Barbie As Rapunzel [DVD]

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Barbie movies would not have been top of my family's Saturday evening viewing list, but Barbie starring as Rapunzel really had us gripped! Traditionally marketed towards a young female audience, this elaborate fairy tale had suspense, action and y dragons that delighted my two boys and us parents. The quality of the animation is excellent, with a music score to match. A cast of quirky characters pivot around the rather serene Rapunzel, including Angelica Huston as the evil Gothel who has imprisoned Rapunzel. You are taken on a 17th century journey through mazes, tunnels and secret villages and you are compelled to watch until the journey ends. Although this is not Disney, it comes a close second. This is the only movie my two-year-old has ever watched to the end, and he now insists upon putting "bar-bu" on at hourly intervals! The film was y yet soothing--a chilling mix of suspense and action and colour which held my toddler's attention, and the jokes, asides and adventures entertained the rest of us. Barbie as Rapunzel is a perfect family movie, full of magic and romance with the odd fight thrown in for good measure. Do not be put off by the pink packaging--this is a high quality product which will entertain small boys as well as girls. This product represents good value for money and is a perfect gift for young children and the young at heart. --Jo Fitzgerald If you had told me that my five-year-old son would adore this video, I wouldn't have believed you. But he did! And I was expecting a complete pink tackfest, but I was wrong about that, too. This computer animated tale is well put together and slick looking, and while a sharp eye has obviously been kept on the marketing rtunities (Shelley and Tommy, the revolting mini Barbies, make an appearance) there is much more to it than that. Rapunzel is a lovely traditional story, and while some liberties have been taken with the plot, all the key elements of folk tales are present, from beautiful princess to fierce dragon, handsome prince to wicked witch. The characters are reasonably well rounded and Rapunzel has acquired two Disney-style side kicks in the form of a rabbit and a dragon, whose antics amused both my children greatly. The video begins with Barbie telling the story to Shelley, which then becomes the film action, rather as it did in The Nutcracker, and at then end, we return to "real life", leaving the y witch safely back in fairy land. Like The Nutcracker, this video boasts a soundtrack featuring the London Symphony Orchestra (and also Samantha Mumba). We invited a girl from Joe's class round to watch the video, and she declared it to be better than The Nutcracker... unfortunately she also said, "Why have you got this video? It's just for girls". This might be something to bear in mind if you are buying for a boy who values his street cred! --Rachel Elvidge Rapunzel is one fairy tale Disney have not made but here Barbie as Rapunzel provides children with a computer-animated tale about the imprisoned maiden. The story is loosely based around the traditional story but expands into a long journey with dragons, magic and fantasy. Beautiful music by the London Symphony Orchestra sets the atmosphere. Rapunzel is imprisoned in a huge castle by wicked witch Gothel who uses Rapunzel as her servant, to cook food, beat rugs, wash and mend clothes, polish silver and generally keep the house in perfect order. Rapunzel has been in the castle since she was a baby and has never seen the outside world. Her only companions are a talking purple dragon called Penelope, and a rabbit called Hoby. One day Rapunzel accidentally finds a cellar which leads her to take a walk via a secret passage to the outside world where she meets the handsome prince. This sets the scene for the story to unfold. Using her magic paintbrush Rapunzel, who looks just like Barbie but with the exceptionally long hair, becomes the heroine of the story as she becomes the girl whose paintings save her life. The 83-minute video, which I would recommend for children aged six years and over, features the voice of Angelica Huston as Gothel the witch and Cree Summer as Penelope the friendly baby dragon. This is a story where love and imagination can change the world, where children look like computer animated dolls and fairy tales become "Barbie pink". --Sarah McNamara Rapunzel, Barbie's second animated adventure is as exciting and enchanting as her debut feature length movie, The Nutcracker. It opens with Barbie painting beautiful pictures that lead her to tell this wonderful fairy tale. Long, long ago, in a time of magic and dragons, there lived a girl named Rapunzel who had the most beautiful, radiant hair the world had ever seen… and so the story continues. Rapunzel is trapped in a fortress of magic and held captive by a witch called Gothel. Fortunately, Rapunzel has the company of some humorous and entertaining friends. She manages to circumvent the magic wall and visit a nearby village where she meets Prince Stephan. Will she ever escape from the wrath of Gothel and the tower that is her prison? Will she find her true family and identity? This is a magnificently produced animated version of a much-loved fairy tale. It has twists and turns that are unexpected but welcome and a delightful soundtrack. As an adult I found myself immersed in the tale and certainly wanted to follow it through until the end as there is much to entertain adults. --Tiffany Prescott