MovieChat Forums > Tuck Everlasting (1981) Discussion > A wonderful, almost classic movie

A wonderful, almost classic movie

posted 18 years ago by richard-III
10 replies | jump to latest

Although it has changed some minor things of Natalie Babbit's book, this 1981 film version is a wonderful and very moving film.
The acting is good, the simplicity of the locations does wonders.

And it has my favorite music box tune of all times!

The frog has become a turtle is this film, which is okay, too (the 2002 Disney film version almost shows no interest in the everlasting frog story!). It is an everlasting turtle and in the end, after Jesse has seen Winnie's grave, it walks down the road (while we audience see the end titles and hear the music box tune). That ending blew me away.

A total 'A', or ten ********** stars.

"When there is no more room in the Oven,
the Bread will walk the Earth."

[–] richard-III 18 years ago

A nice link to Natalie Babbitt:
http://www.ipl.org/div/kidspace/askauthor/babbitt.html

"the modern classic Tuck Everlasting, which explores the possibility that endless life may be more of a curse than a blessing"

"When there is no more room in the Oven,
the Bread will walk the Earth."

[–] original_sinner1978 18 years ago

i love this version.. the newer one sucks..;.

[–] very3 17 years ago

I've always remembered that music box tune but oddly never the movie it came from,from my youth. thanks to the what movie is this thread some posters lead me here and I've now found this movie again.

[–] klinews 11 years ago

I had the same experience. Only I remembered the song and the turtle crossing the road but not what movie it was from. It wasn't until the new movie came out and I saw the book that the pieces finally clicked.

[–] pan-10 10 years ago

A wonderful, almost classic movie

A wonderful, classic movie!

Take out that "almost"!!!

I love this movie. The amateur actors in it are superior to professionals in every way!

Thank you so much for uploading it to Youtube, Dusty - it's still there - and thank you for the update on "Winnie"!

One of my favorite movies ever.

[–] fuego09 16 years ago

That music box tune was the prettiest I'd ever heard in my life, and I've been dying to see this movie again ever since i saw it in 5th grade. But i can't seem to find it anywhere =(
I'm dying to hear that tune again.

[–] richard-III 13 years ago

There's a videoclip now on YouTube with the lovely music box music.

Look for 'Tuck Everlasting 1980' on the YouTube site!

The melody is still very beautiful.

"I don't discriminate between entertainment
and arthouse. A film is a goddam film."

[–] dustybug 12 years ago

I am uploading the version that I have from VHS onto Youtube if you want to watch it again. The quality is not that great but hey it's VHS:) I did manage to find out what became of Margaret Chamberlain (Winnie Foster) I wrote her an email and found out that she starred in this movie just before starting high school and that she quite enjoyed being in it. In the end she said school became her priority and she became an attorney and is still practicing. She seemed so nice in the movie and it turns out she's just as nice now so my view still stands that this version was the better of the two that were made. The Disney version is like watching Twilight. Very disappointing. To me it almost didn't seem like the people in the movie were acting. The sign of a good actor:)

[–] richard-III 12 years ago

"I am uploading the version that I have from VHS onto Youtube if you want to watch it again. The quality is not that great but hey it's VHS:) I did manage to find out what became of Margaret Chamberlain (Winnie Foster) I wrote her an email and found out that she starred in this movie just before starting high school and that she quite enjoyed being in it. In the end she said school became her priority and she became an attorney and is still practicing. She seemed so nice in the movie and it turns out she's just as nice now so my view still stands that this version was the better of the two that were made."

Thank you very much, dustybug!
It's good that anyone can see the first (and best) film version of Natalie Babbit's amazing book.
Also great to read how (the former) miss Chamberlain is faring.

"I don't discriminate between entertainment
and arthouse. A film is a goddam film."

[–] campbellc2007 12 years ago

Does anyone know where I can get a DVD version of this movie (1981)?

I've been looking for it for over two years and can't find it any where. I did manage to get the VHS version, however, but I would like all my movies to be on DVD.

Any suggestions?