Customer Reviews

Wind in the Willows [VHS]

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An absolutely wonderful version of the book! I watched this as a teenager on TV and spent many years hunting for the VHS in the 1980s-mid 1990s, and now the DVD. My VHS tape spoiled in the mid-1990s, but I can recall this cartoon and many of its scenes still!

What I like about this version (there are so many, but I'll just list those that are more salient):

1)The humour - this is interspersed througout the movie; it captures so well the dreamy,poetic nature of Ratty, the wiles and plottings of Toad, the guileless Mole, and the solid dependability of Badger.

2) The songs - really funny ones, yet still so true to the book. Personal favourites are 'Wind in the Willows' sung by Judy Collins, 'I hate company' (Badger's song), and 'We'll convert him' (the courthouse scene)

3) The voices/accents of the actors - so very perfect. Wonderful inflections, to convey anger, fear, worry, listlessness, elation, etc.

4) The language/writing. Such creative use of language, yet not straying away from the intent of the original book. These are some scenes that I can remember, which made me laugh out loud - because of the expressions on the animated characters' faces, the dialogue, and the accents/inflections to the words spoken.

* when Ratty, Mole and Toad set out in the cart, and it's time for the meal - before Ratty and Mole sing about what food they DON'T have, Toady says that he bought some pats of beurre - then gives this roguish look and says 'butter to you'.

* the temptation to steal the motor car scene - it's just perfect, how the rationalisation process in Toady's head is depicted: It starts with 'there can be no harm in my just looking at it' - then he mimics the sound of the car engine 'broom, brroom' and climbs in and says 'oh no, no harm at all' and then with hand at ignition key 'I wonder if this kind of car starts easily' ...

* in the courthouse - when Toad is accused of gross impertinence to the police, he retorts 'nonsense! Tumtwaddle (what he called the officer) is an old Toad word of endearment!'

* when he's in prison and the jailer's daughter comes the Bubble and Squeak, Toady says 'it's about time they served some decent food in this place', and proceeds to say in an undertone 'I hope the cabbage isn't overcooked', and then after tasting it 'I knew it - the cabbage IS overcooked!'

* when Toady is at the railway station trying to buy a ticket to Toad hall, and says 'One please, as close to Toad Hall as my money will take me' and then realises that he's in washerwoman's garb, he lifts his skirts and wails 'No pockets!' (and so no money!). When he is told 'Step aside please, madam', Toad is indignant (the look on his face is priceless) and says ' Madam?!? No indignities are spared me!'

* when Toad has been 'rescued' by the owners of the motor car he stole earlier, and he's fainted in the road, the dialogue, accents and inflections are just PERFECT. Man A:'A washerwoman!Fainted in the road!' Man B: 'Overcome by the heat, poor creature!' Man A: 'We'll take her to the nearest village - she must have some friends there', and as Toad revives and tries to wangle his way into driving the car 'If I might sit in the front seat - I would have the fresh air full in my face (sic - I can't remember exact dialogue - last watched it >10years ago)' and Man B says: 'sensible woman!'. After a while he tries to cadge a chance to drive the car saying 'I would like to tell my friends I have driven... a motor car!', Man A laughs and says 'Bravo madam! I like your spirit. Of course you can have a try!'

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE, can we have the DVD of this?

There's really not that much that needs to be said. The other most famous adaptation of this book, Disney's Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, is poorly animated, makes tons of pointless changes, and just doesn't tell a very good story.

Rankin-Bass's Wind in the Willows, on the other hand, has good songs, more visual appeal, and better voice acting, and it's much more faithful to the book. The characters really feel like themselves; they capture Mole's innocence, Badger's intransigence, Ratty's affability and Toad's mania beautifully, and all of the characters come across as people you'd like to spend time with.

It's a real shame this film hasn't been restored and released on DVD, as it's one of my favorite book-to-film adaptations.

