Customer Reviews

Uncle Tom's Cabin [VHS]

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Many books have been made into movies. When this is done, the movie is often looked at very critically and is consistently compared to the book. Too often, the movie doesn't succeed and falls short of the expectations set by the book. Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin is an example of this. The movie, Uncle Tom's Cabin, sadly, does not live up to the book.
Uncle Tom's Cabin is about two slaves who are sold from their homes in Kentucky. Uncle Tom and Eliza's son Harry are both sold to Haley, but they respond to this news differently. Eliza takes Harry and runs away to Canada. Uncle Tom accepts slavery and is sold down South.
The movie Uncle Tom's Cabin doesn't tell the story very well. It leaves out some major scenes and changes some important facts. For example, Eliza crossed the river in the spring. There was no ice to jump across so she just swam. This was an important scene in the book and the entire essence of it is missing in the movie. In addition, the Bird family is completely left out of the movie! Their role was very important in the book. It showed slavery from the viewpoint of a senator's family. Also, George Shelby was changed to Christopher Shelby in the movie. They never even told the ending in the movie! They went on to explain that a war was fought and the slaves were free, but we never find out what happens to two slaves who run away from the southern plantation owner's house. Thankfully, the plot is the same, and much of the story is still there. But these differences are very annoying and unnecessary.
I thought the movie was pretty good, but adding these scenes and correcting the mistakes would have made it much better. I liked it that this movie was formatted for movie purposes instead of a play. The camerawork was very good and made it enjoyable to watch. This movie was a good attempt at transferring Uncle Tom's Cabin to a movie.
However, despite the good qualities this movie had, I still think it had plenty of room for improvement. A few corrections, and this could have been an excellent movie. The mistakes simply made it hard to watch without getting upset. Hopefully, if they try again, they'll do better and correct their mistakes.

Although it has been many years since I read the book, I thoroughly enjoyed the movie. I don't know how well the movie follows the book; its been too long since I read the book, and I don't remember all the details, but the story makes a strong statement about slavery. How moving is the tremendous suffering of black families as they are ripped apart by masters and owners who refused to see them as human beings with souls; as people whom God loves; and whose misery did not go unseen by the all-seeing eye of God. No nation which professes any kind of religious belief could possibly turn a blind eye to any segment of the population which is enslaved. This movie tugs at your heartstrings as you watch men and women and children separated without regard to their family connections. Great movie!

This is a great movie. I don't know how true it is to the book, because I've never read the entire book. As an 8th grade history teacher, however, this movie is perfect when trying to show the students the reality of slavery in the antebellum South.

Tom is placed into a world of slavery. Tom is benevolent and good nature, and with slavery as the back drop to his life, the viewer is given a glimpse into the depravity of slavery. I think the movies does a great job of showing the extremes of slavery: a cruel slaver master, a angelic little girl, and humane slave owner (sounds like an oxymoron), a good slave, a bad slave...and so on.

The students really get into the movie, and they feel the saddness of slavery, which helps them understand the fight for the territorial expansion of slavery, prior to the Civil War. Great Movie!

This version of Uncle Tom's Cabin was unique and articulate although it had its misrepresentations and differences from the novel by Harriet Beecher Stowe. It overall was a good movie in my opinion including some famous actors and not straying to far from the novel made this version entertaining. One specific detail which vexes me was the fact that when Eliza was crossing the river there was no ice according to the novel there was ice and I feel it added plenty of suspenseful goodness. Uncle tom was and still is my favorite character how this film depicted his life and death was a sure tear jerker. I am also glad that they kept the last words with Mr. Shelby's son who loved Tom. In closing I would like to say that I actually enjoyed this version and rate it higher than others.

The movie entitled Uncle Tom's Cabin was an excellent film. I am really glad that I got a chance to view it. I could watch this over and over again. I praise Tom for his courage and for him standing up for what was right although he was beaten for it plenty of times. From this particular movie I saw that not all white people were bad, and I also saw how slaves were treated back in the times of slavery. They were just sold like they were a piece of dirt and just like they weren't even human beings. I think that this is a good film to watch for anyone is learning about slavery to see what it was all about.
The movie ,Uncle Tom's Cabin, was about a man named Tom who was a devote Christian. He was free but he wasn't free. I say this because although he wasn't free physically he was free mentally. He knew he that nobody could buy his soul. Through the whole movie he stood up for what was right and spoke his mind. Although aware of the consequences he still pressed on. People like him is what makes our history. People who stood up, and didn't accept less. People who knew that nobody was better then them and that they deserved to be treated equally. He helped those who were in the time of need. The great thing about everything that happened in the movie and everything that Tom accomplished is that it wasn't fiction it was fact. It really happened.
This movie was good! I liked how Tom stood up for himself and everyone else although he got beat for it. He always did the right thing no matter what.
In conclusion I would like to say that Uncle Tom's Cabin was a great film to watch. I would rate this a 10 on a scale from 1 to 10. I would definitely love to see this movie again.

