Customer Reviews

Peter and the Wolf: A Prokofiev Fantasy

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

 

 

This version of PATW features the Spitting Image puppets from England. There are both subtle and broad visuals to go with the fine musical performance. This version and Dudley Moore's reading of the story are my two favorites. I highly recommend both!

Peter and the Wolf has a special place in our family history. All of us felt that this particular version exceeded our expectations. The music was fabulous, the story has some special twists that were very funny, and the puppets could not have been better. There were special moments that musicians would especially appreciate, too. I couldn't possibly give it less than five stars.

After seeing the beginning of this DVD, I knew that it wouldn't work for my music students. The ugly, caricatured faces of the people would scare little children. Once the story actually begins, it might work for middle grades, except that the duck is portrayed as a drunk. Some adults or teenagers might find the reenactment comical and interesting. Some middle grades kids might like it, while others would just think it was weird. The "triumphant procession" at the end is portrayed as a circus. After Peter and the Wolf, there is an epilogue featuring Overture on Hebrew Themes, in which the grandfather imagines his relatives and they are seen playing instruments and dancing. Last is 'The Classical Symphony' (subtitled "Peter's Discovery"), which has more ugly caricatures. It turns into a food fight! After that, the relatives are dancing with the white wigged guys from the classical symphony.

I don't know what they were thinking. The music is incredible. But, the story went back and forth from behind-the-stage scenes to the narrator (Sting) sitting in the audience. I love Sting, but his puppet character was chewing the scenery in the worst way. The goose was depicted as a drunk--why would somebody do this when targeting a children's audience. All of the puppet characters were over acted. I am not against a fresh interpretation of this great story. But I think you lost the story with all of the characters hamming it up to the extreme. I thought it was awful. I watched it all, not believing my eyes, and I couldn't wait for it to be over.

What a delightful way to introduce a child to classical music! An extraordinary presentation of this children's classic!

Too much over acting by some puppets. The Marx brothers crippled the telling of this classic tale. At fifty, I enjoy a more traditional version rather than this one which tried to be funny and missed the mark.

The performance is excellent, and the puppets are excellent. The story of the whole fantasy is a little odd, however. I purchased this for use in teaching Music Appreciation, and this recording will probably not suit that use. The video is very funny, in a British humor way, but it's hard to follow the little jabs unless the viewer is already quite literate--musically and verbally. Also, you have to read the box insert before it makes any sense at all. It does not stand by itself.

We loved this production!!! My 4 year old daughter can watch it endlessly, and there is enough there for the adults to keep them entertained on the 200th viewing.

A wonderful teaching tool - the smaller children can see the instruments being played ans the puppets keep them interested.