Customer Reviews

The Little House on the Prairie

5 star:		(35)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

When I found out that (I think it was ABC) they're making a Little House on the Prairie movie, I was thrilled. When I found out that they're going to follow the books exactly, I was even more thrilled. As the most of us, I grew up with the series with Michael Landon and I still consider this to be the best family series in television history. The 5-part mini-series was excellent and I consider this to be highly reccomended.
I really hope that ABC continues making more of these movies by continuing on faithfully by the books as Laura gets older and her meeting Almanzo. I'm such a sucker for romance. :) This is reccomended for all ages and it's completely family-safe. :)

As a true "Little House" fan for my entire life, I always knew that the TV show, while wonderfully entertaining, was never really close to the true story of the Ingalls family adventures as depicted in the Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I was aprehensive at first when this version took to air. All of my anxiety melted away as I was taken back to my childhood days sitting during the cold winter reading the Little House books. I was, at 33, re-inspired to re-read them all after viewing this mini-series! This was simply a wonderful treat. I will definately encourage my daughters to view this mini-series after they are old enough to read the books. Michael Landon was wonderful, but this Little House, I feel, is closer to the real Laura Ingalls Wilder spirit.

As many, I have grown up on Michael Landon's "Little House" and have read all of the "Little House" books written by Laura Inagalls Wilder.

The original television series of the 1970s and 1980s was good, with a homey and warmth of family feeling to it, but strayed more and more from the actual writings of the LIW books as time went on.

This ABC/Disney version of "Little House On The Prairie" is much more closer to the actual books than any of the previous TV shows of the past. However, this 6 hours mini-series was not all completely accurate, and some of the camera shots could have filmed been better. But all in all, it is a very good program and well worth adding to your collection.

The acting by Kyle Chavarria and Danielle Ryan Chuchran was excellent, along with several of the other cast members. No, it is not Michael Landon with his Hollywood looking Charles Ingalls, but alot closer to the real Charles Ingalls as played by Cameron Bancroft in this version. This DVD gives you a more realistic insight as to how the pioneers actually lived back in those times, and the hardships and the family values that are rare to find in modern day time.

Get this DVD, you will enjoy it!!!!

This DVD does have beautiful cinematography, just as some other reviews have said. The outdoor scenes are very realistic in portraying what the rugged woodlands and prairies of the late 1800's were probably like. However, many reviews have claimed that this miniseries was closer to following the events in Laura Ingalls Wilder's book series than any other television series or movie has ever been, and after watching it we were very disappointed that it does not follow the books more closely at all. If anything there are even more differences than those described in Laura's books. I would not recommend buying this if you are looking for a closer portrayal of the events in the Little House book series. If you enjoy a different presentation for a good family movie, and enjoy the beautiful and realistic scenery, it might be a good choice.

We didn't like this version at all. First of all, the claim to be "closer to the books" is not true. It is also not closer to Laura Ingalls' actual life either. A few examples: the fact that Ma constantly has her hair down and blowing all over the place with her shirt unbuttoned to show cleavage; the fact that Laura is BLONDE (horrors) when the book goes out of its way several times to talk about Laura's brown hair and how she didn't like it; the fact that Carrie is completely absent when, in actuality, she was born in Kansas (she is present in the book, but it was a fact that Laura altered when she wrote the books.) In this film, she is completely written out.

Not to mention the fact that poor Mrs. Scott is portrayed as a psycopathic nut - (poor woman; in the book she nurses them during their malaria!) And what's with Pa fighting a whole pack of wolves barehanded without so much as a scratch with Laura with him? Ma would never have allowed Laura to go on any kind of cattle drive with Pa - Mary is disrespectful and outspoken to Mrs. Scott, etc etc. Laura is way too bold and outspoken -she was actually quite a shy person in real life and mentions several times in the books about being afraid of strangers and afraid to speak to people.

This might have been a cute movie if it were just the story of pioneers, but to actually call it "Laura's" story and pretend that it's closer to the books than Michael Landon's original premiere movie in 1974 is inaccurate.

This is the special that aired on TV (I don't remember the network) earlier this year in 5 parts. It starts when the Ingalls left the Big Woods of Wisconsin and the dramatic crossing of the Mississippi river. Their wagon got stuck and they traded their two old, tired horses for the young mustangs, Pet and Patty. They arrived in Kansas and Pa stopped and said this was home and he began building their log house. This is where we meet Mr. Edwards who helps Pa build the house after Ma was hurt from a falling log.

