DVD Picks: The Tales of Beatrix Potter

"If I have done anything - even a little - to help small children on the road to enjoy and appreciate honest, simple pleasures, I have done a bit of good."

Absolutely stunning.

I have to sound overstated, but "The Tales of Beatrix Potter" is just that.

Shot in the actual English countryside, Beatrix Potter's legendary picture book are brought to life by dancers from Britain's acclaimed Royal Ballet, with choreography by Sir Frederic Ashton.

The production qualities of this 90-minute, live-action 1971 movie are absolutely superb; these Tales were originally a theatrical release.

Ms. Beatrix Potter joins us as a little girl, stuck in her drab period house. Sketching and thinking, alone in her room, its a rather unique sequence, of pure silence and monotany. But her unique drawings of the creatures of her island nation and the rolling countryside around her relieve her of the dreeryness.

The movie centers around the world Beatrix's brilliant imagination, letting us explore a world of old hedgehogs and mischievious spry rabbits.

The costumed dance segments include:

• Mrs. Tiggle Winkle, a hedgehog, flitting across the Lake District Hills to her cosy cottage, and the activities there
• Cunning Fox pursuing Jemima Puddle-Duck across an English barnyard. in hopes of having her for dinner
• Pigling Bland romping off to market, through the extensive countryside
• A cat becomes a frightening prospect for Mrs. Tittlemouse and her family
• Peter Rabbit, Squirrel Nutkin, Tom Thumb all have segments of their own, also based on their original story books

While not terribly inspired, the music is certainly up to snuff. The costumes are the most exact replicas of Potter's intricate paintings. And as one can rughtly presume, the dancing and choreography are bar none (see Credentials, right).

However, these Tales might not be for everyone. First off, ballet does have a "for girls eyes only" stereotype that might many turn boys off.

Less obviously, some parents have complained on online bookstores posting boards of a lack of narration. Parents and children alike should realize, in the end, this a ballet. The world of ballet goes by its own set of rules, just as any other art or media form. In general, kids are clever enought to understand the plot - the music and movement combine as an international language, and while it may sound cliché, it speaks volumes more than any narrated film could ever do.

My final note, is that "The Tales of Beatrix Potter" worth trying out. If you're not sure, remember that you can rent it first, just to be sure. Just as Beatrix's books have stood the test of time, so has this

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