45 of 46 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A must-own if you have children!, March 29, 2003
This review is from: Where the Wild Things Are and Other Maurice Sendak Stories (Scholastic Video Collection) (DVD)
Please disregard the negative review given by a previous owner here. This is a thoroughly-enjoyable DVD for children & adults alike. I've had no technical problems with the disc, and it is a wonderful musical/animation experience for young children.
Maurice Sendak certainly has a unique writing style, and while I've seen people criticize his work for showing a bratty side of children, I can't say I agree. I like the fact that Sendak shows the children in his stories as little people with ranging emotions, not as little puppy dogs waiting for a treat or a pat on the head. The characters in his stories show anger, brattiness, sadness, and disobedience as well as happiness and playfulness, like all real children do. It's a refreshing change from the rampant political-correctness that pervades society today.
On to the contents. The first chapter of the disc is, of course, " Where the Wild Things Are ", an all-time classic children's story, and the favorite of many children that grew up in the '60s, '70s, and '80s. I love Sendak's style of animation, which isn't full and overblown. Max is a tempermental little fellow that most children will be able to identify with. The Wild Things are both fascinating and repellant ( like many older relatives, which Sendak expounds further on in the extras feature ), and we all had a far-away place tucked into the back of our minds as children, where we could escape to when the parents came down on us. It's a wonderful tale, but the highlight is the muscial score & narration by Peter Schickele (who also is given the same duties for 'Night Kitchen'). The music sounds like it was made where the wild things are, and Schickele narrates with infectious enthusiasm, bringing life to the words, sounding as if he's telling his favorite story as well.
Chapter Two features 4 musical vignettes taken from the chidren's film 'Really Rosie'. The music was composed and performed by Carole King, and is fantasic. "Alligators All Around" is the best of the bunch, a joyous romp through the alphabet. 'Pierre', 'One Was Johnny', and 'Chicken Soup with Rice' are also fun little tunes the kiddies will enjoy.
The last chapter is 'In the Night Kitchen', an offbeat little story that strays from the norm. The tales centers around Mickey, who we eventually find out is responsible for delivering the milk which makes the morning cake.....it's a fun story, and you'll find your kids imitating the sounds of Mickey the Pilot's plane before you know it! Once again, Schickele brings a fitting score and enthusiastic narration.
If you have children, buy this disc. They'll love the animation, the music, and the wonderful narration. You won't be disappointed.
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12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Sendak and King are awesome!, October 28, 2004
This review is from: Where the Wild Things Are and Other Maurice Sendak Stories (Scholastic Video Collection) (DVD)
How can you not like this dvd? I grew up watching this on VHS till it broke. Now I'll have to buy the DVD. This is simply the best work of both writer/illustrator Maurice Sendak and Carole King (besides her biggest album, Tapestry). Great songs, great stories, great animation. Highly recommended.
A note on the animation: All of the video material of the Weston Woods collection has the same style or movement of animation. Very often there is no animation at all, and the page from the picture book is shown. Keep in mind that Maurice Sendak is a children's book illustrator, not an animator, and so his original artwork is preserved by keeping the animation limited.
However, this collection of Sendak's best children's stories is highly entertaining due to the Carole King songs for the Nutshell stories, the Peter Schikele score for "Where the Wild Things Are," and the excellent dixieland jazz score for "In the Night Kitchen". The quality of music is what separates this collection from all the other scholastic videos. It is music that you won't mind hearing a million times.
Oh, and the people who bashed this DVD probably did not watch it as a kid in the late eighties on a well worn video tape. If they did, their reviews would all be five stars. All little kids are bound to dig this. One of the reviewers is much too concerned with the technicalities of the DVD. Geez, it's only 35 minutes, quit whining about too few scene selections. Kids watch movies the whole way through anyway. Don't we have to do that in the movie theatre? Isn't that how TV worked before TiVo? Nah, can't be.
I watched this video more than anything when I was very young, and I still go back to it today. I was happy to see all the original VHS material on the DVD. No more, no less. That's how it should be. This is by far the best of the Weston Woods/Scholastic DVD collection. The other ones can get quite irritating with repeat viewings. How do I know this? My mother is an elementary school librarian. Enough said.
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12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An Old Favorite & Carole King!!, September 16, 2002
Ages: ANY!! Even wee ones will delight in the story of the months - Chicken Soup with Rice, as well as learn the months of the year at an early age as my son did with this video. Carole King's voice range is PERFECT for all of the Nutshell Library stories - she had my son singing along with her right from the start! Max's story can be a tiny bit scary for the littlest viewer (2 & under), but talking about what the story means with your child makes all the difference. Peter Schikele's presentation of In the Night Kitchen is impressive and brings the story to life. Best video we have EVER purchased!
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