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Cast | Classic Lines | DVD | Formats | Notes | Pictures | Summary - Official | My Summary | My Review

Cast

Directed by Paul Matthews
Written by Christopher Atkins

Classic Lines

"Only death lives here." - Ian

DVD

Released by Peakviewing Family Entertainment
Region 0 with filmographies for Malcolm, Corbin and Glynizs, interactive menus + scene access.
In other words - no extras. The filmographies are blatantly stolen word for word right off the imdb up to 2001. The give away is Malcolm's lists all the imdb errors - Chemical Wedding, Tin Soldiers, Hardcore, etc.

Formats

VHS / DVD R1

Notes

• Made for BBC TV by Peakviewing Transatlantic. It looks like the company has since folded.

• 91 minutes, not rated.

Pictures

DVD Cover - Front
DVD Cover - Back

Ian warning them that the house is evil
Ian working in the garden
Ian with the fools gold
Fairies attacking Ian
Ian and his dog
Ian in the rain
Ian at the end

Summary - Official

    Since they were babies, 12 year old Kyle and 9 year old Evie Preston (played by newcomers, Jameson Baltes and Brittney Bomann respectively) have been told stories by their Grandmother about battling giants who trapped the last of the world's fairies underground many thousands of years ago.
    When their Grandmother dies, Kyle and Evie inherit an old gold mine and family house that they didn't even know existed. Arriving at the house on the Isle of Man, the children quickly discover that the old lady's tales of fairies and fireflies weren't stories after all and that if the fairies are not freed from the dangerous depths of the gloomy mine soon, they will be lost from the world forever.
    As they struggle to open the mine, the children discover that their father, Rob Preston, (played by Corbin Bernsen, best known for his roles in 'LA Law' and 'Major League') is dying of a terminal illness. With increasing desperation, the children and their mother (played by Glynis Barber of 'Dempsey & Makepeace' fame) work to free the fairies in the hope that they will be able to cure Rob with fairy magic.
    The physical and emotional struggle to open the mine and free the fairies, mirrors the family's attempts to come to terms with Rob's illness. Amazingly however, they are hampered by the hostility and prejudices of the local community, particularly from Ian the caretaker (played by Malcolm McDowell, star of such films as 'Clockwork Orange', 'If' and 'Star Trek: Generations').
    The film is a story of prejudice, hope and perseverance, with the fairies and goblins created by stunning computer animation and effects that interact well with the live performances. It truly is a 'magical' fairy story for family audiences and will be loved by children of all ages, from 5 to 105.

