The Charge

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's classic children's story comes to animated life in this gentle fantasy for all ages. Recommended by the National Education Association, The Little Prince adventures are now available on DVD either as a four-disc boxed set or on individual discs containing three episodes each. This review covers two of the individual releases, The Perfect Planet and The Star Gazer.

The Case

French pilot and philosopher Antoine de Saint-Exupéry was one of the pioneers of early commercial aviation. He flew mail and passengers across Europe and the Sahara, over the snow-covered ramparts of the Andes and, eventually, made transatlantic flights. During World War II he served in a French air squadron and disappeared over the Mediterranean in 1944 while returning from a reconnaissance mission. He was 44.

During his short and adventurous life, de Saint-Exupéry also wrote several novels and memoirs, of which Wind, Sand and Stars (1939) is especially recommended for its haunting depiction of early air travel. He also created The Little Prince in 1943 as a fable for children, with allegorical messages for adults—peace, love, and understanding chief among them. His premise and basic storyline formed the foundation for a series of Little Prince cartoons made for television in 1983. These are gentle and occasionally enchanting stories that little ones will enjoy. Each episode runs about 24 minutes, designed to fit in a half-hour bloc of television programming with commercials.

In de Saint-Exupéry's original tale, a World War I pilot crash lands in the Sahara desert where he meets the Little Prince and learns of his travels through space. Half a dozen film versions still exist, including a musical, although these sets of animated episodes are a good (and readily available) starting point for kids.

The Little Prince lives on distant asteroid B-612, cleaning volcanoes and tending his magical rose. Into this idyllic life comes a space bird named Swifty, who shows the Little Prince how to hitch a ride on passing comets. This allows the small boy to visit distant galaxies and make new friends. During his travels, the Little Prince learns about honesty, kindness, bravery, and other great life lessons.

I especially appreciate the gentle quality of de Saint-Exupéry's vision as adapted for these programs. My little Sophia, not yet 5, was captivated by the stories, which prompted thoughtful conversation between us when she was finished watching. That's a priceless benefit from a children's program.

A joint production of German and French film companies, with animation by a Japanese studio, these cartoons were obviously filmed on a wee budget. Backgrounds are either static or endlessly recycled, such as the travel scenes of the Little Prince traversing time and space on his way to new adventures. Characters often move in that herky-jerky way that is a sure mark of minimalist animation, where the illustrators try to get by with 18-20 drawings per second, instead of the standard 24 frames per second, which creates more fluid motion. So the real selling point behind The Adventures of the Little Prince is the gentle message at the heart of each episode.

Video and audio reflect a good quarter-century of age. The material is certainly suitable for kids, especially very young children; just don't expect reference-standard picture and sound. There are no extras on these individual discs.

The Perfect Planet Episodes:

• Visit to Another Planet
The Little Prince is on an alien planet not unlike Earth. He meets a f\girl who herds sheep, later discovering the miracle of life firsthand.

• The Perfect Planet
Cosmic bird Swifty guides the Little Prince to Terra, a planet colonized by space pioneers from Earth. They came to create a better world, but the Little Prince realizes they are making the same old mistakes.

• The Wolf Pack
Landing in Scotland, the Little Prince befriends a stray dog mistaken for a dangerous wolf. With help from the Little Prince, the gentle dog finds a home.

The Star Gazer Episodes:

• The Star Gazer
The Little Prince and Swifty touch down on a planet where they meet a disgraced astronomer who must prove the existence of asteroid B-612 (the home world of The Little Prince) in order to restore his reputation.

• Last Voyage of the Rose
Arriving in Belgium, the Little Prince finds employment as cabin boy on a small boat. During the voyage, he teaches the captain the importance of allowing loved ones to grow.

• The Chimney Sweep
Landing in London, the Little Prince helps a chimney sweep gain the courage to reunite with his long-lost daughter, who is now a famous ballerina.

Similar Decisions

• Chicka Chicka 1-2-3... And More Stories About Counting (Scholastic Video Collection)
• Alvin And The Chipmunks: A Chipmunk Christmas
• The Snowy Day And Other Ezra Jack Keats Stories
• The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz: Animated Collection

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