Hansel and Gretel (2002 film)

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Hansel and Gretel
Hansel and Gretel (2002 film).jpg
VHS cover
Directed by Gary J. Tunnicliffe
Produced by Steve Austin
Jonathan Bogner
Written by Gary J. Tunnicliffe
Timothy Dolan
Jonathan Bogner
Based on Hansel and Gretel 
by Brothers Grimm
Starring Jacob Smith
Taylor Momsen
Dakota Fanning
Thomas Curtis
Alana Austin
Gerald McRaney
Delta Burke
Lynn Redgrave
Howie Mandel
Music by Rusty Andrews
Bob Mothersbaugh
Cinematography Brian Baugh
Editing by Andrew Cohen
Studio Tag Entertainment
Innovation Film Group
Distributed by Helkon Media AG (Theatrical)
Warner Bros. (Home media)
Release dates October 18, 2002
Running time 89 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $10 million
Box office $154,642



The film begins in a modern home with two children, Andrew (Thomas Curtis) and Katie (Dakota Fanning), about to go to bed during a thunderstorm. They ask their father to read them a story to help them feel better about the storm. The father finds a dusty, old book and decides to read the story of Hansel and Gretel.

Hansel and Gretel (Jacob Smith and Taylor Momsen) are living with their father (Gerald McRaney) and stepmother (Delta Burke) in a very tiny shack. The children know their stepmother is evil, but the father does not. Since they are very poor, the father decides to sell Hansel and Gretel's biological mother's necklace, but the stepmother substitutes a pebble. The next day the stepmother forces the children into taking a walk in the scary forest. Once they get far enough into the forest, the stepmother abandons them.

Afterward, Hansel and Gretel go looking for food and are tricked into going to a lazy troll's (Bobcat Goldthwait) house. They get caught, but are then saved by the Sandman (Howie Mandel), whom they befriend. They also let Wood Fairy (Alana Austin) free, whom they also befriend. Throughout the story the Sandman and the fairy are always bickering which causes problems at times.

One night when the Sandman goes out to get some food for the kids, and the fairy goes out for one reason or another, Hansel and Gretel wander off to a house made of candy and chocolate. The lady (Lynn Redgrave) that lives there invites them in and they eat some delicious food and then go to bed. They wake up the next morning and find the house is just an empty shack with an old lady in it. A raven (Sinbad) comes to the window to tell them that the old lady is actually a witch. The witch walks into the room, locks Hansel in a box, and makes Gretel cook and Hansel eat. She does this because she is going to eat Hansel and wants him nice and fat. Because of certain principles, Gretel breaks a mirror and the witch becomes ugly. The Sandman and Wood Fairy walk in and help Hansel and Gretel get the witch into her cauldron. Then they put her in the oven, killing her. The father finds them and they do not worry about the stepmother who had gone to the troll's house who then abandoned her after she made him cook and clean for her.

The scene returns to the bedroom of the two kids and their father who say goodnight. The Sandman and the troll drop by, say hello to the children, and take the Hansel and Gretel book. They explain to the children that they are real, which is how the Brothers Grimm were inspired to write the story. The Sandman sprinkles the children with his sleep dust, ending the film.



The film was widely panned by critics, having a 0% "Rotten" score on Rotten Tomatoes.[1] The imdb site gives it a 2.8 out of a possible 10.[2]


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