Penelope is the only daughter of the wealthy Franklin and Jessica. But she is afflicted by a family curse that can only be broken when she is loved by “one of her own kind”. In an attempt to break the curse her parents supply her with a seemingly endless stream of aristocratic suitors who all ... Read review
Production Year: 1993 - Family - Director: Tim Burton, Henry Selick - Original Language: English - Classification: Parental Guidance - Starring: Ken Page, Pee-Wee Herman, Glenn Shadix, William Hickey, Catherine O'Hara, Chris Sarandon, Danny Elfman
Advantages: A reasonable central premise. Disadvantages: Poor direction, writing, acting and effects.
Penelope is the only daughter of the wealthy Franklin and Jessica. But she is afflicted by a family curse that can only be broken when she is loved by “one of her own kind”. In an attempt to break the curse her parents supply her with a seemingly endless stream of aristocratic suitors who all run away screaming when they catch sight of her. Hidden away in her family’s palatial home she longs for a normal life. Then she meets the charming Max Campion, ... ...quickly before petering out as Penelope learns love and acceptance. The romance between her and Max is stilted as most of the getting-to-know-you period of their relationship is covered in a series of talking head conversations on either side of a two-way mirror. So there’s no physical connection and a lack of chemistry between them. Consequently the film feels dull and about twenty minutes too long at a-hundred-and-four minutes.
Penelope is the only daughter of the wealthy Franklin and Jessica. But she is afflicted by a family curse that can only be broken when she is loved by “one of her own kind”. In an attempt to break the curse her parents supply her with a seemingly endless stream of aristocratic suitors who all run away screaming when they catch sight of her. Hidden away in her family’s palatial home she longs for a normal life. Then she meets the charming Max Campion, but when she discovers his involvement with an undercover reporter, she runs away from home. She is befriended by Annie and begins to experience real life for the first time…
“Penelope” is a film that feels old-fashioned and not necessarily in a good way. It comes across as one of those Children’s Television Workshop productions they used to show on the BBC on Friday afternoons, rather than a big screen production. This is mainly because the budgetary constraints are so obvious. The whole thing has clearly been shot in London, but the makers want it to look like America, despite the fact that the road markings and architecture are all wrong. And that’s before we even get to the cast of Brits with an assortment of dodgy fake American accents. Perhaps it is no surprise considering this is only director Mark Palansky’s third feature and much of his work has been directing interviews, which doesn’t require as great a scope as a film. His direction tends towards the pedestrian. He shoots like an unconcerned bystander and there’s no sense of wonder to the fantastical aspects of the story. He’s also let down by poor production values; dressing up a man as a witch and some dodgy computer-generated leaves are the least of his crimes. The film stock is muddy, so the whole production looks cheap. Considering much of the film revolves around a prosthetic snout, you’d have thought he would have given over more of the budget to the make-up. Sadly the important proboscis looks exactly like it’s made out of rubber and has been glued on, thus capsizing the central conceit.
We don’t get to know the central character before the story takes off, so we don’t care about her particularly. Her whole life up to the present is summed up in a single montage, as are her unsuccessful dates. The pacing stutters as a result and the whole story comes to a head too quickly before petering out as Penelope learns love and acceptance. The romance between her and Max is stilted as most of the getting-to-know-you period of their relationship is covered in a series of talking head conversations on either side of a two-way mirror. So there’s no physical connection and a lack of chemistry between them. Consequently the film feels dull and about twenty minutes too long at a-hundred-and-four minutes.
The screenplay by Leslie Caveny fails to capitalise on a decent central premise. It could be a delightfully spiky modern-day fairytale about image and prejudice. But instead it goes for a terribly middle-of-the-road romance with a “love yourself” message. No wonder it took two years to come out over here. The twist is as plain as the nose on Penelope’s face, so it feels redundant. The biggest surprise is that there are no surprises – that and the fact the writer doesn’t have any firm ideas about who the film is aimed at. The fairytale opening suggests it is a kids’ film while the self-discovery and romance lends itself to an older audience.
