Rating: 
Summary: Awesome Dad-Daughter Movie - But Pan/Scan??
Review: This is one of those rare movies where the story, cinematography and musical score come together in magnificient form to transplant the viewer into another time and space. Why the musical score had such an impact on me, that I found myself cassette taping (Yep, used cassettes back in the 80's) parts of the movie from a VHS tape so that I could enjoy it later. There was so much emotion in those notes. It wasn't until recently that I learned that credit goes to James Horner... I guess I shouldn't be surprised. His work is just as moving in films such as "Field of Dreams" or "Titanic"So, when I saw that the DVD would be released I carefully clicked the "technical specs" only to learn my worst fear... Pan and Scan. Such a visual treat as this movie shouldn't be seen this way, and I really hope that Disney decides to give us a widescreen version. Why even my 10 year old wants widescreen versions of movies (and is also a little miffed over "Snow Dogs" P/S only version) Disney can do awesome DVDs... They did it with the widescreen Swiss Family Robinson. Now, let's see them do it for "Natty Gann ". Let us all view the movie as we did in the theatres back in '85.
Rating: 
Summary: An overlooked gem.
Review: True, The Journey of Natty Gann is darker and more adult-oriented than most live-action Disney movies, but that doesn't stop it from being a contemporary classic that the entire family can enjoy. Set in Chicago during the Great Depression, this inspirational story is about a young girl named Natty Gann's (Meredith Salenger) search for her father (Ray Wise) after he is forced to suddenly travel west to take on a job. Along the way, she is befriended by a wolf and a young drifter named Harry (John Cusack) with whom she develops a romantic attachment. As it turns out, The Journey of Natty Gann is an enjoyable romp with decent acting especially from Meredith Salenger, glorious visuals, a realistic depiction of the Great Depression, and a beautiful score by James Horner. Unfortunately, it's no longer available on video (it was last released in 1995) which is a shame because it remains a favorite among many people including myself. Disney seems to be embarrassed of their 80's family films as hardly any of them appear still available. To sum it all up, The Journey of Natty Gann is just - wow!
Rating:
Summary: I'd sure like to have another copy...
Review: We made a video of this movie when it was on the Disney Channel years ago and we watched it over and over. Our young daughter had an imaginary wolf who ran with her for years afterward. Sadly, the tape went the way of all homemade tapes, and I find I can't replace it today. This is an excellent movie with a fine moral: don't stop loving your family and never give up on them. There is adventure, danger and pathos enough to keep even the adults in the family satisfied. It is an excellent movie and I'd buy four copies if I could find it.
Rating:
Summary: One of the best Disney films ever! Really!
Review: Well, this film came and went in the 1980s without much hoopla. But I was one of the few who saw it, and I must say, it was one of my favorite films back then and remains to this day one of my favorite films. Like "Never Cry Wolf," it represents one of the few films made by Disney in the 1980s which is family-oriented yet doesn't insult the intelligence. Meredith Salenger, as Natty, plays the daughter of a Depression-era dad who must go cross country for work; consequently, the film is about her journey to find him and re-unite the family. There is nothing stupid or silly about the film, as is often the case with Disney family films. The film doesn't shy away either from showing the grimy, dirty conditions in which these people must etch out a living, and the characters are not cookie-cutter good/bad but are realistic in their feelings and actions. Not to mention, the imagery is the film, from the inner city dirt to the mid-west open fields, is quite lovely and haunting at times. Almost reminds me of "Days of Heaven," another masterpiece (from the 1970s). Anyways, the film is FINALLY coming out on DVD, which I'm been waiting forever for. I'm quite eager to add this film to my collection, as I do not think there are many live-action Disney films which are its equal. I cannot even begin to recommend this film enough, it belongs in everyone's DVD collection! A strong 5 stars all the way; I just hope Disney does the film justice on the transfer. :)
Rating:
Summary: Great Movie Given A Shabby DVD Transfer treatment
Review: What could have been the usual predictable Disney film, turns out to be a truly remarkable experience the whole family can enjoy. The story of a young girl who travels across country to find her father during the depression, is played perfectly by Meredith Salenger. The supporting cast is just as excellent, with John Cusack playing a drifter she meets along the way, and Jed who plays Wolf, her companion for much of the journey. During her trip, we have a first hand look at the desparation many people suffered through during the depression. The scenery is gorgeous, and the score is terrific. This should be a Disney classic and it's too bad the people at Disney don't realize it, which brings me to the bad part of this review.
Apperently there isn't anyone at Disney who ever thought this movie would be or could be this great. It was released on VHS, but was out of print and unavailable for a long time, unless of course you wanted to spend mega-bucks for it on Ebay. I would have hoped that with this re-release, it would have gained some measure of respect, but Disney only saw fit to slap a quick pan and scan version on DVD and sell it at a low price to make a few bucks. The transfer is horrible, the picture is grainy much of the time, the characters out of frame, and most of the scenery is completely lost. The audio is ordinary, much of the sounds when they are in the forest inaudible, and the beautiful score is completely wasted. It's too bad that the people at Disney don't know what a gem they have. In other words, the movie gets five stars, the DVD transfer gets one star....which averages out to a three. Despite that, I suggest you buy this movie while you can before it disappears into oblivion once again.
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