Customer Reviews

Red Riding Hood

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I have been a fan of Movie Tales since I was a baby! Since I was 13 I have tried to collect all the Cannon Movie Tales (since all but three are out-of-print) and "Red Riding Hood" happens to be a favorite of mine! I love the song "Never Talk to Strangers!" The reason I love this film so much is how eerie it is and how much of a back-story they give! Trust me buy this and you will fall in love! Not to mention the songs and costumes are brilliant! They also have big stars in them!!! Also recommand highly is the other Cannon Movie Tales:
Snow White (Diana Rigg)
Sleeping Beauty (Rebecca Fairchild)
The Frog Prince (helen Hunt)
Puss N' Boots (Christopher Walkin)
Hansel and Gretel (Cloris Leachman)
Beauty and the Beast (Rebecca Demornay)
The Emperors New Clothes (Sid Ceasor)
Red Riding Hood (Craig T. Nelson)
and the newest Memeber:
Cinderella due out in late 2002!

I am 15 years old and I've only seen this movie 2...3...4...times? Something like that. We have a crumby tape recording of 4 songs of the movie. It doesn't matter to me how crumby the recording is; I've listened to it religiously for years. That's how good the songs are.
It has been noted here that "Never Talk to Strangers" is a favorite song of many. It's my favortie as well. It's absolutely incredible how the werewolf is developing his own personality. He is warning the girl, quite literally, of himself. He seems exasperated when she doesn't listen - of course the carefree Red Riding Hood doesn't take anything anyone says seriously. I have wondered whether he is honestly hoping in a hidden heart (unlike his truly heartless master) that the girl will be able to stay away from him, or only slyly winning her trust. That's only a tiny, twisted piece of how great the plot is.
All in all, it's very true what the other reviewers have said - this is nothing like the original story we all know. It's better. It's been expanded into a world of lifelike characters, the simple life of the harvest (Green in the Blue), Corrupt politics (Red's uncle, naturally), war (her father was fighting)... and everything else you could hope for in a fairy story. A wonderful tale to grow up on. I know that from experience.
One last thing I note, is that it does not portray the wild wolf, a natural animal quite as badly as the old tales because it is a summoned werewolf, not a natural wolf, who does the evil. This is a winning point in my book since I'm a majorly pro-wolf person. :)

We all know the story of Red Riding Hood. The girl who takes goodies to her grandmother and forgets she's not suppossed to speak to strangers ,right? Well, I am pleased to say that this film is the best adaptation of Red Riding Hood on film but it also delivers lots of wonderful surprises. The last film in the wonderful Cannon Movie Tale series is really one of the best in the collection. Amelia Shankley, Isabella Rosselini and Craig T. Nelson give captivating performances and the film is also very well directed. This film is not boring, it is actually very powerful. However, this is not a film for the very young ones as I found myself flinching at parts and somewhat taken aback by some events that happen in the film. The songs and dance sequences are wonderful. It's great that the original trailer is included with the DVD. The picture is crystal clear and the sound is also on-par. I highly recommend this film, as it delivers lots of surprises and although it is the story of Red Riding Hood that we all know and love, there is alot of original ideas that everyone will be delighted to see!!! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!!!

This live-action musical version of the beloved "Little Red Riding Hood" story by The Brothers Grimm is a must see/have. The songs are fun and absolutely addicting.

The movie elaborates on the original story by adding a bit more plot to spice the things up. It goes as follows: A baroness, whose husband vanished in a war years ago, lives in a nice house in the woods with her daughter Ninet (a.k.a. Red Riding Hood). Ninet's evil uncle has taken the throne in her fathers absence and now resides in the castle while the baroness chooses to live a simple life. Unfortunately the (quite literally) heartless uncle wants the Baroness to be his wife and does everything within his power to make it so.

When all of his attempts fail miserably, he employs the help of a werewolf named Dagger to get rid of Ninet so that she does not poison his name to her mother. It's really a good movie, and the DVD has crystal clear picture (not to mention surround sound) so that you get the complete theatrical experience. The original Cannon Movie Tales trailer makes a nice bonuse feature as well. The only downside is that the movie is in full-screen and there is no widescreen version for the choosing. A widescreen version exist because the German DVDs contain that version as well as the more recent Australian disc. However, I find this is forgivable because of the high quality picture and sound. I give this DVD five stars! Now, if only they would release the other Movie Tales in the series...

This movie is wonderfully done! (This review may be rather long, but please read anyway!) It really has a new take-off on the original "Little Red Riding Hood" fairy tale! Linet, (Red Riding Hood) is always getting into trouble, looking for faeries and eleves. She is always looking for them; and worrying her mother. Linet's father (Craig T. Nelson) dissapeared mysteriously in the wars. Ever since his dissapearece, his evil twin brother, Godfrey, has been trying to win the hand of Linet's fair mother (Isabella Rosselini). Little does she know, Godfrey sold his heart for the power of the demon wolf. This power allows him to own a powerful and evil wolf, who can become a dangerous and deadly man whenever Godfrey wishes him to be so. The wolf man does all of Godfrey's bidding. But when Godfrey learns that his niese Linet does not fear him, he get's angered. And when he learns that her Grandmother has magic antidotes that cured a man he wanted dead, he grows furious, and sends the wolf man after Linet, and her grandmother!! To top it all off, he kindnaps Linet's mother, demanding she take his hand! Luckily, Linet's father reapears, and Linet's grandmother escapes! But it's a race against time to save his wife from Godfrey, and his daughter from the clutches of evil! Then he realizes he's too late... Excellent movie...BUY IT TODAY! (It's A GREAT MUSICAL!!!)

