User reviews

Not having had small kids around my house for a few years I can't say how they would react to this little made-for-TV movie. But I can say how my high school son, my spouse, and I reacted. The teenager walked out before the credits finished and my wife was asleep before Drew Barrymore reached Toyland. I just sat benumbed thinking that something, somewhere would be entertaining. No such luck.

Why'd I watch it? I found it laying around the house, it must of been stuck in the back of a closet for 13 years, and decided to give it a viewing before passing it on to charity.

It's bad medicine for anyone over the age of 10. Real bad.

This version of Babes in Toyland is not quite as bad as it has been cited to be, but it is not really a good film(personal opinion of course, admittedly I did actually like it somewhat as a child) and it is easy to see why it was panned. Babes in Toyland is not without its moments. March of the Toys is actually a good song and deserved a better film or a better version of Babes in Toyland, the song is also nicely staged if not as memorably and inventively as in the Disney film(a decent film if one of the lesser Disney live-action musicals). The incidental score is appropriately whimsical too. Richard Mulligan is a lot of fun as the villain Barnaby, he has great comic timing(but it has been put to better use elsewhere) and he is a convincing threat too. Pat Morita is warm and kindly as the toymaker, Gooey Gress is adorable and the one-eyed bird is well done and frightening. The songs on the whole are not great with some very gooey lyrics, most of them are forgettable and the Cincinnatti song is like nails on a blackboard. Most of the production values look as though they've been done on the cheap too, that's even for a television film, the sets on the most part are garish and of theme park or re-used quality. The costumes are outrageous and like stuffed animals, with Barnaby's black feathery costume making him look like a giant crow. The special effects were clever in the Disney film, here they were sub-par especially the race cars.

The acting apart from Mulligan and Morita doesn't work. Eileen Brennan does a decent job with what she has, the problem is that she doesn't have much to do, so no matter how much she puts into it it wasn't worth the bother if the film wasn't going to use her talents well. Drew Barrymore, a promising child actress and has done a lot of great stuff(Grey Gardens and Ever After: A Cinderella Story), has some moments of cute charm but others where she was too syrupy, so it was more an uneven performance than a bad one. Keanu Reeves in an early role is handsome but very wooden with line delivery that is suggestive of him reading from a cue card. The script is uninspired, and the story- admittedly one of the weaker points of the Disney film and the operetta- has very little charm or wonder, partly because of the mix of real life and Toyland(and the whole only a dream premise), themes that seem rather mean-spirited for a fantasy/holiday film and also the unimaginatively staged musical numbers. It also comes across as far too stagy in a theatrical way, is at times ploddingly paced and can be overly cutesy and corny. Clive Donner's direction throughout is unimaginative and bland, it's sad to see a director who did such a great job with one of the best versions of A Christmas Carol two years previously directs with seemingly little interest or enthusiasm. Babes in Toyland has its moments(one really good song and two good performances especially) and has some curiosity value for Barrymore and Reeves early in their careers but overall it doesn't have a whole lot going for it. Stick with the Laurel/Hardy and Disney films instead. 4/10 Bethany Cox

Lisa Piper (Drew Barrymore) is an 11 year old girl in Cincinnati. A snow storm is coming and her mother (Eileen Brennan) is struggling to come home. Her older sister Mary (Jill Schoelen) works in Mr. Barnie (Richard Mulligan)'s toy store with cute stock boy Jack Fenton (Keanu Reeves). Jack is driving the sisters home when Lisa falls out of the Jeep and hits a tree. She is transported to Toyland.

Toyland needs more magic. It's basically a backlot with fresh grass recently laid down. This was apparently filmed in West Germany which explains the strangeness in the location. It's oddly cheap in production value but they seem to be trying. There are lots of Furries and lots of everything. It's just that it's a struggle to fill out the space in the exterior shots. By comparison, the dungeon looks fine despite being in a smaller space. It's a struggle.

The other struggle is the musical aspect. The actors are not necessarily good singers. They struggle at times. Mulligan's role needs to be played by a younger actor. He should be a young middle-aged manager for the wedding and the sexual harassment to be less creepy. This movie has a good amount of cheese factor with a healthy side of creep. I'd recommend getting rid of the creepiness. This is a made-for-TV musical theater. It does have a young Drew and Keanu. That's something but the struggle is real.

