The 10th Kingdom

At the edge of the mortal world lies a mystical vortex which leads to the Nine Kingdoms a fantastic land where fairy tales are reinvented... and not with happily-ever-after results! An evil queen (Dianne Wiest) has just doomed Prince Wendell (Daniel Lapaine) to life as a dog. His quest to recapture the throne leads him through a portal to the mythical Tenth Kingdom... Central Park! With the help of ordinary mortals Virginia (Kimberly Williams) and Tony (John Larroquette) they battle evil in a parallel universe of vile trolls goblins and every fairy tale character imaginable. Stunning visual effects and a stellar cast include Scott Cohen Rutger Hauer Camryn Manheim and Ed O'Neill dominates this epic adventure that will enchant audiences of all ages.System Requirements:Starring: Ann-Margret Scott Cohen Rutger Hauer John Larroquette Camryn Manheim and Ed O'Neill Directed By: David Carson and Herbert Wise Running Time: 417 minutes Color Presented in "Standard" formatFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: CHILDREN/FAMILY Rating: NR UPC: 707729127185 Manufacturer No: 12718

This epic 10-hour miniseries from the Emmy-winning writer of Gulliver's Travels was a ratings bust on television, but on video and DVD, where it can be enjoyed at one's leisure, it has a better chance to cast its magical spell. Kimberly Williams has never been more enchanting than as Virginia, a waitress who still lives with her janitor father (John Larroquette) and yearns for something exciting to happen to her. Her wish comes true when she and her father are transported from New York City into a dimension that, with apologies to Rod Serling, can only be called the Fairy Tale Zone; nine kingdoms populated by characters from fairy tales of yore. They team up with a dog who's really a prince--Wendell, grandson of Snow White--changed into canine form by the evil Queen (Dianne Wiest), who plots to usurp Wendell's throne. Father, daughter, and his royal dogness are relentlessly pursued through the nine kingdoms by the Troll King (Ed O'Neill) and his three bumbling and horrible children, and the conflicted Wolf (Scott Cohen), who is allied with the Queen but, with the aid of some Oprah-esque self-help books, tames his inner beast and falls in love with Virginia. The 10th Kingdom is a special effects extravaganza. There is indeed, as one character marvels, magic to behold here. But despite the Hallmark brand name and the presence of a grown-up Snow White (Camryn Manheim) and Cinderella (Ann-Margret), bewitched animals, magic mirrors, and trolls, this is not kid's stuff. It can get scary, surprisingly violent, and quite intense; you know, just like real fairy tales. --Donald Liebenson