Customer Reviews

A Little Princess (Wonderworks Family Movie)

5 star:		(51)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is the definitive adaptation of "A Little Princess" to watch! While the film may suffer somewhat from budgetary limitations (the "Banquet Hall" scene never fails to make me cringe,) the value and depth of the story absolutely make up for any shortcomings. This film is great!

I previously owned the VHS version and was surprised to find that the DVD release is not quite the same as the old VHS release. The DVD is apparently the original UK version, split into six separate parts (25 minutes each.) This version has been a long time coming! When this was rebroadcast on PBS, it was re-edited for US audiences into a three part series, using alternative dialogue and extended scenes. The US edit was sold as a three VHS set and a slightly edited-for-religious-content version was available as a one or two VHS set.

In comparing the US and UK cuts, I have to say that the US version is longer but now feels more like a dumbed-down edit to me. Everything in the US cut is explained much more thoroughly. The UK cut contains whole new scenes not found in the US version and I feel that this makes for a broader, more enjoyable plot. It's as if the storyline was trimmed for US audiences and then, the remaining scenes extended to ensure that the condensed storyline was even further explained with precision. Perhaps I'm too harsh -- both cuts certainly have their merits, but I must say that the conclusion is far more poignant and detailed in the UK edit, shown on the DVD.

The picture quality on the DVD release is much better than I was expecting. Audio quality is average, but clear. Subtitles are included under the menu options. Each episode is available under the menu and there is a play-all option, but no special features or extras are included.

While this might not have been exactly what I was expecting, the DVD turned out to be a pleasant surprise.

I am breathless with excitement! My favourite movie of all time is finally coming out on DVD and it looks like it will be beautiful! This is the ONLY version that is accurate to the book, with an excellent cast and a very true depiction of Victorian life and the various social levels. From upper class down to the scivvy, and everyone in between, this enchanting and heartbreaking story not only is tremendously well done and entertaining, but teaches anyone at any age that being a princess is not about what you have, but rather how you act and treat others. A dream come true!

The "Little Princess" is a movie not to be missed by child or adult. Though I'm partial to British productions, and this is one, everyone I have talked to about this film has agreed that it's the very best version yet. Amelia Shankley (now Amelia Curtis) shows incrediable talent. She plays a young girl who faces what life gives her and in the end is rewarded. Simple discription I know, but for you who don't know the story, watch this version. Don't bother with the Shirley Temple or any other version. This one is by far the best.

Why on earth this is not out on DVD is beyond me. First of all, the story A Little Princess is a classic, written by the same author as The Secret Garden and Little Lord Fauntleroy. Sadly, the 2 other versions of this movie, which are highly unaccurate, are already out on DVD. This version gives the the real story. It portrays Victorian London and the variety of social levels perfectly, which was a major theme of this chidlren's classic-to always behave nicely and like a princess to everyone, in every station of life. We have the traditional riches to rags/orphan story so highly popular in any fairytale-like story, but this classics goes a step further and introduces us to the hard life of scullery maids, mixed in Victorian London's high society private schools for privileged girls. Amelia Shankley does the performance of her life and the entire story is true to the book. Spoiler....the father is not alive. He does die, he doesn't come back from the dead, and that is the harsh reality of succombing to fever in India, in those days. But his death is treated delicately and she is taught to be brave like a soldier and bear her wounds and rises to the occasion. In whatever hardships life throws at her, she continues to behave like a little princess and in the end receives her reward for being so kind to others less fortunate than herself. PLEASE put this classic on DVD. There are generations of people waiting for it..including this 44 year old!

Yes, THIS is the version to watch! Amelia Shankley is marvelous ... portraying all the strength, courage and resolve of the original Sara Crewe.

Frances Hodgson Burnett's novel is and probably always will be the greatest book ever written for older children -- greatest, because of its theme of psychological strength. How DARE mediocrities "adapt" or "remake" this story! They can never improve on it. This is the "Atlas Shrugged" of children's stories.

And the makers of this version understood that.

My only gripe is that for some reason they cut one wonderful line from the original: in the opening, as her father takes her to Miss Minchin's, Sara says:

"I don't like it, father. But then I daresay soldiers ... even brave ones ... don't really like going into battle."

An excellent and superbly acted production that is 99% faithful to Burnett's book of the same name. A must see for Burnett (The Secret Garden, Little Lord Fauntleroy) fans or anyone that enjoys a good story with a moral and a happy ending!

This production is quite close to PERFECT. It not only stays true to the book, but does so in a highly engaging, emotionally rich way. Every scene was how I'd pictured it in my mind while reading the book. And I felt all the same feelings while watching this as I'd had while reading the book. I think sometimes special books really need a miniseries treatment to give them the length they deserve, and this was 2 1/2 hours of sheer enjoyment!

My ONLY complaint is that I wish there had been at least one scene of Sara surrounded by all the school girls while telling one of her stories. The thing that drew the other girls to her the most was her imaginative, original storytelling, and she did this many times in the book but it was never shown in the film. In the book she was popular with all the girls; in this film she was more of a loner with only two friends at the school. Her storytelling was alluded to, but never shown.

1995's version A Little Princess is good as a standalone story, if you separate it from the book on which it was based. It takes a lot of liberties with the book, including a completely different ending! So if you're a fan of the book, do yourself a favor and watch this wonderful 1987 production with Amelia Shankley.

There is no question, in my mind, that this is the best adaptation of "A Little Princess". The casting and acting are great, the story is well told, and the sets and costumes support the mood and times very well. It's quite obvious that everyone involved took this production seriously.

This DVD release is superior to the old VHS version in all respects except one: the original VHS version was 180 minutes (3, one hour episodes), while the DVD is 120 minutes (5, 24 minutes episodes). As a result of the cuts, the DVD version feels rushed. At times, critical character establishing dialogue has been skipped. I hope that in the future, this series is released uncut.

Even so, given the cuts, I would still recommend buying this version: if you saw the VHS version, the clarity of the DVD is worth it; and, if you never saw the VHS version, the cuts are not so excessive that they degrade the watching experience.

I am so glad to see that this wonderful movie is finally available on DVD. Based off of the book by the same name this particular version stays true to the. By far this is closest adaptation that I have ever seen. The actress who portrays Sarah is superb!
In my opinion a must have for fans of this story.

i've been waiting for a long time to see this on dvd. got it in the mail last night and watched it this morning. some of the seens from the vhs version were cut out but not much and there are some seens that are not in the vhs version that are put in. so i guess you can say it balances out. it's still absolutely wonderful. i love it, love it, love it.