Have you seen the 1984 animated "children's" version of "A Tale of Two Cities"?

If so, please tell: how in the world was this Dickens novel of blood and vengeance made over for children?

I saw the Ronald Colman film of the Dickens novel (black and white, 1935) on TV when I was quite young, maybe 9 or 10. My parents must have thought I was mature enough to handle it. It was disturbing and memorable, but not dishonest. How could an animated adaptation intended for children be honest?

The Brothers Grimm handled decapitation all right in their original sugar-free versions of folktales, but they didn’t do it in gore-dripping Technicolor.

Here are some Netflix suggestions for those who liked this DVD:

More like A Tale of Two Cities:
The Black Cauldron
The Secret of NIMH
Horton Hears a Who!
How to Train Your Dragon
Curious George

I lack the courage to ask how a fantasy about a compassionate elephant or a mischievous monkey is anything like a story of terror, love, sacrifice, and bloodthirsty revenge during the French Revolution.

Would someone who has seen this thing please enlighten me?