For the First Time, a Splendid Book Becomes a Radiant Film
Written: Dec 19 '06 (Updated Dec 20 '06)
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Product Rating:
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| Bang For The Buck |
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Pros: Storyline, parables, message, production, voice-overs, actors, It's from EB White!
Cons: Minor glitches, drags at times, animals fart in the barn
The Bottom Line: A moving, beautifully crafted film of one of the greatest children's books ever made.
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| bettega's Full Review: Charlotte's Web |
Charlotte and Her Creator
Charlotte's Web was an enchanting book written by E.B white, a famous children's author who also penned other greats such as Stuart Little and Trumpet of the Swan . White had a style that greatly anthropomorphised animals and made for pleasant reading helping children across the nation transition from children's books to more advanced materials. There was more than meets some easy to read text, as his books not only were an undaunting read for children but also offered many deep insights and movingly beautfiul allegories for adults as well. His short stories were also remarkable, but his masterpiece will always be recognized as Charlotte's Web .
As a child I remember other members of my class having enjoyed it greatly but even then I preferred more informative nonfiction such as history books and had a hard time reading more allegorical stories. I thought the greatest story of all was the human condition; why not simply focus on learning what we could while observing the actual events of our forefathers rather than resorting to fantasy?
Well, along with the CS Lewis and Lloyd Alexander, EB white stands as one of the few authors of fiction I could adore as a child. His characters were so human and the situations they encountered so mundanely charming in the hopes, dreams, desires and anxieties of the human condition that I was spellbound by his little animals that could talk. I am definately pretty sensitive for a guy, but at the same time I can't stand sappy stuff it it's too syrupy, self absorbed or conveys excessive self pity. What I liked about EB white is that he could integrate the spectrum of human emotions in a way that meant something to me as much when I was a child as now that I have grown up into a husband and expectant father.
Charlotte's Web: The Movie
This review will focus on critiquing the most recent film iteration of Mr. White's book Charlotte's Web . There may be minor spoilers, but everyone knows the story, so don't be a fraid to read on. Essentially it's a normal movie with voiceovers for the animals and some minor special effects that give the animals the human qualities of speech or certain precise behaviors more common to humans just like in the book. Charlotte the spider is completely animatronic. Overall I think they did an excellent job of drawing and breathing the book into cinema. With the exception of plays which are meant to be seen anyhow and in those cases rarely deviate from the original script, most book to movie renditions disappoint me heartily to the point where I don't even bother. This one is different....
A Beautiful Story Makes for a Solid Script
Director Gary Winick has accomplished a herculean feat by taking a humble book and turning it into a radiant animated feature film. I have to say that as well transposed as the movie is, the job was made easy by the arrangement of the book. To give credit where credit is due, most of the work was shouldered by Mr. White when he wrote such descriptive, enchanting little novel that flowed so majestically. All the writers had to do was read the book and follow the great Mr. White's imaninative but clear direction!
High praise to the script that remained loyal to the original storyline including some of the most minute details such as descriptions of places (Templeton the Rat's lair) or objects (the barn). This is a highly visual film, as it should be. A huge complement I should pay the film is that it is very similar to my mental image of reading the book. This may have been easy given Mr. White's striking portrayals of everyday objects such as fences, fields, barnhouses and the animals themselves but was critical to my acceptance and enjoyment of this film having read the book.
There were certain glitches where the creators of the scirpt may have editorialized a little bit on the original text, especially with some of the jokes or interjections of the animals. For the most part, considering how much hollywood butchers good books and turns them into odiously boring storylines, the movie did an exceptional job. They also didn't truncate anything from the book. This may also be due in part to the book's brevity and ability to be narrated in several hours time.
It's not about Pigs and Spiders but the Power of Love and Devotion
The story starts in an ordinary and boring farm. There is an underpig by the name of Wilbur which is born a runt and has many serious long odds against him. Although a little girl manages to save him from euthanasia at the hans of her father birth, he has to deal with callous indifference from not just humans, but other animals as well. Though the girl remains important to him throughout the movie, he befriends a being that the rest of the barn mistakenly mistrusts as heinous: a kind spider named Charlotte. Through the power of love, friendship and devotion, Charlotte is capable of working many, many miracles most of which both the other animals and the townspeople are too self absorbed and callous to care for. But then, in death EB White (or the movie, in this case) teaches us about the greatest miracle of all: life.
I seriously couldn't stop crying through most of this movie. Certainly I miss my dead grandparents to no end as I think of the sacrifices they made and how much they loved us. Maybe it's how through my work I have seen so many old nursing home patients "languishing". Perhaps it's because I hate watching patients die and seeing their loved ones mourn the said sad event. It could even be that I am an expectant father hopeful in the future. This movie has a deep and powerful message about the simple beauty of the cycle of life. Above all it clearly transmits the strong and powerful message that love conquers all and that passion, friendship and emotion make even the smallest things in life worth living.
An All Star Cast
(referenced from IMDB.com)
The cast speaks for itself. The characters and their voices are most appropriate to what they do and their exaggerated tones, hyperboles and accents say more than any individual words
Julia Roberts .... Charlotte the Spider (voice)
Steve Buscemi .... Templeton the Rat (voice)
John Cleese .... Samuel the Sheep (voice)
Oprah Winfrey .... Gussy the Goose (voice)
Cedric the Entertainer .... Golly the Goose (voice)
Kathy Bates .... Bitsy the Cow (voice)
Reba McEntire .... Betsy the Cow (voice)
Robert Redford .... Ike the Horse (voice)
Thomas Haden Church .... Brooks the Crow (voice)
André Benjamin .... Elwyn the Crow (voice)
Dominic Scott Kay .... Wilbur (voice)
Sam Shepard .... Narrator
Abraham Benrubi .... Uncle the Pig (voice)
Dakota Fanning .... Fern
Kevin Anderson .... Mr. Arable
Essie Davis .... Mrs. Arable
Louis Corbett .... Avery
Julian O'Donnell .... Henry Fussy
Robyn Arthur .... Teacher
Siobhan Fallon .... Mrs. Zuckerman (as Siobhan Fallon Hogan)
Gary Basaraba .... Homer Zuckerman
Conclusions
Charlotte's Web is a great story, plain and simple. It is timeless and just as endearing to me in my late 20's as when I was surmounting double digits for the first time. It teaches us the value of how little things like love and friendship can make the most mundane existences exceptional. It offers many parables of the human condition and takes pleasure in showing us that the greatest miracles of all are the simplest, most basic things life has to offer.
I would strongly recommend this movie to anyone without hesitation. It's not great cinema, but the director didn't have to try hard to have a great story; all he had to do was follow the book line for line which he did to great effect. He actually was loyal to an otherwise fabulous author, and with an all star cast has given life to this story about passion for living.
Recommended:
Yes
Movie Mood: Family Movie
Viewing Method: Other
Film Completeness: Looked complete to me.
Worst Part of this Film: Nothing
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bettega
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Reviews written: 89
Trusted by: 139 members
About Me:
On prolonged, possibly permanent hiatus. Ciao to all my Eps friends!
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