The characterisation is perhaps overly simplistic. Penelope is a stock character; a girl that dreams of an ordinary life despite her physical difference. But despite getting out into the world, she doesn’t really do anything, making her a non-entity it is very difficult to empathise with. Her relationships with Max and her parents are underdeveloped, so there’s no reason to root for her. Max doesn’t have much in the way of personality so there is little for the audience to latch onto or like. Penelope’s mother Jessica is a full-on comic harridan, while her father barely exists. Journalist Lemon is defined by his job, suitor Edward is a two-dimensional spoilt brat and Annie is a stereotypical feisty girl completely lacking depth. The dialogue is entirely forgettable, showing a dearth of comedy and emotional heft.
I’ve enjoyed many of Christina Ricci’s quirky performances over the years but her turn as Penelope is far from her best. She comes across as sweet and naïve but with a strong will. But there isn’t enough depth to the characterisation, so she feels generic. She doesn’t so much feel dreamy as asleep and she lacks chemistry with her on-screen love interest. As Max James McAvoy puts in another charming turn as Max Campion; a scruffy, down-and-out aristo with a reasonable US accent. But the character is again subject to bland writing so it doesn’t feel as though there’s enough to the part to make him feel like a real, sympathetic person. Simon Woods plays bad guy Edward as a Tim-Nice-But-Dim buffoon whose spoilt snobbishness is his undoing. But again the performance feels superficial.
Catherine O’Hara is good value as Penelope’s panicky, hysterical mother Jessica who is pushy and abrasive in equal measure. However, her acting style feels over-the-top comparatively speaking. But she fares batter than Richard E Grant, whose bizarre accent is the only notable aspect of his performance. Reese Witherspoon is miscast as the punky, sassy Annie but gives the part a good go anyway. Peter Dinklage is twitchy as one-eyed journalist Lemon. Ronni Ancona is surprisingly convincing as an American accented matchmaker. Burn Gorman from TV’s “Torchwood” turns up with a crap accent as smug journalist Larry and Lenny Henry, Russell Brand and Nick Frost make pointless cameos.
The original music by Joby Talbot almost drowns in its own sentimentality. There is an excess of magical twinkles and chimes and syrupy piano and strings, just in case you’d forgotten this was a romance with magical flourishes. There is nothing very innovative about any of the music. The threatening string themes appear when you expect them to. Moments of mystery are covered by flutes and harps in predictable arrangements. There are some sweeping, tragic themes. The only slightly surprising addition is the use of accordion motifs, but these are popular when composers want to increase the quirk factor.
“Penelope” is a film that fails to fill the viewer with fairytale wonder because there isn’t enough whimsy and the budget cannot meet the demands of the necessary effects. There are occasional flickers of what might have been (such as Penelope’s fantastical bedroom), but on the whole the film is let down by pedestrian direction, pallid writing and bland performances. It might be worth plonking the kids down in front of it on a rainy afternoon if they aren’t very demanding little folk and it happens to be on TV. But there’s no reason to go seeking it out.
Advantages: Charming, funny, romantic, sad, compelling, good cast, great musical scor Disadvantages: None for me, as long as you accept it for what it is.
...charming. Christina Ricci stars as Penelope and is so very pretty that even with a pig's snout for a nose she looks good. James McAvoy provides good eye candy for the female viewer as he plays Penelope's love interest and ultimate Prince Charming.
The story is basically a modern day 'Once upon a time' with the traditional 'Happy ever after' ending. Penelope is born to a rich family which has had a curse bestowed on them many years earlier. The curse ... ...to fall in love with Penelope and so lift the curse. During all this time Penelope has been kept almost like a Princess locked in a tower for years on end, and has never enjoyed any freedom. This is set to change though.
For me this film ticked plenty of boxes. It had some humour which worked on a few levels. There was the odd thing which amused me but my young companion did not quite get. The sets were really well done and the period was a little ...
grafter123 13.06.2008 (29.06.2008)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Penelope (DVD)
...with a pig's snout. As Penelope (Christina Ricci) becomes a woman she knows it's time to find a man, and through a series of adverts men are invited to visit the home of the Wilhern's in order to become perspective husbands. Sadly for Penelope all who see her snout run a mile, will gambler Johnny (James McAvoy) be any different? Or will reporter Lemon (Peter Dinklage) expose the truth behind the legend first?
