I saw this movie as a kid, and for years now I honestly thought it might have been just a really messed up fever dream! In all honesty it starts off slow, and I think I enjoyed it way more than my kids, just due to the nostalgia. I will say, The Great Land of Small has a very Cirque Du Soleil feel too it. Probably because it is Canadian.
15 Reviews
Finally Found This Movie
Discount Bert16 September 2003
I've been looking for this movie for years and could never find the title or what it was about because all i could remember was these kids went down this slide and became butterflys. I asked around and finally found out the movie was called The Great Land Of Small. So after looking all over for it i finally found a video store that had it and i rented it.
Its so great to finally know the name of this movie i enjoyed it it was a good movie and reminded me of Wizard of Oz, Chronicles of Narnia and Never Ending Story type of worlds. The only thing that upsets me is that this movie isn't on DVD. I know its a canadian movie but really put it out on DVD.
Also really cool is Micheal J. Anderson who plays Fritz the Leperchaun is in the new show Carnivale that i'm really looking forward to. I can't wait for Carnivale.
Its so great to finally know the name of this movie i enjoyed it it was a good movie and reminded me of Wizard of Oz, Chronicles of Narnia and Never Ending Story type of worlds. The only thing that upsets me is that this movie isn't on DVD. I know its a canadian movie but really put it out on DVD.
Also really cool is Micheal J. Anderson who plays Fritz the Leperchaun is in the new show Carnivale that i'm really looking forward to. I can't wait for Carnivale.
There Are Many Issues Here
nightmarelandscapes20 October 2021
Warning: Spoilers
The Great Land of Small is a movie that I had mostly forgotten over time. The last time I saw the film I was probably 7 or 8 years old, back around the time the film was released in the states. One reviewer mentioned the film seeming like a "fever dream", not knowing if the film even existed. I was much the same. I could not even remember the name of the film, let alone much of anything about it aside from some vague imagery of when the children enter the "great land" of small. A random search of the other child's film, Making Contact, led me to discovering, inadvertently, about the film I thought would be eternally left in my past. What I was even more delighted to discover was that the movie had been fully uploaded online to view at any time. So I decided to return to my childhood and watch this film now through the eyes of an adult.
The premise is quite simple. A brother and sister discover a leprechaun (Michael J Johnson) who has had his gold dust stolen by a hunter. From there, the children end up being whisked away to the "great land" of Small. The children discover that they will never be able to return home, and that they will be turned into butterflies by a giant floating meatball monster called "Slime-O". With the help of their leprechaun pal, a dogman, and some bearded guy, they get back home.
Where to begin?
The film is what I believe to be the 4th in a long series of children films produced in Canada. The most famous of these films was probably The Peanut Butter Solution, which is a film I actually adored growing up, and still have a lot of love for. I am guessing the reason The Great Land of Small never fully resonated with me is because it really is a crummy little film. Even for a film made for children, it's a rough go.
The films atmosphere is mostly dreary and bland with a score that only helps to solidify this dreariness. Another component that gives the movie its blandness is the cinematography. It captures only what it needs to capture without any flair or imagination.
The films script needs some serious polish. I get that this is a childs film, however, the dialog all feels like placeholder for something far more engaging. There are virtually no memorable lines of dialog in this film. Nothing to grab a childs interest. It is all so straight forward. As well as not at all realistic. For instance, the children in the film perceive virtually no danger from any character in the film (aside from Slime-O). They meet new people and within one second become the closest of friends. Whatever happened to never talking to strangers? Not in this movie.
A bad script can lead to some bad acting, as well as bad directing. And the acting in this movie suffers tremendously as a result. The two lead children seem to have been given the bare minimum of direction as they deliver their lines in a sing-song to yelling sort of manner. It quickly becomes grating and obnoxious. The adults do what they can with the bare materials they are given, but no one shines in any manner. The actress whom plays the children's mother (Lorraine Desmarais) seems to have worked with Cirque de Soleil and there are times where she tries to rise above the material, but with the meandering direction, her attempts are in vain. It was interesting to see Michael J Johnson in such an early role. And his character was the only one I actually liked in any capacity. Still, his dialog is awful, so I am basing this solely off of the fact I loved him in Twin Peaks.
Even with a small budget, there should be ways for the filmmakers to create a world that is convincing to children in a fantasy environment. When the children enter the "great land" of Small, it really is anything but great. It looks like some sort of studio or museum with set designs that one might see if Ed Wood was asked to direct. Costuming for the actors that portrayed the citizens of Small all look like bottom of the barrel from the wardrobe department. The Butterfly people simply looked like ballerinas floating in the air. But the weirdest and most bizarre part of Small is Slime-O. As stated, it is a giant floating Meatball Monster that consumes citizens and turns them into various things, such as butterflies. Slime-O, I must admit, it pretty freaking bizarre and creepy. It is also the only SFX in the movie that I genuinely had a good time with.
