In this delightful musical adaptation of Mark Twain's most famous novel, Jeff East (Tom Sawyer) returns as the lovable scamp Huckleberry Finn while Oscar® nominee* Paul Winfield (Sounder) shows "considerable strength"... more » (Cinema) as Jim, the runaway slave who joins 15-year-old Huck for an unforgettable raft ride on the Mississippi River. Strong-willed and self-raised, Huck decides to flee his hometown of Hannibal, Missouri, when his cruel absentee father tries to kidnap him. Accompanying him is the sharp-witted Jim, who fears he is about to be sold. As this unlikely pair journeys north to freedom, the two develop a bond of friendship and mutual respect that will help them brave a series of narrow escapes, thrilling adventures and characters so colorful only Mark Twain could pen them!« less
NOT PAN AND SCAN , AGAIN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
DVD BUFF | 08/05/2005
(1 out of 5 stars)
"What is wrong with MGM/UA ????? THIS WAS A PANAVISION FILM. THE LASERDISC WAS RELEASED IN LETTERBOX WITH THE OVERTURE. WHY IS THE DVD IN PAN AND SCAN, WITH THE OVERTURE CUT ?????? STAY AWAY FROM THIS ONE. TRY TO LOCATE A COPY OF THE LASERDISC VERSION. IT SEEMS THAT MGM/UA USED TO GO ALL OUT ON LASERDISC, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO DVD, THEY SHORT CHANGE US !!!!!!! BAD CALL, MGM/UA!!"
These reviewers are retarded
SpiritChild | Amherst, MA United States | 04/24/2006
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Seriously, this is the best Huck Finn movie available. The songs are wonderful, the characters are interesting and funny, and the actors are tremendous. You get a true feeling of solidarity between Huck and Jim and if your like me then you might have a tear in your eye at the end.
The transfer is really good, but I did notice some video distortion (snowflakes) during the "a matter of honor" scene. If it didn't have the distortion and there was some special features I would have given it a 5"
If it came out today, it would be considered a classic!!
Darryl M. Haase | 10/27/1999
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Just listen to the beautiful songs in the score and notice the magestic sentiment... Although this movie has all but been forgotten, I'm sure that one day people will give it a chance. If you like musicals and you like Twain, then it's a must see, even for its many imperfections. There are some incredibly witty songs and some truly poinient moments. The song "Freedom" is one of the most powerful songs I've ever heard-- and for some reason the LP was never even released... go figure."
Cai-ro ai-ro, Illinois!
dunamai | Oxford, MS USA | 11/22/2002
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I agree wholeheartedly with Mr. Frost's review, except for the fact that a soundtrack LP was indeed released by Reader's Digest. The music is as grand as the movie as a whole! What a great movie! What happened to Jeff East?"
"Huck Finn" always a tough tackle on film
Darryl M. Haase | Cleveland, OH United States | 08/12/2005
(3 out of 5 stars)
"The musical version of Mark Twain's classic is enjoyable, but does not capture the depth of the book. Literary satire is hard to capture on film. The score is nice but actually seems uneven. Harvey Korman is fey beyond belief, but the rest of the cast does a nice job. Jeff East makes a great Huck. I wish East did more in the 1970's, except the young Clark Kent in "Superman". Paul Winfield is always great, and plods along with a simple script, unworthy of this great talents as an actor. The big disappointment is that MGM released this DVD in pan and scan. What's the point of DVD technology, especially with the growing number of widescreen TV's available today, to replicate what's already been done on VHS? I think it's pure laziness. Disney is doing the same thing to new releases like "Boatniks", and "In Search of the Castaways". That is a crime! Even laserdisc technology of 10 years ago had all this stuff in widescreen. Hopefully, MGM will get on the bandwagon soon!"