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List Price: $39.98 | | Label: Paramount
Salesrank: 21159
Released: April 26, 2005 |
| Our Price: $6.95 |
| Used Price: $2.49 |
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MPAA Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
In LEMONY SNICKET’S A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS, after Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire's parents perish in a terrible fire, they are placed in the care of their uncle, Count Olaf (Jim Carrey), an evil fiend who is plotting to kill them and seize their fortune. The orphans travel from guardian to guardian, including herpetologist Montgomery Montgomery (Billy Connolly) and grammar-wise Aunt Josephine Anwhistle (Streep), but the worst guardian of all is Count Olaf. Plotting to steal the children’s fortune, Olaf disguises himself as his assistant Stephano and ship captain Julio Sham and keeps popping up in the strangest places. Just when the Baudelaires think things are getting better, something unfortunate happens!
Description of Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events (2-Disc Special Collector's Edition):
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
DVD features
Packed into the two-disc special edition of Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events is over two hours of serious behind-the-scenes features, deleted scenes, and interviews with the production staff. The most generous of these is A Woeful World, an in-depth overview of the production design with extensive commentary from Oscar-nominated production designer Rick Heinrichs. Kids who've read the books will enjoy seeing how creative minds transform the world of the books into a movie. "Costumes and Other Suspicious Disguises" is one of the most fun extras with footage of Jim Carrey comically ad-libbing as his different characters during the on-screen costume tests. The special features contained on the single-disc editions are also quite good, but most fans will find it worth it to pay the few extra dollars for this edition because of the insights it gives into the production. --Dan Vancini
A Message from Count Olaf
Dear Adoring Fan of Count Olaf,
Perhaps once every thousand years, a talent emerges that completely changes the way movies are made, orphans are orphaned, and heartthrobs throb. Often this talent has only one eyebrow, as is the case with one of the most cherished and admired actors scheming today. Surely you can you guess of whom I think.
No, you fool! I am referring to the One...the Only...the Unbelievably Handsome Count Olaf!
Or, as I like to call him, Me.
If you’ve already seen my performance in Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events, you must still be speechless. But if you haven’t, you are in serious danger. Just teasing. But you could be after I send one of my gifted henchpersons to your home!
So why not get my movie on DVD? This major motion spectacle has everything. Me, acting! Leeches, attacking! Orphans, almost falling off a cliff! Of course, if you are familiar with books by Lemony Snicket, you know that they include all of these things too, but most of what he says is lies, and the rest is completely boring.
There's never been a film that demands repeated viewing in quite the same way, with a diabolical genius writing you a letter that says, "I DEMAND REPEATED VIEWING!!!" Plus with DVD extras, you’ll get at least 20% more Olaf for your money. And... just for you, for an unlimited time only, I’ll throw in Aunt Josephine free with purchase.*
So, noble Amazonians, put down your hunting spears and exotic headdresses, and prepare to bask in True Greatness. Or, as I like to call it, Me.
Of course you may have my autograph!
Count Olaf
*Count Olaf will not be held liable or accept blame in any way for any and all liability, loss, damage, or personal injury (including death), without limit and without regard once Aunt Josephine is thrown in, due to the unpredictable behavior of hungry leeches.
Stills from Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events (Click to Enlarge)
Violet, Count Olaf, and Klaus |
Aunt Josephine |
Count Olaf and Aunt Josephine |
Directing Jim Carrey |
Klaus, Mr. Poe, Sunny, and Violet |
Count Olaf |
Olaf Ascending |
The Baudelaire Orphans |
All Things Snicket
See a complete list of all Lemony Snicket's creations, including books from the Series of Unfortunate Events, calendars, and more.
The Essential Lemony Snicket Books
A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Ominous Omnibus, Books 1-3 |
The Situation Worsens: A Box of Unfortunate Events, Books 4-6 |
The Dilemma Deepens: A Box of Unfortunate Events, Books 7-9 |
The Slippery Slope: A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 10 |
The Grim Grotto: A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 11 |
A Library of Unfortunate Events, Books 1-10 |
Behind the Scenes with Count Olaf: A Series of Unfortunate Events Movie Book |
Lemony Snicket: The Unauthorized Autobiography |
The Puzzling Puzzles Activity Book |
More from the Movie
Original Movie Poster |
Soundtrack |
Wall Poster |
Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events Computer & Video Games
For PS2 |
For PC |
For Xbox |
For GameCube |
Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events (2-Disc Special Collector's Edition) Reviews:
Great DVD 
2009-11-07 - My son loved Lemony Snicket's Series of Unfortunate Event dvd. Seller delivered dvds on time and in excellent condition.Great sound and picture quality, too. Happy customer results in happy buyers.
Prompt delivery
2009-09-11 - Wonderful seller! Very quick delivery and the product was in gret shape, just as described.
Not Good 
2009-09-11 - from reading the other reviews it seams like alot of people based this off of the books. I have never read the books so I have nothing to go by . I bought this movie because of Jim Carrey and because I love all of his movies. I watched this movie one time and thought it was horrible , I think it took me around 3 days to acually get through it because it was so bad I had to keep turning it off. out of almost 500 movies that I own I only have a dozen or so movies that I hated so bad that I put in a pile to get rid of , this movie went in that pile. after having the movie in that pile for many months , I kinda forgot how the movie was and decided to watch it again before getting rid of it . the second time I watched it I liked it alot better than the first time but still didn't think it was a very good movie however now I'm depating on if I should keep it or get rid of it . I see now that it's one of those movies that i have to watch more than once in order to watch it without falling asleep. there are so many scenes that drug on and it's not funny at all but maybe it is worth keeping now since I already own it . I would NEVER have bought this movie if I knew it was this bad.
Good interpretation!!
2009-07-21 - I really enjoyed this movie after reading the books!! The movie follows closely to books, which is always a good thing. Jim Carrey is so funny in this movie!! The children acting in it are also pretty good. I love the costumes, too- especially Violet's!!! :) The ending was well done. However, the special features are seriously lacking. But other than that, this movie is great!!!!!
interesting movie
2009-06-18 - I bought this movie for my kids and I am amazed to say I'm actually able to watch it with them. This movie is also interesting for adults and is a fun movie.Overall I am very happy with it.