My Summary

    Before she dies, Elizabeth Preston reads a fairy tale to her two grandchildren Kyle and Evie. The story tells how a giant wanted to marry the Fairy King's daughter Tombalina. The king would agree only if the giant would give them their own home. He took the piece of land that they were on and threw it into the ocean creating the Isle of Man. The giant lived up to his end of the bargain, but the king told him he was too big to live on the island and his daughter couldn't leave it. The giant gets enraged at their betrayal and makes a big hole in the ground, grabs all the people of Ar, puts them in it and fills it up. She tells her grandkids that they are the ones who have to free the fairies.
    Elizabeth's daughter Nancy inherits her mother's house on the Isle of Man that she hadn't been back to in 40 years. They family decides to go there because lately her American husband Rob hasn't really been around and the family need this vacation. While driving there only Evie sees the fairies flying around. When the family arrives they are so happy with the cottage as it is in great condition and its lush grounds.
    While exploring the house the kids run into Ian the caretaker and his dog Tippit. He is upset that they are in the house as no one told him who they were. When he stops the children Rob gets mad at him and throws him out. Ian tells them not to stay because the place is evil and only death lives in the house. They figure he is just a crazy old man.
    While taking the covers off the furniture to get it ready they find a painting over the mantle. It shows fairies chasing miners out of a mine. Nancy wants it gone, but it is bolted to the wall. Rob suddenly decides he'll try and learn about the house from the church records. The children go out to play, finding a swing on a tree. When a child size fairy shows up Evie follows her. Eventually they run into Ian on the grounds and he tells them they should leave the house because of the demons. Rob has been coughing and is obviously sick, another reason the family decided to get away from America.
    The next day Nancy makes a doctor's appointment for Rob. Rob and Kyle go to the doctor and Nancy and Evie go into town to get food and other items. The doctor gives Rob a prescription and makes a look that shows Rob is in bad shape. Afterwards they head out for the church. 
    At the market the girls are getting lots of stares from the local townspeople who aren't happy with then. At the church they find an old map of the grounds and learn there is an abandoned gold mine on the property. When the priest shows up they ask him about it and he tells him they have no records for his property. Meanwhile Ian is trying to do his gardening and a fairy steals his shovel and puts it back, then turns on the water so he gets all wet. When they get back home they find some gold in a stream and see that the mine on their property has been flooded. They set up a nearby pump to drain the mine and let it go all night. Ian explains he was trying to warn them and apologizes for scaring them. He tells Nancy that in fact, they are cousins. When he sees them draining the mine he is even more upset.
    In their room Evie sees the fairies out side and waves to the fairy girl. Kyle thinks she is nuts. That night Kyle has a dream that he is in the mine and the demons are after him. He wakes up screaming for his dad and his parents try to calm him down. When they leave he goes to sleep with his sister for the night.
    At 6am there is a knock at the door. It is the local constable checking in on them. He wants to have some tea and talk  He tells them that while he has been there 15 years, he is still considered an outsider. Rob tells them about the mine and he tells them the locals really believe in the demons and if he doesn't want problems he'll stop messing with the mine. Rob tells him there is no way that is going to happen since he found gold there. He leaves and they go over to check out the mine now that the water is cleared out. Meanwhile Ian  plans to fake out Rob with fools gold and then he takes a nap. While he and his dog are sleeping a fairy comes in to thes house. He wakes up and catches it under a flower pot, but it breaks out. He then frantically tries to smash it with garden equipment and only winds up breaking his things and getting wet while the fairy taunts him.
    Kyle is looking down in the mine when he slips and falls all the way to the bottom where there is still water. He flounders around and his dad has to run down and save him. When he comes down he puts the pump to the bottom so all the water can drain out. Before they leave, Rob shines a light on the wall and sees a large gold vein. While Nancy wants nothing to do with this, Rob isn't going to be swayed.  Rob gets back in the house though and collapses. He is rushed to the hospital and the doctor tells him if he gets some rest and takes it easy he will be able to live just another 2-3 months. There is nothing they can do and he is better off going back to the US for treatment. Nancy is devastated.
    Kyle once again dreams of the fairies in the mine and when he wakes up he finds that Evie is missing. Kyle goes to look for her and finds out she is in the mine. When he finds her she has broken her arm in a fall. She doesn't want him to tell their parents, just for him to get her out. Suddenly a fairy shows up and Kyle sees her for the first time and she heals Evie's arm completely.
    When they get back to the house Kyle tells Evie to contact the fairy to heal their father. She tells him she can't do it - only the fairy king can and they have to free him first. They head down to the mine and Kyle begins digging out the collapsed area to free the fairies. Kyle thinks Ian might be right, but relents. They don't get very far when their mother finds them and makes them stop. She doesn't want to hear about fairies. 
    Ian shows up and sees Evie talking to the fairy girl and tries to catch her, but she transforms before he can. Evie thinks he is going to hurt her and runs off.   She runs into Kyle who has decided to hop on his bike and to take some of the gold and hire some of the locals to help him finish the job. He wants to post a note at the general store and the lady throws him out. He asks the blacksmith and he tells him to go away. Local boys are following Kyle and they try to get him. Finally he goes to a pub and asks for help. Ian is there and tells him no one will do it and he is better off going back to the US.  He tells him he should've left when he told him too and that Rob is sick because of the demons. The constable has been following the events and comes in yelling at Ian and the others. He tells them they are superstitious and afraid of change and people that aren't like them and they are pathetic.
    A bike chase ensues, but Kyle is able to get away. When he gets back Rob is up and feeling a little better. The kids convince him that if they dig out the fairy king he can be healed. The mom is dead set against it, but he agrees since he doesn't have much longer to live anyway. They lower a mine cart and work all day filling it up completely and bring it up out of the mine. When they do Rob has some coughing spasms, this time bringing up blood. He has pushed himself too far and won't be able to do anymore digging. Ian shows up and takes Kyle aside and tells him he doesn't know what he is messing with and takes him to an old demon skeleton to scare him, but Kyle feels the fairies are good and Ian is evil. He has had a dream vision showing the miner's going in and blowing  up the fairies and sealing the entrance in 1897.
    Nancy is in bed with Rob who has passed out. She wants them to go back home so Rob can get real medical treatment and won't listen to them anymore.  She leaves and he tries to comfort the kids. He goes in the bathroom and coughs up more blood. Nancy comes to see him and breaks down again. 
    That night lights start swarming in the room and spin around Rob's chest giving him the most healing they can. Nancy is grateful and realizes the kids were right after all. She gets them together and heads down to the mine to finish the job even though it is raining.  Ian spots them and comes up with a plan. 
    The next day Ian plans on screwing up the mine cart, but he accidentally sends it streaking down the mine toward the family. Ian has had enough and he has rallied the townspeople to sabotage the job. Rob hears all the commotion and stumbles out of bed down to the mine. The mine cart slams through the dig site and opens up the area to the fairies, but also causes a partial cave-in. Nancy and Evie are able to get out, but Kyle is trapped under a beam. The entrance is blocked and Rob is frantically trying to get in, but no one will help him. The constable shows up to help, but Ian and others hold him back, so he can't help the demons. The only one that goes down is Ian's dog. Rob yells at them that they can't possibly want his son to die and what is wrong with them? He tells them there isn't evil down there, but in their hearts. Nancy and Evie plead with everyone, but to no avail. Eventually Ian relents and starts to help and the others follow. Ian and the constable pulls the beam off and that causes the final collapse that frees the demons. Everyone thinks they are going to kill them except for Kyle. They are really the fairies in the demonic looking form they took in the dark. The fairy king comes up to Rob who has collapsed and heals him. Then the sun comes out and the life-size demons change into foot long fairies and fly away. Kyle explains that they stayed on the island and Rob was totally cure and that Ian was one of many cousins his mom had on the island and sometimes Evie still sees the fairies. The End

