No comments about O' Christmas Tree.

No comments about A Christmas Celtic Sojourn, Live.

No comments about Hello Kitty & Friends, Vol. 6: Holiday Magic.

No comments about Beyond Tomorrow.

No comments about Santa Claus: The Movie.

3 comments about Washington, DC: An Inspiring Tour.

1. I picked up a copy of this DVD at the Postal Museum in DC and for the most part, it's informative and enjoyable. It seems to be slightly dated but the bonus material is nice. I would give it 4 stars but the cheesy soundtrack seems to have been composed on a $50 Casio keyboard by a high school student and soon becomes very annoying.



2. OUTSTANDING REVIEW, and you will not be disappointed. Contrary to other reviewer, music was not my issue for purchasing this, it was for educational information, and incredible views that I could not get myself with my own video camera or still pictures. BUY IT!



3. I watched this with 2 teenagers because we are going to Washington,DC soon. It was informative and did not put us to sleep.

5 comments about Cricket on Hearth.

1. "Cricket on the Hearth" is a heart warming excellent version of the Charles Dickens tale. Granted is it not the full book, but it does dramatize a significant part of the story - the toymaker who falls on hard times and his daughter whose fiance is lost at sea. When Bertha agrees to marry the miserly toy factory owner who is forcing them to live in poverty, the future seems grim - until the good luck cricket on the hearth steps in. The voices are great - Danny Thomas and his daughter Marlo as the toymaker and his daughter and Roddy McDowell, perfect as the cricket. The music is wonderful with a real gem of a Christmas song - "The First Christmas" that should be a classic holiday song if only some well known singer would record it. For years this production was unavailable and thought lost, but was rerelased last year and is a real treasure. A different Christmas story that is still full of the warmth and music of the season.

   I am amazed that a previous review got so many of the facts of the story wrong. There is no "prince" to save the girl. There are no slow spots. It is a fast moving completely delightful story. People who rush to write reviews should really check their facts and not give misleading information.

   This is a production that can easily appeal to adults as well as children. It could prove a wonderful introduction to the works of Dickens for children.




2. Ordered 11/14/01. Today is 02/26/02. I have not received yet. Info said estimated delivery 12/26/01-01/13/02. I have been told normally 4-6 wks. This video has been paid for but I have been informed to search the Marketplace and the Auctions. Why do I have to do the research for a item already paid for? I really would like to have this video. My children and myself like all the Raskin Bass Holiday Movies and I am sure we will like Cricket on the Hearth if we ever get it.



3. I saw this video tape when I was shopping one day and I bought it and I had never seen it before and when watched it I really liked it and I think it's very under-rated! The Cricket on tthe Hearth is based on a story by Charles Dickens and is about a toy maker and his daughter who's voices are provided by Danny Thomas and Marlo Thomas (a real life father and daughter) who are poor and being taken advantage of by a cruel and selfish toy factory owner. The cricket in the story is both narrator and friend to the toy maker and his daughter and is voiced by Roddy McDowell. This is a really good Christmas cartoon and I would like to see it transferred to DVD!



4. We caught this on The Family Channel's "25 Days of Christmas" and enjoyed it very much. It was an odd little tale to be cast in a Christmas mold, but irrestistibly sweet nevertheless. A young lady and her kindly father are held in thrall to a tyrant who runs their town; her true love is poor and goes to seek his fortune. When he goes missing and is presumed dead, she falls prey to hysterical blindness. It is the lowly cricket who saves the day when all seems lost and the girl is about to wed the tyrant. The animation is typically 1960s, very bright and flat, simply drawn and thin compared to lusher productions of the same time frame, such as How the Grinch Stole Christmas. The voice cast is great, especially Danny Thomas as the toymaker and Marlo as his cartoon daughter. Roddy MacDowell was wonderful as the cricket and smooth-voiced baritone Ed Ames was the true love; he also sang the song The First Christmas. (Though not as widely known today, Mr. Ames was quite the singing sensation back then.) We would love to see this little tale come out on DVD someday. Though obscure, The Cricket on the Hearth deserves a place in the annals of holiday classics.



5. PLOT: Danny Thomas stars as Caleb, a toymaker who discovers a cricket (delightfully played by Roddy McDowell) on his fireplace hearth at Christmas which is supposed to be a sign of good luck. His daughter Bertha, (played by his real life daughter Marlo Thomas who makes her first musical performance in this show), is sadly seeing her fiance Edward off to war so luck is not with them yet. Edward is gone for months, and finally news arrives that he is dead, but the grief strikes Bertha blind. Caleb who was already very poor only seems to do worse. He is forced to work for Grugg Tackleton (voiced by Hans Conried who also voiced Captain Hook for Disney), a mean Scrooge like character, who only pays room and board. He is a crow named Caw (voiced by Paul Frees who also voices the Sea Captain). Since Bertha cannot see, the toymaker tells his daughter they are in luxurious surroundings and he is being paid very well. He meets an old and hungry stranger and brings him home to eat. The evil Tackleton decides he wants to marry Bertha, and the cricket joins with the toys that are brought to life to defend her honor. Songs include "Don't Give Your Love Away", "Smiles Go With Tears", "Through My Eyes", "The First Christmas", "That Was Yesterday", "Fish and Chips", "Parade of the Toys", and "A Waltz for Christmas".
   
