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List Price: $14.99 | | Label: Walt Disney Video
Salesrank: 18947
Released: June 1, 2004 |
| Our Price: $8.85 |
| Used Price: $3.37 |
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MPAA Rating: G (General Audience)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
Now experience all the laughs of the original comedy classic that inspired Disney's hilarious hit remake. Trading places was never so funny, and it could only happen on Friday the 13th! That's when the tomboyish and free-spirited Annabel (Jodie Foster) switches bodies with her straitlaced mother, Ellen (Barbara Harris), and suddenly finds herself responsible for running the entire household. In turn, Ellen, now in her daughter's body, faces the daunting challenges of school, including a typing test, field hockey competition, and much more!
Freaky Friday Reviews:
Annoying. 
2009-09-10 - Although it was nice to see the historical aspect of this film, it was pretty demeaning to women, and frankly, men as well. Poor acting and slapstick will go over well with children, but will only grate on their parents' nerves.
Take Me Back! 
2009-04-13 - I've wanted this version that I remember from my childhood for some time, and was happy to find it. The sale was seamless and I'm excited to watch the movie!
Brings me back to my childhood!
2009-02-17 - "Freaky Friday" is a movie that I use to rent as a kid EVERY weekend! Now I can watch it on DVD! I've been looking for this movie on DVD forever, and I'm SO happy I found it on Amazon!
'70's Disney Fun! 
2008-07-27 - It's Friday the 13th, and tomboy thirteen-year-old Anabel Andrews (Jodie Foster) and her more level-headed mother Ellen (Barbara Harris) are at odds again, causing each to wish they were in the other's shoes. Both seem to think the other has it easy, and they soon find out otherwise when their wish comes true and their spirits swap bodies inexplicably! Now in her mother's body, Anabel discovers that Ellen has more to do all day than sit around watching TV and eating junk, and also that her dreamy daddy (John Astin) isn't all he's cracked up to be as a husband. Meanwhile, Ellen learns that Anabel's life isn't all fun and games either, and that the pressures of teenage-life can be more than even an adult can handle.
It's a simple plot with a basic message, and the film has more entertainment value than anything else, but for that purpose it works so well that the idea has been used many times since, including as two remakes (though, oddly, considering the film's ending, never a sequel). This 1977 original could be considered typical Disney '70's comedy fluff, but maybe it's the stars and the appeal to the female audience that sets it above the others in the hearts and minds of Disney fans and film fans in general. To be straightforward, I, myself, am giving the film 4 out of 5 stars, despite the fact that I'm a Disney fanatic. I enjoy it very much, but even of the '70's Disney comedies, it's not among my top faves. I'm a big Kurt Russell and Dean Jones fan. I also have always kinda felt that the characters didn't seem to be right on with their portrayals of each other. They're great performances, but rather seemed more like they were playing a mother and daughter's interpretation of how a teen or adult would act, respectively being overly goofy and overly mature. It's not an extreme annoyance, but it is a slight impression I get. Luckily, both leads are such good actresses that the film is highly enjoyable anyway. The film is loaded with great actors in fact, and has some really great moments. Though Jodie Foster is undeniably a great actress, I have to say I find the scenes with Barbara Harris far more entertaining. Marc McClure as Boris Harris, the teenage boy across the street that Anabel is crushing on, is notable as well for some really hilarious moments. The Jodie Foster material is entertaining too though, and watching this film on the Disney Channel as I was growing up, I particularly enjoyed it for a couple of her cute friends, Virginia and Bambi, played by Vicki Schreck and Charlene Tilton.
For the Disney fan, the original "Freaky Friday" is a must-have, but anyone should be able to enjoy this wacky and fun classic, and ya gotta love those animated Disney openings! Full of groovy music and lots of laughs, the DVD is a great buy and even comes with a couple of extras. One is a match game that I didn't find all that special, but the other is an excellent interview with Jodie Foster about Freaky Friday and her career at Disney in general! An excellent supplement. The film is presented in its original widescreen format and is highly recommend for fun, family-friendly viewing!
Makes my wife happy
2008-04-07 - My wife loves this movie... and as always the original is much better than the remake.
