Customer Reviews
The best children's entertainment ever 
2008-08-20
What's to say?
Free to Be You and Me is timeless, brilliant, and super fun for kids of all ages.
Great cast, wonderfully imaginative songs.
Too bad nobody's making an updated version!
If I could pick just one DVD for my daughters, this would be it 2008-08-13
My daughter now talks about being a police officer and pretends to direct traffic. She practices running races like Atalanta and my toddler asks me to show her the babies and she sings "free to be" all day long.
These stories and songs influenced me, opened the world to me, and they do the same for my young daughters. I remembered every word from my own childhood and sharing this with my daughters is emotional, special, and worthwhile.
Anyone who says female empowerment is no longer necessary is (1) not female; and (2) doesn't have daughters.
I credit these lessons with my sense of social justice and I hope my daughters develop this as well.
Quality of DVD is horrible 
2008-05-08
Like many before me, I watched this as a kid in school for several years and was surprised to see a DVD release. The DVD has versions of songs not on the CD (a young Michael Jackson for example).
BUT
The DVD quality is pretty bad. It looks like someone put a video camera on a tripod and pointed it at the wall showing the old film on a screen (complete with things blocking the view) - I'm serious. They didn't remaster it or even do a quality transfer.
This may be the only version you will see on DVD so holding off may not be wise if you have no other copy. I pulled a copy from Showtime a LONG Time ago and it's MUCH MUCH MUCH better than the DVD. How sad...
Free to Be...DVD 2007-12-31
Great DVD. Just as good as I remebered it as a child. My children love it. It is definitely a '70's piece, but the topics ring clear today too. Lots of music and many differnt stories make up this DVD. Every child's collection should have it.
Dated? you've got to be kidding! 2007-09-30
Buy this DVD. Just do it. Lessons like equality, self realization, bullies and gender stereotypes are more needed in today's 'modern' life than ever. So what if the technology is out of touch when the message isn't!
What is a 2 year old going to know of technology anyway? Mine loves good old sesame street over the fancier fare availble; and, believe me, I've tried to get him into more modern stuff so I can bear to sit through it.
We complain that they spend hours in front of the TV and on Nintendo DS. They're just kids in the end and is it them or us succumbing to advertising or the cool gadets out there? Before they get too jaded try out 'Free to be...' on them.
Remember: We've read where parents said the DVD was too dated but I did not read where their kids said 'hey mom this DVD is soooo 1970's I just can't watch it'.
Helping Children Develop 2007-09-29
This unique, highly acclaimed entertainment, stars Marlo Thomas, and features such celebrated talents as Alan Alda, Harry Belafonte, Mel Brooks, Rita Coolidge, Billy De Wolfe, Roberta Flack, Rosey Grier, Michael Jackson, Kris Kristopherson, THe New Seekers, Tom Smothers, The Voices of East Harlem and Dionne Warwick.
Free To Be...You And Me is a journey into the endless possibilities of life, rich with positive, life-enhancing messages about growth and change. In a series of live action and animation, positive messages of self-esteem are illustrated through songs, stories and laughter. It explores children's authentic experiences, their dreams and concerns, their fears and fantasies. Among the highlights are Marlo Thomas and Mel Brooks in
Boy Meets Girl and football hero Rosey Grier, singing
It's Alright to Cry. In addition, Michael Jackson and Roberta Flack perform
When We Grow Up and Alan Alda narrates the tale of
Atalanta. This enchanted fun-filled voyage of discovery for adults and children to enjoy together is a superb addition to any family's home video library.
GREEN/BROWN EYES 2007-09-29
There's a land that I see where the children are free
And I say it ain't far to this land from where we are
Take my hand,come with me,where the children are free
Come with me,take my hand,and we'll live
In a land where the river runs free
In a land through the green country
In a land to shining sea
And you and me are free to be you and me
I see a land bright and clear,and the time's comin' near
When we'll live in this land,you and me,hand in hand
Take my hand,come along,lend a voice to my song come along
take my my hand sing this song
For a land where the river runs free
For a land in the green country
For a land to a shining sea
For a land where the horses run free
And you and me are free to be you and me
Every boy in this land grows to be his own man
In this land every girl grows to be her own WOMAN!
Come with me take my hand and we RUN!
In a land to the shining sea
In a land where it is always the 70's
... ... ... .. ... .... .. .. you and me
Free to be you and me 2007-09-28
I was very familiar with the title and was pleased with the condition of the product and the speed of the shipment.
Sadly dated, get the CD 
2007-05-12
I vaguely recall bits and pieces of video from my childhood, but it was still a bit of a shock when I got the DVD. The CD seems unfortunately timeless, but the DVD looks very very dated. Some of the animations (e.g. "Atalanta" and "William's Doll") aren't too bad, but the rest is too 70s. Get the CD instead, you'll be much happier.
Stands the test of time 2007-03-24
Kids loved this. Girls 7 (first grade) and 5 (pre k) and son 2 yrs. We moved from a very relaxed, well funded, full of arts school district to across the world, heavily congested, low funded little to standard art school district. Found the transition from fun sunny friends to competitive relatively unhappy community tough. This video really helped my 7 year old see her diversity in a soft and soothing way, believe it helped her move. Kids loved it for the entertainment value too. I swear I heard their brains blooming open with possibilities when they watched this. I loved the retro revisiting my childhood of it. It was a lot shorter than I remember it, which is handy for rewatching.
