Free to Be You and Me

Starring:Marlo Thomas, Alan Alda, Harry Belafonte, Mel Brooks, Rita Coolidge, Billy De Wolfe, Roberta Flack, Michael Jackson, Kris Kristofferson, Tom Smothers, Cicely Tyson, June Angela, Rafer Johnson, Ron Marshall, Roosevelt Grier, Diana Sands, Carol Channing, Bobby Morse
Director: Bill Davis (VI), Fred Wolf, Len Steckler
Studio: Henstooth Video
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

Like Schoolhouse Rock, Marlo Thomas's 1970s children's TV show, Free to Be… You and Me met with immediate success and became a treasured piece of entertainment over the years. Based on her award-winning album of songs, skits, and comedy, Free to Be explores the infinite possibilities of childhood. Fans know most of the skits in the 45-minute show verbatim, and it's easy to see why right from the beginning with an infectious title track followed by a puppet sketch featuring Thomas and Mel Brooks as newborns. Top talent appears on both sides of the camera, including Alan Alda who directs and performs a cartoon about a boy who wants a doll. However, the presentation does show its age at times: a teenage Michael Jackson singing (with Roberta Flack) on how he's not going to change when he grows up. For all ages. --Doug Thomas

Description

This unique, highly acclaimed entertainment, stars Marlo Thomas, and features such celebrated talents as Alan Alda, Harry Belafonte, Mel Brooks, Rita Coolidge, Billy De Wolfe, Roberta Flack, Rosey Grier, Michael Jackson, Kris Kristopherson, THe New Seekers, Tom Smothers, The Voices of East Harlem and Dionne Warwick. Free To Be...You And Me is a journey into the endless possibilities of life, rich with positive, life-enhancing messages about growth and change. In a series of live action and animation, positive messages of self-esteem are illustrated through songs, stories and laughter. It explores children's authentic experiences, their dreams and concerns, their fears and fantasies. Among the highlights are Marlo Thomas and Mel Brooks in Boy Meets Girl and football hero Rosey Grier, singing It's Alright to Cry. In addition, Michael Jackson and Roberta Flack perform When We Grow Up and Alan Alda narrates the tale of Atalanta. This enchanted fun-filled voyage of discovery for adults and children to enjoy together is a superb addition to any family's home video library.

Customer Reviews:

Sadly dated, get the CD.......2007-05-12

I vaguely recall bits and pieces of video from my childhood, but it was still a bit of a shock when I got the DVD. The CD seems unfortunately timeless, but the DVD looks very very dated. Some of the animations (e.g. "Atalanta" and "William's Doll") aren't too bad, but the rest is too 70s. Get the CD instead, you'll be much happier.

Stands the test of time.......2007-03-24

Kids loved this. Girls 7 (first grade) and 5 (pre k) and son 2 yrs. We moved from a very relaxed, well funded, full of arts school district to across the world, heavily congested, low funded little to standard art school district. Found the transition from fun sunny friends to competitive relatively unhappy community tough. This video really helped my 7 year old see her diversity in a soft and soothing way, believe it helped her move. Kids loved it for the entertainment value too. I swear I heard their brains blooming open with possibilities when they watched this. I loved the retro revisiting my childhood of it. It was a lot shorter than I remember it, which is handy for rewatching.

Fun for me, and my 2 yr. old.......2007-02-10

I knew this stuff from the album, but hadn't ever seen the TV show. It is dated...cartoon unicorns flying off a carousel in Central Park. And unfortunately the video quality was obviously mediocre to start with. But it is fun, and the humorous parts are enduring. The songs are great too, as you'd remember if you were young when this came out...

I left my 2 yr old this morning on the couch watching the puppet babies (Mel Brooks and Marlo T) doing the I AM A BOY/GIRL thing--she had a big smile on her face..

heartwarming.......2007-02-06

It is so nice to hear this music again! My daughter enjoys it immensely and it'll be so nice to both be able to be nostalgic about it someday. I love that they're putting these shows from my youth onto DVD so she can enjoy them also.

A classic from my childhood (in the 1970's).......2007-02-02

Sure, it's dated, and not a lot of kids know who Rosie Greer is. But, if you don't love it for the simple childhood "niceness" factor, rent it for the kitsch factor -- a young Michael Jackson is a hoot!

DVD:

DVD

DVD

DVD

Spirit Warrior - A Harvest of Cherry Blossoms

Stravinsky - Works

The Lost World - Jurassic Park 2 [1997]

DVD: Challenge of the Super Friends - The First Season (DC C

Sissi 2 - Kaiserliche Gäste in Possenhofen