Hans Christian Andersen Movies
- 2013
Walt Disney Animation Studios presents this animated adventure focusing on a young woman's quest to end the spell on her kingdom that has placed it in a never-ending state of winter by the evil Snow Queen (voiced by Idina Menzel). Kristen Bell heads up the starring voice cast. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, Rovi
- 2011
The San Francisco Ballet mounted this 2011 production of John Neumeier's ballet The Little Mermaid, with dancers including Yuan Yuan Tan in the title role, Lloyd Riggins as The Poet and Tiit Helimets as The Prince. Freely adapted from the story by Hans Christian Andersen, it features music by Lera Auerbach, presented under the baton of maestro Marin West. Neumeier choreographs, and created the costumes, lighting and production design. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi
- Starring:
- Yuan Yuan Tan, Lloyd Riggins, (more)
Originally conceived as a TV miniseries (but generally shown in a single three-hour installment), this lavish adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen's The Snow Queen stars Bridget Fonda as the icy-hearted title character. Arriving incognito at the alpine inn run by a man named Wolfgang (Robert Wisden), the embittered Snow Queen makes it her mission in life to ruin all chances of romance for Wolfgang's beautiful daughter, Gerda (Chelsea Hobbs). To this end, the Queen exercises her magic over Gerda's bellhop boyfriend Kai (Jeremy Guilbaut), literally freezing the boy in his tracks. In order to save her beloved, Gerda must undertake a grueling odyssey through the Four Seasons (each of them briefly appearing in human form), culminating in a final, frigid showdown with the spiteful Snow Queen. After its December 7, 2002 debut on the Hallmark cable network, The Snow Queen was almost immediately released in a deluxe DVD edition. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Bridget Fonda
- 2000
This animated version of Hans Christian Andersen's The Emperor's New Clothes stays faithful to the source material. Two con-men attempt to rip off the vain emperor and humiliate him by having him parade through town in his underwear. The common folk, afraid to incur the wrath of the king, act as if he is dressed resplendently. Only a young boy has the good sense to speak the truth. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi
Initially released to IMAX theaters at the crescendo of millennial fever and 60 years after the original Fantasia, Fantasia 2000 was meant to revitalize Walt Disney's goal of a constantly evolving film, with new segments replacing old ones with each re-release. Only The Sorcerer's Apprentice remains, with seven new shorts. Angular, abstracted butterfly-like shapes fly through the air in Beethoven's Symphony No. 5; computer-animated whales take flight in Respighi's Pines of Rome; Al Hirschfeld's caricatures of New York life come alive in George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue; Hans Christian Andersen's The Steadfast Tin Soldier is retold with computer animation against Dmitri Shostakovich's Piano Concerto No. 2, Allegro, Opus 102; frantic flamingos try to stop their yo-yoing comrade in Camille Saint-Saëns' Carnival of the Animals, Finale; Donald and Daisy Duck play Noah and his wife trying to manage the ark to Sir Edward Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance; and the cycle of life, death, and rebirth are celebrated in Stravinsky's Firebird Suite. ~ Emru Townsend, Rovi
- Starring:
- Steve Martin, Itzhak Perlman, (more)
- 1994
This surreal Spanish film offers a liberal re-tooling of Hans Christian Andersens' tale "The Story of the Mother," which follows a mother's quest through a maze-like forest as she seeks to retrieve her child from Death. This version of the tale is set in a violent and crime filled European city. It is run by a powerful business man called Grande Mierda, or GM for short. GM determines the life and death of the city's people. But while he may control the fate of others, GM cannot control his own impending death. From his deathbed, he agrees to grant his daughter, Laura, her fondest birthday wish. He will have her estranged mother murdered. To find her, GM engages the Detective. The rebellious Detective is unlikely to kill the wayward mother and so GM engages the evil Dark Man to follow him. In his search, the Detective meets a sad mother with a sick baby. She follows him, believing that the Detective can lead her to GM whom she wishes to bargain with for her son's life. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Javier Bardem, Maria de Medeiros, (more)
The voices of Carol Channing, John Hurt, Jodi Benson and Gilbert Gottfried help bring this wonderful Hans Christian Andersen story to life. Barry Manilow contributed heavily to the film's music. Children still seem to enjoy this story about a young girl who was the size of a human thumb. She was kidnapped by a toad, just when she hoped to continue her life with Cornelius the Fairy Prince. This is a good "family film" with few, if any, parts that might be considered questionable for children. Kids are likely to enjoy how Gilbert Gottfried does the voice of a strange beetle and how Carol Channing breathes life into Ms. Fieldmouse. ~ Elizabeth Smith, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jodi Benson, Carol Channing, (more)
- 1992
- R
