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The Tale of Despereaux [Blu-ray]

Matthew Broderick (Actor), Sigourney Weaver (Actor), Sam Fell (Director), Rated:
G
Format: Blu-ray
4.6 out of 5 stars 3,175 ratings
IMDb6.1/10.0
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Genre Kids & Family, Animation
Format Color, AC-3, Blu-ray, NTSC, Dubbed, Animated, Dolby, Widescreen, DTS Surround Sound, Subtitled
Contributor Frank Langella, Sam Fell, Dustin Hoffman, William H. Macy, Emma Watson, Robbie Coltrane, Richard Jenkins, Rob Stevenhagen, Matthew Broderick, Sigourney Weaver, Tracey Ullman See more
Initial release date 2009-04-07
Language English, Spanish, French
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Product Description

Product Description

In the far away kingdom of Dor…lived a brave and virtuous mouse with comically oversized ears who dreamt of becoming a knight. Banished from his home for having such lofty ambitions, Despereaux sets off on an amazing adventure with his good-hearted rat friend Roscuro, who leads him on a very noble quest to rescue an endangered princess and save an entire kingdom from darkness. Based on the heartwarming bestselling book and featuring the voice talents of an all-star cast, The Tale of Despereaux is a magical, modern fairytale that's destined to win the hearts of young and old alike.


Bonus Content:

  • U-Control: Picture in Picture - Live Action
  • U-Control: Picture in Picture - Animatic
  • Sneak Peek of Curious George 2: Follow That Monkey
  • Deleted Songs
  • The Tale of The Tale of Despereaux: A (Mostly) Non-Fictional Making-Of
  • Scene Progresssions
  • Top Ten Uses for Oversized Ears
  • Make Your Own Soup Game
  • Card Creator
  • BD-Live - My Scenes Sharing
  • BD-Live - Card Creator Sharing

Amazon.com

The Tale of Despereaux looks a little like Shrek. The storytelling and animation draw on everything from Ratatouille and classic fairytales to Shakespeare, Jonathan Swift, Indiana Jones, and, in its action sequences, even Bourne and Bond. But this movie stands on its own; too dark and violent for very young children, perhaps, but for the most part it’s exciting and funny, and it delivers a message about bravery and forgiveness that is relevant to us all. Voiced by Matthew Broderick, the title character is a little guy, even by mouse standards, with enormous ears and an imagination to match; much to the dismay of his elders, he "never cowers, won’t scurry, and refuses to be taught to be scared" (he’d much rather read a book than eat it, a pursuit that fills his head with visions of valiant knights, damsels in distress, and a life defined by "courage, honor, and decency"). That leads to his being banished from Mouseworld to the realm of the rats, where, it is presumed, he will be eaten. But no. Ratworld--a dark, chaotic, genuinely scary place--happens to be the current residence of one Roscuro (Dustin Hoffman), a peaceful sort whose shenanigans in the human world have accidentally led to the death of the Queen, the imprisonment of the Princess (Emma Watson), and, worst of all, the banning of Soup Day (no small deal) and the end of soup itself! Roscuro and Despereaux join forces, inadvertently helped out by a homely but soft-hearted farm girl named Miggery Sow (Tracey Ullman), and, well, you can imagine how it all turns out. Directors Sam Fell and Robert Stevenhagen and scriptwriter Gary Ross (adapting Kate DiCamillo’s book) have concocted some vivid and interesting worlds for their film; the look is unusual, often washed out, muted, and bathed in hazy light; and the voice acting is excellent (others include William H. Macy, Kevin Kline, Stanley Tucci, and Frank Langella). All in all, despite a conclusion that’s confusing even while it’s predictable, The Tale of Despereaux is a worthy addition to the crowded animation field. --Sam Graham


 Printable Coloring Page, Map & Despereaux ears from The Tale of Despereaux (Click for full size)
Coloring Page
Maze
Despereaux Ears

Stills from The Tale of Despereaux (Click for larger image)



