The Cannon Movie Tales films are all worth watching at least once, though overall quality wise they are variable. None are perfect, though some have more and bigger flaws than others, but none are worth avoiding either, with the best three being Hansel and Gretel, Beauty and the Beast and Snow White and the worst being The Emperor's New Clothes, Puss in Boots and this (was mixed on Sleeping Beauty as well).Red Riding Hood is nicely photographed, as is the case with all of Cannon's films, even when the low budget shows everywhere else in the visuals. It also contains one of Cannon's best songs in the cute, funny and menacing duet Never Talk With Strangers (which is the song that serves the most point to the story, and the only one to move it forward) and some witty scripting and entertaining chemistry with Ninet and Dagger. There are some decent ideas and one does have to credit the film for trying to bring in some life-like themes and situations, while the scenes telling the story that audiences are familiar with are executed quite well, with some nice humour and suspense. The acting is very much a mixed bag, with the best performances coming from a charming and sweet Amelia Shankley without being too sugary and a touching Isabella Rossellini.Was mixed however on the songs and Rocco Sisto. There are some good songs here, Never Talk to Strangers is great and Good at Being Bad is sung and acted with relish by Sisto. Lost in the Woods however goes on for too long and suffers the worst of the problem of taking too long to explain things and then over-explaining it, and Man Without a Heart is just limp in every way imaginable, with uninspired choreography, forgettable at best melody, cringe-worthy and again over-explanatory lyrics and Craig T. Nelson's one-note and pretty tuneless singing. There is some lush and energetic scoring, but along with Puss in Boots there are some cheap synthesised sounds that give it a more 80s sound than the rest of the Cannon films. Sisto plays Dagger the Wolf with real playfulness and really entertains in his chemistry with Shankley, but he could have been much more menacing, there were times where it did seem like he was underplaying too much.Craig T. Nelson is all over the place in his dual role of Godfrey and Percival, he looks zombified as Percival and then plays Godfrey with such a hammy over-theatricality that it jars with everything else. Apart from the photography, Red Riding Hood is one of the cheaper-looking Cannon films, with drab lighting, bargain-sale-fancy-dress-like costumes and incredibly unimaginative, minimally furnished and recycled sets, Godfrey's throne room is the sparsest and cheapest-looking throne room personally seen and the forest set is completely lacking atmosphere or character. While the dialogue and interplay between Ninet and Dagger was entertains, the rest was rambling and stilted and while Rossellini and Shankley are endearing together, any scenes shared with Nelson come over completely cold. The story is treated disappointingly here, appreciated the ideas and the life-like themes (plus reasons are given for Dagger's pursuit of Ninet and why Ninet appears unharmed after being saved) but more could have been done with them and they ended up convoluting and dulling the story rather than adding or expanding anything, with at least half an hour of pedestrian pacing and not much happening (somewhat aimless in fact). The actual story of Red Riding Hood that everybody is familiar with, while among the most successful parts of the film, arrives too late into the story and it felt like not enough time was dedicated in telling it.Overall, not a bad film and has enough to make it worthwhile, but one of Cannon's lesser efforts. A good try but doesn't quite come off. 5/10 Bethany Cox

This is a movie was made by Cannon Films was under control by Gollan and Globus, they are related to each other (cousins).Gollan and Globus were known to make movies on the cheap. Often re-using back drops or back grounds of other movies.Often they would get one or maybe two somewhat famous or known actors for the film and all others are unknowns.In this case those two actors are Isabella Rosallini and Craig T. Nelson.The acting in this and like many of the Cannon films of the Gollan and Globus era is mediocre at best. It's not because the actors can't act. They are not given the time to. The script is of the style what you might get at a school play that the students were asked to come up with based on a fairy tale, in this case Red Riding Hood.You are given songs at the oddest time. This are songs you will NOT know nor your children. They wouldn't want to either.They are trying to stretch a 10 minute story at best to nearly 90 minutes.You can't enjoy this movie as it is difficult to like any of the characters.Not watchable.

"these Days wickedness is on the rise", sings Linett in a little red riding hood. those words couldn't ring more true. especially these days.this movie was pretty indicative of Cannon Movietales to put out a polished movie musical on a next to nothing budget and with very little resources.too bad Isabella Rosellini, Amelia Shankley, Craig T. Nelson, and Rocco Sisto are so wooden in this. it's pretty typical of Cannon Movietales to acquire top name actors of quality to appear within their limited budgets. in this case the quest for name, quality actors actually compromises this production somewhat. it probably would have been best to find lesser known performers who could actually sing.shame because Isabella Rosellini and 'Dreamchild' Amelia shankley are normally so good. in 'Dreamchild', Shankley showed so much depth and insight as a child actress it's a little surprising her acting here is so wooden and rigid and cold. but Shankley seems warm and animated compared to Rosellini who's performance as the mother comes off like a block of ice. main problem is neither actress is capable of singing in a musical. their voices are wispy and weak and do the charming songs by Stephen Lawrence very little justice. this could be the reason for their self conscious woodenness. the performances aren't bad from lack of trying, you get the feeling these two accomplished actresses are trying their best and are very sincere. they just seem uncomfortable with so much of the singing demands. and Isabella Rosellini is no more a wholesome 'G' rated mother type than say, Natasia Kinski.but at least Shankley and Roselini try and are sincere. the performance by Rocco Sista is almost a gyp. you get the feeling he could deliver a better showing as the wolf, but he chooses not to. it feels like he holds back giving a better performance because he wants to be in a bigger production. thats no excuse for such snobbishness. he should have relaxed, let go, and given over to the charming potential of the songs and story.Craig T. Nelson is just bad. for one thing the role is not right for such a contemporary actor. the star of 'Coach' looks and feels out of place in eighteenth century clothes. his performance reminds me a little of Harvey Korman playing Richard the III. probably not Nelson's intention. it's too bad the performance isn't better because he has one of the film's best musical songs.strangely, none of this sinks the production. it's still typical of Cannon Movietales and still very good. as stiff as the performances by Shankley and Roselini are, they are still excellent, big name actresses and it's interesting to see them in this. and even though their acting is wooden, they still come off as sincere and professional.Cannon Movietales are great and one of my fondest memories of film watching in the 80's.

Finally, a movie that gives an explanation for the fact that when they cut open the wolf, Little Red Riding Hood is unharmed. True, the reason is an enchanted cloak, but it's better than nothing. I loved the songs "You Won't Be Here in the Morning" and "Never Talk to Strangers". The other thing that makes this version better then most Red Riding Hood stories is the supporting characters. They gave Red's parents and friends all lives that had nothing to do with her being eaten, yet kept to a basic plotline.