MovieChat Forums > Hansel and Gretel (1988) Discussion > The Best Cannon Movie Tale

The Best Cannon Movie Tale

posted 20 years ago by guod83
12 replies | jump to latest

Since I first saw this movie over 10 years ago it has never left me. I recently purchased a second hand vhs copy off of ebay, it is even better than I remember. It is by far the best of the Cannon Movie Tales. This movie is great for several reasons but mainly due to the performace of Cloris Leachman as the witch, Grizelda. If you have seen this movie you will understand what I mean, Leachman is hilarious and horrifying at the same time. While the story follows the original Brothers Grimm tale very closely there are a few places where it elaborates a bit more, it is actually closer to the plot of the 1893 opera of the same name, but this allows greater depth and makes for a better movie. One of the Cannon Movie Tales is already out on DVD (Red Riding Hood), I understand that more are to follow but this is not yet confirmed. If anyone does have any DVD info please post it.

[–] AnneofGreenGables83 20 years ago

I spent years as a kid searching the local libraries to find this movie. In the process I found a number of movies that were no where near as interesting as my memory of this one. I am fairly certain that at one point we did have a vhs copy of this from taping it off the Disney channel- but I have no clue where it disappeared to. I would be very happy if they released this one to DVD right after releasing Puss in Boots (my absolute favorite Cannon Movie Tale).

"Laugh while you can, monkey-boy!" ~Lord John Whorfin

[–] Pippin_Skywalker 20 years ago

I've watched Hansel & Gretel since I was three or four. It never get's old!

By chance, I found a vhs copy at a video store that was closing.

[–] pass_the_crackers_please 19 years ago

this has been an old favrouite of mine since i was about 4!! i have the video of it and now im 14 and still watch it from time to time
http://www.hungryja cks.friendpages.com

[–] Al_Roker 19 years ago

I remember seeing a Hansel and Gretel movie when I was young, but I don't know if this was it or not. In the version I am talking about, they sang a song at the beginning about "Where can my good fairy be, waiting in the woods for me," and there was a row of gingerbread kids outside the witch's house that I think turned into real kids at the end. Is this that version?

[–] guod83 19 years ago

This is that version. The line of the song that you mention was adapted from Englebert Humperdinck's 'Hansel and Gretel' opera for this movie, so it does not feature in any other film version. The gingerbread children outside the witch's house also turn back into real children at the end.

Hope this helps.

[–] Al_Roker 19 years ago

Hey, thanks for the info! :)

[–] Book93 19 years ago

I love this movie and it's my favorite of the Cannon Movie Tales.

[–] LizardKingBey 19 years ago

Well, personally I think the best is Snow White, but Hansel and Gretel is great. All the twists brought to it makes it wonderful. Cloris Leachman is awesome, and so are Nicola Stapleton and Hugh Pollard. The scene with the stupid donkey is just so tragic! I couldn't believe it! And when Gretel tries to steal the witch's eyeglass, and the witch grabs her arm and says "What are you doing?!" OMG I jumped! And well, everything in it is perfect.

Even she's ruining you're life. There's something about my mother. - Ann, Anywhere But Here

[–] 19 years ago

[deleted]

[–] LizardKingBey 18 years ago

Yeah well, it is the version you're talking about, but she's jumping on their beds, not their chairs.. But yeah, one of the bed is really puffy and it powders all over the place. LOL.. The bottice thing is in it too.

We're WASPs, Dr. Goldfine. Not acknowledging the elephant in the room is what we do best. - Bree

[–] HotCaliforniaSun 18 years ago

i got chills down my spine after reading your post. its so amazing the subtle things that we remember as kids. I distinctly remember one major thing about that scene where she goes into the dwarfs house. Her jumping on that circular bed and white powder floating in the air.
so weird.
Also i remmeber when the evil witch goes to the dwarf house and is selling different hair combs and she's dressed up as an asian lady, and she violently stabs a hair comb into snow whites skull.

these movies are such classics for our generation!

[–] LizardKingBey 18 years ago

Yeahh the bed full of powder.. It's in slow-motion maybe that's why we notice it even more..

"We're WASPs, Dr. Goldfine. Not acknowledging the elephant in the room is what we do best." - Bree