Product details

  • Aspect Ratio ‏ : ‎ 2.35:1
  • Is Discontinued By Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ No
  • MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ G (General Audience)
  • Product Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 0.7 x 7.5 x 5.4 inches; 2.4 ounces
  • Item model number ‏ : ‎ 98084895119
  • Director ‏ : ‎ Sam Fell, Rob Stevenhagen
  • Media Format ‏ : ‎ Color, AC-3, Blu-ray, NTSC, Dubbed, Animated, Dolby, Widescreen, DTS Surround Sound, Subtitled
  • Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 34 minutes
  • Release date ‏ : ‎ January 16, 2011
  • Actors ‏ : ‎ Matthew Broderick, Sigourney Weaver, Robbie Coltrane, Dustin Hoffman, Richard Jenkins
  • Dubbed: ‏ : ‎ French, Spanish
  • Subtitles: ‏ : ‎ French, English, Spanish
  • Language ‏ : ‎ French (DTS 5.1), Spanish (DTS 5.1), English (DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1)
  • Studio ‏ : ‎ Universal Studios Home Entertainment
  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B001FB55IU
  • Country of Origin ‏ : ‎ USA
  • Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 out of 5 stars 3,175 ratings

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
3,175 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this animated movie enjoyable, with beautiful visuals and great animation, making it suitable for all ages as a great read-aloud for children. They appreciate the character development, with voices perfectly matched, and consider it well-done, though some note it's not as good as the book. The storyline receives mixed reactions, with some finding it wonderful while others say it's tiresomely same-old.

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188 customers mention "Movie quality"188 positive0 negative

Customers find the movie enjoyable, with kids particularly loving it, and one customer noting it's a cute story suitable for young children.

"...I found Tale of Despereaux an entertaining movie that kept my attention as a 40 something, my grandson's, who is 4, and feel it can do the same for..." Read more

"One of my all time favorite films; up there with Casablanca, King Arthur, Agora and other epic adventures...." Read more

"This cute story really caught the attention of my son, who read the book in school, and wanted to follow up with the movie...." Read more

"What a great way to finish up a novel study with my students. This was such a fun movie to watch after reading the book with my students...." Read more

36 customers mention "Cute movie"36 positive0 negative

Customers find the movie beautiful, with rich visuals and themes, and one customer notes it's great to show after reading the book.

"...an illustrator myself, with each viewing I grow more amazed at the gorgeous animation here...." Read more

"Great to show after reading the book" Read more

"...Superlative animation, incredible characterization within the animation (character in cartoon animal faces is more difficult than most imagine*),..." Read more

"...The artwork is exquisite, pity the same can’t be said of the didactic story and the overuse of too many name actors with overly familiar voices that..." Read more

29 customers mention "Animation quality"21 positive8 negative

Customers praise the animation quality of the movie, describing it as awesome and charming.

"...It turned out to be an excellent animated movie with emphasis on movie...." Read more

"...myself, with each viewing I grow more amazed at the gorgeous animation here...." Read more

"...The animation was odd but not distractingly so...." Read more

"Animation was good and some of the scene creation and background was very creative...." Read more

22 customers mention "Ages"18 positive4 negative

Customers appreciate that the movie is suitable for all ages, with many noting it's a great children's book that works well as a read-aloud.

"...When we found out there was a movie, we we're so excited! A must see for all ages!" Read more

"...Well I got it and we watched it. It's great for kids...." Read more

"...We finally have the movie. Its a great show for all ages. Wish this had a digital code with it for on demand." Read more

"...As for the film itself, it is pretty much true to the excellent children's book. Like another reviewer, I do recommend reading the book first." Read more

19 customers mention "Message"19 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the movie's positive message, with several noting its valuable lessons. One customer mentions it works well as a classroom comparison tool.

"Great movie, with a great message!" Read more

"...I felt it was done well with a positive message (so what if it was predictable?)..." Read more

"...this book for my HS students who struggle with reading fluency and comprehension! They loved the story!..." Read more

"...movie to follow up after reading the book and what a perfect message it contains! The movie emphasizes kindness and honesty...." Read more

17 customers mention "Character development"13 positive4 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the movie, noting that the cast is good and the voices are perfectly matched.

"...I also appreciate the fact this movie takes the time to develope the main characters, you understand the reason they do what they do, it makes you..." Read more

"...Here, though, it is pretty seamless. The voices are perfectly matched; Hoffman is great, Broderick is perfect and Langella was..." Read more

"...We did a compare/contrast between the two. The characters in the movie were done well and the storyline although different in many ways was still..." Read more

"...pity the same can’t be said of the didactic story and the overuse of too many name actors with overly familiar voices that didn’t suit the characters..." Read more

65 customers mention "Storyline"29 positive36 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the movie's storyline, with some finding it weak and tiresomely similar to other tales, while others appreciate its message of courage and perseverance.