This third film version of Victor Herbert's beloved operetta is an illuminating example of the lengths TV executives will go to in manhandling a beloved work, just for the sake of manufacturing "family entertainment", and with no regard at all for the integrity of the work. To be fair,none of the three film versions have followed the 1903 operetta as closely as, say, the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical films have followed their stage originals, and the original Glen MacDonough lyrics, full of "thee"s and "thou"s, are outdated even by the standards of the 1940's. But even in Laurel and Hardy's old version, one could still see respect for the material.Laurel and Hardy, of course, were hilariously allowed to do whatever they wanted, but in that version, five of the Victor Herbert songs, with their original lyrics, were kept in, and performed beautifully, and the fairy-tale atmosphere was magnificently retained. Disney's 1961 version rewrote all the lyrics and changed some of the tempos in the songs (including, most sacrilegously, "Toyland", changed from a slow ballad to a happy, upbeat march). However, it still featured a convincing enough fantasy atmosphere,and what were then state-of-the art effects for the toy soldiers (set to a nearly full-length and beautifully played "March of the Toys"), as well as more of Herbert's music than was included in the L&H version, so it was good enough.

But this third version is truly, truly amazing in its awfulness. It has no air of fantasy or magic whatsoever. It looks as if it had been filmed in a cheap theme park for very young children, rather than in a dazzling fantasy setting. The toy soldiers are simply men in costumes,not digitally animated,or stop-motion animated (as was done in the previous two versions). The acting is on the level of a kiddie school play, with Drew Barrymore at her most syrupy sweet. The Toyland story has been incongruously combined with a modern 1986 setting and turned into a dream (they don't even try to follow the original 1903 plot,but that really doesn't matter---the 1903 story was lousy to begin with).

But worst of all of the decisions, the one which belongs in the Hall of Infamy, is the decision to retain only the two best-known songs from the original score ("Toyland",and "March of the Toys") and replace them with new songs by Leslie Bricusse! This is the man who murdered the 1967 "Doctor Dolittle" and the 1969 "Goodbye,Mr. Chips" by providing them with perhaps the two worst scores written for a 1960's film musical. His songs (NOT the ones he wrote with his former partner,the late Anthony Newley) have become synonymous with bad movie musicals. The results in this film are truly excruciating-especially in comparison with the Victor Herbert-Glen MacDonough original score.

See this only if you're either curious or a movie-musical masochist.

Even Victor Herbert's music can't save this dismal "Wizard of Oz" wannabe. The script is uninspired, the sets and costumes are pedestrian, the direction is almost nonexistent, and the performances never rise above the junior high school drama club level. Drew Barrymore, Pat Morita, Keanu Reeves, et al seem embarrassed to be part of this stinker--as well they should be.

I had the displeasure of watching this movie(becasue nothing else was on tv,on a Saturday) for the first time just days before Christmas last year.I couldn't believe how lame it was.Even for a children's movie.You know its bad when even kids watching the movie with you comment on how stupid it is.Was this suppose to be a comedy?The jokes kept coming from the mouths of viewers in my living room all thru out the viewing.

I cannot believe I have never heard or seen this movie. I was getting married in 1986 and I guess this just passed me by! Tonight for the first time, I am watching this movie on TV with my nine year old. He loves it! I on the other hand am feigning interest while I'm amazed and entertained by the bad acting, tacky costumes cheap wooden toys and really bad sets!

My 9 year old LOVES the whole thing. The weird little beat up cars and leftover stuff they must of used from a closed amusement park. This looks like a episode of Puff N Stuff on a lower budget. I can certainly see how all the people who truly love this movie must of loved it when it first came out. Lets just say, if I didn't have a 9 year old, I would of clicked right by. :)

Whenever someone gives you, the parent of a child under 10, a video, check to make sure that it isn't this movie. If someone does give you "Babes in Toyland", there are only a few explanations:

1. They meant to give you another version of it--there are several, and all of them are better than this one.

2. They meant to give you another movie altogether and accidentally picked this one up.

3. It made its own way into a batch of tapes to be delivered, so it's not their fault.

4. They were misinformed about its quality.

5. They secretly hate your guts and want to torture you.

Conversely, if you know some parents of small children whose guts you hate, just give them a copy of this movie. You'll be giving your feelings towards them away, but they'll be stuck watching this movie for years on end.

Children love this movie. They LOVE this movie. But it's so very, very bad that after just one or two viewings you will have fantasies of tracking down the cast and crew and demanding compensation, at which they will get down on their knees and beg your forgiveness for their involvement in this hideous torture.

