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List Price: $14.99 | | Label: Walt Disney Home Entertainment
Salesrank: 12173
Released: May 21, 2002 |
| Our Price: $5.98 |
| Used Price: $4.98 |
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MPAA Rating: G (General Audience)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
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!
Rascal Reviews:
Rascal DVD review 
2008-08-25 - The picture quality of this DVD is excellent. The colours are so crisp it could have been filmed last year, not 1969. It was so wonderful to see a movie from my childhood - one which I haven't seen for over 30 years. This DVD title is not available in Australia, so it was great to be able to buy it from Amazon in America. This is the first time I've bought a DVD from overseas.(Luckily my DVD player is multi-regional). It only took 16 days from when I ordered on-line for the DVD to arrive in my mailbox here in Australia - for the grand cost of (incl. postage ) AU$16.47! - a fantastic bargain. Thanks Amazon.
VERY UPSETTING! 
2008-08-02 - As usual, another story about a wild animal taken in and the left in the wild to fend for itself when it grows older. Some people lack committment and responsibility. Once you give an animal a home, especially a wild one, you should be prepared to make adjustments during its lifetime. I've had a raccoon for 11 years, and it lives INSIDE my house. As she's gotten older, she sleeps more and doesn't like to go out an play as much, but she's happy and plays with my cat and dogs. At times she gets feisty - but she's just old. I took that reponsibility when I rescued her (broken leg, bite marks everywhere) and I owe her the same happiness and treatment she had as when I first found her. I will not ever throw her in the wild when she's used to humans and having food given to her. It would be dangerous for her and shorten her life span even more. I hated this movie, the motives, I am sorry I bought it or even had the desire to.
A Crunchy Parental Review of 
2008-01-22 - "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 pleasant growing up story
2008-01-15 - I actually have the book on which this film is based, and given the constraints of time, the film script follows the book pretty well.
Billy Mumy was a well-chosen cast member for the principal role.
The film must have been pretty difficult to execute given that an animal
is involved with most of the scenes.
The film is typical of many of the Disney films which can generate empathy
and emotion in the viewer, but do not have any unpleasant scenes disturbing enough to make young viewers cry. It is a very pleasant and
sometimes humorous story of youth growing up in a time gone by.
A Disney 'Almost' Classic
2005-02-13 - When a cuddly baby raccoon snuggles his way into the life of a lonely boy named Sterling North (Billy Mumy), things go riotously awry as the ringtail's mischievous nature gets more and more out of control. Everyone in the small town gets to know Rascal, whether they want to or not - the bandit-masked mammal is especially fond of the eggs in the neighbor's chicken coops. Eventually, it's decided that Rascal will have to be returned to the wild. But Rascal doesn't want to go!
Based upon the memoir by Sterling North, the movie suffers from sluggish editing... but that little raccoon is just too cute!
Staci Layne Wilson
