(2013-05-24 01:23:11)

Fun to watch

The DVD wasn't like the story very much but it was still fun to watch. Haley Joel Osment was really cute--what a character!

(2013-05-23 10:11:54)

Skipped 20 minutes into the movie!

This review is from: The Ransom of Red Chief (DVD) I was very excited to view this movie, as I was going to have my students compare/contrast the movie to the story they had just finished reading in class. However, when we started the movie it started to skip and stall 20 minutes in, leaving students asking questions about how the actual kidnapping took place! I was extremely disappointed!

(2013-05-23 16:56:56)

A Comedy That We Watch Over and Over

Several years ago, I was away on business. Sitting in my hotel room, I was clicking through the channels when I rested on this Disney Made-For-TV movie, which was just starting. I enjoyed it so much that I called my husband, who was home with the kids two hours earlier than where I was (CA versus the midwest), and asked him to tape it for me, suggesting he and the kids would enjoy it in the meanwhile. I am happy that it finally came out on DVD and I can toss the recorded VHS. This is "standard" family entertainment, Disney style, and I enjoy the silliness. I agree with previous reviewers that it is reminiscent of "The Apple Dumpling Gang" movies, because the "bad guys" are inept and comical and usually steal the show. If you can watch, without laughing, the parts where the sidekick is trying to shake a spider off his forehead, or where the town magnate is trying to figure out just what animal the cook has prepared for his dinner, well, you just don't have enough kid left in you!

(2013-05-23 01:27:23)

Cute, but not the same story.

This review is from: The Ransom of Red Chief [VHS] (VHS Tape) I got this movie hoping to let students watch it after reading the OHenry story in their textbook. Unfortunately, it turnes out that I was disappointed. The movie is cute, and funny, but bears little reselblance to the original story written by OHenry.

(2013-05-20 20:20:38)

The Ransom of Red Chief DVD

The video is adorable; I showed it to my students after reading the short story in class. It arrived a day late, even though I paid the extra money for quicker delivery, and the disk gets stuck and skips.Since I couldn't find the movie anywhere in town, I guess that "beggars can't be choosers!"

MMiicchheellllee

(2013-05-20 06:59:22)

Feel-good movie

I thought this movie was indeed a little bland at points, but overallit's a good movie to watch, sitting at home with your family, and givesa sense of warmth into the picture. I have always liked ChristopherLloyd (Back to The Future, Dennis The Menace, etc.) and I feel that hehas done well in this movie. Haley Joel Osment (I'll Remember April,The Sixth Sense, Forrest Gump etc.) has always been one of my favouritechild-actors, (next to Trevor Morgan of course), and does an explicitlywonderful job. I can admit, maybe he was a little too soft and, thelittle boy he played, is anything but nice. A dastardly, mischievous,little wretch, who enjoys nothing more than breaking the rules, (andno, no-one imagined Alex Linz playing the role of the little boy in aprevious movie, he did, and played the role with much more trouble inhim) but, I can say, that I did enjoy this movie immensely. And so didmy kids, sat through it and watched it the whole way through withoutany interruptions. (Which is actually quite of a miracle, becauseusually all they enjoy watching is cartoons and The Disney Channel). Isay well done, apart from the mishaps, and unfortunate casting in someparts (that I won't mention) a feel-good movie that I enjoyed, andwould watch again! Also, I recommend it to anyone who enjoys a littlemischief, and also, quite some feeling.

(2013-05-19 22:19:03)

Enjoyed!

This review is from: The Ransom of Red Chief (DVD) My kids, the school librarian, and I really enjoyed reading or re-reading the story and then watching the movie. The movie is very cute.

SG1Freak

(2013-05-19 05:23:57)

I was pleased when I saw this. Flows nicely with the actual story.

I read this story when I was in seventh grade, and was happy to see thistelevision movie. It flowed nicely with the actual story, and I did nothaveone complaint. For anyone who has ever wanted to watch or read a familyoriented piece, 'Ransom of Red Chief' is a good one.

(2013-05-18 20:15:13)

Good Family entertainment

It is a very funny show that the whole family could enjoy toegether without fear of unwanted scenes. The twists on words is great for the older crowd and the younger ones like the adventure.

(2013-05-18 17:33:30)

The ransom of Red Chief

This review is from: The Ransom of Red Chief (DVD) The movie did not follow the details of the story as originally written. The short story was much more entertaining.

(2013-05-17 19:51:51)

