10th Kingdom.

[Dave]

Genre: Fantasy.

Starring: Kimberly Williams, John Larroquette, Scott Cohen, Daniel Lapaine, Dianne Wiest | Directors: David Carson, Herbert Wise.

Imagine a world where fairy stories are real, where Cinderella and Snow White and Red Riding Hood grew up to be great queens and formed the 9 Kingdoms, a place where everyone lives happily ever after... until now. Prince Wendall's crown has been cunningly and unknowingly overthrown by his wicked stepmother, the Queen, and at her beck and call is the Troll King and his doltish children, as well as Wolf, a part-human-part-wolf mix who often has trouble controlling his wolfish tendencies.

The 10th Kingdom is an inventive 10-hour fantasy saga and special effects extravaganza from Hallmark Entertainment and award-winning executive producer Robert Halmi, Sr. This clever piece of original storytelling from Emmy winner Simon Moore (Gulliver’s Travels) about a girl (Virginia, a New York waitress), a dog (really an enchanted prince) -- and an alternate reality (entered through a vortex in Central Park) takes the audience on a wild romp through a fantastic dimension where familiar fairytales are reinvented in new -- often hilarious and sometimes sinister -- grown-up terms.

Virginia Lewis (Kimberly Williams), a twenty-something waitress lives an ordinary life in an apartment with her janitor father, Tony (John Larroquette), in New York, "at the edge of the forest," as she calls Central Park. Only what she doesn't know is that her world is about to be shattered when Prince Wendall (Daniel Lapaine), who has been turned into a dog by his stepmother (Dianne Wiest), leaps through a magic mirror into "The 10th Kingdom." When Wolf and the trolls follow him, Virginia finds herself in danger, and her father tricked into revealing her whereabouts by the gift of a magic bean that gives him five wishes. He wishes himself into trouble, and the only way they can escape is to flee through the mirror... and into the 9 Kingdoms.

In this alternate dimension, the Land of Nine Kingdoms, an evil queen has escaped from the Snow White Memorial Prison and is trying to usurp the throne from Prince Wendell (Daniel Lapaine). Virginia and her father get caught up in the intrigue and are pursued by the Troll King (Ed O’Neill), his disgusting children and the queen’s evil huntsman (Rutger Hauer). They are aided by Wolf (Scott Cohen), a handsome, sardonic and conflicted wolfman who is allied with the queen, but falls in love with Virginia.

As Virginia and Tony try to find their way back to New York (the 10th Kingdom), they are caught up in a series of bizarre adventures vaguely reminiscent of familiar fairytale situations -- but always with a slight twist. During their journey, Virginia comes to realize that she has never dealt with her anger over her mother’s abandonment of her when she was a child. She also begins to fall in love with Wolf, who is doing a lot of personal growth in order to tame the beast within and win Virginia’s trust. With a little advice from an older and wiser Snow White (Manheim), Virginia comes to terms with her feelings about her mother. Now strong and confident, Virginia battles the evil queen, restoring Prince Wendell to his rightful throne. Wolf successfully vanquishes his inner demons, and he and Virginia return to New York where they live happily ever after -- or at least until the next crisis in the Land of the Nine Kingdoms.

Magic and mischief abound in this 6 1/2 hour epic that spread its spell through a three-part miniseries on NBC, with so many twists and turns, unexpected horrors and thrills enough for the most hardened seekers, The 10th Kingdom puts together a mixture of Tolkien and Grimm that will please any fantasy lover. However, the film is not for everyone; no doubt proving too intense for young children, and often turning violent, with creatures ghoulish in appearance and jump scenes involving the Queen. Left unrated, I would give it a PG-13. Wolf, Tony, and Virginia encounter a gypsy camp and have their fortunes told; this later backfires. From a later mention of pregnancy, we discover that Wolf and Virginia have slept together before marriage. The Huntsman kills many people with his magic arrows; people are also poisoned. Also, some parents won't like the whole magical "edge" of the film, although Wolf does say that the more one uses magic, the more one wants it. Wolf is accused of murdering a young girl whom he was flirting with earlier, although Virginia and Tony prove him innocent. The Queen's many mirrors spy on people, and she pops up in the most unexpected moments.

Does anyone like this apart from my family?

It was originally shown on Sky One at Easter 2000, and it is being repeated right now, before the X-Flies.

My kids love it. It has an 8pm slot, before the watershed, and was advertised as for the family, but there are some elements in it I found uncomfortable with letting them see, in the first episode anyhow.

It is a lot of fun though. I think it would appeal to Terry Pratchet 'Discworld' fans. I hope that they make a sequel.

We actually saw one of the sets dressed up for filming when it was made, it is the episode set in Little Bo Peep's village. It was filmed in England and in France, but this was down in Sussex, at the Weald and Downs Museum. It was because of that, that we watched out for it on TV. Otherwise, I would have probably missed it.

[padders]

Yeah i watched it and liked it a lot - was really quite good and not being a fan of fantasy generally i was very impressed. I thought what they were showing now was a sequel instead of repeats, a shame. I wonder if they will make a sequel. An email to Sky One might be worth it.

[peachy]

i watched this as well, and i really liked it, especially wolf
it was very funny...peachy

[spacebabe]

I watched it on terristrial TV and the episodes were a week apart and I got bored waiting for it to come on.

What stage are the repeats at?

[peachy]

last weeks episode was were she sang the queen song
we will we will sheer you...peachy

[spacebabe]

I think I might have lost the way (again). Can you fill out the info a bit, I can't remember anyone singing.

It will help me place the episode.

Do you know how many episodes there are altogether?

Thanks, Spacebabe:rolly2: :blush:

[Dave]

Virginia sings 'We will Rock you'.

I don't know which episode they are up to because I haven't been watching it all, this time around, but I did see that bit.

[carkedit]

If I EVER get around to remembering the day and time X-Files is on, I will get to see this show...sounds like its worth a look, especially if its been filmed around Sussex

Carkedit :dead:

[carkedit]

oh, I know when its on and all that...its just remembering it.....and getting off this computer to go watch it.....

Carkedit :dead:

[markpud]

well if I may become a blantent advert ... theres a great tv guide for the PC that I use called digiguide. It's avaialble from the DigiGuide website

You can get it to remind you on screen when your fave progs are about to start, and a whole bunch of other stuff....(UK & Ireland listings only)

[Asmiley]

Eps? show? I thought it was a movie. In fact it is! I rented it and it was way awesome! The Bopeep part is cool! I think the Repunzel hair deal is interesting too. It is a long movie comes in two parts. In case you haven't seen the ending I don't wanna spoil it for you.


~Oh and speaking of not wanting it as a family show if you're only as far as bopeep there is a part that kids really probably shouldn't see; with the wolf and the girl...

[markpud]

They are showing it like a series here, in one hour slots each week. It must be a mini-series rather than a film, but I guess that depends on how it is released...
If you have seen it in two long parts, it would seem like a film...

[Asmiley]

Yes. Actually it's on video. I rented it. see if it's at a video rental store (Blockbuster/Planet Hollywood) near you. ( gee I feel like a comercial!)

[markpud]

i haven't been to the video shop for ages... I dont even have membership of the one near here, it's too much effor with the IDs and everyhting...
But I know my mum & dads a/c no for the shop near them

[Asmiley]

Wow! I try to rent something once in a while.:aliengray