The Tale Of Despereaux

Based on the book by Kate Dicamillo, this animated film is set in the magical kingdom of Dor. Once an enchanted place, Dor has since been put under a dark grey spell. But with the birth of a small mouse named Despereaux, hope is restored to all the land, and the real adventures begin., Universal Pictures crafts a whimsical tale of courage using some truly stunning CGI animation in THE TALE OF DESPEREAUX. Based on the award-winning book of the same name, the film features some all-star voice work from the likes of Sigourney Weaver, Dustin Hoffman, and Matthew Broderick. The story begins in the European city of Dor, a picturesque town know for its amazing soup. When the soup-obsessed rat Roscuro (Hoffman) accidentally brings about a tragedy in the royal kingdom, the Dor King falls into mourning, both soup and rats are banned, and the skies turn to gray. Roscuro soon finds himself living in the dank darkness of a place called Rat World. Nearby, in Mouse World, we finally meet our hero, Despereaux (Broderick). Despereaux is an unusually small mouse with some rather over-sized dreams. Despite his small stature, he longs to live a bold and exciting life, and he chafes at the dictums of Mouse World--where mice are taught to live quietly in fear. When Despereaux goes so far as to befriend the human Princess Pea (Emma Watson), he is booted from Mouse World down into the miseries of Rat World. There he meets Roscuro, and together the two decide to carry out their own individual quests and right what has been wronged. While Roscuro soon finds himself going astray, Despereaux sticks to his guns--or rather, his sewing-needle sword--and he fights to bring joy and freedom back to the city of Dor.The film remains pretty faithful to the book, although it does trim down some of the quirkier aspects of the novel. Yet the story is still refreshingly dark in places, and is reminiscent of such classic tales as THE SECRET OF NIMH and WATERSHIP DOWN--smart cartoons that were always about much more than mere cuddly talking animals.

Product Details

Number of Discs:

1

Rating:

G (MPAA)

Film Country:

USA

UPC:

025193229427

Additional Details

Genre:

Action/Adventure

Format:

DVD

"It begins as all fairy tales should, with a narrator recounting the story of the pastel-hued Kingdom of Dor....Pleasantly immersive, beautifully animated..."

New York Times - Manohla Dargis (12/19/2008)

3 stars out of 5 -- "[B]eautifully drawn...rendered in enchanting detail and painterly colors....It is a joy to look at frame by frame..."

Chicago Sun-Times - Roger Ebert (12/17/2008)

"[T]his CG adventure looks like an illuminated manuscript brought to life. The screen glows with Renaissance golds..."

Entertainment Weekly - Entertainment Weekly Staff (01/01/2009)

3 stars out of 5 -- "A heartwarming tale of a little mouse that could, DESPEREAUX is a cross between DUMBO and THE PRINCESS BRIDE."

Empire - Helen O'Hara (02/01/2009)

"[T]he artfully rendered CG animation is quite lovely..."

Hollywood Reporter - Michael Rechtshaffen (12/15/2009)

For DVD Player [Ex-Library Edition] (North American NTSC)

WHAT YOU GET:

This item is for the original media, and includes only the media (ie. CD, floppy ...) UNLESS specifically stated above and/or in the title. If more than just the media is included, it will state which items are (ie. box, manual, etc ). Items that come in a sleeve refer to a generic CD sleeve (typically white) and will be sent with shipping protection to avoid damage during transit. If available, we will also send the front and/or back CD inserts if in stock. If these are important to you, please message us to verify we have them available to send. Please do not assume items are included other than what's stated. Again, ask questions PRIOR to purchasing if you have any concerns.

IMAGES:

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MEDIA FORMAT:

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Ask questions PRIOR to purchasing an order to avoid any confusion.

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SHIPPING:

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