Lemony Snicket: Series Of Unfortunate [2004] | ![Lemony Snicket: Series Of Unfortunate [2004]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/5170WVN86XL._SL160_.jpg)
 enlarge | Director: Brad Silberling
Actors: Jim Carrey, Jude Law, Emily Browning, Liam Aiken, Kara Hoffman
Studio: Dreamworks Home Entertainment
Category: DVD
List Price: £19.99
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Rating:  14 reviews
Sales Rank: 4599
Format: Anamorphic, Dubbed, Pal, Widescreen
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Subtitles For The Hearing Impaired), Hungarian (Subtitled), Hungarian (Dubbed)
Rating: Parental Guidance
Region: 2
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Number Of Items: 1
Running Time: 103 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
EAN: 5051188133436
ASIN: B00080M0IC
Theatrical Release Date: 2004
Release Date: May 27, 2005
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
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Amazon.co.uk Review
If you spliced Charles Addams, Dr. Seuss, Charles Dickens, Edward Gorey, and Roald Dahl into a Tim Burtonesque landscape, you'd surely come up with something like Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events. Many critics (in mostly mixed reviews) wondered why Burton didn't direct this comically morbid adaptation of the first three books in the popular series by Daniel Handler (a.k.a. "Lemony Snicket," played here by Jude Law and seen only in silhouette) instead of TV and Casper veteran Brad Silberling, but there's still plenty to recommend the playfully bleak scenario, in which three resourceful orphans thwart their wicked, maliciously greedy relative Count Olaf (Jim Carrey), who subjects them to... well, a series of unfortunate events. Along the way they encounter a herpetologist uncle (Billy Connolly), an anxious aunt (Meryl Streep) who's afraid of everything, and a variety of fantastical hazards and mysterious clues, some of which remain unresolved. Given endless wonders of art direction, costume design, and cinematography, Silberling's direction is surprisingly uninspired (in other words, the books are better), but when you add a throwaway cameo by Dustin Hoffman, Law's amusing narration, and Carrey's over-the-top antics, the first Lemony movie suggests a promising franchise in the making. --Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com
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| Customer Reviews: Read 9 more reviews...
 Great narration - over the top acting September 2, 2008
B. Chandler (Arlington, Texas)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
The Baudelaire children lead a cushy life of reading books, inventing, and biting. One day at the beach Mr. Poe informs them of the unfortunate event of their house and parents burning down. They are then shuffled around to various unrelated relatives. At every turn they are perused by their uncle Count Olaf, who covets their inheritance. Trying to explain this to grownups is almost impossible.
Grate narration of the movie by Jude Law; he added a dimension that made you want to see what was happening next.
The books offer such great (terrible) resources for the movie. However it was a bit much trying to cram three books into one movie. Each book has more than enough story line for a movie. The events were taken out of order which actually watered down the pathos and everyone could tell this even if they did not read the books. The details are there but we miss the purpose and the lessons.
They chose just the right actors to play the Baudelaire brats, Violet, Klaus, and baby Sunny (Emily Browning, Liam Aiken, Kara and Shelby Hoffman.) They did a great job of depicting the book characters. The addition of the underscore for Sunny was a notice touch.
The only real negative part of the movie was using Jim Carry in the place of Count Olaf. He was too exaggerated even for Jim Carry and distracted from the spookiness of the story. What should have been a spooky but see though person turned out to be too clownish.
They picked an excellent Uncle Monty (Billy Connolly) born and brought up in Glasgow, Scotland, looks and sounds like a cross between John Cleese and Sean Connery.
During the ending credits there ware some great drawings that make you think that this would have made a great cartoon series.
 how awesome! July 23, 2008
Ms. F. I. Macdonald (uk)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
What a totally great and brilliant film!! Everything about this was positive from the cast, the acting, the plot, the humour and the drama. I loved the weirdness and surrealism too and the fact that Jim Carrey featured in it heavily did of course make it even better!!!I really cant speak highly enough of this film, all I can say is its a one of a kind that you have to see to understand, so please watch it!!
This is an artful piece of direction November 25, 2007
Jenny J.J.I. (That Lives in Northern Nevada)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
I'm not very familiar with the books of Daniel Handler (Lemony Snicket) but, even by judging this film alone, I'm going to say that his work appeals to me a lot more than Harry Potter. The kids enjoyed it a lot and after watching it they wanted a second round.