This is a 90's film adaptation of Harriet Beecher Stowe's important novel by the same title. This story, and the message of the story, is of utmost significance. It is a tale in 1850's America of slave trading -- buying and selling people like they were property, and of cruel treatment that would be unacceptable for even zoo animals. Obviously, plantation life for the slaves could vary from reasonably comfortable to incredbly inhumane, depending mainly on the owner. The film story demonstrates this well.

There are glimpses of light: the strong Christian belief system and ethics among the slave population, and the good Samaritan acts and sacrifices of those who would aid them. But the general environment and theme is dark and the horror of the situation is self-evident.

I could only give this film 3 stars due the production values. Kudos to Avery Brooks (Tom), Edward Woodward (Simon Legree), and Bruce Dern (Augustine). The rest of the acting is mediocre or downright bad. The child actors are horrible. Editing is noticably choppy. Musical score is TV-like. Sound is poor. Props and costumes are pretty good (except for the steel decking and fiberglass benches on the Delta Queen). Camera work, fair to poor. In spite of "locations" ranging from Kentucky to the Canadian border, this film looks strongly as if it were almost completely shot in a single small back lot location.

Entertaining and a couple of tear-jerker moments. Historically and sociologically there is no information here that an adult American would not already be aware of, although, like the Holocaust, there are some ugly moments in history that we would do well to not completely forget.

Epic story, but not an epic movie.

Uncle Toms Cabin is a clear example of true American history. Everything in this movie has happened before over and over again in the 1700 and 1800 hundreds. It shows true moral values,... This movie contains information about slaves who are trying to deal with the hardships of slavery. Uncle Tom is a character who is sold to another plantations and then another one, when he encounters danger. Then there are other slaves who try to escape and see where they go to
When this movie starts out it shows more then how the book was written, and that is the idea through the whole movie. They also changed or left out great scenes from the book , like when Eliza was suppose to cross ice in the winter time, they changes altogether by having her swim across. But other than that they adding of the rest of the story of Eliza and George, and taking Emmilines, and Casey's story to a whole new level was just awesome.
Trying to get good sets and props from 200 years ago is not an easy task, but the movie made it look like cutting cake, easy. The cabins and mansions were exactly to date, the wagons looked good with their shocks. Also, the clothing and characterization of the characters were outstanding. They each had there own little thing about them that made them special, Uncle Tom would not run away to lose his pride, Topsy was just a little misinformed, and George was a very brave man who just couldn't take his master anymore.
Overall this move was fantastic only missing some key points that
would of made it amazingly awesome. I would defiantly recommend this book to anyone wanting to learn about slavery 200 years ago or just want s to watch a movie with Samuel L. Jackson, who is George, Elizas husband in the story. The rating I give is 4 ½ stars out of 5 ****½

This version of Uncle Tom's Cabin was unique and articulate although it had its misrepresentations and differences from the novel by Harriet Beecher Stowe. It overall was a good movie in my opinion including some famous actors and not straying to far from the novel made this version entertaining. One specific detail which vexes me was the fact that when Eliza was crossing the river there was no ice according to the novel there was ice and I feel it added plenty of suspenseful goodness. Uncle tom was and still is my favorite character how this film depicted his life and death was a sure tear jerker. I am also glad that they kept the last words with Mr. Shelby's son who loved tom. In closing I would like to say that I actually enjoyed this version and rate it higher than others.

THE MOVIE IS AN INTRIGUING STORY OF HOW SLAVERY USED TO BE AND HOW ONE MAN TIED TO OVERCOME HIS EVIL MASTER'S WAYS. EVERYONE POTRAYED VERY EXCITING CHARACTERS. I ESPECIALLY LIKED EDWARD WOODWARD'S POTRAYAL OF THE EVIL SIMON LEGREE

The movie entitled Uncle Tom's Cabin was an excellent film. I am really glad that I got a chance to view it. I could watch this over and over again. I praise Tom for his courage and for him standing up for what was right although he was beaten for it plenty of times. From this particular movie I saw that not all white people were bad, and I also saw how slaves were treated back in the times of slavery. They were just sold like they were a piece of dirt and just like they weren't even human beings. I think that this is a good film to watch for anyone is learning about slavery to see what it was all about.
The movie ,Uncle Tom's Cabin, was about a man named Tom who was a devote Christian. He was free but he wasn't free. I say this because although he wasn't free physically he was free mentally. He knew he that nobody could buy his soul. Through the whole movie he stood up for what was right and spoke his mind. Although aware of the consequences he still pressed on. People like him is what makes our history. People who stood up, and didn't accept less. People who knew that nobody was better then them and that they deserved to be treated equally. He helped those who were in the time of need. The great thing about everything that happened in the movie and everything that Tom accomplished is that it wasn't fiction it was fact. It really happened.
This movie was good! I liked how Tom stood up for himself and everyone else although he got beat for it. He always did the right thing no matter what.
In conclusion I would like to say that Uncle Tom's Cabin was a great film to watch. I would rate this a 10 on a scale from 1 to 10. I would definitely love to see this movie again.