Rating: 
Summary: Pete's Dragon
Review: This was my favorite as a child. It is worth a look.
Young Kids will love it.
Rating: 
Summary: primarily for the youngest viewers
Review: This is NOT one of those films that is nominally for kids but the whole family enjoys it. It's not that good -- way too long (over 2 hours) -- with mediocre songs and a cast that's a real mixed bag, but our group of preschoolers enjoyed it, so if you want a film that kids might enjoy, then it may be worth a try. It's another in the mixed live action and animation movies Disney was doing at the time (Mary Poppins, Bedknobs and Broomsticks), but not one of the better ones.Pete is a lonely and abused boy who finds friendship with adults (Helen Reddy, Mickey Rooney) in his community. He also hangs out with Elliott, an animated dragon who often becomes invisible before carrying out misguided or mischievous acts. The film can be subtitled in French or English, and extras include theatrical and international trailers, a photo gallery, songs, film facts, a Where's Elliott? game, and trailers for three other films.
Rating:
Summary: Most watched family oriented movie I have ever owned.
Review: My whole family has loved this movie for nearly 25 years. WE RANK IT #3 of 41 disney movies. I bought my first VCR in 1980 and this was the first movie I actually bought, rather than just renting and duping. They reworked it some, placing "Candle on the Water" within the movie, rather than with the opening credits and I bought it again about 4 years ago. I am delighted to see this on DVD.
We have always liked this movie over the bigger budget Mary Poppins and Bedknobs and Broomsticks. We own all 3 and the kids themselves have elected to watch Feakys Fraggen, because my son Steve also called it that, many dozens of times. Why. We love the music. We like the characters. And we like the animated dragon, even though they could have painted him better than they did. We know 4 of the songs and sing them regularly. We do fast forward through one section, but otherwise this is simply one of our favorite movies period. The cast is almost perfect. Helen Reddy, Jim Dale, who is the reader on the Harry Potter audio books, Mickey Rooney, Shelley Winters. Jim Backus, Red Buttons, Charlie Callas, Jeff Conaway as Willie Gogan who played Bobby in Taxi and also a security officer on Babylon 5. The lead actor Sean Marshall is the weak link and I don't think he ever made another movie. My 5 children range in age from 6 to 27 and this might be the most watched family oriented movie I have ever owned. We had a lot of fun by gathering the family together to rank the 41 Disney movies we have that include some cartoon work. All the kids, ages 6 to 27, participated along with mother and dad. Peter Pan is no Codfish, we rank it #2. Lion King was selected number 1 of the 41 as the family favorite, but narrowly. Peter Pan was 2. Pete's Dragon 3, Beauty & the beast 4 and Sleeping Beauty 5.
Rating:
Summary: Be Aware!
Review: Be aware that one of the Bonus Features listed in the description of this DVD is not correct. The animated short is "Lighthouse Keeping" NOT "Reluctant Dragon". So if you are looking for this wonderful Disney short, you will not find it on this DVD
Rating:
Summary: just my opinion
Review: I recall this movie from when I was a child and as I remember, I thought it was fantastic to have a dragon friend. I recently borrowed it from the local library and was just browsing through the site to find a copy to purchase. My 22 month old daughter and my 4 year old neice watched it at tv time after their baths the other night,and both were delighted with the movie. I think the problem with the negative reviews is that this movie is better suited to younger children with their imaginations still intact. Also, I don't adhere to the opinion that everything that they encounter as children has to be "educational", a child's imagination is a wonderful place. I think the movie is great. Just my opinion though.
Rating: 
Summary: Preety good kids movie
Review: Obviously if you are an adult this movie is not going to hold as much magic for you as it once did but for a young child this movie still does its job. I remember when I first watched this one(oh I was about 7) All I wanted to see Pete do was talk to the dragon and take rides on it's back. However as I grew a little older and actually started to pay attention to the plot I wanted to see all the bad guys get what was coming to them(I was about 9 by this point). So "Pete's Dragon" is a good development movie it will keep the very young kids interested while teaching slightly older kids that there is such a thing as a plot Parts of it are kind of dark so don't show this to extremely young kids of will scare them(or at the very least freak them out a little bit). The only thing wrong with this movie is the fundamental flaw of most kids movies too young and the kids don't see the point, too old and the kids are bored by it. Still its all worth it just hear Elliot talk.
Rating:
Summary: Pete's Dragon
Review: Any child who hasnt seen this movie is deprived! A wonderful movie for the young or old.
Rating: 
Summary: Mind-Numbing Drivel
Review: There is two hours of my life, and my childrens' lives, that we'll never get back. The plot meanders. The dialogue is insipid. The music is monotone. I watched this movie in a room with approximately 30 children. Not one of the children paid any attention to it.
Rating:
Summary: A caution to parents
Review: Although most of this movie is harmless, I get annoyed at a few scenes in particular. At the risk of sounding too politically correct, I would forwarn parents that there are extended scenes in a bar, and lots of humor around drunkenness. This used to be funny a few decades ago, but kids aren't used to seeing alcoholism humor these days. Make your own decision, but if you and your family haven't seen this one before, I wouldn't recommend it as the best Disney has to offer. Other themes include the cruelty of foster parents (extreme in some lyrics), deceiving customers to make a profit, and corporal punishment in schools. If you want something as good as Mary Poppins, get Chitty Chitty Bang Bang for your kids instead. You'll both enjoy it more.
Rating:
Summary: Good old-fashioned fun
Review: It ought to be a crime to look too critically at this movie. I don't believe Pete's Dragon was ever meant to be a masterpiece of animation, or acting. Yes, most of the acting is hammy (with the exception of the kid who plays Pete), but that is a big part of what makes this movie so much fun to watch. And no, it isn't aimed solely at 3-7 year olds. I am 26, and still love settling down in my armchair to watch it.
The story is basic enough. A young orphan escapes his horrible adoptive family to find a better life for himself - in this case, with the help of a nicely animated dragon called Elliot. With the exception of the dragon, it isn't all that dissimilar to the Harry Potter storylines (the difference being that poor Harry has to go back to his awful relatives at the end of every school term).
Through a series of misadventures, Pete eventually comes into the care of Lighthouse Keeper Nora and her father. After a rocky start Pete and Elliot eventually wins the hearts of the somewhat gullible townsfolk through a number of brave deeds on a dark and stormy night.
This movie is pure fun, nothing more. There are plenty of laughs along the way with the villains of the piece getting what they deserve, multiple times in some cases. Really, who wouldn't laugh at the sight of the horrible Gogans getting knocked face-first into the mud, or Mother Gogan landing in that barrel of tar?
Given how simple the story is, and the appeal of its young star, Sean Marshall and some lively songs and dances, it's hard to see how anyone can't find some enjoyment in this movie. I really feel sorry for those who can't.
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