"The movie doesn't follow the book at all. They changed almost everything and sanitized the characters' backstories for a much younger audience...." Read more

"...It has enough action to keep the young's attention, of course what's an animated movie without a few talking animals and a magical character who..." Read more

"...Although cute and a "nice" movie, it is not a true representation of the novel...." Read more

"...So for me, the film was a wonder. It is indeed a shame that for some, the book rendered such a fabulous experience..." Read more

42 customers mention "Quality"27 positive15 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the movie's quality, with some finding it well-made and in good condition, while others say it's not as good as the book and consider it a waste of money.

"...some one already mentioned this is an excellent family movie and done cleverly so...." Read more

"This is a cute movie although not quite as good as the book." Read more

"...it is pretty seamless. The voices are perfectly matched; Hoffman is great, Broderick is perfect and Langella was certainly not wasted here..." Read more

"...I felt it was done well with a positive message (so what if it was predictable?)..." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Mr Peabody
    5.0 out of 5 stars Never read the book.
    Reviewed in the United States on May 11, 2009
    Verified Purchase
    I for one did not read the book. Actually, I barely heard of the movie, my wife picked this up for us to watch with the kids before we watched our movie. It turned out to be an excellent animated movie with emphasis on movie. What I appreciated about Tale of Despereaux was the fact it had a story to tell and it was done very well. This is not just another animated fluff movie full of one liners and stupidity. It has enough action to keep the young's attention, of course what's an animated movie without a few talking animals and a magical character who goes from assistant chef to....... well I won't let that out of the bag. I also appreciate the fact this movie takes the time to develope the main characters, you understand the reason they do what they do, it makes you feel for the characters, whether you like them or not, your opinion could even change on certain characters as the movie unfolds, and no loose ends are left hanging at the end of the movie. The plot is not predictable as many of the Hollywood carbon copy dribble is today. I found Tale of Despereaux an entertaining movie that kept my attention as a 40 something, my grandson's, who is 4, and feel it can do the same for all ages. I personally hope to see more animation coming out that has this type of depth to the story. As some one already mentioned this is an excellent family movie and done cleverly so. For instance, one place in the movie a character sneaks a knife out of the kitchen, as an adult you know full well what is going on but the knife is never shown again. Another place it is incenuated one character will eat the other but they go through a door which closes behind them. And, whether you understand fully what happens there is really irrelevant because justice was served and a bad guy is out of the movie, which was the point. What I'm trying to say is children will still understand the story as it's done here without graffic deeds being shown.

    When you make a movie based on a book it's inevitable that comparisons will be made and people will be interested to know if it follows the book line by line but it should stop there. Try to judge the movie based on it's own stand alone merits. It's entertainment, not a history lesson. So I hope people will enjoy this fine film and not rip on it because they feel the maker violated some sacred writing.
    6 people found this helpful
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  • dale_evinsrude
    5.0 out of 5 stars The Spirit of the Round Table lives on in Despereaux
    Reviewed in the United States on December 6, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    One of my all time favorite films; up there with Casablanca, King Arthur, Agora and other epic adventures.
    Being an illustrator myself, with each viewing I grow more amazed at the gorgeous animation here. Unlike most anime, Disney or Pixar films, both the background and the actual characters have similar depth, perspective, shadowing and detail. (most animated features have those marvelous backgrounds but the characters are one dimensional; understandable considering they MOVE, etc. yes we know what is done), Here, though, it is pretty seamless.
    The voices are perfectly matched; Hoffman is great, Broderick is perfect and Langella was certainly not wasted here with his wonderfully deep Christopher Lee-like tones...

