EssenceStory Well Deserved Praise

Hulkeasexo it is the rare 'crazy' movie that actually has something to say.

Roy Hart If you're interested in the topic at hand, you should just watch it and judge yourself because the reviews have gone very biased by people that didn't even watch it and just hate (or love) the creator. I liked it, it was well written, narrated, and directed and it was about a topic that interests me.

Phillipa Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

k_scherer I have not seen this version of Tom Sawyer for quite a few years, but I did see it as a child on the "Big Screen". The fun part for me about this movie is that I grew up just a few miles from where most of it was filmed -- a small river town in Mid-Missouri called Arrow Rock. It's not the type of area where a person gets to see a lot of movies being filmed, so you can imagine that this was quite an event for a small rural area at the time.I was 12 at the time, same age as Johnny Whitaker when he played Tom, and I remember going to watch the filming of several scenes -- especially the "picnic scene". It was also interesting to see what was done to the town to prepare for the making of the film. The main street, which is paved asphalt, was covered with several inches of dirt. The concrete sidewalks were converted to boardwalk sidewalks, which still exist today! It was fun to watch the film in the theater, because many of the extras in the film were local townspeople, neighbors, and friends. You watched to pick out the scenes where you would recognize people you know.There is a special celebration in Arrow Rock this year for the July 4th festivities, celebrating the 35 years since the filming of Tom Sawyer (1972). Johnny Whitaker and Jeff East are returning to Arrow Rock to participate in the festivities... and I will be returning to partake also! If you're ever driving across Missouri on I-70, I invite you to take a slight detour on Hiway 41 North (just about 130 miles west of St. Louis) and visit the little historic town of Arrow Rock.... where for two months in 1972, Hollywood came to visit!

jpycior-1 I really enjoyed this movie and the music that was in it. Lots of good fun and adventure! I do believe Mr.Mark Twain would approve! This movie hits all the right notes and what an adventure! One can clearly see how the two lead actors make choices for their characters and the results are very good. I enjoyed the journey and the adventure the two went on, and I felt the movie was a very good adaptation of the novel. I can remember reading the book and not wanting to put it down, and was living in SC at the time the movie came out. We lived along a river as it was and as a 10 year old, I could somewhat relate to the main characters in the way of wanting to go on such an adventure. This movie was very good from start to finish, and I can distinctly recall to me, the scariest part..when they were all in the caves.

jonarmyguy Having grown up in Missouri only an hour from Hannibal,it is gratifying to see the authentic locations that really capture the setting, and terrific portrayals from a great cast really create the spirit of Twain's book.I first saw this film when my grandparents took me to it long ago but I still can relive the joy of my childhood and "freebootin". I always imagined myself as a sort of Tom Sawyer from watching this(I secretly wanted to be him).....the film still deeply effects me......The cave sequence was actually filmed in Merramac Caverns cave, and I also believe Onondaga Cave in Missouri...it might be worth your time to visit them if you are visiting the state of Missouri....

m_ruch-1 Adrian Everett's dreams have been answered!! MGM/UA has released this title and Huck Finn (in which child actor Jeff East reprises his role as the title character) on DVD. My only complaint, and it is a minor one, is that MGM opted not to release the film on DVD in the widescreen format. The title and end credit sequences are in widescreen, while the remainder of the film is "modified to fit your screen". Much as I prefer widescreen films presented in their original aspect ratio, Tom Sawyer does not lose anything by being "panned and scanned". If anything, the full screen presentation enhances the performances of the child actors, allowing them to fill the screen with their winning personalities. Johnny Whitaker as Tom, and Jeff East as his rag-tag friend Huck, really light up the screen in every scene they are in, but it is Jodie Foster, as Becky Thatcher, who steals Tom's and the audience's hearts.Most of the musical score is forgettable, but overall, the Sherman brothers have once again done an admirable job. Several of the songs, such as "Free-bootin" and "Gratifaction" will stick in your head. But it is, "River Song", as performed by Charlie Pride, that will bring a tear to your eye as you think about lost childhood. "...a boy is gonna grow to be a man, be a man. Only once in his life is he free. Only one golden time in his life is he free."I highly recommend this film, and this DVD to anyone who is a Tom Sawyer fan. All of the storytelling elements of the earlier David O'Selznick production are here, and with the exception of the music, the two films are very similar. While it is the child actors that really sell this film, I cannot overlook the memorable performance of Kunu Hank (apparently in his only film role) as Injun Joe.