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Roald Dahl's 'Matilda' [1996] [VHS]
 
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Roald Dahl's 'Matilda' [1996] [VHS]

VHS ~ Danny DeVito
4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (17 customer reviews)

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Product details

  • Actors: Danny DeVito, Rhea Perlman, Mara Wilson, Embeth Davidtz, Pam Ferris
  • Directors: Danny DeVito
  • Writers: Nicholas Kazan, Roald Dahl, Robin Swicord
  • Producers: Danny DeVito, Joshua Levinson, Liccy Dahl, Martin Bregman
  • Format: Closed-captioned, Dolby, PAL, Surround Sound
  • Language English
  • Classification: PG
  • Studio: 4 Front Video
  • VHS Release Date: 3 Mar 2003
  • Run Time: 94 minutes
  • Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
  • ASIN: B00004CU5Y
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 2,597 in Video (See Bestsellers in Video)

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Product Description

Amazon.co.uk Review
Danny DeVito's adaptation of the Roald Dahl book for children is mostly just fine, helped along quite a bit by the charming performance of Mara Wilson (Mrs Doubtfire) as the eponymous young Matilda, a brilliant girl neglected by her stupid, self-involved parents (DeVito and Rhea Perlman). Ignored at home, Matilda escapes into a world of reading, exercising her mind so much she develops telekinetic powers. Good thing, too: sent off to a school headed by a cruel principal, Matilda needs all the help she can get. DeVito takes a highly stylized approach that is sometimes reminiscent of Barry Sonnenfeld (director of Get Shorty, a DeVito production), and his judgement is not the best in some matters, such as letting the comic-scary sequences involving the principal go on too long. But much of the film is delightful and funny.--Tom Keogh

Synopsis
A special child with special powers is ignored by her parents, who bundle her off to a dreary boarding school. There, she puts her amazing powers to good use.

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What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

Roald Dahl's 'Matilda' [1996] [VHS]
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Customer Reviews

17 Reviews
5 star:
 (14)
4 star:
 (1)
3 star:
 (1)
2 star:    (0)
1 star:
 (1)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.6 out of 5 stars (17 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Little and Large, 1 Jul 2006
By Louise Stanley (Reading, Berkshire United Kingdom) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   
This review is from: Matilda [DVD] [1996] (DVD)
This film is so good - for both kids and adults - that I think Dahl himself must be looking down from Heaven and smiling - after the rumours of what he felt about the production of The Witches. Some of the characterisations, sets and costumes could have been put together by the master of kitsch, Baz Luhrmann, and this is a testament to both Dahl's eye for detail and Danny DeVito's wicked sense of humour - and vice versa. Although in many ways the story has been changed and not least Americanised, Dahl's original book was rather short on substance, despite the fantastic plot, and DeVito's adaptation suits it much better than setting it in phlegmatic old England. Plus Miss Trunchbull as an Englishwoman adrift among Americans makes her character even more grotesque as she brings her curious brand of "English" discipline to an ordinary American suburb, and the way she mimics the cutesy American accents adds much more to her character than if the film had stayed set in England. And since it ends in the way Dahl intended it to - and indeed for fans of Quentin Blake's illustrations, the handwriting on the board is absolutely spot on to that pictured in the book itself, which shows DeVito is paying attention not only to the original but to critics of Americans making films of English children's classics - there is nothing for that peculiarly English snobbery about "disneyfication" to latch on to as there might have been with The Witches.

Although DeVito's additions of the stupid FBI cops enhance the story (and prove that Matilda is just as smart with people who are supposedly on her side, which I loved and which makes her the sassiest heroine for a long time), there is sadly one bit that really annoyed me - Miss Honey. In the book she is down-to-earth, practical and nonchalant about her fate. In the film...ugh, I needed to do my teeth afterwards lest they fall out from all the sugary-sweet acting. From the moment she turns up on screen the film - while not completely ruined - takes a turn for the "unrealistic". I guess Miss Honey had to live up to her name, but Miss Saccharine would have been more appropriate. The stomach-churning episode with the doll and the chocolates is disappointing, but I suppose the film manages to pull it off - just about - with more of Dahl's refreshingly grim humour injected into it just as Honey becomes Honey Monster. I suppose for an American audience the heroine has to be whiter-than-white, but since I was raised on Quentin Blake's gawky bespectacled blue-stocking, I suppose someone coming to this film without the backhistory might not mind.