It really is that bad. The story is ludicrous. The "music" is excruciating (especially the "Cincinnati" song). The writing is beyond awful. The direction isn't even imaginatively bad (anyone could do as well, probably better). The costumes and sets are so bad they aren't even funny: you can see the zippers in the bear costumes--hilarious, no?

With all of this working against them, I almost feel sorry for the actors. Sure, they're bad, but there was no way they could be any good at all in this movie. You alternate between pity for them and anger at them for their participation in it. I just hope they needed the money or the credit or something.

And it lasts FOREVER. Most kids' movies only last an hour or so; this one goes on and on and on and on and on....

The fanatical devotion that it inspires in children is frightening. Kids have no taste; this is the proof. To be avoided at all costs.

I was around six when I first saw this movie with my best friend and we both almost had heart attacks, especially toward the end. It's definitely not suitable for really young children, and Eileen Brennan made a huge mistake tying her name to it. She's a fabulous actress otherwise.

The whole thing is nonsensical, which is the point, except that as a six year old child, I knew the whole thing was stupid. I can't recall ever having seen a children's movie this bad.

To sum up, what I distinctly remember from the movie is that it gave me a fear of dark places for the longest time, and a hatred for toys.

I have always loved this movie however why did they decide to take a made for TV movie and edit it? The original had so many songs in it and I loved those. Most of the time you edit to make it into time frame on TV...not cut to put on video after been on TV...

Does anyone else remember the original, the song between Jack and Mary or Lisa singing before going in to the Forrest?

I think this needs to be re-released in its original form!

We bought the VHS a while back and saw the edits, I decided to watch on Netflix online and there has been other times when it just seems that something is missing, a skip or something so you know there is stuff missing.

I'm awfully surprised that this movie has received such low ratings! I never saw the original "Babes in Toyland," so I can't say one way or the other whether this film is guilty of desecrating some legacy, as suggested by other comments. I first saw the movie when I was about 4 years old, and I loved every minute of it. I thought that Troller was horrifically frightening, that Barnaby was the very embodiment of evil, and that Keanu Reeves was the most handsome and heroic protagonist in television history. I was literally on the edge of my brightly-colored plastic seat as Jack Nimble Jr. was hauled to jail by the giant teddy bear police, and was thoroughly emotionally invested in Drew Barrymore's journey to believe in Santa and Christmas and whatever. Fifteen years later, I still love the movie! Yes, it's ridiculously campy and poorly acted, but that's what makes "Babes in Toyland" so enjoyable. It isn't supposed to be serious, and it wasn't created to be some enduring theatrical masterpiece. It's a made-for-TV movie featuring the same guy who starred in the "Bill and Ted" films. I got the video in a McDonald's Happy Meal. What did you expect? "Babes in Toyland" still brings back fond memories, mostly because I remember the strong emotions that the movie evoked for me as a little girl. It makes the movie even more hilarious to watch now. If you want to see a cinematic work of art, why are you watching a low-budget TV movie from 1986? If you want a silly, fun, and entertaining holiday movie, by all means, watch on.

I enjoyed this movie as a child and I enjoy watching it with my children. I know it's not a cinematic achievement, it did not win awards and will not down in history as one of Christmas's most cherished movies. But there's a quality about it that is wonderful. The simplistic scenery is attractive in its own way. The acting was not amazing but let's remember a few things - it was a made for TV movie in the 80's, and honestly there were very few decent films that came out of the 80's anway. For those who wish to over-analyse this film, I suggest you remember one thing - it's a children's movie, it was not meant to be broken down and analysed, it was meant to be simply enjoyed. I would highly recommend this movie for the enjoyment of viewers with young families. After all, Christmas is the time to enjoy sugary sweetness.

WOW! What a terrible movie, but with the "great stars" it has in it does nothing to help this movie. this is about the funniest christmas movie ive seen recently, its the funniest thing ever, drew and keanu before they hit it big. its nice to see that everyone has at least one horrible movie. A highlight for me was the songs that they sing. there isnt anything else to make this movie any good besides the songs. a note to all dont see this movie unless you want a night of laughter, at just about every part of this movie

ok, sure the lines were corny. And I admit that the music sucked a little. But this is a perfect movie. All of the actors are wonderful in this film (especially Keanu:) and Drew Barrymore is adorable. Hey, syrupy sweet is what she does best! Lisa Shoelen disappeared suddenly after. Shame. She did a fantastic job as Mary Contrary. And of course, Barnaby and Zack and Mack are hysterical. I fortunately won this treasure at a raffle in my school and I was captured by the simple message-if you can look through the eyes of a child and believe in the magic of toys, you are truly lucky. Rent today!

