SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES (DVD) (WS/DOL DIG ENG 5.1) DVD

The Spiderwick Chronicles
Mark S. Waters's adaptation of the popular fantasy novels The Spiderwick Chronicles tells the tale of the Graces, a family who must adapt to their new strange surroundings. As the story begins, twin brothers Jared and Simon, along with their sister Mallory and their mother, move away from the big city to a mansion owned by their uncle. When a series of strange happenings suggest that Jared may be causing a number of disturbances, the siblings band together to figure out what is going on. Soon they discover the magical history of the property. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide

Cast Freddie Highmore as Jared/Simon Mary-Louise Parker as Helen Nick Nolte as Mulgrath Sarah Bolger as Mallory Andrew McCarthy as Richard Joan Plowright as Aunt Lucinda David Strathairn as Arthur Spiderwick Seth Rogen as Hogsqueal Martin Short as Thimbletack Izabella Miko as

Crew David Gaucher - Art Director Christa Munro - Art Director Isabelle Guay - Art Director Jean-Pierre Paquet - Art Director Robert Parle - Art Director Cheryl A. Tkach - Associate Producer Marci Liroff - Casting Josette Perrotta - Co-producer Tom Pietzman - Co-producer Steve Barnett - Co-producer Julie Kane-Ritsch - Co-producer Odette Gadoury - Costume Designer Joanna Johnston - Costume Designer Benjamin Rosenberg - First Assistant Director Mark S. Waters - Director Michael Kahn - Editor Julia Pistor - Executive Producer Tom Pietzman - Executive Producer Tony DiTerlizzi - Executive Producer Holly Black - Executive Producer James Horner - Composer (Music Score) Kevin Yagher - Makeup Special Effects Louis Craig - Makeup Special Effects James D. Bissell - Production Designer Caleb Deschanel - Cinematographer Larry Franco - Producer Mark Canton - Producer Ellen Goldsmith-Vein - Producer Karey Kirkpatrick - Producer Maryse DeLottinville - Set Designer Mario Chabot - Set Designer Brent Lambert - Set Designer Simon Guilbault - Set Designer Frédéric Amblard - Set Designer Martin Gagne - Set Designer Alex Touikan - Set Designer Celine Lampron - Set Designer Lucie Tremblay - Set Designer Mark Mangini - Sound/Sound Designer Louis Marion - Sound/Sound Designer Dave McKeown - Stunts Coordinator David Berenbaum - Screenwriter Karey Kirkpatrick - Screenwriter John Sayles - Screenwriter Pablo Helman - Visual Effects Supervisor Tim Alexander - Visual Effects Supervisor Phil Tippett - Creature Design Andy Nelson - Re-Recording Mixer Anna Behlmer - Re-Recording Mixer Industrial Light & Magic - Visual Effects Jan Pascale - Set Decorator Philippe Lord - Set Decorator Paul Hotte - Set Decorator Martine Kazemirchuk-Giguère - Set Decorator Daniel Hamelin - Set Decorator Tony DiTerlizzi - Book Author Holly Black - Book Author

The Spiderwick Chronicles
Freddie Highmore adds to his extensive prepubescent resumé with The Spiderwick Chronicles, an engaging and occasionally touching fantasy that's refreshing for what it isn't: a 21st century Jumanji. Playing twins, the young actor shows veteran maturity by giving them distinct personalities, instead of forcing audiences to differentiate them by the color of their shirts. That Highmore's work takes top billing in this analysis, rather than the film's fantasy world and digital creature effects, is not a slight to that world or those effects -- rather, it explains why The Spiderwick Chronicles is a bit more memorable than other fantasies intended for a tween audience. There's a solid emotional core here, to complement the sprites and goblins that literally come out of the woodwork when Jared Grace disregards the warnings and opens the titular tome. Feeling abandoned by an absent father, Jared carries on a bristling relationship with his mother (Mary-Louise Parker), and some genuine anguish passes between their characters. Perhaps this injection of realism can be attributed to indie filmmaker John Sayles, whose surprise screenwriting credit may have something to do with the actor cast to play Arthur Spiderwick: David Strathairn, Sayles' longtime collaborator. Fans of the popular books that inspired the film (authored by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi) should be pretty happy with the way director Mark S. Waters has visualized the design details of this world. The entries in Spiderwick's Field Guide place the viewer in a willing mythozoological mindset, and the characters that spring forth -- while not drastically different from those seen in other films indebted to J.R.R. Tolkien -- are lively enough to help shape and build the story's mythology. The film's February release may have prevented it from growing into a bigger hit, but The Spiderwick Chronicles is satisfying escapism with a lingering presence. ~ Derek Armstrong, All Movie Guide
 

(no awards)

General Specifications: Language Options: English, French, Spanish Subtitle Options: English, French, Spanish Sound Processing: DD5.1: Dolby Digital w/ sub-woofer channel Additional Features: cc Spiderwick: It's All True! It's a Spiderwick World Arthur Spiderwick's field guide MPAA Rating: PG DVD Discs Included: 1 DVD Sides: 1 DVD DVD Region Code: 1 Content Length: 101 min   DVD Chapters: Disc #1 -- The Spiderwick Chronicles 1. Chapter 1 2. Chapter 2 3. Chapter 3 4. Chapter 4 5. Chapter 5 6. Chapter 6 7. Chapter 7 8. Chapter 8 9. Chapter 9 10. Chapter 10 11. Chapter 11 12. Chapter 12