The Great Land of Small is a mess. I am happy that I was able to finally see the movie again after 30 plus years. But time has not been kind, and the film is a near painful experience to endure. The Peanut Butter Solution was a far better film with a better handling of the budget restraints. There is absolutely nothing great to be mentioned in The Great Land of Small.
The premise is quite simple. A brother and sister discover a leprechaun (Michael J Johnson) who has had his gold dust stolen by a hunter. From there, the children end up being whisked away to the "great land" of Small. The children discover that they will never be able to return home, and that they will be turned into butterflies by a giant floating meatball monster called "Slime-O". With the help of their leprechaun pal, a dogman, and some bearded guy, they get back home.
Where to begin?
The film is what I believe to be the 4th in a long series of children films produced in Canada. The most famous of these films was probably The Peanut Butter Solution, which is a film I actually adored growing up, and still have a lot of love for. I am guessing the reason The Great Land of Small never fully resonated with me is because it really is a crummy little film. Even for a film made for children, it's a rough go.
The films atmosphere is mostly dreary and bland with a score that only helps to solidify this dreariness. Another component that gives the movie its blandness is the cinematography. It captures only what it needs to capture without any flair or imagination.
The films script needs some serious polish. I get that this is a childs film, however, the dialog all feels like placeholder for something far more engaging. There are virtually no memorable lines of dialog in this film. Nothing to grab a childs interest. It is all so straight forward. As well as not at all realistic. For instance, the children in the film perceive virtually no danger from any character in the film (aside from Slime-O). They meet new people and within one second become the closest of friends. Whatever happened to never talking to strangers? Not in this movie.
A bad script can lead to some bad acting, as well as bad directing. And the acting in this movie suffers tremendously as a result. The two lead children seem to have been given the bare minimum of direction as they deliver their lines in a sing-song to yelling sort of manner. It quickly becomes grating and obnoxious. The adults do what they can with the bare materials they are given, but no one shines in any manner. The actress whom plays the children's mother (Lorraine Desmarais) seems to have worked with Cirque de Soleil and there are times where she tries to rise above the material, but with the meandering direction, her attempts are in vain. It was interesting to see Michael J Johnson in such an early role. And his character was the only one I actually liked in any capacity. Still, his dialog is awful, so I am basing this solely off of the fact I loved him in Twin Peaks.
Even with a small budget, there should be ways for the filmmakers to create a world that is convincing to children in a fantasy environment. When the children enter the "great land" of Small, it really is anything but great. It looks like some sort of studio or museum with set designs that one might see if Ed Wood was asked to direct. Costuming for the actors that portrayed the citizens of Small all look like bottom of the barrel from the wardrobe department. The Butterfly people simply looked like ballerinas floating in the air. But the weirdest and most bizarre part of Small is Slime-O. As stated, it is a giant floating Meatball Monster that consumes citizens and turns them into various things, such as butterflies. Slime-O, I must admit, it pretty freaking bizarre and creepy. It is also the only SFX in the movie that I genuinely had a good time with.
The Great Land of Small is a mess. I am happy that I was able to finally see the movie again after 30 plus years. But time has not been kind, and the film is a near painful experience to endure. The Peanut Butter Solution was a far better film with a better handling of the budget restraints. There is absolutely nothing great to be mentioned in The Great Land of Small.
Great Land of Small Minds
shark-4310 August 2009
I do understand how movies can be loved if you see them at a right age as a child - but lets truly discuss this as a family movie - it is awful - long slow sequences where nothing happens - just long wide shots of bad actors walking through fields. Bad special effects, terrible script - the director was Czech and couldn't speak English and it shows. But once the kids are taken to this "magical" land of Small - it is such a joke - it looks like a bunch of Cirque De Soleil cast offs are performing in front of a closed down museum - that's it. And then people slide down a chute into a hole and a slow deformed blob rises up (Slime-O) and demands more people. There is no connection between the kids and any of the characters and I can see why some people comment that the movie scared them as kids - the "man-dog" is creepy, Fritz is kind of creepy, lots of filthy carny looking people, etc. And the kids do that bad kid acting thing where EVERY line is delivered with the same enthusiastic sing-song. Man - what a disaster - this makes The Peanut Butter Solution look like Spielberg.
Canadian "Nightmare Fuel" Classic!
skrasna13 July 2013
From the same "Tales for All" series which mentally scarred Canadian children for life with the infamous Peanut Butter Solution comes yet another trippindicular kids film bound to disturb anyone under the age of 12.
