Conference bookie::movies

    Great movie!  We brang the sprogs aged 6 and 7, who were not bored
    at all. The matinee was packed with kids, who had a blast. This
    was by far their favorite of the last three they've seen, compared
    to Casper (bleah), and the Indian in the Cupboard (also good, but
    this film is a riot). 
    
    It looked like Scotland, but was filmed in beautiful New South Wales,
    which got me a touch nostalgic, sniff.
    
    As with all good "kid" movies, not just for kids.   

    I have to agree - this movie was a treat.  I took my almost 4-year old
    and she watched it the whole way through (of course she'll sit still
    for anything if popcorn is involved) even though I'm sure she missed
    most of the plot points/messages.  She did like the Duck alot though.
    
    I have to agree that the main human (you're right - Stretch Cunningham - I
    knew I had seen him before) performance is worthy of an oscar nomination.
    
    Best kids movie that an adult can really enjoy (or vice-versa) in a
    while (and I see them all).
    
    Warren

    Hard to say who enjoyed "Babe" more: my 10.5 year old daughter,
    fortysomething me, or my sixtysomething Mom.  We thought the landscape
    was fabulous (fairy-tale book illustrations come to life!) as was the
    casting.  Loved Mrs. Hoggett and the camera angles used to capture 
    her!  Am I the only one who doesn't remember Stretch Cunningham?  Of
    the "Happy Days" Cunninghams?  What member of the family was he?
    
    My mom's intrigued by the use of *American* actors in a film obviously
    not shot in America (I think the exception to this was the lady sheep
    [not Maa] who spoke to the male dog [dang, what's his name--Fly's mate]
    toward the very end of the picture).  Mom also pointed out the
    consideration shown to pre-readers: all the "chapter" titles are read
    (or sung) by three little mice  :-)
    
    I think the special effects (what little animatronics there were, plus
    the mouth-morphing) were virtually seamless, and the animals' voices
    were just right.  We'll probably add "Babe" to our video collection when 
    it's available.
    
    Leslie

    Stretch Cunningham was Archie Bunker's best pal down at the plant.
    I guess we ought to find out his real name...

    Warren

    
    My wife and I went to see this this past Friday (sounded a lot more
    interesting than any of the "adult" films we hadn't seen), and after
    the first minute or so, I really enjoyed it.  I was _extrememly_
    worried that the film was going to get preachy - but it didn't.
    A couple of minor annoyances after that (now, really, would _you_
    have suspected Babe given his set of teeth?), but in general
    a very easy, enjoyable movie to watch, and sometimes quite funny.
    
    Joe

    
    All these "reviews" make me want to take my daughter...but can I
    get an idea what this movie is about please. I don't think I've
    seen an ad for it on TV. Thanks.
    
    Patty

    
    It's about the life of a young pig (Babe).  It's somewhat similar
    to Charlotte's Web, but without Charlotte - Babe has to save himself.
    
    Joe

    rathole:

    When you talk about Stretch Cunningham on All in the Family, are you
    talking about the same guy who was Sam the butcher on The Brady Bunch?
    He was also one of the Marines on Gomer Pyle, USMC.

    The guy who played Stretch wasn't very well known, and we didn't see
    him very often. However, the guy who played Sam the butcher also played
    the bartender where Archie would go have a beer. Was it Kessler's Bar?

    Lisa

    
    No No No.  It's definitely Stretch - not Sam the Butcher - this guy's
    tall and lanky (hence Stretch).  I don't remember too many episodes of
    him on All in the Family but what made him memorable was when he died
    Archie was asked to give the eulogy - only Stretch was a "different"
    religion than what Archie expected.  And hopefully we've put that
    rathole to rest.

    Anyway, as requested, a short synopsis on "Babe":

    "Babe" is a baby pig who is "won" by a sheep farmer, who lives on an
    old farm out in the country with his wife and a bunch of farm animals.
    The animals all talk to each other (although the sheep won't listen to
    the dogs) but not to the humans.  Anyway, the pig is adopted by a
    Mother sheep dog (Fly) and so the pig sort of eventually becomes a dog...
    
    Warren

    
    Besides the simple plot, there is an underlying theme about prejudice.  
    The animals represent different cultures.  Each has a purpose, and how 
    "the way things are" are accepted by each species.
    
    For instance, the dogs think that the sheep are so stupid, that only 
    bullying them will get them to obey.  The sheep think dogs are so stupid
    and mean-spirited that even trying to talk to them is useless.  So they
    don't talk.
    
    Babe changes a lot of the farm's perceptions of the way things should
    be.  He showed that instead of yelling and screaming at the sheep to get
    them to herd, simply asking them politely was as effective.
    
    The good thing about the presentation of some of this allegory is that
    it's done subtly.  No heavy handed lectures.  And so the story works
    on the surface as well as symbolic levels.
    
    - Sean
    

    From the "Entertainment Desk" with Bob Macadory from Toronto's
    local news station the joke was "If Babe wins an Academy Award,
    the award would have to be shared by 48 actors".
    
    It took 48 pigs to make this movie.  The pigs owner would supply
    a cast of 6 pigs at a time and then so many weeks later 6 more.
    Obviously, this was done to preserve the size of the pig throughout
    the shooting of "Babe".  The owner also guaranteed that the pigs
    would not end up as bacon.  No comments on this please; suffise
    it to say the thought that popped into my head was "Yeah not bacon,
    but maybe pork chops".
    
