Fairy Tale - A True Story List Price: $9.98 Our Price: $4.36 Your Save: $ 5.62 ( 56% ) Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Manufacturer: Paramount Starring: Paul McGann, Florence Hoath, Elizabeth Earl, Harvey Keitel, Jason Salkey Directed By: Charles Sturridge Average Customer Rating: Audience Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested) Binding: DVD Brand: Paramount EAN: 9780792194118 Format: Anamorphic ISBN: 079219411X Label: Paramount Number Of Items: 1 Publisher: Paramount Region Code: 1 Release Date: 2003-11-11 Running Time: 99 Studio: Paramount Theatrical Release Date: 1997-10-24 Related Items The Secret of Roan Inish The Secret Garden The Magical Legend of the Leprechauns A Little Princess / The Secret Garden A Little Princess Spotlight customer reviews: Customer Rating: Summary: Cute story Comment: Fairy Tale is a cute story for families. The video is well produced with clear audio and video. Although it purports to be true I have my doubts. Still it is worth watching. A little fantasy these days can help one forget for a little while the realities which face us all. Customer Rating: Summary: Important and delightful Comment: A charming tale of magic and mystery, "FairyTale - A True Story" is based on the remarkable reaction that swept WWI England, after two young girls took photos of the fairies living at the bottom of their garden. Their family, like so many in wartime, is mourning the loss of their son, and they are far from alone in wishing for proof that death is not the end. Electricity and photography are new sciences, and "Spiritualistic" fraud abounds. When Arthur Conan Doyle investigates and sanctions the authenticity of the story, the country accepts it as genuine. Like all good fairy tales, the movie has a message that underlies the fantasy elements; the human race frequently finds itself in need of reasons to believe in the ability to transcend pain and death. As Polly Wright, the mother and aunt of the girls, confides in her husband, she is afraid to believe that the pictures are real, and afraid not to. The cast of Fairy Tale was well chosen, from luminaries such as Peter O'Toole as Doyle, to newcomers Florence Hoath and Elizabeth Earl as the budding photographers. Not a single performance is poor or overdone. Beautifully filmed in soft colors, with appealing special effects, it evokes life in rural England nearly century ago. The original music adds to the ambience, and the blending of reality and illusion is seamless. Recommended for all but the most jaded of viewers. Relax and enjoy. Customer Rating: Summary: Highly Recommended Comment: "Masters of illusion never reveal their secrets" says Harry Houdini (Harvey Keitel) in the lyrical fantasy ''Fairytale--A True Story'' (1997). And pay attention to the things Houdini says like: "Never try to fool children. They expect nothing and therefore see everything", because his character exists to articulate the film's themes. These revolve around the need for many people to believe in the existence of spiritual concepts, the wisdom of not challenging these beliefs if they give sustenance, and how loss of the ability to see much that is hidden goes along with our loss of innocence. In its best montage the film moves between, Houdini's fabled "The Chinese Water Torture Cell" illusion, a chess match, and the first-hand spiritual education of an investigative reporter. The film loosely documents the "Cottingley fairies" incident in 1917 when two English girls produced photographs that showed themselves in the presence of fairies. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (insert Sherlock Holmes here) published the photographs when he and various experts became convinced they were authentic. Many years later the girls would confess that they had faked all but one of the photos, but they continued to claim that their fairies actually exist. 12-year-old Elsie Wright (Florence Hoath) and 8-year-old Frances Griffiths (Elizabeth Earl) are the girls. It is late in WW1 and Francis has come to live with her Aunt and Uncle because her father is missing in action on the front lines. The Wright's too are dealing with a recent loss as Elsie's brother has passed away. So both children and Mrs. Wright (Phoebe Nicholls) are primed for belief in the other world. Yes there are fairies, the viewer sees them when no people are around and we see them leaving the area when Doyle's revelations cause the property to be trampled by a hoard of both believers and skeptics. The production design and the special effects are impressive and the film is absorbing from scene to scene. The target audience is a little hard to pin down as the subject is geared to children but much of the story a bit confusing if you are not already familiar with historical figures like Houdini and Doyle. The film utilizes the tried and true device for connecting with children by giving them a story about young people who know stuff is real, even though adults don't get it. In the film the age gap between the two girls is slightly less than it was in real life, which gives their relationship a bit more believability. Even more impressive is how successful the director was in the subtle creation two very distinct personalities. Elsie is shy and artistic. Frances is confident and social. Their interplay is the film's real strength; apparently the director sensed this dynamic and worked very hard in his acting for the camera direction of the two young actresses. He kept them in character and added behavioral elements they give their characters considerable depth and dimensionality. Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child. Customer Rating: Summary: Fairy Tale Comment: Not yet viewed, no time. Took a guess at rating. sorry. Customer Rating: Summary: Fairy Tale - A True Story Comment: This has been one of my favorite movies for several years. I just bought a copy for each set of grandchildren. It would not keep the attention of very young children, but is perfect for 6 year olds and above. Look for the uncredited appearance of Mel Gibson at the end of the movie. Editorial Reviews: Customer Rating: Summary: Cute story Comment: Fairy Tale is a cute story for families. The video is well produced with clear audio and video. Although it purports to be true I have my doubts. Still it is worth watching. A little fantasy these days can help one forget for a little while the realities which face us all. Customer Rating: Summary: Important and delightful Comment: A charming tale of magic and mystery, "FairyTale - A True Story" is based on the remarkable reaction that swept WWI England, after two young girls took photos of the fairies living at the bottom of their garden. Their family, like so many in wartime, is mourning the loss of their son, and they are far from alone in wishing for proof that death is not the end. Electricity and photography are new sciences, and "Spiritualistic" fraud abounds. When Arthur Conan Doyle investigates and sanctions the authenticity of the story, the country accepts it as genuine. Like all good fairy tales, the movie has a message that underlies the fantasy elements; the human race frequently finds itself in need of reasons to believe in the ability to transcend pain and death. As Polly Wright, the mother and aunt of the girls, confides in her husband, she is afraid to believe that the pictures are real, and afraid not to. The cast of Fairy Tale was well chosen, from luminaries such as Peter O'Toole as Doyle, to newcomers Florence Hoath and Elizabeth Earl as the budding photographers. Not a single performance is poor or overdone. Beautifully filmed in soft colors, with appealing special effects, it evokes life in rural England nearly century ago. The original music adds to the ambience, and the blending of reality and illusion is seamless. Recommended for all but the most jaded of viewers. Relax and enjoy. Customer Rating: Summary: Highly Recommended Comment: "Masters of illusion never reveal their secrets" says Harry Houdini (Harvey Keitel) in the lyrical fantasy ''Fairytale--A True Story'' (1997). And pay attention to the things Houdini says like: "Never try to fool children. They expect nothing and therefore see everything", because his character exists to articulate the film's themes. These revolve around the need for many people to believe in the existence of spiritual concepts, the wisdom of not challenging these beliefs if they give sustenance, and how loss of the ability to see much that is hidden goes along with our loss of innocence. In its best montage the film moves between, Houdini's fabled "The Chinese Water Torture Cell" illusion, a chess match, and the first-hand spiritual education of an investigative reporter. The film loosely documents the "Cottingley fairies" incident in 1917 when two English girls produced photographs that showed themselves in the presence of fairies. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (insert Sherlock Holmes here) published the photographs when he and various experts became convinced they were authentic. Many years later the girls would confess that they had faked all but one of the photos, but they continued to claim that their fairies actually exist. 12-year-old Elsie Wright (Florence Hoath) and 8-year-old Frances Griffiths (Elizabeth Earl) are the girls. It is late in WW1 and Francis has come to live with her Aunt and Uncle because her father is missing in action on the front lines. The Wright's too are dealing with a recent loss as Elsie's brother has passed away. So both children and Mrs. Wright (Phoebe Nicholls) are primed for belief in the other world. Yes there are fairies, the viewer sees them when no people are around and we see them leaving the area when Doyle's revelations cause the property to be trampled by a hoard of both believers and skeptics. The production design and the special effects are impressive and the film is absorbing from scene to scene. The target audience is a little hard to pin down as the subject is geared to children but much of the story a bit confusing if you are not already familiar with historical figures like Houdini and Doyle. The film utilizes the tried and true device for connecting with children by giving them a story about young people who know stuff is real, even though adults don't get it. In the film the age gap between the two girls is slightly less than it was in real life, which gives their relationship a bit more believability. Even more impressive is how successful the director was in the subtle creation two very distinct personalities. Elsie is shy and artistic. Frances is confident and social. Their interplay is the film's real strength; apparently the director sensed this dynamic and worked very hard in his acting for the camera direction of the two young actresses. He kept them in character and added behavioral elements they give their characters considerable depth and dimensionality. Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child. Customer Rating: Summary: Fairy Tale Comment: Not yet viewed, no time. Took a guess at rating. sorry. Customer Rating: Summary: Fairy Tale - A True Story Comment: This has been one of my favorite movies for several years. I just bought a copy for each set of grandchildren. It would not keep the attention of very young children, but is perfect for 6 year olds and above. Look for the uncredited appearance of Mel Gibson at the end of the movie. Two children in 1917 take a photograph believed by some to be the first scientific evidence of the existence of fairies. Based on a true story. Studio: Paramount Home Video Release Date: 03/28/2006 Starring: Harvey Keitel John Bradley Run time: 99 minutes Rating: Pg Director: Charles Sturridge Ask about this healthcare product "Fairy Tale - A True Story" in the forum Give review on this healthcare product "Fairy Tale - A True Story" in the forum Search related information in the forum