This movie is so bad I actually created an account just so I could write a review.The acting is so horrible I honestly had a hard time following the story line most of the movie, seriously cringe worthy. Granted the movie was produced in the 80's but that's no excuse for the complete lack of imagination, super cheesy costumes/props and horrendous acting. I've been more entertained at middle school programs.

Another version of Babes in Toyland. This one is pure kiddie stuff with Drew Barrymore starring as a little girl from Cincinnati (believe me this is important) who accidentally falls into Toyland where she meets all the Mother Goose characters, who happen to look exactly like her friends and family back home. So, yeah, they rip off Wizard of Oz hard here. It's pretty fluffy with some truly terrible songs and a bizarre fascination with the city of Cincinnati. I thought maybe the movie was filmed there and they added all that stuff for a tax break or something but apparently no, it was filmed in Germany. The colorful costumes, props, and sets are all refreshingly old-school. In today's CGI era, it's nice to look back and admire the amount of work and craftsmanship that went into bringing imagination to life back before Skynet took over. The songs are the pits, especially the one about (you guessed it) Cincinnati. The acting is pretty weak across the board. Vets Richard Mulligan, Eileen Brennan, and Pat Morita 'play to the kids,' which is expected I suppose. Keanu Reeves is taking the whole thing so seriously it's embarrassing. Drew Barrymore is clearly having fun but her dramatic scenes are cringeworthy. Like I said, it's aimed at little kids. There's little of interest for adults beyond some nostalgia or maybe to chuckle at all the Cincinnati business. The version I saw was 94 minutes and it was a bit of a chore to get through at that runtime. The original TV airing was much longer. I can't imagine that extra time making this anything but worse.

That's my adult vote-- 1 for Awful. But if I were 3 or 4 or even 5 years old I'll bet I'd consider this weird misfire thrilling entertainment, once it got to Toyland. For those who like Barney the purple dinosaur, it could be just the thing...

I'm glad that there are viewers who find it truly watchable; after all, it took some effort to put it together, especially with such an obvious lack of adequate budget. TV movies have come a long way since '86, though. The 80s really inflicted some pretty bad music on us and this is no exception, with a number of really painful new songs, and the beloved 1903 'Toyland' title song's melody thrown in here and there as incidental music. Thankfully, the stirring "March of the Toys" is included during the final battle scene.

Even without comparison to the delightful (if considerably altered from the stage version) 1934 Laurel and Hardy outing, the less charming but still enjoyable 1961 Disney effort, or the quaint 1954 live television production (preserved on kinescope), this 'Toyland' is pretty feeble stuff. Despite being filmed in Bavaria, a place chock-a-block with fairytale villages and wonderful castles, the Toyland set looks like some corner of a minor suburban theme park, complete with rubber- tired miniature train and little cars obviously taken from a racetrack ride. The rather modern buildings appear to have been freshly repainted for the occasion.

Barnaby's nasty trolls are actually icky enough to be effective as a menace, though at about 10 to 12 count they're too few to be much of an army. For the most part the cheesy creature costumes, which would be quite acceptable in person, on screen require a level of willing-suspension-of-disbelief not granted to many of us. Plus, Richard Mulligan is seriously miscast as villain Barnaby, though Pat Morita as the Toymaster is (predictably) one of the bright spots-- despite being saddled with having to sing some of that limp new score.

Well, I saw 86's "Toyland" listed and tuned in out of curiosity. Thought I'd comment.

Peoples standards are way too high. I did not watch this as a child so there's no nostalgia association while I watched this. I am currently pregnant with my first child and I'm being very considerate as to what I'll allow my child to watch. The costumes, sets and music are all perfectly adequate. It reminds me quite a bit of the "Wee-Sing" musicals I grew up watching. I think Lisa (Drew Barrymore) makes a good hero for young girls watching this. Older sister Mary (Jill Shoelen) is so lovely, another good role model for young girls. All in all I really enjoyed it for what it is, a fun kids film.

