Fairytale: A True Story [DVD]

Lovely "true story" great family film

Watched it over Christmas with mother (i bought it for her as a present).. none of us had seen it before but we were all familier with the real life story as its in many books. really enjoyed the good acting .. maybe oToole not the best fit for C Doyle but with everything else in the film & the good scripting its all ok. Keitel is amazing as Houdini. Watched it again last night with my brother - who is a sort of fan of Paul Mcgan; just a really good happy film with a good message about life struggles. &the end cameo by mel gibson lol

This is a purely magical experience, from start to finish. The amazing imagery is totally captivating and just as magical as it was when I first saw it at the cinema over 15 years. This striking movie is so well written and acted, and the enchanting scenery is to be commended, not to mention the Fairies are just beautiful and magical to watch. My two adore this movie and I have to say that the whole family enjoys watching it together, lots of messages and lessons to be learnt throughout the movie, yet they are not being rammed down your throat and an idealistic manner, rather a gentle understanding of what consequences can bring with decisions that are made. Exploring possible outcomes from ones actions in a way that children can understand but also relate to. Without all the lessons to be learnt I would highly recommend this movie as a family classic, along with The Secret Garden [DVD] [1993 ] and A Little Princess [DVD] [1995 ] as lovely, high quality children's movies the whole family can enjoy. P.S. We purchased our copy from PurpleBix DVD's and although it's region 4 on the box it worked perfectly in our DVD player as the seller said it would. (we have a normal Region 2 DVD player not a multi-region player)

Beautiful DVD would recommend

FIrstly, I just have to indulge myself by addressing a comment made by one reviewer that they objected to a man with a disfigured face being in the film because of her 7 year old daughter being frightened by it. I have to say I find that incredibly offensive. It is probably the attitude of the parent that gave the child a sensitivity to other peoples disfigurements in the first place, because as you see in the film the children just naturally took to the injured soldier without any reaction to the poor man's injuries. As a kid growing up after the war we saw some very severely injured soldiers and bomb victims but never feared it, we glanced with curiosity and then carried on playing. I grew up with a mother who nursed burns victims (soldiers post war) and she never flinched when she saw people with any kind of injury. Rather she would say 'see that man/woman, that's what a hero looks like.' Whether the person was a soldier or not she would treat them all as heroes because she knew the ignorance that these people, already dealing with the pain and misery of an injury, had to put up with. It is really ignorant for people to react negatively to any injury and I would encourage anyone to accept people for who they are and not what they look like. This film is an unusual one and in that difficult to rate. I want to give it a 5 star because of the incredible Yorkshire scenery, shot sympathetically and artistically by the camera crew. Also it felt like I was dipping into the Victorian age, with the magnificent sets and costume. The two little girls in their Victorian dress were charming and I enjoyed their relaxed and talented acting. They really believed in their roles in a way that some Hollywood actors can only dream of. Peter O'Toole was delightful as Arthur Conan Doyle, it's always a treat to see such an elite actor in a film like this, he raises the level in any film that he is in and I bet his co-stars were inspred by his presence. Phoebe Nicholls is such a strong solid actress. She never gives a bad performance and if I were a casting director for a period drama in particular I would have trouble choosing anyone else for female lead. Paul McGann was the stand out actor for me. My grandfather was a Yorkshireman and he looked and played the part so believably in an incredibly convincing performance. Ok so now for the downside. I didn't like the fairies in this. There should have been some of course, as the story is largely about them, but the viewer in this case was almost forced to believe the story. It would have been so much better if they had looked more like dragon flies with just little touches so that they could either be flying insects or fairies. It would have been more realistic. One scene where the fairies are crossing a road made me feel almost embarrassed for the film crew. There was a scene at the end which was silly and I thought these scenes cheapened an otherwise well balanced film. Lastly to include Mel Gibson in this was extremely annoying. He is an incredibly anti-English person a racist in fact. (I am mixed race - a quarter English but I am entirely irritated). He produced this wonderful film, so I'll give him that. But to include himself in the cast was self indulgent especially given his feelings towards the English. Overall a fabulous film, brilliantly acted especially by Paul McGann in a part he was born to play and I heartily recommend it.

