Pete's Dragon (1977)

Disney loved to mix live action with animation (Mary Poppins, Bedknobs and Broomsticks), but this 1977 effort falls on its face. The turn-of-the-century story concerns an orphaned boy whose only friend is a cartoon monster. While the latter is entertainingly rendered, the rest of the film strains to be enchanting and the cast overreaches in a big way. Not for anybody over the age of ten. --Tom Keogh Amazon.com

Worst. Movie. For a Kid. Ever

This was the first film I saw in the theater, and it totally freaked me out. I was 5 and oh man did this movie scare and depressed me. Never saw it again the rest of my life and will NEVER let my children see it.

Thank goodness my next movie was Star Wars. Whew. November 14, 2008

PRODUCT REVIEW

THE SELLER OF THIS PRODUCT LISTED IT IN ALMOST NEW CONDITION AND I RECEIVED THE PRODUCT IN THAT EXACT CONDITION. I WOULD NOT HAVE EVEN KNOWN IT WAS USED IF THERE WERE STILL TAPE ON THE CASE. I WAS VERY PLEASED WITH THE QUALITY OF THE PRODUCT, AND THE SPEED AND ACCURACY OF THE SHIPPING. October 29, 2008

Pete's Dragon (Disney Gold Classic Collection)

Pete's Dragon (Disney Gold Classic Collection)
Great movie, just like I remeber it as a kid. October 8, 2008

Masi's review

Good Movie, I saw it as a kid and now my children enjoy it just as much. This movie with it's simple message withstood the test of time, and it will continue to please for generations to come. September 23, 2008

One of the Best in Disneydom

Woefully underrated, 'Pete's Dragon' surpasses many other Disney classics because the plotline and characters are completely original, and every single song (10 in all) is terrific. I can still sing them all. (Compare them with some of the inane ballads in 'Pocahontas' and 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame.')

The story follows the escape of an orphan, Pete, from his abusive adoptive "family," aided by the dragon who has arrived, seemingly from nowhere, to rescue him. Elliot is childlike, cheery, and bumbling (or so it seems); however, the sheer physical size and flaming breath that make him a formidable protector also make him a social handicap when Pete tries to blend in in the coastal town of Passamaquoddy. (The invisible dragon stumbles through wet cement, obliviously takes down fences and other structures with his tail, etc., making Pete the bane of the town.)

If you or your child has extremely delicate sensibilities, you may want to preview this movie or bypass it altogether. Lampie is a drunk. In the same tradition as Lemony Snicket, Harry Potter, and the Roald Dahl books, 'Pete's Dragon' features cruel, uncaring parent figures and other adults with intent to harm. Even the schoolteacher seems to hate kids. I'm not sure if it was legal in the early 1900s to purchase an orphan, but that's the premise here. Two of the songs include graphic descriptions of physical violence--the Gogan family sing about beating Pete when they reclaim custody, and the evil Doctor Terminus and his sidekick sing about cutting up Elliot to make potions out of his parts--that could upset some very protective parents. The songs are NOT gratuitous, though, and serve to underscore the danger these characters are in.

Their cruelty IS offset by the two caring, capable adults, Lampie and Nora. (My favorite scene is Nora putting herself between Pete and the Gogans, who have come to town in pursuit of their purchase, the "bill of sale" in hand.)

The cast is flawless, and the movie is consistently engaging from beginning to end. Morals and themes include standing up for others, accepting others' differences, making room for newcomers, and having faith in discouraging circumstances. September 21, 2008

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