Early eighties, cheesy, low budget, badly dubbed, yes, but Babes in Toyland still has the power to entertain and fill with the joy of toys, childhood and Christmas. No-one in the film was brilliant, even Drew Barrymore and Pat Morita struggled in places and were a little acting-by-numbers but there was also some great chemistry on screen and Barrymore, Reeves, Schoelen and Gress looked genuinely like they were enjoying themselves and given the subject matter were pretty committed to role, even if it was a bit hammed up. The worse bit of the film was definitely the dubbing (worse than films of that era generally) and the songs were terrible. I think the actor's voices were used but it was obvious who the good singers were(Reeves has a good voice) and who's dubbing was totally someone else. The bad guy Mulligan was good at being bad and Eileen Brennan brought a little of comedy in her familiar style to the film.

Definitely a children's film, although not nervous children as the bad monsters were pretty awful looking, but it was light, fun with lots of familiar characters to recognise. Probably just enough for adults in the film too - some slapstick antics from the two bad sidekicks Mack and Zack - and the car chase scene was a bit of a giggle. Reeves pulls off a rather impressive stunt type skid in the Toyland car, which was probably quite hard to do given the slow speed! This wasn't as bad as I expected, and whilst it is incredible low budget and massively dated, there were some entertaining performances. Drew Barrymore (even badly dubbed to the point of jet lag) is always good to watch and Keanu Reeves swashbuckling around as Jack be Nimble (jnr) when he was in his early twenties is... well... a pleasure.

I caught this movie on TV when I was a teen during the Christmas season, and remembered being quite entertained with all the whimsical scenes and enchanted cast of characters. Drew Barrymore stars as 11-year-old Lisa Piper, who is too busy taking care of her siblings and mother. As a source of escape, she travels to Toyland in Wizard of Oz-like fashion during a Christmas blizzard and arrives just in time for a wedding. A young Keanu Reeves and Clue/Private Benjamin actress Eileen Brennan also stars.

Nice visual effects and simple plot. Not the most exciting movie, though, but still an innocent, family-friendly film that is nice to watch over the holidays.

Grade B-

I LOVED this film when I was little and hadn't seen it in years and made my husband watch it recently lol.

Needless to say he lasted 10 minutes but for me it brought back so many happy memories as I watched this film over and over when i was younger. I remember it being a little scary and also I was desperate to be Lisa!! (Drew Barrymores character).

Yes this had really bad acting etc but it is also very endearing and has some great moments in it.

I was also surprised I remembered the words to all the songs (so bad they were good lol). Give this film a go especially if you have kids :-)

My wife wanted to add her two cents about this movie... Yeah, it's cheesy, and very 80's, but it's sweet. I just recently bought a copy of it on ebay. My family recorded it back when it was on TV in '86. I definately don't think this movie should be so over-anylazed, as it was a movie for kids, not for sarcastic 30-year olds who can't appreciate the wonderment of childhood. I think Drew Barrymore is a great actress and person, and she is so cute in this movie. Yeah, she's not a great actress, but she's lovable. I gave this a "10" because of what it meant to me as a kid. No matter how bad movies are, they have a special place in your heart. If you're 25, and you can remember a movie you loved when you were 8, then the movie accompished something. It stuck with you. It became a part of your life. And no bad, horrible reviews can diminish that. If everyone looked at the movies and TV they watched when they were kids, they would be disgusted. You don't think about details when you're a kid, you feel the emotion, and that's what this movie has. Plenty of it. It has imagaination and sincerity. My daughter loves it, and she's only 10 months old! So sit back, relax, gather the kids around, and prepare to enter Babes in Toyland!!

wonderful film, absolutely fantastic!!!!! I was captured by the simplistic setting and the wizard of oz-like qualities. Lisa Sheolen was fantastic as Mary Contrary, Drew Barrymore was at her sweetest as Lisa Piper, and Barnaby was played to perfection. And of course, who could forget the fantastic Keanu Reeves :). Rent today! You'll never forget it.

While some people might say that this movie is not worth seeing, I, for one, disagree. I am 23 years old and still love to watch this movie every now and then. Forget the fact that it is one of the first movies that you can see Drew Barrymore in or that an actor like Keanu Reeves became the star he is, and just focus on the story. For any of you who have seen the original (with Annette Funicello) you shouldn't compare the two because they are completely different. Both, however, have fantastical themes put to song. The songs are cute and enthusiastic. I'm no movie critic (although I rarely agree with critics views on movies) but I feel that this movie is worth seeing at least once to form your own opinion on it. Keep your mind open and your heart light and you should enjoy this movie. Happy viewing!