Jumanji [VHS]

I just saw the 2017 Jumanji and thought it would be a good time to finally see the original. Somehow I had missed it through the years. Needless to say there is really not much of a comparison between the two movies other than the name and general story about a mysterious game called JUMANJI.The 1995 JUMANJI is a bittersweet step back in time seeing a young, handsome and lively Robin Williams at his best. I was never a fan of slapstick, goofy Robin Williams but always appreciated his films that were series and had humor and that is what JUMANJI is. Alan Parrish (Robin Williams) disappeared from his home and has been trapped in the Jumanji game for decades until released by a couple of kids Judy and Peter Shepherd (Kirsten Dunst and Bradley Pierce). Alan is released along with an assortment of wild animals and a crazy safari hunter.JUMANJI is pure fun and adventure as Parrish and the kids try to save their town from destruction and to end the game once and for all. No doubt the GC animals were outstanding by 1995 standards, though they look weak by the current visual effects. This is a fine cast that includes a young Kirsten Dunst, David Alan Grier and Bebe Nuewirth. It's a fun and enjoyable film and a chance to see the sadly missed Robin Williams at his finest.

It was always a fun movie. And the blu ray was very good. But when an older movie shot on actual film is remastered for UHD, the potential of seeing all that's in that film is enormous.The detail and color range are spectacular. Does it look like a new or recent movie. Of course not. But it is as good a restoration of an old film as I've seen so far, with the exception of the UHD restoration of "The Bridge on the River Kwai"If you like "Jumanji," and you have a 4K tv and a UHD player, you will LOVE this restoration.

EDIT: 4/28/2020I apparently posted the review for Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle here by mistake instead of a review of the original film. I've left my original review intact here, but I'm now going to fix it and give this product the correct review.Jumanji is a classic film and one of Robin William's finer outings that did one of the better jobs and blending his comedic skills with his ability to be dramatic and serious. And Jumanji IS a dramatic film. It tells a story that embraces healing, self worth, acceptance of past mistakes and the desires to correct them, and the effects that negative emotions can have on your life.I'm going into full movie summary here so for a TLDR: Jumanji is an excellent movie that focuses on how running from your problems will just lead to negative consequences down the road. IT stares a fantastic cast with great and memorable characters and some great action sequences. Jumanji is a fully realized film that had a lasting impact on Hollywood, and fiction in general from many filmmakers and writers copying it and it's concepts and was later revisited in the spiritual sequel "Zathura" and then twice more with two sequels "Jumanji Welcome to the Jungle and "Jumanji: The Next Level"Really the only thing bad about this film is that it drags a little near the end, when the novelty of the film's creatures and rampages starts to wear thin, and the CGI having aged, though watching this in 2020 some of the CGI still holds up remarkably well. Peter and Judy are somewhat annoying characters, though Kirsten Dunst does a fantastic job, just showing how great of an actress she is, even at such a young age. The story does have some level of awkwardness to it at some points, and watching it now there's just a level of cringe at how primitive stuff looks, but I suppose that's inherent with a film set in the late 90s.I cannot recommend this film enough. While it has aged and Robin Williams is sadly no longer among us, it is a true modern classic that gives us a thrilling adventure while having a much deeper meaning behind it's madness.___Jumanji: Welcome To the Jungle is almost a perfect sequel. It modernizes the premise, being completely faithful to the original film while introducing brand new elements to the lore and universe. I absolutely loved how they weaved actual video game mechanics into the story, not just for generic action sequences but as actual story points, and I loved how the world FELT like a video game, with non-player characters acting out their roles like they would.I just really loved how the movie expanded upon the old and evolved with the new. I had been expecting just a cash grab and I was so pleasantly surprised that it wasn't thanks to tight writing and a cast of incredibly charismatic actors that really fit the roles they are given. The only real flaw in this film would have to be the final act, which felt a bit rushed.

Classic. Last time I watched this movie I had to be around 5. I was worried that it would have aged badly (as did my other childhood memories like N64 Harvest Moon & so forth). While the special effects had obviously aged, it was still a great watch! I was impressed by how well some of the graphics actually were for the time. Captivating plot with layering storylines that I sadly hadn't caught a lot of as a child. The original Jumanji will always be one of my favorites. If none of that interests you to watch, remember it's Robin Williams, the one and only; he had such an impact on my childhood & I can still see why! (Can't wait to see how the remake compares!!)

Huge improvement from the previous Jumanji releases. I watched it on Netflix a few years ago and thought it looked really outdated and low quality. This newest blu-ray release finally does it justice and it has never looked better. This is the definitive version to own on blu-ray.

Superbly directed. One of Robin Williams' finest. Filmed in South Berwick, ME, one of the many coastal communities founded by my ancestors. Reminds Americans of the beginning and end of the tremendous shoe shop industry in New England. The shoe shop depicted in film wasn't unlike reality during the late 1970's - which wrought the finality of the shoe manufacturing age. Lovely little community, South Berwick borders Rochester, NH, whose manufacturing firms included four-story Hubbard Shoe that the shoe shop in Jumanji was loosely based upon. South Berwick's Prime Tanning is deleted out of the first Jumanji movie, but Prime Tanning provided much needed income for many families in the local area. If you visit the local post office in South Berwick to buy a book of stamps today, you might still see a remnant of that Jumanji jungle stampede situated on a small shelf to your right. And, when you see it, remember the drums, and most importantly - remember Robin Williams, the talented artist, the actor, the American.

