Gulliver's Travels 

An Englishman returns after nine years abroad and tells strange stories of the tiny people of Lilliput, the giants of Brobdingnang, the flying island Laputa and the Houyhnhnms, a race of intelligent horses.

Stars:

Ted Danson, Mary Steenburgen, James Fox

Won 5 Primetime Emmys. Another 6 wins & 15 nominations.

Cast

Complete series cast summary:
Ted Danson	...	Lemuel Gulliver 2 episodes, 1996
Mary Steenburgen	...	Mary Gulliver 2 episodes, 1996
James Fox	...	Dr. Bates 2 episodes, 1996
Robert Hardy	...	Dr. Parnell 2 episodes, 1996
Edward Petherbridge	...	Dr. Pritchard 2 episodes, 1996
Tom Sturridge	...	Tom Gulliver 2 episodes, 1996

Storyline

All star adaptation of Jonathan Swift's satirical tale about a normal man who, after returning home following eight years of absence, relates fantastical tales about how he was thought to be giant in the Land of Lilliput, but was only six inches high in the Land of Brobdingnag. He also tells of his visit to the floating island of Laputa populated by scientists who are so obsessed with reason that they act with no common sense. Finally, he tells of his journey to the land where his disturbing likeness to the bestial Yahoos and his inferiority to the intelligent horses there makes him question the very worth of his humanity.

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Plot Keywords:

gulliver | reference to gulliver | reference to gulliver's travels | horse | giant | 

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Taglines:

The adventure of a lifetime

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama | Family | Fantasy

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for thematic elements

Details

Official Sites:

distributor's official site for individuals Distributor's official site for professionals

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 February 1996 (USA)

Also Known As:

Gulliver's Travels

Filming Locations:

Ajuda National Palace, Ajuda, Lisbon, Portugal

Box Office

Budget:

$28,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Hallmark Entertainment, Channel 4 Television Corporation, Jim Henson Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

186 min (2 parts)

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

4:3

Did You Know?

Trivia

During his brief career as an actor, the director Charles Sturridge played the young Albert, Prince of Wales (the future King Edward VII) in Edward the King (1975) in which Robert Hardy played his father Prince Albert and John Gielgud played Benjamin Disraeli.

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Goofs

When Dr. Bates is tearing pages from Gulliver's journal and throwing them on the fire the pages change position between shots.

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Quotes

Lemuel Gulliver: [Introducing himself to Mistress] I am just a poor Englishman.

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Connections

Version of Gulliver's Travels (1977)

User Reviews

Danson's best performance

This is an exceptional adaptadation of the book. An all-star cast which gives merit and worthwhile to the tv-film and Danson in his best performance yet as a sailor who becomes lost at sea, only to return some years later a different man - a man who has learnt alot of humanity in his journey's and a man casted as insane.

Throughout the movie you don't know whether Danson's character is sane or not. The amazing effects and direction make it a marvel to watch. The all-star cast enjoy their roles to the hilt.

The sequences within the asylum are disturbing, as are Danson's twisted hatred on humans, and what they have become. And in some aspects the thought-provoking stories that Gulliver went through can still be adapted today.

For example the "we drink when we are not thirsty and eat when we are not hungry" is a typically haunting line. The social commentary which underlines the novel and indeed this film can still be used and adapted today.

This is a thought-provoking, well made TV-film that is very enjoyable, and I recommend you watch it.

My Rating: 8/10