    I'm hoping to take my little ones, 2 1/2 and 3 1/2 to see this one.
    Would they be too young?  They love to watch animation movies and
    can sit still a couple of hours for those.  We rented the first part
    of "Free Willie" and they had a bit of difficulty sitting through
    it's entirety.
    
    I will probably start with Pocahontas to see how they will fair at
    a movie theater.  I've offered them both and they pick Pocahontas
    everytime (I believe it's all the publicity that's getting to them
    especially on the Cherio box that they see every three mornings or
    so).  I truly wished they had something like Bambi/101 Dalmations/
    Snow White... playing as this will be their first time at the movies.
    
    PChaplinsky

    We missed this movie when it was in theaters.  All I can say is, don't
    bother renting it.  Buy it!  I got it for the family last Friday.  They
    played it once Friday, 5 times Saturday and 3 times Sunday.  What a
    great movie!  I expect the kids will be watching it again today (a few
    times).
    
    Steve

    Ditto!!!  I rented it last night - loved it!!
    
    Sue

    rep .13
    
    Gordy should me made to BACON as quickly as possible Babe on the other
    hand was GREAT!!
    
    				Bart

    re .14 
    
    :-) :-) 

    I haven't seen this movie yet, but somethings been bugging me since I
    saw the clips on the Awards.  Is the voice of the pig done by the same
    person who did the voice for "Chip" in "Beauty and the Beast"?  Or
    where else might I have heard it - it's very familiar.

    If you (r kids) watch a Nickelodeon, you may know the voice as Chuckie
    (Rugrats) or Oblina (Real Monsters).  The real name is Christine 
    Cavanaugh.
    
    /j

  This movie didn't strike me as great but it was really good. The animals are
developed really well as characters and there seems to be a really clever
mixing of effects such that you can't really tell when they are using puppets
and when they are using real animals. 

  The story seems simple and predictable but that's probably fine for children.
It's funny, dramatic, and as someone said addresses the issues of prejudice in
a straight forward way. 

  It drags a bit in the middle but the rest is fine. 

  *** out of 5,
  George

    I have my own copy of this movie and have seen it too many times
    to count. Today I totaly drove my family nuts as I felt the need to
    recite the movie from my chair at the dinner table.....the family was 
    watching it in the other room...........My son does the mice GREAT!!!

    
    Really disappointed in this movie. 
    
    ed

    That's too bad. I was totally delighted with it and suspended disbelief 
    immediately. I was expecting it to be good, but I had no idea it would
    be magical. I hope it becomes one of those Christmas-season television
    classics like A Christmas Story. 

    Lisa

    I love sci-fi; some people can't "get into" that at all. I guess
    some people love anthropomorphic-animal fantasies; but I can't 
    "get into" them at all.
    
    Furthermore I think the movie gave short shrift to the Rosanna character. 
    We don't see her before her burnt body is placed on display.
    
      John

    
    
    
    
    Loved this movie! By far my favorite scene was when Hoggett sang to
    Babe, then danced for him. The song has is now lodged in my rote
    memory, and become a lullaby for my 2-year-old daughter. My 2-yr-old
    nephew also dances the dance every night before bed, especially
    enjoying the jumping parts.
    
    The credits say that the tune is from the third "Organ" symphony by
    Saint-Saens; this has just been added to my CD collection. I guess the
    lyrics are original to the movie--does anyone know?
    
    How does the book compare with the movie? I've been very pleased with
    the books from which 101 Dalmatians and Mary Poppins were adapted. The
    latter was a rare case of a movie which surpassed the book. Both books
    (Mary Poppins is actually a series of books) add a number of details
    and side adventures to the main stories in the movies.
    
    re: .22
    It was probably good tactics not to let Rosanna be too well known as a
    character before displaying "her burnt body on the dinner table". This
    might have cast too much of a shadow on the movie, especially for kids.
    (children, not baby goats)
    
    re: .21
    >  -< Baa-Ram-Ewe! >-
    Careful where you say that; wolves might be listening :-)
    
    				Jim B.

The lead actor (nominated for an Oscar) whose real name nobody could remember
is James Cromwell.  He's currently in Eraser, and will be in the upcoming
Star Trek movie.  Curiously enough, he was also in the 1992 movie "The Babe".
Oh, and all 4 Revenge of the Nerds movies.

    
    	Who'd he play in "Revenge of the Nerds"?
    

It's been ages since I saw the movie, but I think he might have rented the
beach house to the nerds.

    He played Robert Caradine's, I think his character's name was Louis,
    father.  He wasn't in it too much, I just remember the beginning scene
    when he drove Gilbert and Louis to Adam's College.

    Rented this movie a while ago - my mom and i loved it, spouse not too
    thrilled with it. Have talked with friends that either really liked it
    or were disappointed. So, who can tell?
    
    I've since bought it and seen it at least 2 more times. I like the
    subtle under-themes. And you definately catch more of the one liners
    after the first time. Loved the music - the Saint-Siens piece has been
    in our CD collection for years. Never heard it with words before - but
    liked it that way too!
    
    Great scenery, cute critters, good human actors. 
    
    Loved how the dogs call the man the master of the house and the cat
    calls the wife the master of the house. 
    
    Scene at the fair where the farmer guesses the weight of the pig -
    funny - and who but a farmer would just stand there and continue to
    calmly hold the pig?
    
    janetb.
    
    

Good One. Very entertaining.

After a string of nonsense and disappointments this summer like ID4, Striptease,
Fled, Rock, Cable Guy, Spy Hard ... this one was like an oasis. I should have 
caught this one on a big screen.

3.75/5.0

-Jay