Has Never Seen the Original Stage Version.  This movie is a preposterous mess and it flopped for one simple reason: it bears little to no resemblance to the brilliant Broadway production of the late seventies.  The musical is full of fun and life, but the people behind this movie decided to go for a more cinematic version which was much darker and could and probably frequently does scare young children.  We have here Miss Hannigan, Rooster, and Lily actually succeeding in capturing Annie (which never originally happened).  We even see the young orphan hanging on to an upraised bridge for dear life (an eleven year old actually in deadly peril?! For shame!!!!)  The added characters (Punjab and the Asp) added nothing but stupidity to an already horrendous film.  How can anyone criticize the Disney film of a few years ago?  It is much closer to the stage version than this monstrosity (and it included one of the best songs cut from the theatrical release - N.Y.C.).  I find it fascinatingly questionable that a cast of this caliber could have been involved in this disaster.  Some of Broadway's legendary performers (Ms. Burnett, Ms. Peters, Ms. Reinkin) should definately have thought twice.  Perhaps they were anticipating a rebirth of the movie musical and went about it totally in the wrong way.  I am so glad that I was involved in a stage production of Annie as Rooster.  One has to wonder how involved Mr. Charnin and Mr. Stousse were in this venture.  I recall seeing only that it was based on their original stage musical (however loosely).