The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm (1962)

So much average

One of my all time favorites.

Good story, Not enough for a whole film

Excellent, Without a doubt!!

Cinerama also "projects" terribly on even 16x9 formats and the seams and colors mismatch on the 3 segments! An attempt at a "sweeping travelogue" with a thrilling train ride and beautiful "Bavaria" do not necessitate the elaborate Cinerama Process. Probably seen by more people in a more conventional format even in the 1960's as there were so few dedicated Cinerama theaters nationwide. Three good fairy tale segments, but I always felt there should have been four. Please don't ask me what other story it should have been? The first 20 minutes drags terribly and I can imagine little children squirming in their seats. The two George Pal segments ("The Cobbler and the Elves and The Singing Bone") are well-worth watching, but The Dancing Princess seems a bit less magical, although Russ Tamblin is an athletic dancer! Beautiful Barbara Eden is totally wasted here as a love interest for one of the Grimm Brothers. I just watched this on TCM in "Letterboxed Tinyvision". Not a fun experience! My grand-kids wouldn't enjoy it that way either! "tom thumb" has magical dancing shoes and "7 Faces of Dr. Lao" has a great sea serpent-dragon. Therefore, I don't need to own this film and, at this time, it's "out-of-print", anyway!

I saw The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm when it was showing at the Cinerama Dome in Los Angeles when I was 12 years old. It instantly became my most favorite movie, especially because of the glorious George Pal animations, the immersive 3-lens Cinerama effect, the presentation of the 3 fairy tales and the heartfelt romance of the Brothers Grimm framing story. All were perfect elements to enchant an twelve-year old.Last year I was able to see this movie again, restored in its original Cinerama presentation, at a theater in Los Angeles. It still enchanted me and drew me right back into my twelve-year-old's responses. It can still capture children's and adults' imaginations amid today's thundering CGI blockbusters, with its tenderheartedness and lively comic adventure. But, as I realize now, it presents an earnest endorsement of our fairy/folktale heritage. And most importantly, this movie speaks for the need to sustain and protect childhood and not to rush and push to leave childhood behind but to instill and encourage children's ability to imagine and empathize on into adulthood. That's the element that now enchants this adult.

I saw this on TCM last week usually its shown at a really awkward time for me such as 11am in the morning when I'm at work,the only chance i had of catching it was to view it at 5am on a Sunday which was my only chance,i wasn't disappointed. The story is about the early days of The Brothers Grimm and how they got inspiration to wright so many wonderful stories.Laurence Harvey gives a good sensitive performance as the brother Willhelm who was more of the dreamer of the two and who almost gives up when he becomes ill during the latter part of the film only to get better when his invented characters come to him in dream form and urge him to get better and continue to wright,which he eventually does. Also in the film are three separate fairy tales my favourite being the first one The Dancing Princess which contains a lovely dance routine between Russ Tamblyn and Yvette Mimuex, Mr Tamblyn is full of charm and shows off his clever gymnastic skills in a story which is also humorous and has some clever special effects such as the invisible cloak.The Singing Bone starring Terry Thomas is also very humorous although the dragon doesn't look scary in the least,but then this was probably intentional as the story is made for children. The three stories are all very colourful and not overlong and would suit a young child's attention span.This is definitely a film that can be enjoyed by all ages,I've often heard that this film was so much better on the big screen,that i can well believe although i think the TCM version is good ma by not as good but it will do. I along with a lot of other people am wondering when they are going to release this on DVD,as i wouldn't mind a copy.

While it's been encouraging to see a number of George Pal's sci-fi and fantasy classics finally come to DVD, THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF THE BROTHERS GRIMM is one of many still waiting to debut in the digital format (along with HOUDINI, ATLANTIS: THE LOST CONTINENT, a complete PUPPETOONS collection, etc..) With Terry Gilliam's new THE BROTHERS GRIMM film in theaters, it would seem like the timing would be perfect for such a release.Although available on VHS for some time, the tape doesn't do the film justice. GRIMM was shot using the three camera/three projector Cinarama process. With cast and crew members such as Russ Tamblyn (who provided commentary for Pal's TOM THUMB DVD) and stop-motion animator Jim Danforth still around, it would be nice to see Pal's fairy tale film get the deluxe DVD treatment, with the insight of surviving participants giving us a behind the scenes look at the making of the movie.