But...the best thing about films of children's books, like with Narnia, is that the silver screen gives the chance for the characters to really come to life and details which would crowd a hundred-page novella can be added, and the film manages to create a whole world that is just as believable from Matilda's point of view as the Dahl version, without losing any of the master's sparkling wit or erudite points dropped in at a moment's notice. Bravissimo!
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13 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A funny, appealing, and truly enjoyable film., 20 Sep 2000
By A Customer
This is the top favourite video in our house just now. I was initially nervous of buying it, thinking that Roald Dahl can often be scary for children and having seen a clip of the terrifying "Miss Trunchbull". But all the children who have seen it - from aged 4 to 9 - have loved it without reservation, distinguished easily between the good and bad characters, and seem to have learnt only from the good ones! Mary Wilson, as Matilda, is a delight, and the "grownup" cast play their roles impeccably. We love this film!
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars "matilda" rocks!, 9 April 2006
By bensondog (australia) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Matilda - Special Edition [DVD] [1996] (DVD)
I love the movie Matilda, it rocks! I saw the movie on TV first then read the book and I love it. The movie's very true to the book and devito has done a good job there. With out a doubt the 2 stars that really got my attention and did a really, really good job where Pam ferris (trunchbull) and mara wilson (matilda). Mara did a great job with Matilda. She wasn't too cute and cuddly which better suits the role of Matilda and Pam's way of putting humor into the trunchbull and also still making her terrifying was awesome.

Any way get the special edition because ive got the plain DVD and it's only got the movie. All the special stuff rocks! You'll love it!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Matilda DVD
This was an amazing buy; great price, prompt delivery and great DVD for the whole family. My little boy is 6 and he loves Matilda; it's witty, funny and a great family movie to... Read more
Published 3 days ago by J. Piper

5.0 out of 5 stars Matilda
Matilda - Special Edition [DVD] [1996]
From the best selling author roald dahl and the uniquevision of Danny DeVito comes Matilda the story of a quite extrodanary little... Read more
Published 3 months ago by 66ruth

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent
The movie is not too different from the book (and the book is just great). The cast is fantastic as well and I can only recommend watching the movie. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Uli S.

1.0 out of 5 stars Ruins a great story
For anyone who has read the book, I would recommend that they AVOID this film. It is changed radically from the original storyline. Read more
Published 5 months ago by J. Firth

3.0 out of 5 stars Review
Film review of Matilda (1996)
Star rating-\\\gg

Matilda was originally written as a children”¦s novel by Roald Dahl (tales of the unexpected) in 1988. Read more
Published 16 months ago by Teachers Stars

5.0 out of 5 stars Matilda
atilda Wormwood (Mara Wilson- Thomas and The Magic Railroad, A Simple Wish, Mrs Doubtfire) was born into a family that don't appreciate her. Read more
Published 16 months ago by G. S. Gill

5.0 out of 5 stars Childhood memories
This film has lots of centemental value to me as it was one of my most favourite films when i was growing up as a kid. Read more
Published 19 months ago by L. Roberts

5.0 out of 5 stars Great movie
I have seen this film loads of times and I have read the book as well.It shows that you can be intelligent as a little kid,like Matilda. Read more
Published on 17 Jun 2006 by Fairygirl

5.0 out of 5 stars Great film
Matilda is one of my favourite films and it brings the book to life.Crunchem Hall is not a boarding school!Whoever came up with that is crazy. Read more
Published on 1 Jun 2006 by Fairygirl

5.0 out of 5 stars Great film!!
This is one of those great films that you can just watch over and over again, no matter what mood you're in. Read more
Published on 4 Jan 2006

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