Jack and the Beanstalk - The Real Story

Delivery Time: 7 to 15 Working Days Format: DVD

An all-star cast heads up this modern-day spin on the classic fairy tale. Matthew Modine stars as a distant relative of the original Jack who learns that a family curse can only be lifted by righting the wrongs that were perpetrated against the giants by his sticky-fingered ancestor. Mia Sara, Jon Voight, Daryl Hannah and Vanessa Redgrave co-star. 184 min. Standard and Widescreen (Enhanced); Soundtracks: English Dolby Digital 5.1, Dolby Digital 2.0; behind-the-scenes footage; featurette; production notes.
This ambitious miniseries begins with Jack's descendant (Matthew Modine) and works its way backward to the story of the original young man and the beanstalk. Because the first Jack used that towering vine to steal a giant's magic goose and harp, an entire world was reduced to poverty and a bloodline was cursed--all Robinson men die in their 40s, and the modern-day Jack is around that age. Fortunately, Ondine (Mia Sara), a visitor from the giant's alternative reality, has a plan. If she and Jack can recover the stolen items in time, they may be able to solve both problems. The made-for-TV movie boasts top stars (including Vanessa Redgrave and Jon Voight) and Jim Henson's Creature Shop's nifty special effects. Although children younger than 10 may find the complex narrative confusing and the implied violence scary, Jack and the Beanstalk is an inventive retelling that adds new life to an old story. --Kathleen C. Fennessy