Customer Reviews

Tom and Huck

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

I am unsure of how many versions of "Tom Sawyer" that I have seen, regardless, nearly every one had its charms as does this version. While this version plays more as a vehicle for Jonathon Taylor Thomas and Brad Renfro, the story still plays out much like Mark Twain's original.

This movie launches very quickly into the murder of Doc Robinson (William Newman) by Injun Joe (Eric Schweig). Injun Joe has pinned the blame on poor Muff Potter (Michael McShane) by using his knife. We know, however, that Tom Sawyer (Thomas) and Huckleberry Finn (Brad Renfro) were watching. We also know that Huck has made a pact with Tom to never tell anyone about what they saw. However, Tom is conflicted because he genuinely likes Muff Potter, and somehow he feels that he can not leave him to take the blame for Injun Joe's crime.

While I do not wish to make light of this movie, we know the general story. Injun Joe threatens Tom and tells Tom that he will kill him if he tells what he knows. Of course, Tom ultimately does tell, but Injun Joe escapes the courthouse, and Tom will be in fear of Injun Joe until he is caught or killed. Eventually the movie ends up in Mark Twain Cave (at least, that was the original setting), where Becky Thatcher (the gloriously beautiful Rachael Lee Cook), Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn have it out with Injun Joe.

This movie retains a reasonable amount of Twain's original story. However, because the movie barely clocks in with 97 minutes, the story is substantially shortened with little of the significant detail that Twain put into his book. There is a reasonable amount of humor in the movie to take the edge off the drama, with the famous church scene being one of the best scenes until after Tom was discovered, when the scene began to go downhill. The famous fence whitewashing scene is relatively weak in this movie.

This movie seems to be a showcase for then popular Disney star Jonathan Taylor Thomas. Unfortunately for Thomas, Muff Potter, Injun Joe, Huck Finn and Becky Thatcher all steal the show. Tom, who was the leader and the schemer in the original Twain story, seems to be half a step behind throughout much of the movie. Apparently someone in Disney thought that Thomas would be more appealing as a more naïve child; whoever came up with that idea was wrong.

This movie is a bit too violent for younger children. I would recommend age 6 or 7 as the lower limit, and even some older children may find some of the violence distressing.

My biggest disappointment with this movie was the portrayal of the cave. Mark Twain Cave in Hannibal, Missouri was formed by water, and is substantially shale and clay. In some areas of the cave, water still flows at lower level Some versions of this movie do a great job of portraying the cave; this movie does not. I recommend visiting the original in Hannibal, Missouri.

A purist will undoubtedly find this movie to be disappointing. However, perhaps a child watching this movie will be sufficiently intrigued that they will pick up Mark Twain's book and discover the wonderful world that Mark Twain created.

When I watch a Tom Sawyer movie, or a Huck Finn movie, I'm wanting to have fun, that's all. That's why I love 'em. Maybe from Huck I expect some touching moments, but throw Tom in and I expect 99% fun. That's why I love the movies so much more than the books! This movie is easy to play off as a film targeted at Jr. High girls, with the hopes that boys will come for the adventure angle. Well, it probably didn't work out because girls just don't seem interested in the characters of Tom and Huck, no matter who the actors are, and sadly, boys nowadays just don't care about the classic characters of Tom and Huck either. I guess there just aren't enough guns and aliens. I think only the really loyal JTT and Renfro fans went to see this, and a few guys like me, who just find Tom and Huck movies so much fun! Oh, and of course Rachael Leigh Cooke is in it! On that note, I'll say, this movie was very successful! I found it quite fun! JTT doesn't seem to have had the staying power as a heartthrob now that he's grown, but to say he was miscast was all wrong. He was great. I though maybe Renfro looked a bit too old for Huck, but I think that's because I LOVE the Elijah Wood version of Huck Finn, and he was pretty darn young in that. By the way, for the best version of Huck I've seen so far, get the Elijah Wood one, I've nearly worn mine out. If you're looking for a version true to the books, forget it. They're too controversial and frankly, have some really long boring parts, therefore I doubt a movie that's true to the books will ever be made. Anyway, as for this version, sure, it's a little obvious it's targeted at young kids, but actually, it will probably be more enjoyable for those who just like fun Tom Sawyer stories. Oh, here are two things to check out. One, the wonderful music! (Also check out the REALLY Wonderful music in the Elijah Wood film) And two, for a good laugh, pay attention to the scene where Tom and Becky have gotten lost in the cave, and Judge Thatcher gets everyone together to search for them. Here's the hilarious part, for the benefit of the expected all kid audience, Judge Thatcher basically explains the whole plot of the film up to that point, so they know exactly what is going on, who's chasing Tom and Becky, and why. It really is hilarious, but believe me, it doesn't detract to the enjoyment of the movie, only adds to it! Okay, well, that's all I'll say about it, except to add that I actually bought the soundtrack in addition to the video. Now I'm off to get a copy of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, an animated version where Tom is a cat and Huck is a fox, etc... I believe it's fairly new, from MGM, and I hear GREAT things about it. Read the reviews here on Amazon. I'll post mine after I've seen it.