    I hadn't read the book, which is probably, I think now, a good thing. So for me, the film was a wonder. It is indeed a shame that for some, the book rendered such a fabulous experience
    null and void.
    And, yes, I think probably older kids would like it, and adults should. Very young folk, perhaps not so much.
    Adults who study medieval history, especially in the Languedoc region, may find tidbits of interest in this little film which would escape others. Indeed, there are many layers to this fine
    tale.
    Perhaps it is an acquired taste for devotees of chivalry only. Not many of those about.
    It is indeed sad to realize what gems are trodden underfoot nowadays without a thought.
    Education may be all but impossibly expensive in today's world, but self-education is still, thankfully, thus far, still available free at your local library.
    9 people found this helpful
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  • Marie LeMay
    5.0 out of 5 stars One of my son's favorites
    Reviewed in the United States on November 7, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    This cute story really caught the attention of my son, who read the book in school, and wanted to follow up with the movie. It's an endearing movie about a big-eared mouse in a kingdom, and how he finds "himself". I enjoyed it very much!
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  • sherian
    5.0 out of 5 stars Thank goodness for great stories
    Reviewed in the United States on August 4, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    I bought this movie in 2009, and here it is 2024 and we still love it…This is such a great little story and we will continually keep watching it for years to come.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Amazon customer
    4.0 out of 5 stars Scary
    Reviewed in the United States on April 3, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Rated g? No. Scary.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Classroom tools
    Reviewed in the United States on October 27, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Great to show after reading the book
    Helpful
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  • ELYSE D
    5.0 out of 5 stars Class Party
    Reviewed in the United States on May 15, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    What a great way to finish up a novel study with my students. This was such a fun movie to watch after reading the book with my students. My suggestion would be to just rent it, because we had 3 days to watch it which was plenty of time.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Charles
    5.0 out of 5 stars A reasonably solid adaptation
    Reviewed in the United States on October 9, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    We read the book so got to watch the movie it’s pretty good as adaptations go.
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Jaume Martí
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excelente película
    Reviewed in Spain on July 18, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    Original guión, llevado a una película de animación 3D con un resultado espectacular. Nos ha encantado.
    Report
  • Elyse
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great movie!
    Reviewed in Canada on April 28, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    Great movie. I use it in my classroom after we finish reading the book.
    Report
  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars THE TALE OF DESPEREAUX [2008 / 2017] [Blu-ray]
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 21, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    THE TALE OF DESPEREAUX [2008 / 2017] [Blu-ray] Small Mouse, Big Dreams! Small Hero, Big Heart! Enchanting, Heart-warming and Fun!

    Once upon a time . . . In the far away Kingdom of Dor . . . lived a brave and virtuous mouse with comically oversized ears who dreamt of becoming a knight. Banished from his home for having such lofty ambitions, Despereaux sets off on an amazing adventure with his good-hearted rat friend Roscuro, who leads him on a very noble quest to rescue an endangered princess and save an entire kingdom from darkness. Based on the heart-warming bestselling book and featuring the voice talents of an all-star cast, ‘THE TALE OF DESPEREAUX’ is a magical, modern fairy-tale that's destined to win the hearts of young and old alike. Narrated by Sigourney Weaver.

    FILM FACT: Awards and Nominations: 2008 Chicago Film Critics Association Awards: Nominated: Best Animated Feature. 2009 Annie Awards: Nominated: Best Directing in an Animated Feature Production for Robert Stevenhagen and Sam Fell. Nominated: Best Music in an Animated Feature Production for William Ross. Nominated: Best Production Design in an Animated Feature Production for Evgeni Tomov. Nominated: Best Storyboarding in an Animated Feature Production for Robert Stevenhagen. 2009 Casting Society of America: Nominated: Outstanding Achievement in Casting for an Animation Feature for Debra Zane. 2008 Motion Picture Sound Editors: Nominated: Golden Reel Award: Best Sound Editing in Sound Effects, Foley, Music, Dialogue and ADR Animation in a Feature Film for Anna MacKenzie (ADR editor), Diane Marshall (Foley artist), Chris Jargo (supervising dialogue/ADR editor), James Moriana (Foley artist), Jeffrey Wilhoit (Foley artist), Jon Title (sound designer), Lon Bender (supervising sound editor), Michael Hertlein (dialogue/ADR editor), Michelle Pazer (ADR editor), Nancy MacLeod (supervising Foley editor), Paul Aulicino (sound effects editor) and Peter Myles (music editor). 2008 San Diego Film Critics Society Awards: Win: The Visitor, Step Brothers and Burn After Reading for Richard Jenkins. 2008 Satellite Awards: Best Motion Picture, Animated or Mixed Media.

