In choosing to watch a movie the whole family will enjoy together, the story of an extra-ordinary pig named Babe must always be on top of the list. Based on a book by Dick King Smith, it’s a charming live action flick with humans only playing supporting cast to a host of real barnyard animals portrayed like regular people with quirks and feelings. And in the center of the story is this adorable piglet that learns to realize what his destiny is and achieves this with success.
Babe (as voiced by Christine Cavanaugh) is this piglet who was separated from his own family and was sent to a different farm for breeding. He grew to recognize a sheepdog as his surrogate mother and learned to herd a flock of sheep just like her. Recognizing the pig’s abilities, his owner and master (the farmer, played by James Cromwell) enters Babe in the annual county sheep herding competition which becomes a real turning point, not just for Babe but for his masters and their tiny little town, as well.
The film is intelligent and capricious. It is definitely something that will appeal to adults watching what is perceived as a child’s movie. Yet its storybook tone and visuals, including its zany characters, will certainly offer a delightful entertainment for both the young and old. It does help that the voice actors did an amazing job of giving their characters substance and depth. Additionally, the state-of-the-art special effects incorporated in this movie appear to be seamless, that during the time this was released in the 90’s, it was seen as technically superior.
This movie is simply a classic.
Babe is available in a Special Edition Widescreen DVD release that carries a DTS Soundtrack, as well as the traditional Full Screen DVD version.