Earlier this month, the timeless tale of Peter & The Wolf was released on DVD from Magnolia Home Entertainment.
I saw the short film twice, once alone at work and the second time with the kids (ages 5 and 3) on our “Night at the Movies.” It was easy to know why this was an award winner last year. The music was tops (Sergie Prokofiev is my favorite composer). The story was classic and intertwined with the music. Historically, this story has been redone over the years periodically by the great voices and directors of the world. It had not been ‘touched’ for a while though (the last I remember was an album with Sting as the Narrator). The animation was realistic, and (wow!) how they get those characters!
This production highlights modern aspects. It is set in a Russian rural area during the cold (but not too cold) weather. You will see the change in the characters that we yearn to see: the oppressed teen breaks out; the kid who needs a lesson, gets one; etc. There is also a nice variation to the ending- a surprise. Don’t look for either subtitles or narration, but the plot is easily understood. My kids understood most of it. My past experience with the story derailed my first view. It was a confused comparison with all that I had remembered. However, my second view was much better.
The animation was vivid – the set/scenery was excellent. I thought it would scare the kids, but only once did I hear them mention being afraid. Many parts were fun while others were cute. The writers must not have liked the original heroism of the hunters though (you will see what I mean!). The musical score has also been stretched to include extra moments which were pretty realistic with good effect.
Bottom line – see it! Turn the lights down low, pick a quiet time and relax. My kids want to see it again. One liked the end the most, and the other liked the whole thing. The DVD also features some good “Behind the Scenes” moments. (Also, be sure to run the intro with the movie.)
(On a side note, we chose roles and sang the themes afterwards in the bathroom getting ready for bed. I was the grandfather, of course!)
-Toby Crane