The Great Land of Small tells the story of Jenny and David, two fairly bratty kids who appear to work in the circus with their mom. The fatherless family takes a vacation to spend some time with Granny and Gramps in countryside, where the kiddos encounter Fritz, a diminutive denizen of the Land of Small, a realm existing in "innerspace" on the other side of the rainbow. Fritz goofed up in the woods by dropping his magic dust, allowing a sinister tavern owner to chance upon it. Fritz lets the bad guy take the dust with a warning, taking the opportunity test human responsibility. Of course things go wrong, so Fritz and the kids have to team up to set things straight. Their journey takes them over the rainbow to the titular Land of Small, where things get really whacked out.
For those of you who are purely reliant on plot and spectacle, The Great Land of Small will wear out its welcome pretty quickly, but if you have a taste for this sort of thing, I think you'll dig it. The camera-work is actually rather nice for a kids film, so it was no surprise to see that this was a French-Canadian/Czech production. The music is fun too -- lots of ultra-saccharine, twinkly synth-pop for kids.
It's not a high-budget film by any means, but it's full of quirks and peculiarities, which reach a climax when the kids go to the Land of Small, which is like a low-rent version of Little Nemo's Slumberland. The set is actually (I'm pretty sure) the stadium Canada built for the '76 Olympics, which is a very '70s futuristic all-white building with lots of sloping curves. Add lots of fog, populate it with brightly festooned Cirque du Soleil performers, and film it with some Dutch angles and you've got the Land of Small. This loopy land is ruled by Fritz's twin brother, played by Twin Peak's Michael J. Anderson in a dual role. His queen is played by the same actress that plays David and Jenny's mom, which is really weird. Hanging out in the Land of Small ain't so bad until the trip goes sour and David and Jenny attend a bizarre ritual. The Smallians start chanting "Slimo", summoning an ugly, moon-like creature out of a foggy crater. A dwarf and a giant are sacrificed (willingly?) to Slimo by sliding down a chute into a squishy pit. Slimo spits some gold dust into the pit and these folks are reincarnated into butterfly people. David and Jenny narrowly avoid the same fate. Long story short, this scene is really creepy and Slimo kinda looks like the scary moon from the game "Majora's Mask".
Anyways, if you are the kind of maniac like me that enjoys weirdo kid flicks with awkward dubbing, imaginative sets and more than a dose of creep factor, check it out!
The Great Land of Small tells the story of Jenny and David, two fairly bratty kids who appear to work in the circus with their mom. The fatherless family takes a vacation to spend some time with Granny and Gramps in countryside, where the kiddos encounter Fritz, a diminutive denizen of the Land of Small, a realm existing in "innerspace" on the other side of the rainbow. Fritz goofed up in the woods by dropping his magic dust, allowing a sinister tavern owner to chance upon it. Fritz lets the bad guy take the dust with a warning, taking the opportunity test human responsibility. Of course things go wrong, so Fritz and the kids have to team up to set things straight. Their journey takes them over the rainbow to the titular Land of Small, where things get really whacked out.
For those of you who are purely reliant on plot and spectacle, The Great Land of Small will wear out its welcome pretty quickly, but if you have a taste for this sort of thing, I think you'll dig it. The camera-work is actually rather nice for a kids film, so it was no surprise to see that this was a French-Canadian/Czech production. The music is fun too -- lots of ultra-saccharine, twinkly synth-pop for kids.
It's not a high-budget film by any means, but it's full of quirks and peculiarities, which reach a climax when the kids go to the Land of Small, which is like a low-rent version of Little Nemo's Slumberland. The set is actually (I'm pretty sure) the stadium Canada built for the '76 Olympics, which is a very '70s futuristic all-white building with lots of sloping curves. Add lots of fog, populate it with brightly festooned Cirque du Soleil performers, and film it with some Dutch angles and you've got the Land of Small. This loopy land is ruled by Fritz's twin brother, played by Twin Peak's Michael J. Anderson in a dual role. His queen is played by the same actress that plays David and Jenny's mom, which is really weird. Hanging out in the Land of Small ain't so bad until the trip goes sour and David and Jenny attend a bizarre ritual. The Smallians start chanting "Slimo", summoning an ugly, moon-like creature out of a foggy crater. A dwarf and a giant are sacrificed (willingly?) to Slimo by sliding down a chute into a squishy pit. Slimo spits some gold dust into the pit and these folks are reincarnated into butterfly people. David and Jenny narrowly avoid the same fate. Long story short, this scene is really creepy and Slimo kinda looks like the scary moon from the game "Majora's Mask".
