The Great Land of Small

In the late 90's, on a Saturday night, I walked in to a videostore not knowing that I was going to rent a movie so magical. I walked around and picked up one movie, and of course I wanted another one. There was really no new releases I wanted to see so I ran right on over to the Family section where I looked quickly cause I needed to get out. After picking up several boxes I finally saw "The great land of small". The family members I was with were at the counter saying to hurry up. As I scamed over the box I knew I would enjoy it. Ya see, I'm a big "Drama" fan and "Musical" fan, but I'm a big "Fantasy" fan also. I rented it and went home to watch it. I abosolutly loved it. So I one of my relitives to get it for me for Christmas. On Christmas morning I opened it, I was really excited to see that I could share it with other people and their kids. See, when I see a movie, and I enjoyed it, I always try to recommend it to other people, and then if I get that certain special great movie, I don't have to recommend it, I can now share it. For example, Last year I had a little childrens group at my church, it was called "Fun Kids". We performed songs and learned musicals, and we would also throw a big party-(which almost always included a movie) once every two mounths. One night we were throwing a party to celebrate for 3 kids who that day gave their hearts to the lord. The movie we watched that night was "The great land of small". Kids ages 6-12 that night loved it, and I'm now glad we showed it that night because we had one of the biggest crowds we had ever had that night. I guess that kind of tells you how I spread the magic of "The Great Land of Small". You know it so hard to find a good Family movie these days that entertains the whole family, well if you ever watch "The Great land of small" you get full great family fun, from every member of the family. I mean who can resist Fritz, Mimmick, Jenny, David,Sarah, and even the rude Flannagan and all the other characters which make "The Great Land Of Small" Entertaining for all ages.

My sister and I watched this movie as children. With it's colorful, comic events and adventure, it became our favorite. Now we have children of our own and have been wanting to share this magic with them. We've spent the last couple years searching the internet for this title, but have made a mistake. We've been leaving out the word "Great" in our searches. Well, I've finally found it and I plan to share it with my children ASAP! I strongly recommend this movie for children of ALL ages. It's absolutely captivating!

I do understand how movies can be loved if you see them at a right age as a child - but lets truly discuss this as a family movie - it is awful - long slow sequences where nothing happens - just long wide shots of bad actors walking through fields. Bad special effects, terrible script - the director was Czech and couldn't speak English and it shows. But once the kids are taken to this "magical" land of Small - it is such a joke - it looks like a bunch of Cirque De Soleil cast offs are performing in front of a closed down museum - that's it. And then people slide down a chute into a hole and a slow deformed blob rises up (Slime-O) and demands more people. There is no connection between the kids and any of the characters and I can see why some people comment that the movie scared them as kids - the "man-dog" is creepy, Fritz is kind of creepy, lots of filthy carny looking people, etc. And the kids do that bad kid acting thing where EVERY line is delivered with the same enthusiastic sing-song. Man - what a disaster - this makes The Peanut Butter Solution look like Spielberg.

I can't believe how many children from the late eighties were freaked out by this movie. The scene of the people being swallowed by the "slimo" monster haunted me since I was a little kid, until I wasn't sure if it was actually from a movie or something I dreamed! So glad this bizarre movie actually exists. Not sure if I will show it to my kids though . . .

I saw this movie as a kid, and for years now I honestly thought it might have been just a really messed up fever dream! In all honesty it starts off slow, and I think I enjoyed it way more than my kids, just due to the nostalgia. I will say, The Great Land of Small has a very Cirque Du Soleil feel too it. Probably because it is Canadian.