Walt Disney Classics 'So Dear to My Heart' and 'Melody Time'

[dvdjunkie]

I have been reading a lot of posts for many months and people are either ignoring or too young to remember the two classic movies in the Disney Vault that haven't see the light of day for a while. Oooopppppssss, I misspoke, only one of them hasn't seen the light of day on DVD.

I am talking about "Melody Time" and "So Dear To My Heart".

Does anyone here remember this classic films?? What did you think of them? I think that on a list of top ten tear-jerker movies, "So Dear To My Heart" belongs right at the top. Bobby Driscoll and that little black lamb just win you over and then break your heart.

"Melody Time" featues the so many classic Disney shorts, "Little Toot" and "Pecos Bill" just to name a couple of them. The animation was superb and the stories hold up today.

Was just wondering why no one is talking about these films anymore.

[Hennie]

I have the Dutch region 2 release, and I love it quality is very good I think, if you can play region 2 buy it you won't regred it

[Mr. Toad]

So Dear to My Heart - great performance by Bobby Driscoll. A tearjerker but still really does not stack up to Old Yeller.

Melody Time - probably my least favorite of the package films. Unmemorable.

[ichabod]

Melody Time - probably my least favorite of the package films. Unmemorable.

While I wouldn't go as far to say it was unmemorable, I think it is a charming little film with great animation and stories, a real gem. However unfortunately I would have to say out of all of Disney 44 classics this would probably rank as my least favourite! Well this or Make Mine Music, that's not to say I dislike it, I just find the others more entertaining.

[Luke]

<i>So Dear To My Heart</i> made our Live Action Films Countdown at #27, and some people shared their thoughts on the film here, including the one and only Ernest Rister:
http://www.ultimatedisney.com/countdown2/27.html

As for <i>Melody Time</i>, I wrote a review of it here:
http://www.ultimatedisney.com/melodytime.html

So I wouldn't say no one's talking about these films. Films from the '40s just generally don't have as much appeal for modern audiences. I'm not saying that's good or bad (though I'd probably lean towards the latter), that's just how it is. For some people here "the classic Disney film" is like <i>The Little Mermaid</i>. Different generations. Diff'rent Strokes for Diff'rent Folks!

[Mouseketodd]

I grew up with the Wonderful World of Disney (I'm 36); then we got Disney Channel when I was in my late Jr High years. I don't have a personal care for 'The Little Mermaid' and later cartoons. Me, I like the older ones (Of course, my young daughters like 'Mulan,' etc. but have missed out on Ariel since we've missed VHS releases.).

I'm eagerly awaiting the release of SDTMH. I didn't get to watch this movie when it was shown on the Disney Channel.

"Melody Time' and "Make Mine Music' ... I bought them both because of the cartoons on them (Once Upon a Wintertime, Alice Bluebonnet..., Johnny Appleseed, Pecos Bill, and so forth). Sure, there are some dry portions, but these were from a different time. It's still a collection that is greatly entertaining to me.

[Disney Guru]

Yes i love So Dear To My Heart, but I never cared for Melody Time. It is so long, and boring.

[Lars Vermundsberget]

What one grew up with doesn't always have a lot to do with it - at least not in my case. I'm 30 and, even though I agree that some good stuff has been made in the late 80s and after, in my opinion the true classics were made in the 40s and thereabouts.

All of the animated features have been talked about - there are threads for each one, even Melody Time. My favourite pieces from MT are Bumble Boogie and Blame it on the Samba.

[orestes.]

I love all of the compilation movies. Melody Time gets a high grade from me.

I like So Dear to my Heart as well, I think. I can't remember it too much. It's been well over a decade since I saw it last. It's been a good 15 years I would say.

[Joe Carioca]

I have "So Dear To My Heart" on DVD (region 4) and it's a charming little movie. Maybe too sugary sweet for my tastes, but a fine movie that should stand on its own rather than living on the shadow of "Song of the South".

As for "Melody Time", it cleary is a piece of its time (the use of then-contemporary audieces is what most dates the film today), but a very good one. I really love the daring art design in some sequences like "Once Upon a Wintertime" and "Johny Appleseed" (largely inspired by Mary Blair), the bold use of color and the inventive ideas of "Bumble Boogie" and "Blame it on the Samba" (which contains one of the best mix of live-action and animation the studio has ever done), the poetic artistry of "Trees" and the energetic fun of "Pecos Bill". An underrated gem that should get more recognition.

By the way, this was one of the first Disney animated features to be released internationally, as were "Saludos Amigos", "The Three Caballeros" and "Make Mine Music" (all unedited). Strangely enough, it would take a decade or more for Disney to start releasing them on home video in the US.

[DDMAN26]

I can't say that I've ever seen So Dear to My Heart. As for Melody Time, it has its moments. I enjoy the Johnny Appleseed segment, Blame It On th Samba and Pecos Bill. Whenever I watch the film those are the three I tend to watch

[Cameron]

Have not picked it up because it is edited.

Make Mine Music has a scene ("The Martins and the Coys") removed. Segments of Melody Time and Saludos Amigos have been edited to remove cigarettes. (The Region 2 DVD of Melody Time is unedited.) Lastly, while the Fantasia DVD releases preserve the full Roadshow cut, a few brief segments of the "Pastoral Symphony" sequence have been zoomed and digitally edited.

read more here

http://www.widescreen.org/commentaries/ ... _apr.shtml

[orestes.]

It's a shame some of their movies are edited and I knew this while buying a few of them but it came down to a question I asked myself... "When do I think they will ever release them uncut?" I couldn't see in the forseeable future so I bought them.

[That1GuyPictures]

Melody Time is one of my favorite Disney movies of all time!
I love how well it was restored for DVD, and I love the Johnny Appleseed and Pecos Bill shorts. I also love the trees segment. It always gives me chills whenever I see the cross at the end, and remember that Jesus died on the "tree of calvary" for us all. It's got to be one of my favorites, although I really do wish I could see that cig back in Pecos' mouth!