Cosgrove, Brian

Roald Dahl's The BFG (Big Friendly Giant)

This animated adaptation of Roald Dahl's delightful children's novel tells the tale of an orphan girl and her friend the BFG (Big Friendly Giant). His nightly routine of catching good dreams and blowing them into children's ears is threatened by bigger meaner giants so he and Sophie embark on an adventure to thwart the bad guys.System Requirements:Running Time 88 MinsFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: CHILDREN/FAMILY Rating: NR UPC: 733961758009 Manufacturer No: AAE-75800

When a giant silently snatches little Sophie from her orphanage bed and takes her through a vortex into another world, she has no idea she has just been rescued. The particular giant who kidnaps her is the friendly one of the title: an elf-like creature who forces himself to eat foul-tasting cucumber-like things instead of children and spends his nights delivering good dreams to them. Sophie and the BFG form a fast friendship in this animated feature based on the Roald Dahl book. But when they go back to England the next night, one of the evil giants follows them and eats several children, prompting the pair to seek intervention from the queen and a team of military helicopters. Once again Dahl's unique vision blends modern-day realism with a fantastical world, captured superbly in this 91-minute British production, starring the voices of Amanda Root and David Jason. Young ones may have a few anxious moments during Sophie's original abduction and a later chase by the meanest of the giants. But the scariness of child-munching is more than offset by the dream-like quality of the land of the giants, the BFG's sing-songy mangling of the English language, and the heroic pairing of orphan and oversized sprite. (Ages 3 and older.) --Kimberly Heinrichs

Danger Mouse - The Complete Seasons 1 & 2

The first two seasons (1981-82) of British television's deliciously witty cartoon starring the world's smallest superhero come to DVD in this two-volume set of 17 uproarious episodes. Brian Trueman and Mike Harding are the masterful writing team behind the tongue-in-cheek humor of Danger Mouse, "the great guardian of peace and justice in the world" (voiced by David Jason), and his earnest yet bumbling assistant, Penfold. Taking orders from Colonel K, the intrepid duo strives to save the world from the dark deeds of Baron Silas Greenback, whether it means seeking cover from giant chickens, explosive cans of custard, or a renegade Martian. Classic episodes include "The Day of the Suds," when an army of washing machines soaks London in sinister soap bubbles, and "The Dream Machine," where the good guys are "cloud-napped" by a mysterious machine that causes their worst nightmares to come true. With nary a bland story in the bunch, adults will savor the sophisticated parodies inspired by Monty Python, Dr. Who, and Sherlock Holmes, while youngsters will relish DM's outrageous antics and crime-fighting gadgetry rivaling James Bond. Bonus material includes a never-aired pilot episode, "The Mystery of the Lost Chord," when the arch nemesis was Baron Greenteeth before being renamed Greenback. (Ages 8 and older) --Lynn Gibson

A spoof of Sherlock Holmes and James Bond, this Cosgrove Hall (The Wind in the Willows, Count Duckula) animated series follows the adventures of DANGERMOUSE, a London-based, eye patch-wearing, secret-agent mouse who regularly saves the world from monsters, master thieves, and other evildoers. One of the few British children's series to succeed in America, DANGERMOUSE is perfect for children of all ages. The series aired from 1981-1992 aired on ITV in the U.K. and in the 1990s on Nickelodeon in the U.S. DANGERMOUSE: THE COMPLETE SEASONS 1 AND 2 includes all 17 episodes that aired in the series' first two seasons plus the rare, never-aired pilot episode.