    Voice Cast: Matthew Broderick, Dustin Hoffman, Emma Watson, Tracey Ullman, Kevin Kline, William H. Macy, Stanley Tucci, Ciarán Hinds, Robbie Coltrane, Tony Hale, Frances Conroy, Frank Langella, Richard Jenkins, Christopher Lloyd, Charles Shaughnessy, Sigourney Weaver, Patricia Cullen, Sam Fell, Jane Karen, Bronson Pinchot, McNally Sagal, Gary Dunn, Georgie Kidder, Belinda Peregrin Schull (uncredited), Robin Atkin Downes (uncredited) and Daniel Riordan (uncredited)

    Directors: Robert Stevenhagen and Sam Fell

    Producers: Allison Thomas, Casey Crowe, Celia Boydell, David Lipman, Gary Ross, Jamal McLemore, Peiyu H. Foley, Robin Bissell, Ryan Kavanaugh, Tracy Shaw and William Sargent

    Screenplay: Chris Viscardi (screen story), Gary Ross (writer), Will McRobb (screen story) and Kate DiCamillo (book)

    Composer: William Ross

    Cinematography: Brad Blackbourn (Director of Photography)

    Image Resolution: 1080p [Technicolor]

    Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 [Anamorphic]

    Audio: English: 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio and English: 2.0 Dolby Digital Stereo

    Subtitles: English SDH

    Running Time: 93 minutes

    Region: Region B/2

    Number of discs: 1

    Studio: Universal Animation Studios / Mediumrare Entertainment / Freemantle Media International

    Andrew’s Blu-ray Review: ‘THE TALE OF DESPEREAUX’ [2008] is based on the award-winning book by Kate DiCamillo, and featuring an all-star voice cast including Matthew Broderick, Dustin Hoffman, Emma Watson, Kevin Kline, Stanley Tucci, Sigourney Weaver, Frank Langella, William H. Macy, Tracey Ullman, Robbie Coltrane, and Ciaran Hinds. The screenplay adaptation was penned by director Gary Ross and other luminaries as stated above.

    The story is set in the Kingdom of Dor, which has fallen into perpetual sadness and darkness after its queen dies as a result of a freak accident caused by a rat in her soup. Banished from the surface world, rats have retreated deep underground and grown vicious and resentful. The mice in "Mouseworld," are much more well-adjusted and very cuddly. Enter young Despereaux Tilling [Matthew Broderick], who befriends the lonely human Princess Pea [Emma Watson] and Despereaux Tilling becomes very enamoured with her and with tales of chivalry and brave knights.

    Despereaux Tilling envisioning himself as a likewise honourable and courageous knight, Despereaux Tilling sets out to rescue the Princess Pea and save the kingdom from the grief that has gripped it for years. Along the way, he encounters Roscuro [Dustin Hoffman], a banished rat who wants to make amends with Princess Pea . . . until she rejects him. In the rats world it is dominated by the sinister Botticelli [Ciarán Hinds], who enjoys staging gladiatorial arena matches between doomed mice and a giant cat.

    Princess Pea finds herself becoming Botticelli's prisoner due to the actions of her troubled and homely servant girl Miggery Sow [Tracy Ullman]. If Despereaux Tilling can save the Princess Pea, he might also just restore hope and light to Kingdom of Dor and prove that even the least among us deserve a chance. Oh, did I mention that soup is a major part of the story?

    Rarely does an animated film follow traditional fairy-tale conventions without attempting to include as many popular culture references as possible. ‘THE TALE OF DESPEREAUX’ is one of a kind, because it is a really beautiful animated film, and there is even animation-within-the-animation, and an epic that will delight children, their parents, and anyone who loves a good animated film alike. There is adventure and fantasy, especially Boldo, a creature made out of produce and voiced by Stanley Tucci, is one of the most amusing, imaginative screen characters in fairy-tale lore, but also the entire Mig subplot is especially poignant and a good lesson for children to learn, the only thing that might upset children is that the animated film raises an interesting question: Why are rats, the bringers of the Black Plague and one of the most detested urban pests, suddenly so popular as the heroes of animated films? Then again, the cuddly denizens of ‘Flushed Away,’ ‘Ratatouille,’ and ‘THE TALE OF DESPEREAUX’ do not resemble their real-life counterparts, which parents should explain in the best way to their children. But if children thinks this what happens in those particular animal kingdom, children might not be so charmed by their antics in the animated arena. Again the result is exactly the kind of animated film the entire family should treasure, and will be especially enamoured and charmed for younger viewers, and especially the happy ever after end of the animated film and I suspect it will get repeat viewing many times, but what a shame it was not produced in 3D. But despite this, if you want to give children a magical experience of wonderful a fairy tale, then you will not go wrong with this excellent Blu-ray disc, and once children are hooked, I suspect they will beg their Parents to do lots of repeat performances.

