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 Based
on the classic children's book by E.B. White, this video tells the
tale of Wilbur the pig, Fern the girl who nursed him while he was
a baby, and Charlotte the spider who saves the pig from ending up
on the dinner table. The narration is well done, and lines from
the book ("life is good and busy and brand new") are
heard throughout the movie.
The story begins with a scene of
a mother pig and her litter of piglets. One of them is a runt, and
the farmer (Fern's father) is ready to "do away with"
him. A few tears later, Fern saves Wilbur from an "untimely
death". The farmer decides to let Fern nurse the runt, and
she does this with such warmth and love that kids, after watching
the opening scenes, will be asking their parents for a pet pig.
When Wilbur is big and strong,
Fern's father decides that it is time for Wilbur to live the life
of a pig. At the same time, Fern learns one of the "hard
facts" of farm life. The farmer sells Wilbur to Fern's uncle.
In his new home, Wilbur discovers his voice (and breaks into a
celebration song upon his discovery), then bemoans the loss of his
full-time friend in Fern. At this new farm, kids watch as the
talking animals do their thing. Wilbur's farm-mates include a
mother goose, who doesn't understand what Wilbur means when he
wants to "play", a rat named Templeton (who is voiced by
the unmistakable Paul Lynde), and a father sheep who tells his son
that "sheep do not play with pigs" (it's a status thing,
you see). When Wilbur meets a friendly and wise spider named
Charlotte, whose favorite expression is an
encouraging "Chin up!", his life changes completely.
Children will enjoy this classic
video, especially its tender and silly moments. Charlotte's death,
however, is very sad. Parents may want to be sure their kids are
ready for this scene. This movie was originally released in 1973,
so expect some older-style animation. However, kids won't mind one
bit.
A DVD "wide-screen" edition is available.
For more information, user reviews, or to buy, follow these
links:
Charlotte's Web
(VHS) or Charlotte's Web (Full Screen Edition)
(DVD)
Pros:
- Beautiful story
- Some lovely themes of
friendship, love, and self-esteem
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Cons:
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