   BACKGROUND INFO: This one hour format television special was first aired on NBC on December 18, 1967. It was created by Rankin/Bass Studios in association with Aaron Spelling and Danny Thomas. Music by Maury Laws, and lyrics by Jules Bass.
   This was the 5th television special from the studio, and the first holiday show after Rudolph that they released. This was the first time Danny and Marlo Thomas appeared together for a television show. This was shown again later as an episode on the Danny Thomas Show. Marlo was on television in her own popular show the same year this was in producion. Written by Romeo Muller and Arthur Rankin.
   
   It has great cel animation art, and a good story. By the way the horrible artwork on the box pictured here is not from the actual film, so do not let it scare you off. This show is currently owned by Golden Books, and they have done a great job recently with DVD's with the other shows they have in their catalogue from Rankin/Bass who brought us such memorable holiday classics such as Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer, Year without a Santa Claus, Nestor the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey, Mad Monster Party, The Little Drummer Boy, Frosty the Snowman, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, Mouse on the Mayflower, Here Comes Peter Cottontail, the Stingiest Man in Town, Jack Frost, Pinnochio's Christmas, Rudolph's Shiny New Year, the First Easter Bunny. They also made non-holiday films such as the Hobbit, Flight of Dragons, the Last Unicorn. It is incredible that one company is responsible for all those TV specials, 95% of the ones we see every year. Their work includes standard animation, stop-motion animagic, and live action. I hope this comes out on a restored DVD soon, I have bought all the other Rankin/Bass that have been released on DVD.

2 comments about Hermie and Friends: A Fruitcake Christmas.

1. This is a beautiful story about the true meaning of Christmas. The story is told with a healthy does of humor, and my whole family enjoys it.
   This series is the best, and I definitely recommend this Chrismas DVD.



2. We bought this for one of our daughter a couple years ago, the message of this movie is good, and my daughters like it, it gives them an understanding what Christmas is really about, and it teaches them to share also.

1 comments about Nutcracker Sweeties/The Judas Tree.

1. What do these two ballets have in common? Well, just a few things: they are both seductive; they both use classical ballet technique to express modern themes; and they are both danced by British ballet companies.
   Nutcracker Sweeties only vaguely resembles the classical Nutcracker ballet. It is very sensual and amusing, as well as interesting with challenging choreography and beautifully danced. It is set basically as entertainment for World War Two GI's, using sailor and army costumes in places. There are some of the ethnic dances reminiscent ot the Nutcracker ballet. Most of the women dance on pointe, and the men in the usual classical fashion.
   The Judas Tree was Kenneth MacMillan's last ballet and he really went out with a bang! This ballet, which features Irek Mukhamedov and Leanne Benjamin, is a fascinating tidbit of modern ballet with very aggressive and difficult choreography, but an extremely bizarre story. The story seems to combine some of the features of "Le Jeune Homme Et La Mort", and "Carmen", with a little surprise thrown in, which I won't spoil for you. The dancers are absolutely fantastic in this, but Leanne is particularly noteworthy. If you would like to see what a perfect physical condition for a ballerina is, both in terms of flexibility and strength, take a look at Leanne in this. She is in amazing condition. The historical importance of this ballet also hangs over this at every turn.
   Whereas the music for the first ballet is in the jazz style and has a familiar quality for most viewers, the music for the second is very modern and atonal; it is beautifully composed, but some viewers may find it difficult to appreciate, judging from my experience with audience reactions.
   The image quality is perfectly crystal clear(looks like digital tape) as is the sound quality.
   Be sure to add these two wonderful ballet works to your collection!

5 comments about Mr Magoo's Christmas Carol.

1. Timely delivery of a timeless Christmas video from my childhood. No problems of any sort with order, delivery, payment or product. Thanks Amazon!



2. Yousa! This show seems to have eluded airplay at xmastime by the networks, both cable and over the air. It is absolutely charming.... I have missed it enough to buy it. The music is delightful, and Jim Backus is wonderful. Tiny Tim puts a tear to my eye every time!
   
   It is a classic, & I am glad to have it!



3. This is the greatest film in the history of the universe. It's an epic masterpiece and a sublime accomplishment that will be remembered for centuries. It is art at its finest, right up there with the Sistine Chapel, Beethoven or Shakespeare. I last watched this months ago and I can still taste the razzleberry dressing. Jacob Marley even visited me in my sleep the other night.
   
   It's a family tradition for us, but unless you have been exposed to it from an early age, you may be like our in-laws and just not get it. I don't know that there's any middle ground. It either becomes a part of you or you fall asleep while watching it.



4. I was well satisfied with the VHS tape of Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol. The color was good, and as always, Jim Backus' voice was excellent. This was a good addition to my seasonal tapes and DVDs. Anyone who already enjoys this tale by Dickens would like this. It was a good match to have Mr. Magoo portray Scrooge.



5. There are dozens of versions of the Dickens Christmas classic, and hundreds if not thousands of stage productions have been done. What does this one have that the others do not? Music. GREAT music. And the songs support and put a new twist on the well-known story. You'll be singing (or humming) the tunes all year long. It's great fun for the whole family. If you haven't seen it yet, you're missing something wonderful.