4K releases pre-2000'ish are a bit hit and miss in definition quality as many have no doubt found, however, am delighted to say this movie-gem of 1995 is in my view, pretty good on 4K, not perfect, but, far better than the earlier Blu-ray release.The story tells of how a young boy Alan Parish (young Adam Hann-Byrd - older The Legendary talent Robin Williams) running from bullies finds a box buried 100 years ago (1869) by two boys, it's a game called Jumanji.After an argument with his father at home, Alan had decided to run away, however, friend Sarah Whittle (young Laura Bell Bundy - older Bonnie Hunt) brings back his bike the bullies had taken, Alan invites Sarah to play the game he'd found.....the game eerie from the word go, strange sounds and messages, even the pieces move when the dice is rolled....scarily Alan is pulled into the crystal, he's disappeared.Twenty-Six years have passed, Alan's parents had died in a skiing accident, the house is sold, Judy (Kirsten Dunst) and Peter (Bradley Pierce) move in with their Aunt.Very soon they hear drum-like noises, Judy and Jack investigate, they find Jumanji and decide to play the game, eerily with strange noises and messages creatures begin to come forth from the board, mosquitoes followed by numerous mischievous monkeys, though scared, the game insists that it has to be played until complete when everything will return to normal, the next throw a bearded Alan along with a Lion springs out.Alan, of course, doesn't know what has happened during the years he's been missing presumed dead.Well, Alan realises they need old-friend Sarah to join the game to have any chance of completing it, Sarah all this time on is reluctant with vivid memories of seeing Alan pulled into the game 26 years ago, but does.Well mayhem follows as the Jungle and its creatures come to town (Brantford)Will the four complete the game and send the Jungle and its creatures back to where they come from?This is certainly a fun ride that'll both hold your attention and amuse as the film unfolds.Unlike the newer films where the key-characters are pulled into the Jungle, the Jungle comes to them.For me, the film so much better than what has followed....certainly worth a re-visit or indeed first viewing.....enjoy.

This is a review of the excellent 2018 All Region Blu-ray from Sony Pictures. The 1995 film looks absolutely pristine on this disc.Chris Van Allsburg is a distinguished American writer of children’s books, which he also illustrates. He is from Michigan, of Dutch heritage. He wrote the book ‘Jumanji’ in 1981, and also ‘The Polar Express’ in 1985, winning the US Caldicott Medal (for book illustration) for both. And both have, of course, been adapted into highly successful family films.Van Allsburg worked on the screenplay of this film with others, and the plot is loosely based on his novel. The book has the same premise ~ a board game which produces consequences and effects in real life for the players, that are highly disruptive, even dangerous. But the book plot was more streamlined. The film introduces more characters, and also a complex time-line, over three distinct eras (1869, 1969 and 1995). According to the star of the 1995 film, the late Robin Williams, ‘JUMANJI’ is a Zulu word, meaning ‘MANY EFFECTS’.When the film was made, 25 years ago, computer graphics were available, and were used in the creation of the brilliant special effects. However, this was not the era of full-blown, all-out CGI, as we have it today. Bizarrely, critics at the time of its release commented that it was ‘a noisy excuse for some ingenious computer special effects’. The ‘Radio Times Guide to Films’ rather snippily says that “as empty experiences go, this fantasy adventure is absolutely exhilarating.” Talk about back-handed compliments! “Exhilarating” yes, but the rest ~ what a load of elitist rubbish! This is a fantastic film.First of all, the movie is beautifully filmed. The Parrish mansion, where much of the action takes place, is an atmospheric location, and the changes over time are very effective. So are the changes to the pretty little town where the house is set. Director Joe Johnston has a good track record in action movies, and he keeps the plot bubbling along nicely. Each spurt of hazard is linked to the next move in the game, but in between, there are excellent and entertaining links. The plot has an excellent internal coherence, and the cast, including several youngsters, are plausible, endearing and not saccharine-sweet. There are a lot of wonderfully funny gags and situations, plenty of ooh-ahh moments and some nicely choreographed peril.Robin Williams, as the adult Alan Parrish, is so, so, good. Watching him again is a reminder of what a loss he is to good, family-friendly, films. Here he is funny, entertaining, but also very touching and sincere, as the lost boy. It is a really rounded performance, and certainly no ‘empty experience’.We came back to this film after over a decade, and loved every minute, all over again. Outstanding!

I absolutely love this film. Although I am 38 I missed it the first time round and have only just seen it with my children. It is sooo good. It has everything: tears, laughter, scary moments. Brilliant acting. The concept of a board game coming to life is perfect for my children's ages (5 and 7). They were not at all scared by this film (although it is a PG). I have seen scarier U's. It should be noted that the new Jumanji is a 12 so I would need to check that out first. This film uses computer graphics well- it must have been in its infancy but they are high quality. It has such a good plot. Lots of heart. Love stories from family to friends and love interests. All the different threads get tied up in such a satisfying way that I feel it is a screenwriting masterpiece! Great acting by all and lovely to see Robin Williams again. He is great as always. I really enjoyed this. Definitely fun for all the family.

Properly converted original in to the spanoingly good 4k format. Unlike some films released this one is a joy to watch. The CGI hasn’t aged well, but it is an old film so we can forgive that!Fun family film with the amazing late Robins williams in the main role as Alan Parish who gets sucked in to the board game of Jumanji.Set yourself up for the new The Rock’s Jumanji by watching or revisiting this old favourite.

Very good 4K transfer. The sound is amazing. Played on a Sony KD65A1 OLED, Sony 4K player, through a Sony 7.2.4 Atmos System set up.