What an unbelievable tragedy it is that so many of the films in this wonderful series are out of print. WHEN ARE THEY COMING OUT ON DVD, HUH? My kids would love to see them! Cannon Movie Tales are nine feature films that were made by Golan/Globus in the late eighties..........I understand that there is another due out in December '02. Try to get as many of these films as you can.....another reviewer has already listed them. YOU WON'T BE DISAPPOINTED. Yes, it's silly musical children's stuff......but it's great silly musical children's stuff. I loved it when I was young, and it's one of my guilty pleasures now!

What a wonderful relief it is to see these films finally coming out on DVD. Let me just say that this initial release is such an amazing start; the picture is absolutely beautiful, and the sound is crystal clear! It's also sweet to be able to see the original trailer. Perhaps they will be able to round up some interviews or "making-of" footage of the others before they are released. Lack of extras aside, this truly is a must-have disc, especially for that army of loyal Cannon Movie Tale fans out there!

this is a wonderfull version of of the classic story little red riding hoodjust one thing you guys should know don't plop a 4 year old on the couch and let them watch this movie its quite errie it should be 7 and up otherwise its the best red ridintg hood in the world i was suprised how modern they made it its long it was but what can you expect from the best fairy tale series cannon movie tales buy it as soon as you can its great.if you liken this you'll love the rest of the series
1.sleeping beauty
2.snow white
3.rumplestiltskin
4.the emperors new clothes
5.puss in boots
6.hansel and gretel
7.the frog prince
8.beauty and the beast
9.cinderella
get the whole collection now .

Craig T. Nelson plays a double role alongside Isabella Rossellini, Rocco Sisto, and the lovely Amelia Shankley in the title role as "Red Riding Hood." This, my favorite version of my favorite Grimm fairy tale, is the famous story of the adolescent girl whose journey through the woods to her grandmother's house is fraught with danger from a vicious wolf that preys on the helpless traveler. The wonderful folks behind the Cannon Movie Tales do an excellent job of beefing up the plot though, without losing the traditional story and basic lessons within. The bulk of this movie brilliantly sets up the story to make the famous walk to grandma's the climax of the whole tale! Before all that, we meet Red Riding Hood and discover the story of her long lost father, gone for seven years to war and long-believed dead by all but his family. Red Riding Hood, known here as Linet (until her grandmother gives her the magical red cloak of protection from harm), is a child without fear, but she is in great danger from her uncle, the lord of the land since her father went away. Uncle Godfrey is a cold man who gave up his heart to possess a werewolf as his servant. The werewolf, known simply as Dagger (Rocco Sisto) and torn between his human and animal natures, works as a spy and assassin for Godfrey, and when Godfrey decides that his niece is standing in the way of his attempts to woo his sister-in-law for his own, he sends Dagger to take care of her.

"Red Riding Hood" is easily my favorite of the nine wonderful Cannon Movie Tales, which are among the best live-action fairy tale films available to date. Sticking more closely to the original stories than the usual fare, the Cannon Movie Tales mix in simple but fun-filled songs with fantastic casts and writing that blends realism and fantasy seamlessly. "Red Riding Hood" may not be the greatest Cannon Movie Tale over all, but it is still excellent, it's my personal fave, it's among the best four and easily the most original. Rocco Sisto and Craig T. Nelson perform two wonderful solos, and the duet between Rocco and Amelia Shankley during the walk to grandma's is just magnificent! Probably the best musical number in all the Cannon Movie Tales! Plus, I have a particular fondness for werewolf stories and this tale in particular. In fact, Amelia has been one of my dreamgirls since I saw this film on the Disney Channel as a kid. Hmm, she's my age I believe... I wonder what she's doing now... Anyway, it's so terrific that these childhood favorites many of us remember from the Disney Channel's 1980's and early 90's glory are finally available on DVD (most of them at least). The DVDs include trailers (not sure if these films ran anywhere theatrically), and most (including Red Riding Hood) are presented in fullscreen format. The Cannon Movie Tales are mostly family fun, though be warned that some can have their scary moments (probably this one especially). The other Cannon Movie Tales, all of which I highly recommend, are: Rumpelstiltskin, The Emperor's New Clothes, Hansel and Gretel, Snow White, Puss In Boots (starring Christopher Walken!), Beauty and the Beast, The Frog Prince, and Sleeping Beauty. Those last two have not yet been released to DVD, and I have yet to see Rumpelstiltskin at any retail stores, though Amazon seems to carry it. I wish to get them all, but currently only own my favorites: Red Riding Hood, Snow White, Puss In Boots, and Hansel and Gretel. Fairy tale fanatics should own all these films, and I also highly recommend my top favorites, the Disney animated versions. Also, for a scarier version of Snow White, pick up the outstanding, "Snow White: A Tale of Terror," starring the beautiful Monica Keena, and for a scarier version of Little Red Riding Hood, pick up "The Company of Wolves." Incidentally, a new "Red Riding Hood" movie is scheduled to come out on DVD very soon. We'll see how that one measures up later. More recommendations: Shelley Duvall's Faerie Tale Theatre collection (also best known from the Disney Channel airings), Shrek and Shrek 2, The Slipper and the Rose (for a live-action Cinderella), Ever After (another live-action Cinderella), The Adventures of Pinocchio (1996), Peter Pan (2003), The Wizard of Oz, Return to Oz, and Rodger's and Hammerstein's Cinderella (1965) among others!

Although this movie departs greatly from the original fairy tale, it is still worth purchasing. It is well made, the acting is superb, with Isabella Rosselini reminiscent of her wonderful mother Ingrid Bergman. I taped this for my daughter on VHS many years ago and she watched it so much! It is very well done and no one who buys it will be disappointed. It would be intense for very young children, however.