Anyways, if you are the kind of maniac like me that enjoys weirdo kid flicks with awkward dubbing, imaginative sets and more than a dose of creep factor, check it out!
negative report
Siouxsienova16 October 1998
To this day my family uses "The Great Land of Small" as the basis of comparison for any film we disapprove of. Though details elude our memory, we recall an inexplicably cheerful little man and people in colored saran wrap. We fail to see what was "great" about the land, other than a volcano that burped glitter. Years after viewing it, we need only say the title to send everyone into fits of laughter and gagging sounds. This earns "The Great Land of Small" our resounding two thumbs way down. Were we to judge it on a star ratings system, it would be a black hole.
Finally found the name of this movie! I LOVE THIS MOVIE!!!
jessiebebe16 March 2007
I loved this movie as a child. And I could never remember the name of the movie. I asked my dad if he remembered this movie but we rented it when I was about 5 years old. I've been all around to movie rental places but no one knew what I was talking about. Friends thought that maybe it was just a dream.
All I could remember is the little leprechaun man who couldn't find his rainbow, and he had gold dust. There were two kids, girl and boy, who met him in a barn or somewhere with hay. He took them to a fairytale land like on the other side of the rainbow similar to Wizard of Oz or Neverending story or even Little Nemo. This was a bright magical place. Then all I remember from there is the girls turning into butterflies and going down a slide. And the little leprechaun man would drink soda, float and blow bubbles. That is all I remember. I am not even sure if I seen the entire movie. I might of falling asleep, I mean I was only five. This is a GREAT movie. And I MUST see it again. An amazing magical film for little ones who dare to imagine that anything is possible. I know that my daughter would LOVE this movie. :o) I just though of something, she's five. Now isn't that a coincidence.
I have been looking for years. And now I know the name of it thanks to all the comments that everyone has put on here. Thank you everyone for all the nice comments on this unforgettable film.
The only sad thing is, is that none of the movie rental places lend out VHS tapes anymore. Everyone has converted to DVD only. Even pawn shops do not carry VHS movies anymore. Local library doesn't have this film either.
And worst of all it's not on DVD. Perhaps someone should put it on DVD. It makes me wonder what happens to all those old movies that don't get put onto DVD.
For now I will have to buy the VSH only, used probably. But I hope that in the future someone will make a DVD out of this movie.
AMAZING CHILDREN"S FILM THAT WILL TAKE YOUR IMAGINATION ON AN ADVENTURE!!!
Here is a trailer. Go to videodetective.com and search Tales for all #5
All I could remember is the little leprechaun man who couldn't find his rainbow, and he had gold dust. There were two kids, girl and boy, who met him in a barn or somewhere with hay. He took them to a fairytale land like on the other side of the rainbow similar to Wizard of Oz or Neverending story or even Little Nemo. This was a bright magical place. Then all I remember from there is the girls turning into butterflies and going down a slide. And the little leprechaun man would drink soda, float and blow bubbles. That is all I remember. I am not even sure if I seen the entire movie. I might of falling asleep, I mean I was only five. This is a GREAT movie. And I MUST see it again. An amazing magical film for little ones who dare to imagine that anything is possible. I know that my daughter would LOVE this movie. :o) I just though of something, she's five. Now isn't that a coincidence.
I have been looking for years. And now I know the name of it thanks to all the comments that everyone has put on here. Thank you everyone for all the nice comments on this unforgettable film.
The only sad thing is, is that none of the movie rental places lend out VHS tapes anymore. Everyone has converted to DVD only. Even pawn shops do not carry VHS movies anymore. Local library doesn't have this film either.
And worst of all it's not on DVD. Perhaps someone should put it on DVD. It makes me wonder what happens to all those old movies that don't get put onto DVD.
For now I will have to buy the VSH only, used probably. But I hope that in the future someone will make a DVD out of this movie.
AMAZING CHILDREN"S FILM THAT WILL TAKE YOUR IMAGINATION ON AN ADVENTURE!!!
Here is a trailer. Go to videodetective.com and search Tales for all #5
Finally found it =)
electrolosis99987 May 2012
When I first saw this movie approximately 15 years ago this movie scared the crap out of me to the point that I went through great means to never see it again. However it left a mark on me to the point that around 10 years ago the memory of it made me want to find out what it was, naturally I didn't know the name So I Must say Thanks to the first person to leave a review about it, it has been driving me crazy trying to find it. I would say that it is a good movie but perhaps a bad movie for younger kids to watch or more sensitive people like me. Im gonna go watch it on Youtube and hopefully it wont be as bad as I found it then. Thanks Again
So very, very bad.
kylemcd7727 February 2002
Although it has been many years since I saw this movie, I can remember thinking that there was nothing great about it. Simply put the movie sucked. Even though I was only young (about 10 years old) at the time I saw it and as such fitted into the demographic the movie was aimed at what I can remember is that me and my younger brothers all agreed that the movie was very boring and pretty much just very, very bad.
