Product Details

• Actors: Walter Matthau, Mason Gamble, Joan Plowright, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson
• Directors: Nick Castle
• Writers: John Hughes, Hank Ketcham
• Producers: Ernest Chambers, John Hughes, Richard Vane, William Ryan
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD, Letterboxed, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Language: French (Unknown), English (Unknown)
• Subtitles: English, Spanish, German, French, Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese, Georgian, Thai
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Studio: Warner Home Video
• DVD Release Date: January 28, 2003
• Run Time: 94 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (40 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00007G1Z9
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #22,029 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #27 in	Movies & TV > Comedy > Comedy Stars > Walter Matthau
  #67 in	Movies & TV > Comedy > Comedy Directors > John Hughes

• For more information about "Dennis the Menace (Special Edition)" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

The Hank Ketcham comic strip about a mischievous boy named Dennis Mitchell (Mason Gamble) becomes a film directed by Nick Castle (The Last Starfighter) based on a weak script by John Hughes (The Breakfast Club). Gamble is fine and Walter Matthau is persuasive as the grouchy neighbor Mr. Wilson, but Hughes spoils everything by throwing in a formulaic subplot about a criminal (Christopher Lloyd) who doesn't know what he's getting into by abducting Dennis. Been there, done that. --Tom Keogh

Product Description

Hank Ketcham's popular comic-strip kid comes to uproarious screen life in Dennis the Menace, from writer/producer John Hughes, the creative force behind the family mega-hits Home Alone and Beethoven. Young Mason Gamble is all-boy, all-menace, all-Dennis right down to his slingshot and dog, Ruff.

DVD Features:
Challenges:Dennis's Tin Can Challenge
DVD ROM Features:Garbage Contraption game
Featurette:Behind-the-scenes featurette
Interactive Menus
Interviews:Memories of a Menace, a 10th anniversary visit with Mason Gamble; conversations with Walter Matthau and John Hughes
Scene Access
TV Special:Original network special "A Menace Named Dennis"
Theatrical Trailer:Trailers of this and the sequel "Dennis the Menace Strikes Again"

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Never laughed so hard.., March 12, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Dennis the Menace (Clam) [VHS] (VHS Tape)

A great family movie for all ages. The scene where Dennis ties up the Chris Lloyd and makes him eat all the beans, cracks me up beyond belief. My daughter,3, loves it, and if you have to watch a movie over and over(parents know what i mean) this is a great one.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great movie that you can enjoy with your kids!, March 9, 2003

By	Candace Mack "cmmack" (Mauldin, SC USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I have been waiting for years for this to come out on DVD. It's been out of print for so long, and I've had to suffer with a copy I taped myself. This is an excellent comedy that parents will enjoy as much or even more than their kids, without having to worry about what new words their kids might pick up! I love this movie even more now that my son is almost five, and is exactly like Dennis! There is some slapstick type mischief, so if you are sensitive to that, be aware (the bad guy gets burned on boiling beans, whacked in the head, etc.). All in all, a must see!

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sweet and Charming, May 5, 2004

By	Richard K. Southall (Covina, CA United States) - See all my reviews

While this film does not break new cinematic ground; it was never intended to in the first place. Having said that, this is perhaps one of the most delightful, sweet and charming children's movie's I have ever seen. I say that with some amount of authority, as I have two young children, so watching children movies is something we do alot of.

What makes this movie so utterly unforgettable is the sweet charm displayed between Walter Matthau (Grumpy Mr. Wilson) and Dennis (Mason Gamble). There is a unique, understated quality to this movie, where the soundtrack is rather understated and in many scenes you simply watch young Dennis or Mr Wilson (or both) interacting in gentle, silent ways. The movie has become a favorite of my 4 1/2 year old girl (Dennis-like herself) to watch before she goes to bed. We have even memorized some of the scenes and act them out at dinner, like when Mr Wilson eats a piece of chicken that has accidently become victim to Dennis' paint & wood glob. Matthau is so good in that scene; just watch his facial expressions...hardly says a word, but what a classic comedic scene.

I can't rave enough about this movie, if only more movies could be made with such charm, care and love.