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Princess Caraboo  Hot
Reviews DVD Reviews
Written by Staff Writer   
Monday, 24 January 2005


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Princess Caraboo

Grade

Content Grade: A
Sound Grade: B
Picture Grade: B-

Specs

Directed by Michael Austin Columbia-Tristar-MSRP$19.95 Fullscreen (1.33.1), Anamorphic Dolby digital 2.0, French, Spanish Mono Subtitles in French, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Thai 96 minutes, color, 1994

Review

This enchanting and witty English comedy is a true gem. Starring Stephen Rea, Wendy Hughes, Kevin Kline, John Lithgow, Jim Broadbent, and Phoebe Cates as the Princess, it is very well acted by all and totally entertaining.
A girl, dressed in strange clothes and speaking no English, is discovered in a local English township in the early 1800s. Because of the repressive English laws, she is arrested for begging, but she soon captivates a local family that takes her in. The town folk all try to find out more about the girl, from a scholar , played by John Lithgow, to the local newspaper publisher (Stephen Rea). As they think they are discovering more about her origins, they conclude she is of royal personage from the East, and soon, she is being dealt with as a Princess. However, there are doubters and the newspaper man, faced with this mystery, must find out the truth. Much of this story deals with the English and the repressive society that existed back in the 1800s. Kevin Kline is a delight as a Greek butler, and a real Doubting Thomas of the Princess and her story. John Lithgow also plays a short but meaningful role in the film, as someone who falls for the charms of the Princess. Phoebe Cates is excellent as Caraboo; she's come a long way from Fast Times and Gremlins. It's a pity she doesn't act more these days.

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Picture and Sound

Picture-Although fullscreen, the picture is anamorphic. The picture condition was a bit disappointing, as this film from 1994 showed quite a bit of dirt for such a new film. This is most noticeable in the beginning of the film, as the English countryside is where the Princess is discovered. The colors, are somewhat muted, and produce an overcast and foggy atmosphere during a lot of countryside camera shots. The camera work reminded me a lot of Tom Jones, the classic English comedy starring Albert Finney. Costuming was a big plus for the film, designed by Tom Rand. The film captures the atmosphere of the English society very well in locations and examples of every day life. Sound-The Dolby digital soundtrack is adequate for the film but nothing spectacular. Dialog comes across clean and understandable without having to adjust levels. The sound is full and rich in dynamics without distracting you from the film's plot. Subtle sounds, such as keys jangling and geese squawking in the country come through at just the right levels.

Extras

Besides the subtitle options available on most Columbia DVDs, the disc only offers talent files and theatrical trailers as supplements. I would have liked to have heard from the director or production designer on the filming techniques for the film, as it captures so well the time of the story.

Summary

A very entertaining and humorous film, this one deserves your attention. This English comedy of manners, with its strong cast make this a very interesting and compelling disc. Although short on the extras, the film itself is strong enough to consider for rent or purchase. The cast is delightful, with a surprisingly good performance by Cates, and great comedic roles by Lithgow and Kline.

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