What a lovely magical film. Loved every minuite of it and laugh out loud when Hodini offered the girl a pear, knife and plate and then a table ha ha Clearly a family film for Christmas and hope they will show it again and again .....

This film is packed with magical moments, Joy and wonder. Though the story has these lovely elements, the backdrop is the First World War and some of the realistic themes of the war are carefully shown in a way that does not shelter the viewers from the reality. There are some hilarious moments as well as the start of the Industrial changes that will begin to change the working lives of local people. The fairies themselves add such magic to all aspects of the story and soften some of the harsh realities of life. The scenery is gorgeous and it is easy to loose all sense of time. A really enjoyable family film - though some dads might slip out for a beer. Fairies might be a bit too much.

Good

Reality unrolls so ... normal ... expected ... drab. Life may not trudge precisely through Shakespeare's seven ages, but we humans are given to know what we can expect during our assigned years on Earth. Cause and effect; expectations and responsibilities; roles to play; rules to abide by; moralities to honor; standards to uphold; sickness and death; physical and social limitations; genes, hormones, and DNA; crusades to march and wars to wage; standards to achieve; and loyalties we're assigned - all to be accepted with a stiff upper lip, no matter the bent of our hearts. Ah, but just at the edge of our view there's magic. Magic gives life another dimension, a new and fulfilling warmth and excitement; rules and roles and all are suspended. We can fly, maybe ... if we want, or at least thrill in the witness of others who can. Tinkerbell did exist, you know: if not in my own original vision, then through the vision of J. M. Barrie. As a child I clapped along with everyone else so that Tinkerbell would live. As an adult I know (I think) that Tinkerbell only existed on Mr. Barrie's printed script, because I know (I think) that fairies aren't real. But even as an adult, out there at the edge of my view, could it be? It scares me to hope. Elsie and Frances knew what reality was in their early twentieth century world. Eight year-old Frances' mother was dead; her father was missing in a terrible war; and she had to travel thousands of miles to live in the home of her cousin, the last leg of her trip on a train that she shared with wounded and maimed soldiers returning from the front lines. Elsie's brother had recently died of pneumonia (in those days pneumonia was almost a death warrant), and both her parents were struggling with that reality. Elsie at twelve also faced the reality that "in six months time, she'll be able to start work at the mill safe in the knowledge that she has a job for life." So they seek and find fairies in the beck (a small stream near their house) and take pictures of them - and so begins the story. Are the fairies real? Or are the girls merely little scam artists perpetrating a grand hoax? But why on Earth would two sweet kids do such a thing? In my judgment, this is as perfect a movie as I've ever seen. The story is fascinating and complete. The images are breathtaking. The music, by Zbigniew Preisner, charms. The cast, which includes Peter O'Toole, Harvey Keitel, Paul McGann, and Phoebe Nichols, is outstanding. Elizabeth Earl is the perfect personification of the bright, precocious - and wise Frances. Florence Hoath plays Elsie with an understated grace that's absolutely awesome. I recommend this movie to young and old. You skeptics? Well, check out there at the edge of your view: I think you might be missing something that could bring some warmth and excitement back to your normal, expected, and perhaps drab life.

eine bezaubernde Geschichte für Groß und Klein!

Good quality dvd. Seller was quick to answer my questions. My daughter loves this movie ordering another one as a gift for someone.

FairyTale is a movie from 1997 based on the Cottingley Fairies. It is a true fairy tale, involving the famous Harry Houdini and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. I am glad that the movie is available again, especially in bluray quality.

Je n'ai pas fait assez attention à l'annonce,. je m'attendais à recevoir un DVD... Heureusement que j'ai conservé mon vieux magnétoscope !