Penelope confuses me a little, this ... ...To describe the look of Penelope it's somewhat reminiscent of a Tim Burton movie, with a touch of Pushing Daisies and A Series Of Unfortunate Events thrown in for good measure. There is a lack of identity to the picture too, which is actually a good thing, filmed entirely in England, you get the impression that the movie is set in almost a world different to ours. The city looks like New York in the present, the vehicles look like something from ...
sghawken 07.06.2008
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Penelope (DVD)
Advantages: Magical Disadvantages: Middle Bit Drags on Slightly!
...owned a copy! Penelope is a romantic , comedy and fantasy movie released in the United Kingdom on February 1st 2008. This film stars young actress , Christina Ricci as well as a few other well known actors and actresses including Reese Witherspoon and James McAvoy. Running time of this movie is one hundred and four minutes (sixteen minutes under two hours). This movie is classified as a U which means it can be watched by children of all ages (as ... ...to look like other girls. Penelope is born with an evil curse cast upon her ; she has a pigs snout and ears. Attempting to break the curse ; her parents try and set her up on a few dates , although sadly her pig-like-face has all the boys running for the hills. But , what is so different when she meets Johnny? Watch Penelope to find out! If your looking for a fairytale kind of movie then this is your film! This is the kind of bedtime story you were ...
xdonzx 18.08.2009
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Penelope (DVD)
Advantages: Can't think of any... Disadvantages: Bland, inane dialogue, no character depth.
...the family home.
When Penelope reaches a marriageable age, her parents set about finding a husband for her amidst their own kind, but the eligible bachelors are repulsed at the sight of her and flee... until one day a wily reporter, who never believed that the Wilhern's daughter had died, manages to find a 'down-on-his-luck' blue blood, Max, and entices him into courting Penelope so he can take a picture of her. Unfortunately for the journalist, ... ...isn't the 'blue blood' that Penelope needs in order to break the curse, and not wanting to make her life more difficult than it already is, Max decides to make himself scarce. Penelope, however, isn't aware of Max's true feelings for her, thinking that he was simply out to humiliate her by selling her picture to the journalist, and in a moment of rebellion, decides to run away and see for herself what the world has to offer.
'Penelope' had such ...
GoFigure 10.06.2008
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Penelope (DVD)
Advantages: A good family film with a moral involved Disadvantages: Very predictable
...only review of the film Penelope ==
I don't know about you but the regular channels on the TV have been pretty dire lately. Thank goodness that I have Sky Movies!!! After coming home from a couple of days away with the option of Police Booking Motorists or some such muck, political propaganda, American rubbish and Harry Potter AGAIN (we have all the DVD's already) we checked on Sky Anytime and decided to watch the family film 'Penelope'. Penelope ... ...etc are American. Penelope is about a girl who looks like a pig. The story starts as a couple are entering a maternity ward. We are then told about the Wilhern family, a family blessed with money and a high social standing, but also a family that have a dark secret. Many generations ago, an illicit love affair between one of the family and a servant resulted in an unwanted pregnancy and a tragic suicide. The mother of the servant girl - a witch - ...
oldchem 03.09.2009 (09.09.2009)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Penelope (DVD)
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Advantages: Short episodes, footage of real ballet lessons, Judi Dench Disadvantages: May lead to pleas for real balllet lessons!
ANGELINA BALLERINA - FOREVER FRIENDS
INTRODUCTION
Angelina Ballerina is a mouse. A mouse who loves to dance and who dreams of being a prima ballerina. Along with her best friend, Alice, she gets into lots of scrapes and adventures, often hindered by those pesky Pinkpaws twins, Priscilla and Penelope.
EPISODES
This particular DVD consists of four episodes, all approximately 12-15 minutes long.
Ballerina Rag Doll - Angelina gives away her old rag doll and then immediately regrets her decision. She ropes in Alice to try to track her doll down, only to find the lost doll where she least expects, when she is helping Miss Lily teach a new ballet class.
