Product Details

• Actors: Richard Pearson, Peter Sallis, Michael Hordern, David Jason, Ian Carmichael
• Directors: Mark Hall
• Format: Color, NTSC
• Language: English
• Rated: Unrated
• Studio: Hbo Home Video
• VHS Release Date: September 30, 1997
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 0783110413
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #338,412 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

While watching this production of The Wind in the Willows, close your eyes for just a moment, and you'll feel like you're watching Masterpiece Theatre. Open them, and you'll still think so, only that the place has been invaded by upper-crust cousins of Sesame Street. Each of the four videos contains three stand-alone tales, loosely grouped together by season. Superior voice acting, sophisticated puppetry, and Claymation truly give life to four dear friends--Badger, Mole, Mr. Rat, and Mr. Toad, who are amazingly lifelike in execution and emotion--and the worlds of the River Bank and Wild Wood that surround them. Some of the stories go down similar paths, often starring the ludicrously arrogant Mr. Toad battling the bad-guy weasels, but in the end, the right thing always manages to happen. The humor is quiet, the dialogue smart, and the enchanting stories so true to the spirit of the classic Kenneth Grahame book that you can't help but be swept away. Your one regret will be that there are only four seasons. The tapes of this series produced by Thames Video and shown on HBO: Spring Follies, Summer Escapades, Autumn Antics, and Winter Tales. --Valerie J. Nelson

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wind in the Willows - boxed set, August 4, 2002

By 

Jane Hyland (Sandfly, Tasmania Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wind in the Willows Box Set [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Just a delightful set of stories - runs rings around all other versions of Wind in the Willows that I have seen. Couldn't recommend it too highly. Hours of enjoyment for your children (and adults).

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Still Waiting for Willows, November 4, 2004

By 

One Of Us (Olympia, WA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wind in the Willows Box Set [VHS] (VHS Tape)

These are the stop action animations based on the classic novel, Wind in the Willows. They have nothing to do with the more modern American picture books called "Frog and Toad are Friends". We had loved and watched this high quality British animation series on Canadian television years ago. There was a movie that closely followed the book and then the produers created a series of original stories with the same characters. The stories have a dry British wit and a natural pacing. The voice of Ratty is done by the actor who also did Wallace of Wallace and Grommet fame. Even though our recption was not too great, we taped many of the episodes. Sadly our Beta decks have both quit working and thus we can't watch our old tapes. My husband ordered this set for my 50th birthday in August. They seem to be difficult for Amazon to acquire. They are still on back ordered status. At this rate they will be available on DVD before we get the tape set. I did see an offering of a similar set in a British video catalog recently. We may give up on this one and do that instead.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Some of the best works on television for any age viewer, February 20, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Wind in the Willows: Four Seasons Boxed Set [VHS] (VHS Tape)

The Wind in the Willows video collection is without doubt one of the highest quality pieces of work for children or adults available on television today. The characters are faithfully transformed to the screen with no loss of depth or subtlety - an accomplishment all too rare, particularly in television created primarily for children. However, the series is equally valuable for the childless adult, and I would recommend it to anyone I know. I cannot add enough superlatives to express my enthusiastic recommendation of these works.