Product Details

• Actors: Alan Bennett, Michael Palin, Michael Gambon, Rik Mayall, James Villiers
• Directors: Dave Unwin
• Format: Color, DVD, NTSC
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo)
• Subtitles: English, Spanish, French
• Region: All Regions
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Good Times Video
• DVD Release Date: May 15, 2001
• Run Time: 73 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00000JZHN
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #79,486 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "The Wind in the Willows/The Willows in Winter" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

In the first of these two animated adaptations, both gently narrated by Vanessa Redgrave, Moley, Mr. Toad, and the rest of the right, proper riverbank battalion are portrayed tastefully, wittily, and with charm by the bucketsful. True to the tale, Mole abandons his modest home in favor of an apprenticeship on the ways of the river alongside knowledgeable Rat; Toad's enthusiasm for motorcars earns him a 20-year sentence; and young Portly the otter goes missing, giving everyone a scare. The lushness of Kenneth Grahame's writing is preserved throughout--those enchanted by the classic kids' story needn't be wary of memory muddling. Next up is the sequel, usually a letdown, but here a thrilling (though less literary) ride. If "The Wind in the Willows" tugs viewers through the river reeds with its graceful, enchanting words, "The Willows in Winter" hurtles them along with its bumpy adventures, all linked to the restless, irascible Toad. This time, the wily bugger takes to the skies in a search for Moley, who's lost in a river-swelling winter storm. Along the way he loops-the-loop one time too many, sending passenger Ratty tumbling. Then there's the small matter that he swiped the plane he's piloting, an offense punishable by a lengthy prison sentence. Well-connected, formidable Badger bails him out, but a lesson on humility awaits the shifty amphibian back at Toad Hall. In "The Wind in the Willows", Grahame writes, "When I was young, we always had mornings like this." Viewers of all ages who tune in to this two-parter will come away wishing they did, too. "--Tammy La Gorce"

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A 10-year-old reviews a really good movie, January 2, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Wind in the Willows/The Willows in Winter (DVD)

I have seen both of these movies on VHS, but I haven't seen the DVD version. These are two full-length (over 70 minutes each) animated features.

I like this version of Wind in the Willows better than the Disney version. It's more like the book.

The Willows in Winter is a sequel and it is very good too.

I like these because the characters are funny and the animation is good. My parents liked them too.

20 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Charming DVD value for your kids' video library!, June 9, 2000

By 

D. Anderson (Alexandria, VA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Wind in the Willows/The Willows in Winter (DVD)

Our children already owned & loved these films on VHS, so I was suprised to see both full-length movies available on a single DVD for a bargain price. True, there are no DVD "extras" in addition to the two movies, but the important part -- the animated film -- looks better than ever on DVD. It's a crisp transfer of the charming Beatrix Potter-style animation (not surprising, given that these were done by the folks resposible for the fine "World of Peter Rabbit & Friends" video series).

These wonderful children's films deserve a much wider viewing than I think they've received. They are faithful adaptations of the books, and the animation is, as I mentioned before, charming. But perhaps the best parts are the delightfully engaging voice characterizations -- Rat (voiced by Michael Palin of Monty Python fame), Mole, Badger, and the irrepressible Toad are all done spot-on. Toad's wild antics usually give our young daughters the giggles, and the motorcars and battle heroics are bound to capture the interest of young boys.

A worthwhile purchase, or a great gift for children 2-7 who haven't yet seen these films.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic animated rendition, October 8, 2006

By 

Alyssa A. Lappen (Earth) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Wind in the Willows/The Willows in Winter (DVD)

It's hard to believe, but I never heard of Wind in the Willows until I was about 16 years old, when it was first read aloud to me, around a glowing campfire. It was an instant love affair.

Years later, I shared the classic with my children. So when we found an animated version of the book for sale in a neighbor's tag sale, we snapped it up. We've loved the film ever since.

The animal characters--Badger, Mole, Toad, Weasel and all the others--congregate often at Toad Hall and elsewhere, and the story takes many delightful turns.

This animated version, directed by Dave Unwin, is every bit as classic as the book. Your children will surely love it as much as we did--including the child in this particular mom.

--Alyssa A. Lappen