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(More customer reviews)Elijah Wood plays Huckleberry Finn, a young boy growing up in the pre-Civil War South. Huck's father is a drunken troublemaker, and is rarely around. The boy has been taken in by two kindly old women who are trying their best to civilize him, but aren't having an easy time of it. Huck lives for freedom and adventure, and the river is constantly calling his name. His best friend is a slave named Jim (Courtney B. Vance), and the two look out for each other, more-so with every passing day. When Huck's father Pap returns for the boy one night, having heard that he's inherited a nice some of money (for those days), the boy is desperate to escape. Trapped and left alone the next day in his father's run-down cabin, Huck escapes and fakes his own "murder." He takes a boat to Jackson's Island, where no one lives and hardly anyone visits, and there he runs into his old friend Jim! The two best friends go swimming, fishing, and have a generally great time, when Jim tells Huck that he's run away and is planning to head down river and then up to the free states. After a personal struggle with the idea of playing abolitionist, a dangerous thing to do, Huck agrees to help his friend escape slavery. The two soon find themselves heading down the river, but at a faster pace than they had expected. They have discovered that Jim is wanted not only for being a runaway, but also for being Huck's "murderer." Huck and Jim have several interesting experiences throughout their journey, including getting mixed up in a tragic family feud, nearly getting caught several times, and teaming up with a pair of con artists known as the King and the Duke (played wonderfully by Jason Robards and Robbie Coltrane). It's here where they meet three lovely sisters (Anne Heche, Laura Bundy, and a young, and very cute Renee O'Connor) and decide to help the girls at their own risk, rather than go on with the cruel scam they were being forced to act out by the two conmen.
I'm soooo happy this wonderful film has come to DVD. This is a perfect film in so many respects. The casting is perfect, the camera work is gorgeous, and the spirit of adventure, friendship, drama, and fun is portrayed perfectly in every scene. True, this is not very similar to the book, Tom Sawyer isn't even mentioned. For a perfect interpretation of the book in the form of a wonderful film you need to get the version starring Patrick Day, which is only on VHS right now as far as I know. You'll want to get the 2 tape version if you can find it, rather than the edited 1 tape version. But while I love the Patrick Day version, this one is by far my favorite. It captures everything I feel a Huck film should, in a shorter, more exciting and to the point story than the book tells. True, it's been Disney-fied, but being a Disney fanatic, I don't mind at all. My feeling is they usually improve the stories they take on. This film is loaded with adventure and friendship, which is the main reason I'm such a Tom and Huck fan, and Elijah Wood really shines in the starring role. His chemistry with Courtney B. Vance is perfect! I had nearly worn my VHS out by the time this film came to DVD. The extras are nice, but there aren't THAT many. It could have delivered more in that department. But remember that this is a Disney DVD, and one they seem to have given low priority, so I'm just glad it's been released on DVD and has any extras at all. My favorite film of all time, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, was given zero extras, and Hocus Pocus, another fave, also had none if I recall correctly. Anyway, I definitely recommend this film for families, Tom and Huck fans, and just pretty much everybody! It's a perfect movie for a rainy Saturday night, baking something sweet and cuddling with someone special.
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The Adventures of Huck Finn (1993)Climb aboard for an extraordinary version of Mark Twain's sweeping adventure when Walt Disney Pictures presents THE ADVENTURES OF HUCK FINN. It's the unforgettable saga of a mischievous youngster and a runaway slave on a wild expedition to freedom. As the pair take the ride of their lives down the treacherous Mississippi River, they run into an entertaining assortment of offbeat characters and face one challenging adventure after another! You won't want to miss this sensational telling of Twain's classic tale -- an action-packed mix of thrills and excitement!
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