My Review

    This is a kids movie, so it really won't appeal to everyone and most likely no one. The little fairies are CGI and it is obvious not much money was put into effects or the whole film overall. The main part  of the plot that I don't understand is why Rob flipped out on Ian. When they first get to the house he remarks that the place is in great shape and there must be a caretaker. Then when Ian the caretaker shows up he flips out and kicks him out for good. They  don't know who each other are and should be suspicious, but Rob won't listen to him. Malcolm gets some of his best lines here yelling at them, telling them to leave and about the evil demons.
    It is a fairy tale, but is still far fetched. How could someone have an entire mine in the front yard of their house!? Mines require a huge amount of workers and space. Why didn't the mother know about the mine since she used to live there? There would have to be tons of facilities for miners including roads and housing and the mine wouldn't just go down 20 feet and have obvious gold there. The town would've jumped on it right away - demons or not.
    The cast was unknowns except for the three main adults. I'm not a fan of Corbin's and I thought he was too emotional in the role. Glynis was also overacting with some heavy crying scenes when you didn't feel sad at all. Kyle was really disturbing. The kid is around 12 years old, but is a total wimp and when he has a bad dream yells for his dad and runs to get in bed with his little sister?! His mother also talked to him like a like a four year old. Real people don't act that way.
    Malcolm had a cool role as the "crazy old man", though his isn't that old. He even puts on a bit of a British accent. He isn't given much to do except be the "bad guy" and the butt of the jokes by the fairies. Nothing really funny and it was pretty predictable. Since his role is somewhat small, watch his facial movements and mannerisms. He really puts all his talent into the roll to make it convincing. A great performance in a weak film.
    Overall it wasn't a great film, but wasn't an awful film. There was no explanation how the little fairies had turned into human size monster looking creatures or how they survived buried underground for 100s of years. If they were all trapped in the first place how is it that some were able to get out? Why didn't they look like demons? Plus, they have the power of healing, but couldn't move a little dirt that was blocking their escape?!

Rating: 5/10 

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