To this day if the topic worst movies ever comes up we will all mention The Great land of small.
To this day if the topic worst movies ever comes up we will all mention The Great land of small.
"Entertainment For All Ages"
bpatters26 December 2001
In the late 90's, on a Saturday night, I walked in to a videostore not knowing that I was going to rent a movie so magical. I walked around and picked up one movie, and of course I wanted another one. There was really no new releases I wanted to see so I ran right on over to the Family section where I looked quickly cause I needed to get out. After picking up several boxes I finally saw "The great land of small". The family members I was with were at the counter saying to hurry up. As I scamed over the box I knew I would enjoy it. Ya see, I'm a big "Drama" fan and "Musical" fan, but I'm a big "Fantasy" fan also. I rented it and went home to watch it. I abosolutly loved it. So I one of my relitives to get it for me for Christmas. On Christmas morning I opened it, I was really excited to see that I could share it with other people and their kids. See, when I see a movie, and I enjoyed it, I always try to recommend it to other people, and then if I get that certain special great movie, I don't have to recommend it, I can now share it. For example, Last year I had a little childrens group at my church, it was called "Fun Kids". We performed songs and learned musicals, and we would also throw a big party-(which almost always included a movie) once every two mounths. One night we were throwing a party to celebrate for 3 kids who that day gave their hearts to the lord. The movie we watched that night was "The great land of small". Kids ages 6-12 that night loved it, and I'm now glad we showed it that night because we had one of the biggest crowds we had ever had that night. I guess that kind of tells you how I spread the magic of "The Great Land of Small". You know it so hard to find a good Family movie these days that entertains the whole family, well if you ever watch "The Great land of small" you get full great family fun, from every member of the family. I mean who can resist Fritz, Mimmick, Jenny, David,Sarah, and even the rude Flannagan and all the other characters which make "The Great Land Of Small" Entertaining for all ages.
Stupid movie gives nightmares
Muppets120 September 2001
This movie frightened me. It was an awful movie that should not be shown to little children if you want them to grow up as normal human beings. I saw it at a friend's house, and everyone who saw it found it to be extremely disturbing. You barely see anything of the Great Land of Small except people turning into butterflies or being "slimo"d. I definitely rate this as one of the more unintelligent family films that has come out of Canada.
Movie That Haunted My Nightmares . . .
emilyhellis-2090222 February 2017
I can't believe how many children from the late eighties were freaked out by this movie. The scene of the people being swallowed by the "slimo" monster haunted me since I was a little kid, until I wasn't sure if it was actually from a movie or something I dreamed! So glad this bizarre movie actually exists. Not sure if I will show it to my kids though . . .
the great land of small
black_rose114 December 2006
i have waited a long time to find this movie,i first saw this movie when i was a young child and would very much like to see it again,i really wish that it was DVD.for those who haven't seen this film well you will enjoy it and your children will love it if you have any.at this time in my life all i can remember of this film is one of the songs and mimmick who looks so sweet and cute and that it reminds me of other films like flight of the navigator and never-ending story.those kind of films should be brought back to are television screens so other children can watch this film and remember the fairy tales and the magic.like i said before this film needs to be put on DVD.
I still have nightmares about this film
harvey_haddix5 November 2002
I was 7 years old when this movie came out, and I was taken to see it with my best friend by his mother. The memories of this film still haunt me to this day. Something about the strange imagery of the film caused it to fuel more nightmares for my childhood mind than freddy krueger or any other ghoul could ever hope to do. For that reason, I don't know whether to endorse the film or not. The imagery in the movie was potent/bizarre/creepy enough to etch itself permanently into my seven year old consciousness, so if you're interested to see what kind of film can do that to a child, I'd have to recommend it.
If not, stay away, especially if you're a kid or have a kid with an (over)active imagination.
If not, stay away, especially if you're a kid or have a kid with an (over)active imagination.
Magical and Memorable
pearlsans31 January 2002
My sister and I watched this movie as children. With it's colorful, comic events and adventure, it became our favorite. Now we have children of our own and have been wanting to share this magic with them. We've spent the last couple years searching the internet for this title, but have made a mistake. We've been leaving out the word "Great" in our searches. Well, I've finally found it and I plan to share it with my children ASAP! I strongly recommend this movie for children of ALL ages. It's absolutely captivating!
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