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Two words for this filming of the ballet by Frederick Ashton of stories by Beatrix Potter: Clever...charming. If you have small kids who aren't yet spoiled by Computer Generated Overkill, I think they'll be entranced. And any grownups who still have a bit of innocence left I think will be, too.

The dancers from the Royal Ballet are all costumed as the characters. The female creatures all are plump and wear pastel gowns with the waist around the bust and white dust bonnets on their heads. The male creatures all are chubby and wear frock coats, knickers and knee socks. The dancers also wear full head masks to look like the squirrels and pigs and mice and ducks. I couldn't spot an eye port anywhere. The characters are all there (and spare me the sophisticated smirks): Mrs. Tigglewinkle, Peter Rabbit, Squirrel Nutkin, Jemima Puddleduck, Pigling Bland, The Cunning Fox, Mrs. Tittlemouse, and the others.

The music is first-rate, with plenty of waltzes and melody. The choreography is oustanding, funny and true to the characters. And the production values are excellent. This is an example of what professionals can accomplish when they're at the top of their game.

The DVD transfer is very good. And for once I wish there were extras. It would have been fascinating to learn about the development of the look of the piece and the costumes and head masks. It also would have been good to hear from some of the dancers of what it took to dance their roles in those costumes.

If you've longed to see again those magic television shows that Kenny Everett did in the early eighties, here is a brief overview of his characters and sketches from the shows.
I couldn't even read the cover without having a chuckle to myself....and the spiderman sketch.....if you like silly, this IS silly!!

As long-standing Chris Rea fans we bought this CD not really knowing what to expect. We quickly grew to love it and it is great for playing loudly in the car. I used it in 2 dance displays at school and the track "Horses" was so popular that the pupils asked for it many times. It shows Chris Rea at his best - a brilliant fusion of classical, pop and melodic music.

I somehow got to the age of 47 without seeing this all the way through, and sat down to watch it with anticipation. However, I was a bit disappointed. Unlike Life Of Brian this is not really a film with a plot & characters. Rather a series of themed sketches. Like most sketch shows it is a mixture of hit & miss. Bits are indeed very funny, but while this style of humour was radical when the film came out it is all too common now and some of the weaker moments don't stand up so well. Of course it has a place in the pantheon of British comedy and I wouldn't discourage anyone from watching it, but for me it isn't a patch on Life of Brian, or even the Time Bandits.

This movie shows a side of Stallone we haven't really seen since Rocky I. He plays a sleepy sheriff in a sleepy town surrounded by crooked cops, but not really having the guts to do anything about it. With a cast that included Harvey Keitel, Robert DeNiro, Ray Liotta, Michael Rappaport and others you'd expect Stallone to be unnoticeable, But not only does he hold his own, he shines through as the star of the movie. With great direction and cinematography this is a film worth watching again and again