The rest of the shows showed their life on the prairie, the indians, the danger and the happiness (and glass windows and white sugar). We even see Mr. Edwards make the daring trip through the Verdigris River to bring the Ingalls girls their gifts from Santa, who couldn't cross the river. We see a prairie fire (that they suspect the indians of setting to scare them off their land) and how the family came down with Malaria and were saved by a black doctor.

As the show ends, we hear the indian shouts and drums. The Ingalls and Mr. Edwards move in with Mr. and Mrs. Smith (?) for safety until the indian chants stop. The indians dispersed. Finally, Pa hears that they'd crossed just 2-3 miles too far into indian territory and they must leave or be forcibly removed by the soldiers. They pack up their wagon and leave. The only thing I wish were different were if they had used a bringle bull dog to play Jack instead.

As an avid Little House fan, this show was more accurate portraying the Ingalls' life than the TV series, for obvious reasons. I loved this when it aired on TV and I definitely plan on purchasing it as soon as it's released on DVD!

Finally, FINALLY, a faithful, honest return to Laura Ingalls Wilder's books. While I loved the series with Michael Landon, it really wasn't true to the books, especially after Season 4. He invented characters that never existed in the Ingalls lives; also, the Ingalls family settled in Walnut Grove, MN for a few years. Their main place of residence was in De Smet, South Dakota. So yes, the original series used some of the actual names and some actual parts from the books, but it wasn't what the real Laura Ingalls Wilder wrote. Maybe the writers should have wrote "loosely based on the books by Laura Ingalls Wilder."

However, Disney's version showed a more realistic, moving portrayal of what pioneer life and families were all about, how much they had to go through every day of their lives. It stayed true to the series, and to Laura Ingalls and her family. Who would have thought that a simple family would turn out to be one of the most celebrated American families in history? Excellent job, Disney!

This production of Little House was absolutely superb! Well shot, well thought out, wonderfully acted, and (most important) stayed true to the Laura Ingalls Wilder books. NOT the sugar-coated TV series of the 70's, this mini-series gave an inspiring chronicle of what life was like back then. The reality of this family's adventure, challenge, and eventual joy on the prairie was unbelievable. An amazing true story executed by extremely talented performers. Bravo!

Is this really a Disney production? Seriously! Really? For the first time in many, many years you did ol' Walt justice!
This is a fine example of how to do a period TV series correctly. If you are a fan of the original "Little House" series (and a very good series at that!), you will notice a distinct difference between this version and the Michael Landon version. This newer one is, from what I have read, very close to Mrs. Wilder's original stories. It's this version of "Little House on the Prairie" that you will find a very realistic account of pioneer life in the latter part of the 19th century, accurately portraying what it was like to leave a comfortable setting with family and friends about, to traveling to begin life anew hundreds of miles away. Cut off from all they knew as well as having their nearest neighbors quite a distance away, the Ingalls family learn to survive on their wits and skills, coming across the local (angry) Indians, meeting a life-loving free spirit, as well as a rather curt couple from Scotland.
Traveling by wagon was a trying experience, and this series shows that very well. Through cold weather, crossing a frozen river, rainstorms, the family made it after two months to their land in Kansas. You will find realistic portrayals of continued hardships and illnesses.
The Indians are seen from three different angles: the Scott's hate the savages and want them all dead; The Ingalls' feel that all people - no matter what race - have good and bad in them, and that the Indians are NOT savages and should receive the respect deserved to all folks; and Mr. Edwards is somewhere in between. Not PC, but not far right, either. It also hints of the atrocities that the American government did to the Indians, and also shows that the government screwed the white folks as well.
Except for Charles' extremely white teeth, all of the actors fit the time portrayed very well, including dirty and unkempt hair for the women, burly men who, you can just tell, smelled like they haven't showered in years, and even folks with foreign accents - something rarely seen in film versions of our earlier American history.
Fear of the unknown, concern over food (or lack thereof), the sounds on the prairie at night, the solitude of pioneer life, the fact that one had to be of a tough stock to handle all that came, hopes and dreams - this version of Little House actually puts meat on the bones of not just the Ingalls family, but of all American Pioneers.
I only wish the ratings were higher when originally shown on ABC TV back in 2005 so it could have been made into a weekly series. But then, it probably would have gone down hill after a few more episodes like so many others have. Better that we have the best.
My six year old daughter, sixteen year old son, and this 45 year old reviewer all thought this was a super series!

I ordered this DVD because I have all the original seasons on dvd now. This was highly entertaining & I enjoyed every minute. Picture quality is superb, the story is as the original in many ways. Acting is excellent, if your a "Little House" fan you'll love this set. I would like to see more episodes made. This DVD set makes you feel good about life.