Rankin/Bass' adaptation of Kenneth Grahame's novel is close enough that after countless viewings of this movie as a child, reading the book in my adulthood I hear Roddy McDowell and company in my mind speaking to me without any effort needed to summon them. There are passages of the script taken straight from the original text. And yet, the exicution of the lines comes off without the viewers realizing they are being read classical language. It's not too advanced for children to follow, but it never once dares to dumb down to them. It is such a beautiful, simple myth illustrating the importance of Home. And of the importance of the feeling that there is some connecting force greater than ourselves that leads us through the Wild Woods of our own lives and along the roads of the Wide World, when we're far from the Rivers and Halls and Holes and Dens we long to go back to. A comment to devout viewers - The Piper, a Pan-like being, the representation of God in a world where animals are a representation of mankind, stays just beyond and above, and lets his wards feel his presence in the sounds of the wind in the reeds and willows and if ever he shows himself in a beam of light through the darkness, passes on again from memory like a dream, leaving a feeling of saftey and hope. He isn't meant to support or condone paganism, but instead reinforces the values many of us hold in common. The image of the Pan mearly corresponds with the metaphore of animal society. The title song of the film, sung movingly by Judy Collins, says it best, "Search for the answers, each as you will. Wind in the willows, when the wind is still."

Its a fun, fantastic ride of a story for small kids, and, with closer attention, a lasting emotional expierience for older viewers. I would not be the same today without its being part of me. If you've ever felt the River call you to the sea, (and as Badger says, "Wanderlust's got everyone") you will undersatnd this movie. And I believe you will love it.

While I highly recommend this version of "The Wind in the Willows" if you can find it, my real question is when will this particular version be available on DVD? It is, without a doubt, the best version of the "The Wind in the Willows" story that has been made to date (although the live-action "Mr. Toad's Wild Ride" is very fun though it takes a lot of dramatic license). So when will the waiting end? When will this version be available of DVD?

I think Rankin/Bass knew what they were doing! With beautiful animated films like The Hobbit, The Last Unicorn and now The Wind in the Willows, it's only apparent these two men were truly envisionary. I always loved this film...and, like its predescesors, beautifully animated!

I adored this film as a child and as an adult I still love it and find myself humming the songs on occasion. I have seen numerous film versions of The Wind in the Willows and this one is something special. (I enjoy the Cosgrove Hall TV series as a TV series but still find this to be the best film adaptation of the original book.) The voices are perfect for the characters and the songs range from humorous to moving. My original copy of this film was taped from TV and even with commercials and severe weather warnings it was watched again and again. I now have the VHS and find I enjoy the humor in the film even more now that I am an adult and can appreciate the quality of this production.

They just don't make animated films like this anymore. It has so much of the Edwardian spirit of the novel and the dignity... no wise-cracking sidekicks or modern slang.

It is almost criminal that this has never been released on DVD. A new generation deserves to experience it!

Thses tales and advenures are great. the animation is wonderufl as well. "The Wind and the Willows," is great for children as well as adults. It's a true classic.

This has been one of my favorite shows since I was a child (let alone my favorite version of the tale). The animation, the music (sung by Judy Collins), the voice talents (Charles Nelson Reilly, Roddy McDowall, Jose Ferrer, Eddie Bracken) all lend to the feeling of magic, the chill down your spine when you hear the story of the Wind in the Willows. The story pulls you in, shaking your head at Toad's crackpot ideas and sighing as Rat explains his love for the river and boating. Arthur Rankin Jr. and Jules Bass have done an excellent job. This movie is one of a kind.

I grew up watching this and flight of dragons both are very good. This version is so much better then the disney and i perfer is over the english from england version. it is very well drawn and is worth watching with your kids or by yourself.
on the quality scale it is a 10.

Wind in the Willows is hands down my favorite movie ever. Not only is it superbly done, it is extremely sentimental to me. My mom taped it for me off the TV when I was about three years old. I'm 24 now, and it has remained my fave movie. I agree totally with the person who said they hear Roddy McDowell and Jose Ferrer when they read the book, as I frequently do. It is a tradition between me and my mom to watch this movie together at least once a year. (It's had to be cut down to this pitiful number because of the increasingly sad state of the VHS tape, being over twenty years old.) We still use quotes from the movie together and laugh, e.g. "After all these years alone in a hole, I would thoroughly enjoy doing something together!" is frequently said when one of us suggests a shopping trip. <grin> And we can both sing all of the songs right along with the characters. In fact, it may be the songs that draw me to this movie the most. Normally, I hate musical numbers in movies, but this one is different. The songs are so well sung and go so well with the action, that they are necessary to the story. The title song, and Badger's "I Hate Company" are my favorites. I find myself singing them all the time.

Basically, this is a wonderful movie both for young kids and adults. A true classic, if ever there was one. I hope and pray every time I look for it online that it will show up on DVD and I can finally retire my poor, worn out VHS tape.