Product Description

If man's best friend is a dog, get ready to meet man's funniest friend -- he's four pounds of sheer delight and one of the best scene stealers to ever upstage an actor! RASCAL tells the story of a boy (Billy Mumy) and his rescued pet raccoon, an animal whose talent for causing loads of mischief is equaled only by his power to trigger tons of laughter! Featuring superb performances by an all-star cast and spectacular lush scenery ... this is family entertainment at its finest!

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #17215 in DVD
• Released on: 2002-05-21
• Rating: G (General Audience)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 93 minutes

Customer Reviews

One of the best boy-pet stories of all time ...
"Rascal," the Disney/Buena Vista live-action film based on the 1963 million-plus, best-selling "memoir of a better era" by Wisconsin-born author Sterling North, is finally available on video and DVD -- and, although the wait has been far too long, the film stands up to the test of time. Bill Mumy is charming as Sterling as a child, but the animals steal this show. Masterfully directed by the same gent who created the best of Disney's nature flicks, this warm-hearted, nostalgic view of 1918-era southern Wisconsin (the fictional setting of Brailsford Junction is based on the author's hometown of Edgerton, Wisconsin, located in Rock County, nearby a meandering Rock River and one of the largest lakes in the state, Koshkonong) will please adults and children alike. Having the film widely available again, 33 years after its first theatrical release, is almost worth the shortcomings of the DVD (and those all involve the decision not to include any extras -- no theatrical trailers, no biographical info on the talented cast, no info on Sterling North [1906-1974, also the author of "So Dear to My Heart," made into another film by Disney in 1949], no info on the Sterling North Society of Edgerton and its restoration of Sterling's childhood home as a museum, etc. etc.), all of which would have added immeasurably to the movie's enjoyment. Nevertheless, a first-rate effort by a talented team and a film made during the golden age of Disneyeseque films about boys and their pets.

A Crunchy Parental Review of
"Rascal" is the true story of a baby raccoon which author Sterling North found when he was 11 years old, and raised until it was time to set the raccoon back in the wild.

This is a sweet story, and the bits which may cause some parents concern in the book itself are not even present in the movie, making it sweeter still.

There are spoken threats to the raccoon (neighbors warn that if the raccoon starts to raid gardens, he will be shot), but it never goes beyond that.

That said, there are scenes where Sterling's father has a dead turkey slung over his shoulder, and another where the plucked turkey is ready to become dinner.

Also, in one scene Sterling's father invites the town's new minister and Sterling's teacher in to dinner, and proceeds to get them drunk on hard cider.

One other matter which may cause concern for some - although it is based on reality - is that Sterling's mother has passed away, and, to compound matters, his father is a travelling entrepreneur, and he often leaves young Sterling at home alone for days on end (it is made clear in the movie that this is not ok, although Sterling's father doesn't seem to see it that way at first).

Finally, there is a scene in the beginning - and one in the end - where the raccoons tangle with a bobcat. Nobody gets particularly hurt, but it might be a bit scary for a few moments for younger children.

If the above are ok for your family, then "Rascal" is a very sweet film, and we will be watching it again.

And, oh yes, the fellow who plays Sterling is none other than Bill Mumy - yes, that Bill Mumy, who played Will Robinson in "Lost in Space".

[...]

A Must for Raccoon Lovers
If you are a Procyon Lotor lover, this film is for you. If you're looking for a classic, lively Walt Disney animal film--this one isn't it. The film follows Sterling North's book, and does it well. Yes, it seems to drag at times, and therefore does not "meet" the high action/drama expectations of today's viewers. But this film was made before the days of high-tech computer animations, and the coons used in it--are real--and therefore a true representation of this wonderful, mischievious critter. This whole film deals with a raccoon. It is not just a brief "tease" scene in a film for us raccoon lovers.