Tuck Everlasting

Director: Jay Russell Jay Russell

Overview

"Completely passed over in the theaters, Disney's wonderful Tuck Everlasting gets a second chance on home video. Image quality here, with a 2.35:1 anamorphic transfer, is simply gorgeous. The beautiful scenery and earth tones used throughout are wonderfully reproduced with this transfer. Detail is strong and skin tones are perfect. The 5.1 English Dolby Digital soundtrack isn't exactly spacious, but there is some limited use of separation in the front speakers, especially in regard to William Ross' lush musical score. Dialogue and sound effects are clear and distortion free, with no distracting elements. Supplements aren't necessarily extensive here, but there are still a number of nice extras geared more to adults than children. A real surprise is not one, but two audio commentaries. The first is from director Jay Russell and screenwriter James Hart , with the second comprised of Russell again and cast members Jonathan Jackson, Alexis Bledel, and Scott Bairstow. Both scene-specific tracks give each participant plenty of time to voice their opinions, views, philosophies, and memories. In addition to this are ""Lessons of Tuck,"" brief segments hosted by Jackson that look at different issues raised in the film, with additional interviews with the cast, crew, and a number of teens. These optional segments interrupt the film, then take you right back to the where you originally were. A real plus here is an all too brief biographical featurette on writer Natalie Babbitt, who has many interesting comments on this book and her writing. Finally, are a number of Disney-related trailers (including Pirates of the Caribbean and The Haunted Mansion, and commercials)."

Product Details

Release Date:	02/25/2003
UPC:	0786936205794
Original Release:	2002
Rating:	PG
Source:	Walt Disney Video
Region Code:	1
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround]
Language:	English
Time:	1:30:00

Special Features

Audio commentary with director Jay Russell and stars Jonathan Jackson, Alexis Bledel, and Scott Bairstow; Audio commentary with Jay Russell and screenwriter James Hart; "Lessons of Tuck" special viewing mode; "A Visit with Natalie Babbitt" featurette

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Alexis Bledel	Winnifred `Winnie' Foster
William Hurt	Angus Tuck
Sissy Spacek	Mae Tuck
Jonathan Jackson	Jesse Tuck
Scott Bairstow	Miles Tuck
Ben Kingsley	Man in the Yellow Suit
Amy Irving	Mother Foster
Victor Garber	Robert Foster
Kosha Engler	Miles' Wife
Elisabeth Shue	Narrator
Richard Pilcher	Constable Henry
Bradley Coryell	Lead Mill Boy
John Badila	Baker
Julia Hart	Sally Hannaway
Naomi Kline	Beatrice Ruston
Kathryn Kelley	Mrs. Hannaway

Technical Credits

Jeffrey Lieber

James V. Hart

Jay Russell	Director
Jeffrey Lieber	Screenwriter
James V. Hart	Screenwriter
Marc Abraham	Producer
G.A. Aguilar	Stunts
Mary Gail Artz	Casting
Mat Beck	Special Effects
Armyan Bernstein	Executive Producer
Mark Bero	Special Effects
Thomas A. Bliss	Executive Producer
Barbara Cohen	Casting
Deborah Forte	Executive Producer
Mark Freund	Special Effects
Jane Startz	Producer
William Teitler	Executive Producer
Max Wong	Executive Producer
Kirk Francis	Sound/Sound Designer

Editorial Reviews

Although this is subtitled "The Best of Jimmy Cliff," it's really a label-specific best-of, not a true survey of the best material Cliff's done in his lengthy career. That's because no less than two-thirds of the 15 selections are taken from the singer's 1980 Columbia albums. A few of his most famous earlier recordings (the 1969 hit "Wonderful World, Beautiful People" and two songs from the soundtrack to The Harder They Come) were licensed, and there are also cuts he contributed to other soundtracks ("Third World People," done for Club Paradise, and "I Can See Clearly Now" from Cool Runnings). But basically, it's the best of Cliff's Columbia years, not a balanced survey of a career that began back in the early '60s. That wouldn't be such a problem, but -- as most Cliff and {|reggae|} fans would agree -- his later recordings, such as his {|Columbia|} albums, certainly are not up to his prime earlier output. Most of it is mundane crossover {|reggae|}/{|R&B|}/{|pop|}. {|Cliff|} sings consistently well, but the production is often too slick in a dated 1980s fashion. The {|reggae|} isn't always buried by any means; cuts like {|"Treat the Youths Right"|} and {|"Roots Woman"|} are reasonable upbeat {|Cliff|} originals, and {|"Peace Officer"|} has the sort of political concerns common to much {|reggae|} music. On the other hand, something like {|"Reggae Night"|} is a forgettable attempt to reach into the {|R&B|} dance market. Most of the disc is better than that, but its overall bland character is set all the more in relief when periodically interrupted by those older licensed tracks. ~ Richie Unterberger