User Reviews

Tatum O'Neil seemed sort of like a surfer's girlfriend in this episode and pulled it off really well as the spoiled little brat who trespasses on the property of three grizzly residents. Her parents (who oddly enough have no names) are portrayed by Carole King and John Lithgow ("Third Rock From the Sun"). They seem to be the perfect heads of a very disfunctional family who totally ignore their daughter's needs and that's probably why she was always getting into trouble. Alez Kerras ("Webster") Brandis Kemp and Donovan Scott are Bill, Betty and Cubby--the three bears and Ms. Kemp is unfortunately the only one who brings a lively personality to the trio. Although it is flawed (but what film isn't?) this is a fun, enjoyable romp through childhood memories with the creative guidance of Miss Shelley Duvall.

There is a lot to like about the 'Faerie Tale Theatre' series. Many of their adaptations of various well-known and well-loved fairy tales are charming, clever and sometimes funny, a few even emotionally moving. 'Faerie Tale Theatre' puts its own magical spin on the best of the episodes while still capturing the essence of the stories, while also giving further enjoyments in seeing talented performers in early roles or in roles that are departures from their usual roles.

Up to this point of the series, so between "The Tale of the Frog Prince" that started it all off and this, my personal favourites are "Rumpelstiltskin", "Little Red Riding Hood" and particularly "Hansel and Gretel", with my least favourite being the still good (if understandably divisive) "The Nightingale", also though while entertaining "Jack and the Beanstalk" was patchy. Of the nine episodes up to "Goldilocks and the Three Bears", there hasn't been a misfire of the lot.

"Goldilocks and the Three Bears" is one of the world's most famous stories and it is very easy to see the appeal. 'Faerie Tale Theatre's' adaptation of it is a very worthy attempt that mostly works very well. Wasn't expecting it to, as justifiably famous as the story is it is also a very slight and short story that doesn't have enough material to fill an episode of just under an hour. Was expecting a lot of padding that added padding, but no. "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" has its tongue firmly in cheek, which suits the story well, and is one of the funniest of the whole series, if not quite one of the gems. It also expands on the original story, and luckily the additions are interesting with good values and you get to know the characters more, which was appreciated.

It is a good-looking episode (if not as lush as "Sleeping Beauty" and "Hansel and Gretel"), with picturesque scenery and sets and photography and lighting that complements it well. Was expecting the bear costumes to be on the side, 'Faerie Tale Theatre' actually tend to do remarkably well with its low-budget but costumes and make-up are not always a strong suit. They were above decent here. The music score is a good fit, fitting well with the tongue in cheek nature of the writing.

Loved the writing, with some of the dialogue being hilarious and nothing being less than amusing when called for it. The parts of the story that everybody knows are told in a straightforward but also fun manner, while the story and development of the bears bring some depth as they learn a lesson in how they are perceived by humans, though perhaps it ended a little too contrived-ly and conveniently. Goldilocks herself is also even more flawed a character as she is in the original story, but in a way that does make her less likable. "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" did a very good job with its message about honesty, which children and adults will appreciate, it could have been done heavy-handedly but wasn't.

Performances are mostly good, with a suitably gruff Hoyt Axton and Carole King and John Lithgow come very close to stealing the show. Tatum O'Neal carries the adaptation surprisingly well as Goldilocks, while Brandis Kemp is the standout as the mother bear. Donovan Scott's baby bear is pretty adorable but the father bear of Alex Karras was to me a little ill at ease.

In conclusion, one of the series' funniest if not quite one of the gems. 8/10 Bethany Cox

I don't know why everyone is bashing Faerie Tale Theatre. My sisters and I grew up watching them and I still love them today. True, they are low budget and extreamly over dramatised but that's what makes the series their own. Everything nowadays is so realistic, it's nice to get back to the basics and see a movie that really is pure, funny, and timeless. I just spent close to a small fortune to get all of them from the series that I loved, and that proves that even as I age those episodes will still always be top of my list. Even today, My sisters and I quote them and joke about the funny things they say or do. True, you may not enjoy it because they aren't for everyone - but if you have a sense of humor you'll surely come to love the series as I have. (By the way - I HATE Shelly Duvaul and STILL love the series! LOL)

There's nary a child alive who doesn't know the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. This Faerie Tale Theatre version, however, tells the story in live-action with a humorous twist.

Children will love this 48-minute escapade because, simply put, it is so unique and geared towards them. It is guaranteed to be different from any other Goldilocks story they have ever heard. Plus, the acting is so simple and true-to-children from that they will be laughing along or immersed in the drama when necessary.

Adults (watching with the kiddies) can also appreciate this show because of the simple "fun factor". The acting (usually provided by major acting talents of the day) is so over-the-top that it is hard not to watch it without a smile.

Overall, this is one of the best installments of the Faerie Tale Theatre. Be prepared to see it on your home TV screen again and again!

GOLDILOCKS AND THE THREE BEARS from FAERIE TALE THEATRE was a definite low-budget film. The acting was okay, but O'Neal's version of Goldilocks was definitly not half of what I expected. I expected a teenager who was very mischeivious. Tatum O'Neal did deliver some of that, but otherwise, she was pretty dosey! The three bears were good in their roles, as was the Forest Ranger. The thing I found interesting about this episode of the series is that the production design was based on the illustrations of All-American artist Norman Rockwell. He happens to be the inspiration for all of my many artistic talents. My overall rating for this episode is this: 5-" This means that the film succeeded in bring some entertaining moments, as well as its down moments. It means some acting, some of the writing or camera work wasn't as expected. However, the movie did bring a smile to my face, or a scare, whatever suits the movie best. -- Clob