Babe (Widescreen Special Edition)

The voice of the pig is absolutely perfect... sweet, innocent and believable. Babe's tender heart will remind you of Wilbur from E.B. White's "Charlotte's Web" but this is a story in its own right... and there is no talking spider.

James Cromwell received an Oscar nomination for his role as Farmer Hoggett, a sweet, somewhat hen-pecked sheep farmer who wins the piglet as a prize in a county fair.

Babe is a lonely little piglet... he's had to say goodbye to his siblings and his mother at a tender age and is thrust into a barn with all sorts of strange animals he's never seen before. All of the animals, dogs, horses, the cows, etc. feel sorry for Babe and look out for him. There is rivalry with the top Border Collie, but Babe's sweet and innocent disposition wins the hearts of all reluctant farm dwellers.

The farmer's wife initially sees Babe as just a ham on legs, but the farmer sees more and finds a friend that changes his life.

It is impossible to see this film and not get at least a lump in your throat and many scenes will make you laugh outloud. I wish the DVD included more features, like a behind-the-scenes featurette outlining how they got the animatronics (which won a much deserved Oscar) to work. Perhaps it was felt that children would be dismayed that the pig really can't talk or that it took nearly 30 pigs to make the film due to the speed in which they grow into 1-ton hogs... I'm not sure, but as an adult, i would have enjoyed seeing more features on the DVD. This is still a wonderful family film and unforgettable and sweet characters.


A TRUE CLASSIC   September 12, 1998
 10 out of 10 found this review helpful

I am a film buff, who never had much interest in children's films, because they were either cloying, patronizing, or incredibly manipulative. This one is different. This film does what any great film should do-involve you in the many layers, subtexts and subtleties of the film. While many would say, well, its just a story about a pig- I say-quite wrong! I am always attracted to the well-constructed story, and yes, this film is better than the book. Not because you can see it- I often prefer books to movies, because I create all the scenes in my imagination. It is because it plumbs deeper than the book, to create something as rare as the perfect short story- the perfect fable. All great fables teach us something about life- and that is what BABE does so splendidly. Indeed, life and goodness shine through beautifully in this film. And truth- BABE does not shrink from showing us reality. It seems to be such a little story- and its not. Yet, it is highly enjoyable, and it is even more rewarding for adults than children-although it is a perfect family film. I cried buckets when I saw this film in the theater, because it brought back memories of my childhood, when a lonely girl created an imaginary landscape of talking animals in the forest. The film appealed to me on so many levels, though. Move over Les Enfants du Pardis- BABE is now my favorite film, and I highly recommend this film to you. END


Who can forget the goose having a hissy fit at the window?   March 26, 2004
 9 out of 9 found this review helpful

The movie Babe is so completely filled with memorable and hilarious gags and scenes and one-liners that it's hard to pick a favorite.
I'm a sheep pig.
Baa-Ram-Ewe.
The goose flapping outside the window.
The farmer's wife passing out on the motel bed.
Etc., etc., etc...
Marvelous, marvelous tale of a little pig on an Australian farm who is adopted by the farmer's border collie and trained to herd sheep. The improbable movie turned into the surprise hit of 1995, the video has probably been bought by more families than any other film of recent memory. With its message of hope and salvation, it's a hilarious and sentimental film you can watch again and again.


An Enchanting Movie for People of All Ages!   April 11, 2000
 12 out of 13 found this review helpful

When a little orphaned pig named Babe is taken in by Arthur Hoggett, the magic begins. He befriends all of the animals on the farm and becomes a "sheep pig," doing the Border Collies Fly and Rex's work just as well as the dogs themselves. Babe later wins a sheep-dog contest, proving that even the seemingly impossible is possible.

This brilliantly made film is an endearing family movie without being too sweet or sugar-coated. Adults and children alike will be delighted by the pleasant, and often funny, storylthe ine, as well as the talking animals like Fly, who takes care of Babe like she does her own puppies, and the trio of mice who sing songs like "Blue Moon." Underneath its surface, the movie holds an important moral: anything is possible.

"Babe" deserved its six Academy Award nominations hands-down. It is a must-see for anyone and everyone, young or old.