"If you are interested in stories with happy endings, you would be better off watching some other movie," warns our narrator, Lemony Snicket. "In this movie," he continues gravely, "not only is there no happy ending, there is no happy beginning and very few happy things in the middle." This is the story of the Baudelaire children -- three "clever and reasonably attractive orphans"--Who embark on a shaky adventure after their home burns down, killing their parents. Violet is the eldest, a serious-minded girl with a knack for inventing things. Klaus is a brainy book-lover who retains every word he's ever read. And Sunny, barely more than an infant, has the unique distinction of being very good at biting things -- sometimes right through things.
MPAA Rating: Rated PG; for thematic elements, scary situations and brief language.|||general
Paramount Pictures and DreamWorks Pictures present ; a Nickelodeon Movies production ; a Parkes/MacDonald production ; a Brad Silberling film ; produced by Laurie MacDonald, Walter F. Parkes, Jim Van Wyck ; screenplay by Robert Gordon ; directed by Brad Silberling.
Based on the books "The bad beginning," "The reptile room," and "The wide window" by Lemony Snicket.
Originally released as a motion picture in 2004.
Special features: Alarming audio commentaries: Director Brad Silberling commentary [audio only feature]; Brad Silberling and the real Lemony Snicket commentary [audio only feature]; Bad beginnings [featurettes] (25 min.); Orphaned scenes (29 min.); Previews (5 min.).
Jim Carrey (Count Olaf), Liam Aiken (Klaus), Emily Browning (Violet), Timothy Spall (Mr. Poe), Catherine O'Hara (Justice Strauss), Billy Connolly (Uncle Monty), Cedric the Entertainer (Constable), Luis Guzman (Bald man), Jennifer Coolidge, Jane Adams (White faced women), Craig Ferguson (Person of indeterminate gender), Jamie Harris (Hook-handed man), Meryl Streep (Aunt Josephine), Kara Hoffman and Shelby Hoffman (Sunny), and Jude Law (as the voice of Lemony Snicket).
DVD; Region 1, NTSC; Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround; widescreen presentation (1.85:1).
In English, Español, or Franc̜ais with optional subtitles in English; closed-captioned.
Director of photography, Emmanuel Lubezki ; edited by Michael Kahn ; music by Thomas Newman ; costumes designed by Colleen Atwood ; production designer, Rick Heinrichs.