    Blu-ray Image Quality – Universal Animation Studios and Mediumrare Entertainment bring you this wonderful magic animation in stunning 1080p image presentation. The wonderful colours are captured well, from the bright blue skies and blue-green ocean waves of the introduction to the more muted tones of the castle and village to the vivid browns and golds of “Mouseworld” and the dark yet garish reds and blacks of “Ratworld.” In the bonus features we learn that the film-makers were trying to capture specific painterly styles, from the Vermeer-like Castle setting, to the Hieronymous Bosch-influenced “Ratworld,” and the video transfer does this justice with nary a compression artefact in sight, and the good colour saturation is very good detail overall. This Blu-ray presentation completely blows away the standard-definition inferior DVD. Compression artefacts and minor image flaws are nowhere to be seen, providing fans of this animated film with a totally sharp, and brilliant detailed of all the characters in this glorious magical animated film. Please Note: Playback Region B/2: This will not play on most Blu-ray players sold in North America, Central America, South America, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Southeast Asia. Learn more about Blu-ray region specifications.

    Blu-ray Audio Quality – Universal Animation Studios and Mediumrare Entertainment presents us with a 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio experience and captures the energetic film music score by composer William Ross well. Use of the surrounds is fairly subtle: a "Land Ho" from the rear right channel as a ship approaches the Kingdom of Dor, the rattles and clanks of armour and weapons all around us as one of our brave rodents escapes the King's soldiers, and some water drips and other ambient sounds to establish the dreary dankness of “Ratworld” are a few places where the surround channels are put to very good use, but when there are no surround sounds I had to crank the sound up quite a lot, because at the normal setting I have it was very quiet when the characters talk. The dialogue is very clean via the centre speaker, but a bit too pristine at times, sounding artificial. Surround elements is sparse, but well balanced, evenly mixed with the animated film's robust film music score. The bass is rich and lively, but not quite as enveloping, particularly during some of the animated film's more intense action sequences. All in all, this is a fine surround mix, and is always clear and intelligible which helps us to follow the animated characters sometimes complex motivations.

    Blu-ray Special Features and Extras:

    Special Feature: Deleted Songs [2008] [1080p] [1.78:1] [4:36] Here we get to view two deleted songs, which you view black-and-white storyboard drawings that have been animated and they are as follows: “It's Great To Be A Rat” and “Soup, Soup,” and it would have been interesting to see how it would have actually looked if they had been included in the finished animated film.

    Special Feature: Making of ‘THE TALE OF DESPEREAUX’ [2008] [1080p] [1.78:1] [11:41] Here we go behind-the-scenes of the animated film with the cast and crew, especially seeing the voice cast in the recording session and are allowed to act out the scene they are putting their voices to, and also see the process involved in making this particular animated film. We also get to view some nice clips from the animated film and some very nice colourful illustrations. Contributors include: Hate DiCamillo [Author], Gary Ross [Screenwriter/Producer], Allison Thomas [Producer], Sam Fell [Co-Director], Robert Stevenhagen [Co-Direstor], Stanley Tucci [Boldo], Emma Watson [Princess Pea], Matthew Broderick [Despereaux], Kevin Kline [Andrew], Gabriele Zucchelli [Supervising Animator], Brad Blackbourn [Director of Photography], Evgeni Tomov [Production Designer], Jason Horley [Lead Digital Matte Painter] and Ryan Michero [Head of Lighting]. It is something that fans of this animated film should definitely check out.

    Special Feature: Scene Progressions [2008] [1080p] [1.78:1] [35:08] Here we get to view six different scenes from the animated film and we also get to view how it progressed into the five different stages of evolution, until the finished animated film via the following: SCRIPT; STORYBOARD; LAYOUT, ANIMATION and FINAL LIGHTING and as we view each stages we get to hear the actual narration that is said in the film by Sigourney Weaver. With each six scene progression that are included, will only really be enjoyed by really die-hard fans interested in how it looks at each stage of production, and if you are not a fan of this process, by the time you get to the sixth Scene Progression, you might get very bored.