Soft-core drama czar Zalman King, creator of such erotic fictions as 9 1/2 Weeks (1986), Two Moon Junction (1988), and Wild Orchid (1990), directed this tale of doomed romance that served as the feature-length pilot for a long-running cable television series. David Duchovny stars as Jake Winters, an architect and city planner preparing to wed his fiancee, successful interior designer Alex (Brigitte Bako). What Jake doesn't know, however, is that the guilt-stricken Alex is carrying on a torrid affair with a macho construction worker and part-time shoe salesman named Tom (Billy Wirth). Torn desperately between her two lovers, Alex chronicles the relationships in her diary. After she commits suicide, a despondent Jake discovers the eye-opening journal and has a violent confrontation with Tom that leaves neither man with much emotional resolution. In an effort to understand women and his own grief, Jake places an anonymous advertisement in newspapers, encouraging women to confess their erotic secrets to him through the mail, and setting the stage for Red Shoe Diaries, the series. Although he was soon famous as the male lead in The X-Files, Duchovny honored his agreement with King to star in the adult series, appearing in wrap-around segments at the beginning and end of each episode. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi
- Starring:
- David Duchovny, Brigitte Bako, (more)
- 1991
From the story by Hans Christian Andersen, this tells of two sly tailors and a very vain King. ~ Rovi
- 1990
A vain king gets his comeuppance at the hands of two con artists in this compilation of stories that also includes "Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears" and "Suho and the White Horse." ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- 1990
This is a futuristic, animated adaptation of the Hans Christian Andersen tale. ~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi
Disney's The Little Mermaid was the first in a series of blockbusters that restored the venerable firm's reputation as the world's premiere animated-feature factory. The title character is a precocious teenager named Ariel, the daughter of Triton, king of the Sea. Against her dad's wishes, Ariel journeys beyond her own world to the surface, where she falls in love with Prince Eric, a handsome human. Foolishly, the little mermaid enters into an agreement with evil sea witch Ursula in order to become human herself. The wistfully melancholy ending of the original Hans Christian Andersen story is dispensed with in favor of a joyously happy ending-but not before a spectacular climactic confrontation between Ursula and Triton. The obligatory Disney comic relief is handled by such freshly minted characters as Sebastian the Crab, who, courtesy of voiceover artist Samuel E. Wright, sings the film's Oscar-winning "Under the Sea." Other voices are provided by Broadway star Jodi Benson (as Ariel) and such Hollywood reliables as Buddy Hackett, Pat Carroll, Kenneth Mars, and Rene Auberjonois. The enormous box-office take of The Little Mermaid made possible such future Disney cartoon ventures as Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Pocahontas, and The Hunchback of Notre Dame. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jodi Benson, Pat Carroll, (more)
- 1988
One of Hans Christian Andersen's most moving tales comes to life in this animated video. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- 1987
Featuring exquisite illustrations, innovative music by composer Mark Isham, and the lively reading of Glenn Close, this version of Hans Christian Andersen will delight the entire family. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
This witty version of Hans Christian Anderson's moral tale of a king whose vanity makes him an easy mark for con artists, features Sid Caesar and Art Carney. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Sid Caesar, Clive Revill, (more)
- 1987
Keshia Knight-Pulliam stars as the title character, an orphaned waif of the 1920s who helps instill the Christmas spirit into a contentious New England family. ~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi
- 1986
Hans Christian Andersen's touching fairy tale is brought to life in this video. Narrated by Cher and featuring the music of famed harpist Patrick Ball, The Ugly Ducking is the story of a little duckling who looks different from his peers. He is constantly ridiculed, until he grows up and discovers that he is a beautiful swan. One of the first children's stories to encourage self-esteem and racial acceptance, this story can be used in preschool curriculums for community and feelings units. Rabbit Ears videos are quality productions that feature artwork from the original books, performances from major talent, and original music from the industry's finest musicians. ~ Heather M. Fierst, Rovi
- Starring:
- Cher
- 1984
- G
- Add Faerie Tale Theatre: The Little Mermaid to Queue Add Faerie Tale Theatre: The Little Mermaid to top of Queue
Mork and Mindy's Pam Dawber plays the title role in this hour-long adaptation of The Little Mermaid. This is the tale of a beautiful young mermaid with an exquisite singing voice, who falls in love with a human being. To gain "human-hood" herself, she must give up all that she holds dear-including her voice. The spirit of the original Hans Christian Andersen story is strictly adhered to, with some delightfully anachronistic interpolations. Ms. Dawber is ably supported by such reliables as Brian Dennehy, Karen Black, Treat Williams and Helen Mirren. The Little Mermaid was originally telecast on the Showtime cable service as part of the Shelley Duvall's Faerie Tale Theatre anthology. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1984
This is a musical adaptation of the Hans Christian Andersen tale. ~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi
Rating Systems
Blockbuster
BLOCKBUSTER name, design and related marks are trademarks of Blockbuster L.L.C.
2013 Blockbuster L.L.C. All rights reserved.
Portions of Content Provided by Rovi Corporation. 2013 Rovi Corporation.