Danger Mouse - The Complete Seasons 3 & 4

More mind-boggling mysteries are foisted upon the famous odd couple of espionage, Danger Mouse and his bumbling assistant, Penfold. Seasons 3 & 4 (fall 1982 through spring 1983) continue to exploit the razor-sharp wit of Britain's Cosgrove/Hall Production cartoon of the world's smallest superhero. The two-disc set contains 14 episodes shown in their UK format as five four-minute installments (each with its own opening and closing titles/credits). Here, we find Danger Mouse--"that modern day knight in shining white Terylene"--pitted against such nefarious characters as Baron Greenback, Count Duckula, and the Demon from the 4th Dimension. Perilous adventures include "The Invasion of Colonel K" when DM faces strange denizens after Greenback shrinks himself and enters K's body to learn his secrets. Adding to the anarchy, two stories contain cameo appearances by Agent 57 and Professor Squakencluck. DM twice goes stateside, in "Tower of Terror" when he gets trapped in a New York skyscraper; and "The Trip to America" where a Texan helps him retrieve the world's most famous buildings that vanished in a single zap. The under-8 crowd will relish DM's crime-fighting gadgetry and eccentric escapades while older viewers are sure to savor the parodies--those renowned tongue-in-cheek nods to Dr. Who, Monty Python, and Sherlock Holmes. Bonus material is underwhelming, including character biographies and a Karaoke version of the theme song. (All ages) --Lynn Gibson

"Forget Mighty Mouse and The Brain, the smartest mouse in the world is DANGERMOUSE." - San Francisco Examiner Has your life become dull, witless and routine? Then what you need is another hilarious helping of DANGERMOUSE! Right here in your hands, 14 more highly original episodes starring the world's smallest secret agent--DANGERMOUSE! From the famed animation studios of Cosgrove Hall Productions (Count Duckula), this beloved cartoon classic takes animated zaniness to its wackiest and wittiest limits. No adventure is too challenging for our intrepid heroes, no pun too awful, no joke too sacred. Nay! With DangerMouse and his faithful hamster Penfold loose in the world, or at least on your TV screen, you're sure to find laughter in the midst of mystery. All mirthless villains beware! Now on DVD for the first time, DANGERMOUSE: THE COMPLETE SEASONS 3 & 4 is timeless entertainment for kids of all ages. DVD Features: DANGERMOUSE Theme Song Karaoke; Character Descriptions; Interactive Menus; Scene Selection

The Big Friendly Giant

When a giant silently snatches little Sophie from her orphanage bed and takes her through a vortex into another world, she has no idea she has just been rescued. The particular giant who kidnaps her is the friendly one of the title: an elf-like creature who forces himself to eat foul-tasting cucumber-like things instead of children and spends his nights delivering good dreams to them. Sophie and the BFG form a fast friendship in this animated feature based on the Roald Dahl book. But when they go back to England the next night, one of the evil giants follows them and eats several children, prompting the pair to seek intervention from the queen and a team of military helicopters. Once again Dahl's unique vision blends modern-day realism with a fantastical world, captured superbly in this 91-minute British production, starring the voices of Amanda Root and David Jason. Young ones may have a few anxious moments during Sophie's original abduction and a later chase by the meanest of the giants. But the scariness of child-munching is more than offset by the dream-like quality of the land of the giants, the BFG's sing-songy mangling of the English language, and the heroic pairing of orphan and oversized sprite. (Ages 3 and older.) --Kimberly Heinrichs

The BFG [Region 2]

When a giant silently snatches little Sophie from her orphanage bed and takes her through a vortex into another world, she has no idea she has just been rescued. The particular giant who kidnaps her is the friendly one of the title: an elf-like creature who forces himself to eat foul-tasting cucumber-like things instead of children and spends his nights delivering good dreams to them. Sophie and the BFG form a fast friendship in this animated feature based on the Roald Dahl book. But when they go back to England the next night, one of the evil giants follows them and eats several children, prompting the pair to seek intervention from the queen and a team of military helicopters. Once again Dahl's unique vision blends modern-day realism with a fantastical world, captured superbly in this 91-minute British production, starring the voices of Amanda Root and David Jason. Young ones may have a few anxious moments during Sophie's original abduction and a later chase by the meanest of the giants. But the scariness of child-munching is more than offset by the dream-like quality of the land of the giants, the BFG's sing-songy mangling of the English language, and the heroic pairing of orphan and oversized sprite. (Ages 3 and older.) --Kimberly Heinrichs