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The Indian in the Cupboard

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The Indian in the Cupboard DVD
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The Indian in the Cupboard on DVD


Based on the popular children's book by Lynne Reid Banks, this fantasy concerns a young boy who discovers that his toys are developing lives of their own -- which presents him with unexpected responsibilities. Omri (Hal Scardino), a young boy growing up in Brooklyn, receives an odd variety of presents for his birthday: a wooden cabinet from his older brother, a set of antique keys from his mother Jane (Linsday Crouse), and a tiny plastic model of an Indian from his best friend Patrick (Rishi Bhat). Putting them all together, Omri locks the Indian inside the cabinet, only to be awoken by a strange sound in the middle of the night. Omri opens the cabinet to discover that the tiny Indian has come to life; it seems that he's called Little Bear (Litefoot), and he claims to have learned English from settlers in 1761. Omri hides this remarkable discovery from his mother but shares it with Patrick; as an experiment, Patrick locks a toy cowboy into the cupboard, and soon Little Bear has a companion, Boone (David Keith), though predictably, the cowboy and the Indian don't get along well at first. Omri comes to the realizations that his living and breathing playthings are also people with lives of their own, and he begins to wonder how much control he should really have over their lives. The Indian in the Cupboard was directed by Frank Oz, best known as one of the original puppeteers for The Muppets and the voice of Miss Piggy. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
  • Sound By: Dolby Digital Surround
  • Released By: Columbia TriStar
Digitally mastered audio & anamorphic video
Widescreen and full-screen presentations
Audio: English [Dolby Surround], Spanish, French
Subtitles: English, Spanish, French
Director's commentary
Photo gallery
Bonus trailers
Talent files
Production notes
Scene selections
Interactive menus

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  • The Indian in the Cupboard DVD
The Indian in the Cupboard DVD

Editorial Reviews

The second-best movie about toys coming to life released in 1995, although not by the margin one might think, The Indian in the Cupboard is one of the least pandering and most socially progressive children's films ever released. While it may lack Toy Story's sense of carefree fun, in deference to a warm multicultural message about resolution of differences and respect for heritage, it makes up for that in sheer earnestness of purpose. Frank Oz's return to children's fare after a string of adult comedies is actually very much an adult entity in its own right. Rarely has a children's movie dealt so honestly with issues of death and the consequences of violence; instead of playing it soft, Oz astutely transforms these challenging topics into unobtrusive lessons. The film may be square in spots, but they are few. Not only does veteran special effects supervisor Michael Lantieri handle the miniaturization with subtle efficiency, but Oz coaxes an absolutely true performance from doe-eyed child actor Hal Scardino as a seamless complement. Native American actor Litefoot also brings real feeling to a role that could have been one-dimensional in less skillful hands. The narrative agenda of author Lynne Reid Banks -- namely, her challenge of cultural generalizations -- is evident in even the most minute design details. For example, the Caucasian boy is named Omri, while his Asian-Indian friend goes by the WASPish name Patrick (and also refers to his friend's mother by her first name). It's a joy to watch the film move from something so apparently basic toward something so effortlessly multi-textured. ~ Derek Armstrong, Rovi