The story centers on three adorable and gifted children who're abruptly orphaned when their parents die in a mysterious fire. Their search for a new home and well-meaning new guardians is constantly interfered by the malicious Count Orlaf (Jim Carrey) who hunts after the Bauedelaires' family fortune. The main reason why this film is so genuinely unsettling is because the story relentlessly uncovers the deepest fear of every child, namely the death of parents and the large risk of ending up with ill-natured new guardians. Most fairy-tale don't even dare to bring up this nightmarish idea, but "Lemony Snicket..." entirely revolves around it. Equally effective are, of course, the ghoulish landscapes, the dark scenery and the amazingly eccentric characters. Most of the time, it feels like you're watching a typical Tim Burton film and that's a giant compliment, since his style is practically unique (sinister, witty and heart-warming all at once!).
There's a lot of CGI here but not to the point to annoy you, since all these exaggeratedly fake special effects (the leeches, Aunt Josephine's seaside-house) contribute to the morbid atmosphere. The cast is terrific as well, with Jim Carrey as Count Orlaf in one most memorable performance to date. I have to admit I initially feared that Carrey's performance would be far over-the-top, but he's surprisingly mature and convincing. The Bauedelaire-children are very well cast as well and so are Billy Connolly and Meryl Streep in the most important supportive roles. The great cast is completed with respectable names (Luiz Guzmán, Catherine O'Hara, Jennifer Coolidge, Cedric the Entertainer...) in small roles. Sublime film.
It's funny, it's interesting, it's creative! I recommend taking a chance on this one- if you like art, if you like Jim Carrey, and if you like unique plots, highly recommended for all type of audiences!
A bit like Harry Potter without the magic ... September 24, 2006
Marshall Lord (Whitehaven, UK)
9 out of 10 found this review helpful
My first impression of the tone with which both the books and the film are advertised was that it was a bit like J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series without the magical/supernatural elements. E.g. a story about teenage/child heroes who have to cope with truly horrible and strange enemies and events, shot through with some very dark and ironic humour.
Having watched the film this feeling was reinforced.
The introductory sequence shows cute little dancing and singing birds, animals and elves, and then you cut to a warning that this is not a cheerful happy story at all. The author, Lemony Snickett, voiced by Jude Law, warns that it is a tale of three orphans who experience a series of unfortunate events ...
The film is based on the first three books of the series. The three Baudelaire children, Violet, Claus, and baby Sunny, learn at the start of the book that their house has mysteriously burned down and their parents have been killed in the fire. A kindly and well meaning but naive banker called Mr Poe (Timothy Spall) places them with a series of distant relatives as gardians: the evil Count Olaf (Jim Carrey), snake expert Dr Montgomery Montgomery (Billy Connally) and an aunt who is terrified of everything (Meryl Streep.) Count Olaf is a master of disguise who pursues the children around the country in the hope of inheriting their fortune, giving Jim Carrey the opportunity to demonstrate his own uncanny skill in modifying his appearance and mannerisms.
In fact Carrey's ability to appear in several different guises which are similar enough for the viewer (and the children) to recognise that they are all Count Olaf, but different enough that it is just about possible to accept that nobody else recognises him is one of the more impressive parts of the film.
The two elder child actors are excellent and I think we will hear more of Liam Aitken and Emily Browning. (The baby is played by two identical twins.)
This could be moderately scary for a small child. We watched it with our children (both aged five) ready to turn it off if they became upset: they coped well enough but did not really understand what was going on. Don't think I will show it to them again for several years.
Special effects and the spooky music were very well done.
As a family film, where the children are 10 to 14, this was quite well done, and certainly different. But not for those whose tastes run for a stong dose of saccharine ...
A WORD TO THE WISE... June 25, 2006
Kevin Hall (HADDINGTON, EAST LOTHIAN)
4 out of 9 found this review helpful
If, for some reason you were looking for a cutesy-filled adventure like The Littlest Elf, I am sorry to say you have picked up the wrong DVD.
Before you rush home and eagerly slip this into your player, I have to warn you that this tale contains none of the enjoyments found in a movie about a small, irritable cute man with big ears.
In this movie you are most likely to encounter a greedy, villianous uncle, a phrase which here means Count Olaf, a fortune, a Deadly Vipor, a really bad play and a group of bloodthirsty leeches.
It is my lot in life to record the unfortunate events of the three Baudelaire orphans, who have had the most rotten luck since they were told by Mr. Poe that their parents had died in a fire.
However, this is only a movie, with wonderful casting of Jim Carrey as Olaf and a fine cast including Billy Connelly and Meryl Streep. Should you wish to choose something else like The Littlest Elf, feel free to do so.
Regards, Lemony Snicket Wannabe
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