Angelina's Surprise - Angelina is so jealous when the Pinkpaws twins show off their new baby brother that she tells everyone that her mother is having ...
Advantages: Jumps and thrills Disadvantages: like a lot of other movies
AND DVD DETAILS.........
DIRECTOR......Peter Hyams
CAST OVERVIEW.........
Tom Sizemore
Linda Hunt
Penelope Ann Miller
James Whitmore
Clayton Rohner
Running time.....120 mins
DVD EXTRAS............
Unfortunately not a lot to offer here, just an interactive menu and a trailer to the movie itself.
Price..... Considering this movie has been around for a while, you should be able to pick it up for no more than £6.99.
Thanks for reading, Dempsey x ...
dempsey_review 16.01.2006
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of The Relic (DVD)
Advantages: Monteverdi's music, gorgeous musical performance Disadvantages: Lots of cuts
.
The STORY occurs after the Trojan War. Ulisse (Ulysseus) the Greek has been missing for 20 years during his journey home to Ithaca, where his steadfast wife Penelope has been saving herself waiting for his return despite being actively courted by other Greek kings. With the help of the goddess Minerva, Ulisse arrives home in disguise as an old beggar just in time to participate in the challenge cooked up by Penelope's 3 suitors that anyone who can fit the arrow to Ulisse's bow would win Penelope's hand. If you want to know the rest, you can watch the DVD. ;o)
CAST:
Human Fragility/ Ullise (King of Ithaca) = Dietrich Henschel (Baritone)
Penelope (Queen of Ithaca, Ulisse?s wife) = Vesselina Kasarova (Mezzo-soprano/Contralto)
Ericlea (Royal nursemaid) = Cornelia Kallisch (Soprano)
Melanto (Penelope's maid ) = Malin Hartelius (Soprano ...
Christina Ricci stars as Penelope, a young woman aiming to shake off a long-standing family curse and find her true identity in this debut feature from director Mark Palansky.
Release details
DVD Region
DVD
Studio(s)
MOMENTUM PICTURES; TECHNICOLOR DISTRIBUTION SERVICES
Languages
Main Language
English
Technical information
Special Features
Theatrical trailer, Featurette, Exclusive ROM content
Aspect Ratio
16:9 Anamorphic Wide Screen
Sound
Dolby Digital
Professional reviews
Review
Brilliant (Daily Star, 11/04/2008)
Plenty of twists and an extremely snappy script (Empire, 11/04/2008)
Charming, low-key fable with sly modern twists (Hollywood Reporter, 03/12/2007)
Charming and witty (News Of The World, 11/04/2008)
DVD Description
Like Tim Burton's EDWARD SCISSORHANDS and the TV show PUSHING DAISIES, PENELOPE is a modern fairy tale, complete with candy colours and whimsical cinematography. PENELOPE begins with a generations-old curse by a jilted lover: the next girl in the aristocratic Wilhern family will be born with a pig's snout and ears. Though ages pass, the bad luck finally manifests itself in young Penelope (Christina Ricci) much to the shame of her mother (Christopher Guest favourite Catherine O'Hara). In an effort to break the curse, her mother and father (Richard E. Grant, WITHNAIL AND I) try to bring in a series of blue-blooded suitors. But when they see her face, the men all run screaming. Enter Max (James McAvoy), a down-on-his-luck gambler who connects with Penelope. But when he is exposed as a fraud, the heartbroken girl escapes into the surrounding city. Though she hides her face with a scarf, Penelope gets to experience life outside her family's mansion for the first time. Pig nose and all, Ricci is adorable as the title character, excellent in alternating between naivete and independence. Oscar winner Reese Witherspoon succeeds in double duty as both a producer and in a small acting role as Penelope's first friend in the big city. But it's McAvoy, a standout in ATONEMENT and THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND, who threatens to steal hearts. The pair's romance is believable, and it makes the film good viewing for fairy tale fans of all ages. The PG rating should appeal to families, as should the film's message about the importance of inner-beauty and self-confidence.