I was trying to show this movie to my students after reading the Adventures of Tom Sawyer. But the movie events didn't match the novels'.

Tom Sawyer (Jonathan Taylor Thomas) is being best friends with fellow orphan Huckleberry Finn (Brad Renfro). Against his Aunt Polly's (Amy Wright) wishes, Tom spends every moment he can with Huck.

And that leads to trouble. When they sneak into a cemetery late one night, they witness Injun Joe (Eric Schweig) kill Doc Robinson (William Newman) and frame drunk Muff Potter (Michael McShane) for it. Knowing that Injun Joe will come after them if they squeal, they take a vow of silence.

There is plenty of fun around town, especially when pretty new girl Becky Thatcher (Rachael Leigh Cook) is around. But Tom can't get the murder out of his mind, especially when Muff goes to trial. Will he do the right thing?

It's funny that this movie is called Tom and Huck since it is obviously based on Twain's Tom Sawyer and just as obviously created as a star vehicle for Jonathan Taylor Thomas during the height of his popularity. They try to clean up his character, which is a shame because he would have been brilliant as the quick thinking, trouble causing Tom of the book. Instead, here he is more Huck's follower, and there seems a bit of hero worship to their relationship, with Huck being too cool for the younger Tom.

This movie does include many of the famous scenes from the novel. And there is plenty of fun along the way. The funniest scene is the scene in the church. The novel still pulls it off best, but this one comes close.

But this movie is also scarier than many takes on the story. Injun Joe is down right creepy, and there are several scenes that might scare the younger members of the viewing audience.

Despite the fun, I just can't get over how they've changed the characters. This isn't a bad version of the Twain classic, but it isn't good either.

Any fan of Mark Twain's writing will be appalled at what this particular Disney version has done to it. This one takes liberties with the classic characters never before dared. A perfect example of the complete disregard for Twain's authentic sense of time and place is the laughable fact that neither Tom or Huck ever once are seen barefoot, an absolute hallmark of the characters! The old David O. Selznick production is far superior!

This movie is GREAT! I totally love it. I am 15, and my friends and I are really big JTT and Brad Renfro fans and we watch as much as we can whenever we can! It has wonderful people playing the characters, and they both look so cute in the video! It is a must see! :-)

Not a bad film, but it could have been better. I agree with the viewer from New York; JTT was the wrong person to play Tom Sawyer. And Brad Renfro's talent was completely wasted in this movie---he was far, far better in "The Cure".

This film is hard to recommend. Jonathan Taylor Thomas is grossly miscast in this film. Disney should have put effort into developing a decent script rather than trying to showcase one of their popular stars! It lacks the charm and wit of the novel and JTT is not a bit believable as Tom. He is a talented actor, don't get me wrong. But he has no business playing Tom Sawyer. Too much of his attitude from his Home Improvement character comes through. Brad Renfro is acceptable as Huck, but nothing to cheer about. Disney relied too much on popularity and sacrificed believability here.... .

I love "Tom and Huck", Disney's 1995 adaptation of Mark Twain's undeniably fun novel "Adventures of Tom Sawyer." This film version is mostly faithful to the text, and more importantly captures the tone and spirit of Twain's world of Hannibal, Missouri. There is Stephen Endelman's irresistibly lush score that successfully captures the adventure, suspense, and playlike nature of our protagonists using instruments like banjos and harmonicas. The performances are solid all along, most notably by the stars Jonathan Taylor Thomas and Brad Renfro, and character actor Michael McShane as Muff Potter.

The 2.35:1 photography would be wonderful for the young at heart (of any age) to revisit again and again in the pristine quality that the DVD format offers. But alas, the DVD is Pan & Scan, and the entire time, you're losing 45% of the picture. It's really awful seeing such beautiful photography destroyed to fit the dimensions of the soon-to-be-extinct 4 x 3 television set.

If you like the story or this film version, you owe it to yourself to either track down the 2.35:1 widescreen laserdisc, or wait for Disney to do this film right in the next home video format or a European DVD release. This DVD is just plain awful, and is clearly meant to insult the intelligence of viewers who Disney suspects won't notice or care. Show them you're sharper than that and pass on this.

The story of Tom Sawyer in the book was brought out in the film. The story was great. But the actors were not right. Brad Renfro was much better in other films. And JTT wasn't the best actor for the part. Don't get me wrong, the movie was still great, but it could have been better.