Product Details

• Actors: Hallie Kate Eisenberg, Alison Elliott, David Strathairn, Lucas Black, Kate Greenhouse
• Directors: Nadia Tass
• Writers: Monte Merrick, William Gibson
• Producers: Charles Hirschhorn, Peter M. Green, Suzy Beugen
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC
• Language: English
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Walt Disney Video
• VHS Release Date: May 8, 2001
• Run Time: 95 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (52 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000056MOF
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #196,765 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Stands on its own as a very good movie, February 26, 2005

By 

Clarity (St. Louis, Missouri USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Miracle Worker (DVD)

Is it possible to watch the 2000 version of The Miracle Worker and not compare it to the 1962 classic? Is it possible to not be a bit prejudiced in favor of the version we saw with our parents and treasured in our memories all of these years?

I very much liked this newer version. Does it lack some of the passion of the original? Maybe. But what it may lack in passion, it gains in clarity. Yes, the storyline is clearer. The dialogue is easier to understand. The goals of the characters are more concrete. The sign language is not as rushed. The stepson has greater depth. There are fewer rantings and ravings of the original's cartoonish father. Best of all, I feel like I learned more.

Having read the other reviews I was reluctant to rent this Disney version. But I am now happy that I did. And I hope this wonderful story is told and retold by future filmmakers - and I hope I'm around to learn even more about this remarkable student and her teacher.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars The Remake, June 30, 2003

By 

Nancy Rushing - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Miracle Worker [VHS] (VHS Tape)

After I watched this movie, I still like the original 1962 better. Why? Because it has more emotional impact in it, and it has really funny scenes like the "feeling emotions on faces" the original has. The "battle of wills" is more tame in this (the Disney version) one than the original. I've noticed they left out some really good scenes that was from the original.
This version from Disney is ok. The actress who played Anne Sullivan did good, but I like the original James (Helen's half-brother) better than this one. The little girl who played Helen in this version is not as good as Patty Duke, but she did well.
If I had a choice, I'd pick the original. But this is good to watch too, if you want to see both versions, even though it is MUCH different than the 1962 movie.

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars CALLING PATTY DUKE!!!!, March 7, 2001

By 

Patty Duke Fan "pattydukefan" (yardley, pa USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Miracle Worker [VHS] (VHS Tape)

At first it might not have seemed like such a bad idea to remake this movie again. Afterall the story of Annie Sullivan teaching Helen Keller communication is timeless and the 1979 version does prove that remakes can still work. So, if they had to do another one two decades later, why cast the Pepsi Girl in the coveted role as Helen?? I read a review that said her emotionless performance should be nicknamed "Frankenkeller", because she does indeed walk around like a robot! The only good thing about her performance is that she doesn't talk in the film! She is also too graceful a Helen. Patty Duke, and even Melissa Gilbert had a more wild animal like energy to their performances, while Ms. Pepsi seems bored as Helen (or is it that we are just bored at watching her? Would someone give her a Pepsi, please?? I was totally shocked that she didn't start singing at the pivotal water pump scene "The Joy of Wa-Wa"! However, she didn't say anything at all! Where is the emotional wallup that that scene has always brought to us?!

On some postive notes: The sets are grand and so are the costumes. Ms. Allison's performance as young fiest Sullivan can almost stand proudly besides Anne Bancroft's Oscar-winning turn as Anne Sullivan and Patty Duke's Emmy-winning interpretation of her. Do yourself a favor and watch the 1962 and 79 versions, ones that didn't rape such a gorgeous tale.