some money. Poor Heidi is taken to live in Frankfurt with a family she has never met before. Soon she makes friends with the invalid daughter who needs a companion.

Amidst all this confusion, Heidi endures being bullied by an evil governess and still manages to charm the butler and the rest of the household. This is not a sad movie, while it does have a few sad moments. Shirley doesn't sing or dance in this movie, yet her laughter will be heard throughout this delightful movie...as will yours!

~The Rebecca Review