The Secret Garden (Hallmark Hall of Fame)
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DVD details
Actor: Barret Oliver, Billie Whitelaw, Gennie James, Jadrien Steele, Michael HordernDVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround; English (Subtitled); English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 100 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2002-05-21
Audience Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Hallmark
DVD Reviews of The Secret Garden (Hallmark Hall of Fame)
DVD Review: Not bad for a change....
Summary: 4 Stars
Below I compare and contrast the three color adaptations.
1. The 1975 adaptation BBC
This adaptation is very low budgeted, and it shows in the picture quality, which is painful even if you are used to BBC 4.3 aspect ratio films. This said, the film is quite good in every other way if loyalty in plot is important to you. For example, Mr. Archibald Craven is given a larger role in this adaptation than in the 1987 and 1993 adaptations. Furthermore, a considerably amount of the dialogue is taken directly from the novel. Therefore, this adaptation is much less 'sound bites' and allows for the development of Mary, Dickon, and Collin's characters.
The acting is also considerably better than the 1987 and 1993 adaptations. Unfortunately, with child actors of probably 10 or 11 years of age who have memorize a large amount of script, errors will be evident.
Yet, the 1975 adaptation is the best adaptation. It is neither too mystical (1993) nor too gothic (1987).
2. The 1987 adaptation Hallmark
Although I know many individuals despise this adaptation, I enjoyed it for a change. Yes, the acting is not perfect and the accents are horrible. Yes, the ending is pathetic and quite changed from the novel. Yes, Dickon (as an adult) dies in World War I. Yet, when one considers what the film was trying to achieve (i.e. change the theme from a children's story to a social critique of problems in society), it does an effective job. The film is a little too gothic (in the Victorian literature definition -i.e. 'ghosts' and long, dark corridors), yet I did not think the gothic harmed the story but rather created a sense of anticipation.
Again, if you want a loyal adaptation, I would urge the the 1975 adaptation. However, if you are tired of watching the 1975 adaptation and want to see a change, in my opinion, this 1987 adaptation is a better choice than the 1993 adaptation.
(However, I am not certain I would pay more than $15.00 for the 1987 adaptation. Therefore, I do not own it on DVD - just VHS taped off the television when it aired sometime in the 1990s.)
3. The 1993 adaptation Time Warner
I really hated this adaptation - saw it once years ago and really have no desire to see it again, except maybe to improve my review at some later date. My first problem was that Mary's parents were killed in an earthquake rather than a plague. (I am not certain what this proved?). Secondly, the mystical music was annoying as were the inappropriate accents - although of the two, I could tolerate the poor accents much more than the poor music.
Additionally, other scenes were also altered. For example, Mary finds the key to the garden in her deceased aunt's bedroom in the shut up wing of the Manor. In the 1975 adaptation (and I think the 1987 adaptation also), Mary finds the key buried with some help from a robin. However, the robin does show Mary where the door to the garden is located.
Unfortunately, the other problem I have with this film is that it is centered almost exclusively on Mary's character. Where the 1975 adaptation provides other characters (ex: Martha, Dr. Craven, Sir Archibald Craven, and Martha's mother have with numerous scenes in which Mary does not appear.) In the Warner adaptation, Mary is the focus of nearly every scene.
Also, Collin's character was considerably altered into less dictatorial that in the novel the other film adaptations. In fact, at times, Collin appears very childish and timid - terrified of dying and of Mrs. Medlock (rather than bossing Mrs. Medlock, his nurse, and everyone else around).
Of course, I could add other details. I will not because I do not remember everything about the 1993 adaptation. Sufficient to say, I do not recommend it.
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