(2.5 STARS) Lots of Silly Jokes, Not Exactly O Henry's Classic Story

This review is from: The Ransom of Red Chief [VHS] (VHS Tape) "The Ransom of Red Chief" is of course one of the most famous stories of O Henry. I think everyone knows the story of the hilarious misadventures of two "kidnappers" and one mischievous boy, so I won't repeat it here. Like "The Gift of the Magi" or "The Last Leaf," the 1910 short story is now part of our culture both in and out of America.Sadly the 1998 made-for-TV version, loosely based on the beloved O Henry story, is not very good - not because of its numerous departures from the original source material (I'm kind of a guy who enjoyed "Oliver!" and its dancing Fagin), but because of the film's too slow pace and unfocused direction, especially in the first half. There are many silly and incredibly corny jokes, which are mostly sight gags or slapstick including the boy's pompous father stepping on a roller skate (not a banana peel).For me the problem is that director Bob Clark often forgets his job as a storyteller, desperately trying to make us laugh with silly jokes. Actors are all doing their best - Christopher Lloyd and Michael Jeter are very good as a pair of small-time crooks, and so is Haley Joel Osment as the little boy. Only that they deserve better material than making faces.Those who remember Bob Clark as director of such films as the 1982 hit teen comedy "Porky's," or more recently, inept and crude "Baby Geniuses" (in which Christopher Lloyd appears) and "Superbabies: Baby Geniuses 2" will be surprised to know that "The Ransom of Red Chief" is a Hallmark production. To his credit, Bob Clark has also directed a holiday classic "A Christmas Story" based on Jean Shepherd's works, so Hallmark's decision is not without good reason."The Ransom of Red Chief" tries hard to be funny and touching at the same time. Maybe too hard. It becomes neither, lacking the characters you relate to, or the original author's wit and surprise.

(2013-05-17 09:13:55)

Silly, Western Comedy

This movie is a western, slap-stick comedy. It is appropriate for elementary age children and older. Some young elementary children will not understand all of the humor but they will enjoy the silliness. Parents will enjoy this movie because there is no bad language or sexually suggestive scenes. It is family friendly and may become a family favorite.

BadWebDiver

(2013-05-16 06:07:07)

Okay, I guess?

I'm a big fan of Christopher Lloyd, and I really love the original shortstory of this. But I'm not a really huge fan of this version (though I don'texactly hate it either).Christopher is very good in this (and it is the sort of role that seemstailor-made for him). Alan Ruck makes a pretty good job with the small roleof the thankless father. And Haley does show a lot of personality andcharisma as the main kid, even if he is a bit too "soft and nice". (I swearI saw a version with Alex Linz in the role - who is a lot more inheritantlymischevous. Maybe I just imagined it).What I don't like about this is that fact that a lot of the broad wit of theoriginal story has been severely toned down and "cutsified". I half-suspectit's because of the mid-90s era, the time of PC and everyone in America isexpected to to be gushingly sweet to each other, and nothing bad or meanshould ever be shown of tv, or that sort of thing. The whole while feelsreally tame (and cheap), and really lacks the dynamic punch that made theoriginal story so good.It's alright as a cutsey family film for undiscerning kids, but it couldhave been a lot funnier and more "rascally".

(2013-05-15 22:33:11)

Hilariously funny!!

This review is from: The Ransom of Red Chief (DVD) Great movie!! FUNNY!!!! Kind of like a Dennis the Menace movie/show, but insanely funny! Christopher Lloyd and Haley Joel Osment absolutely SHINE!

(2013-05-15 04:02:17)

Disappointed O Hentry Fan

This review is from: The Ransom of Red Chief (DVD) This is one of my favorite O Henry stories and I think the only thing this movie has in common with the book version is the title. They changed much of the story, added characters, etc. With such a wonderful cast of actors I was expecting so much more. I was hoping to read the story and then share this movie with my class, but this is NOT O Henry or anything close to it!

(2013-05-14 11:41:22)

Such a cute movie!

This review is from: The Ransom of Red Chief (DVD) I remember reading this story when I was young.I was pleased to find it on a DVD.Sam (Christopher Lloyd) and Bill (Michael Jeter)are so funny when they kidnap Andy Dorset,which is played by young Haley Joel Osment.Andy thinks this is a FUN adventure and pretendsto be Red Chief, a fierce Indian warrior. Enjoy theoutcome. This is one of the O. Henry stories.

(2013-05-13 23:31:22)

O Henry is turning over in his grave.

This review is from: The Ransom of Red Chief (DVD) I love the story, The Ransom of Red Chief, that was written by O Henry. I have read it over and over. When I saw they made a movie of it I couldn't wait to get it. I ordered it, and it arrived in a flash. Was I ever disappointed! It never followed the book, not even loosely. The hilarious scenes the book described that happened in the cave was completely cut out. Even some of the names were different. This movie will be donated to Goodwill because I have no desire to ever watch this again.

shamara saffore

(2013-05-13 23:10:58)

I thought that it was going to be another boring class movie, but I was amazed!

You walk into class, and your teacher states that you would be watchingshort stories that were developed into movies over the next couple ofweeks. Your response: Yippe (in a sarcastic way). You finally get to'Ransom of Red Chief' and it already sounds boring. This happened tome. I didn't really start paying attention until some of my classmatesstarted giggling. Actually, nobody was watching it until it appeared tobe a great movie. It was a comedy, about two guys trying to make aquick buck. They had this master mind plan about raising money bykidnapping a man by the name of Ebenezer Dorset's little boy. One wouldthink that the boy, AKA Red Chief would get hurt, but it was thecriminals who did. At the end our sides were split listening to it!Have fun with it, and believe me when I say that it is worth while.

(2013-05-10 05:35:30)

RANSOM OF THE RED CHIEF

I SHOWED THIS MOVIE TO MY STUDENTS. THEY HAD RED THE BOOK AND THIS WAS REENFORCEMENT FORE THE LESSON. THEY REALLY ENJOYED IT.

(2013-05-09 22:44:27)

The Ransom of Red Chief

This review is from: The Ransom of Red Chief (DVD) This is an exellent movie. It's a great family show, and so funny you laugh from the start till the end.