Faerie Tale Theatre - Hansel and Gretel

Rating:
Summary: Faerie Tale Theatre on DVD
Review: After years of waiting, Faerie Tale Theatre fans can finally own the series on DVD. Shelley Duvall's series originally appeared on Showtime 20 years ago and featured well-known and rising stars of the time. The series' enthusiastic interpretations of beloved fairy tales has made it a cult classic. Better yet, the DVD prices are affordable, especially after the high prices the used VHS copies have been earning in recent years.

About this episode:

Abandoned by their parents, a brother and sister are lost in the woods and stumble across a fantastic cottage. Unfortunately, a witch lives in it and she doesn't want to keep her houseguests for long. This is one of the scarier of the Faerie Tale Theatre episodes, especially since young children play the roles and Joan Collins plays a scary witch, but it's a children's favorite nevertheless.

Cast:
Joan Collins ... The Witch/Evil Stepmother
Rick Schroder ... Hansel
Bridgette Andersen ... Gretel

Rating:
Summary: Faerie Tale Theatre: Hansel and Gretel
Review: Fabulous and extremely entertaining episode from Faerie Tale Theatre starring Joan Collins in a dual role as the title childrens' wicked stepmother and the evil, cannibalistic witch. Collins is delightfully funny and frightening in her roles and looks like she is having fun. Ricky Shroeder and the late Bridgette Anderson turn in cute performances as Hansel and Gretel. Although excellent for the family, you may want to cuddle up with the kiddies while they are watching the witch scenes. An excellent episode.

Rating:
Summary: one of the best!
Review: HANSEL AND GRETEL is one of the best in the FAERIE TALE THEATRE series, with lush costume and set designs based on the classic storybook illustrations of Arthur Rackham.

Young Hansel and Gretel (Rick Schroder and Bridgette Andersen) are abandoned in the forest by their cruel stepmother (Joan Collins). The children happen across a magical cottage entirely made of gingerbread and sweets, which is owned by an evil witch...

Joan Collins plays the dual-roles of the stepmother and the witch, and gives a fantastic performance as both characters. Paul Dooley plays the children's mell-meaning father.

One of the best of FAERIE TALE THEATRE's earlier episodes.

Rating:
Summary: A MEMORABLE FILM
Review: I rented this film at the local library almost every week during the summer when I was a kid. I loved it so much. Joan Collins is TERRIFIC in her dual role as the wicked stepmother and the horribly groteseque and green wicked witch. Rick Shroeder plays Hansel in this film and Bridgette Nielsen plays a wonderfully scared and bewildered Gretel. Joan Collins as the wicked witch gave me mixed emotions as a kid. I didn't know whether to close my eyes or bust out laughing. She is very scary looking but she also has a sense of humor. A great piece of film history due to the fact that Joan Collins plays a very unglamourous role as the witch. What else can I say, this film is one of the best in the Faerie Tale Theatre series and one of my favorites. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!!

Rating:
Summary: a wonderful adaptation with something for everyone!
Review: When I first rented this movie when I was little, I'm sure I wasn't aware of how many times I would go back and rent it over and over again. Based on the original grimm's fairy tale with sets and costumes designed after english illustrator Arthur Rackham, this movie delivers the laughs and the chills. The cottage is cozy yet eerie in a way. The forest in which the film was shot is very authentic(hence it being real) and creates a great atmosphere for the story. Joan Collins is the cruel and sometimes (heh-hem) suggestive stepmother who wants nothing more than to rid herself of Hansel(Rick Shroeder) and Gretel (Bridgette Andersen)who, while not being completely believable as brother and sister still deliver respectful performances, but it is Joan Collins as the incredulous haggard old green faced witch who steals the cake in this one. When I first saw her hobble out of the gingerbread cottage I was taken aback and a little frightened( I still don't understand why children would go into a house with someone with a green face...) but aside from that, she really pulls out all of the stops as a bossy slave driver who offers gretel crab shells as a meal. Overall, I would rate this movie as a 5 because I still keep on going back and watching it because it is just one of those movies that sticks with you.