    Special Feature: Top Ten Uses For Oversized Ears Featurette [2008] [1080p] [1.78:1] [1:20] Here is an extra bonus for young children, especially if they are getting bullied for being different, and informs them of the benefits of oversized ears, and especially with wonderful colourful illustrations, starting at number 10:

    10. FLIGHT: Handy for those unexpected drops.

    09. BALANCE: Perfect for nay tightrope walking.

    08. ENHANCED HEARING: To gain advantage when on a noble quest.

    07. MAGIC TRICKS: Ever seen the old coin-behind-the-ear trick?

    06: WIGGLING: Kids just love that.

    05: PROTECTION: To help cushion your fall.

    04. SHIELD: Handy in the event of unwieldy flying vegetables.

    03. FANNING: To cool down after a perilous escapade.

    02. SPEED: The airlift makes running feel light on your toes.

    01. DISTINGUISHING FEATURES: They make you unique and that gives you confidence.

    Finally, I suspect it is something older viewers will only feel it is only worth viewing once, but I suspect younger audiences will want a repeat viewing.

    Finally, writer-producer Gary Ross has crafted an impressive screenplay that is ambitious without being condescending or predictable. Kate DiCamillo's fans should forgive Gary Ross and others for changing details to suit this animated film. If anything, the animated film should attract more readers ready to follow the more in-depth chronicle of Despereaux Tilling, Princess Pea, Mig, and the other magical characters that are introduced to in this very memorable and magical animated film. ‘THE TALE OF DESPEREAUX’ is definitely a mixed bag, but is ultimately in my opinion very well done. The animated film is much more intended for family viewing with younger children; especially in the way the story is unfolds, as well as presented and it also includes plenty of humour for all ages to really enjoy. As a mainly children's animated film, it definitely provides a very good message, and shows you can have a very good time. Children will love all the characters, but especially Despereaux Tilling himself the mouse who is very lovable, very entertaining and especially as it has a fantastic and brilliant voice cast that gives the animated film that added bonus as well. The Blu-ray release is really fantastic and very colourful, and featuring also a great image and audio presentation for this animated film, while adding quite a few interesting Blu-ray special features. Highly Recommended!

    Andrew C. Miller – Your Ultimate No.1 Film Aficionado
    Le Cinema Paradiso
    United Kingdom
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  • Nik
    5.0 out of 5 stars Traurigschöner Animationsfilm
    Reviewed in Germany on September 19, 2009
    Verified Purchase
    Desperaux. Dieser Film vermag es Menschen, die das Phantastische lieben, wirklich zu fesseln, obwohl es keine Komödie im herkömmlichen Sinne ist. Die Handlung ist in einem, natürlich fiktiven, ausgehenden 15. Jahhundert angesiedelt, in einem Königreich welches alles andere als nur schillernd ist.
    Der Film erzählt keine Geschichte vom Kampf zwischen Gut und Böse, sondern davon, dass das Gute und Schlechte in einem Jeden steckt, genau wie Trauer und Hoffnung. Und unser Held, der wirklich kleine Despereaux, beweist enorme innerliche Größe, da er nie von seinen angebohrenen (und angelesenen) Idealen abweicht. Er verkörpert die reine Hoffnung, Ritterlichkeit und ist der einzige In seiner Welt, der durch seine angebliche "Weltfremdheit" noch den Blick für das Wahrhaftige behalten hat.
    Wenn jemand der diesen Film sieht eine Vorliebe für phantastische Geschichten der etwas anderen Art hat wird begeistert sein. Ich persönlich fühlte mich durch die Erzählweise und Charakterzeichnung sehr an das phantastische Spiel "Fable 2" erinnert, und fand mich sofort in der Geschichte um Despereaux ein. Einfach ein traurigschöner- philosophisch- phantastischer Film, für mich bester Animationsfilm, den ich je sah.
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  • Mónica
    5.0 out of 5 stars Una pelicula tierna y muy emotiva
    Reviewed in Spain on April 20, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    Una pelicula para niños y para padres, creo que es la mejor pelicula que he visto en años. Trata temas que no son abordados en peliculas infantiles y que deberian ser de obligado visionado. Sorprende y mucho.
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