Brother Bear does not often receive a lot of love, and that's a shame. It is entertaining from start to finish, and it's earned a place on my four-star list, up from three and a half stars. Some of the good stuff:
-The artwork is consistently beautiful. You could pause on almost any frame, and that picture would be something you could feel proud to hang on your wall.
-The aurora borealis effect is particularly gorgeous.
-Rutt and Tuke (the moose) are truly funny comic relief, especially in their introductory scene.
-"No Way Out," which is sung over Kenai's confession, is such a perfect song for that moment.
-While I can't hum any of the tunes now, all of the score and songs complement the action on the screen very well.
-Tanana to Kenai: "No trading!" *whack*
-The squirrel hiding acorns in his cheeks and professing ignorance is a nice gag.
-The crazy lady bear who insists her husband is dead does not quite make sense, but I still laugh at it.
-The outtakes over the credits are a nice touch.
-The chemistry between the sets of brothers comes off as natural and realistic. I instantly got the relationship between Kenai, Denahi, and Sitka.
-"I love...dew."
On the 2-Disc Special Edition DVD, the highlight for entertainment is easily the Rutt and Tuke commentary. Not only is there humor on various levels, there are also running gags and callbacks, such as the chipmunk references. The moose also liven up the Disc 1 menus with some jokes. The Art Review featurette takes what is normally a dry and niche type of extra and provides some insights and human perspective on the artwork. The Disney World trailer is notable for its crazy uncle character.
All four of the extras on Disc 2 are worthwhile, but the standout is the Paths of Discovery documentary. A lot of information is presented, and it's mixed in with truly humorous jokes that liven up the experience.
Disney hit the bullseye with both the movie and the DVD treatment of Brother Bear, and I would recommend it to anyone.
Next up: Chicken Little
Feature Animation Marathon
Chicken Little
When I think of Chicken Little, "offbeat" is the best word I can think of to describe it. It really has a different style than every other Disney movie. I stand by my opinion that it is pretty average but achieves moments of brilliance. That brilliance includes:
-The roll call scene (with Patrick Stewart as the teacher!)
-A crazed game of dodgeball that fleshes out the main quartet's personalities and makes me laugh
-The game-winning hit by Chicken Little
-The movie references and self-parody at the end worked more often than not
-Turkey Lurkey's cue cards
-Runt of the Litter and Abby Mallard's physical and verbal comedy
-The look of the alien technology
-"Melvin, did you just try to use the Big Voice on ME?"
The DVD features are pretty weak. The deleted scenes and making-of featurette are the only ones worth watching more than once. Is it just me, or does Mark Dindal have a few similarities to Jim Carrey in some of his facial expressions?
Next up: Pinocchio, first on the four-star list
-The roll call scene (with Patrick Stewart as the teacher!)
-A crazed game of dodgeball that fleshes out the main quartet's personalities and makes me laugh
-The game-winning hit by Chicken Little
-The movie references and self-parody at the end worked more often than not
-Turkey Lurkey's cue cards
-Runt of the Litter and Abby Mallard's physical and verbal comedy
-The look of the alien technology
-"Melvin, did you just try to use the Big Voice on ME?"
The DVD features are pretty weak. The deleted scenes and making-of featurette are the only ones worth watching more than once. Is it just me, or does Mark Dindal have a few similarities to Jim Carrey in some of his facial expressions?
Next up: Pinocchio, first on the four-star list
Pinocchio
It's a little harder for me to get excited about Pinocchio in the same way as the other movies since I just watched it a couple months ago when it came out on DVD. There are very few things in Pinocchio that bowl me over, and that is partially because it does so many little things well that greatness becomes expected. Here are a few things I'd like to make special mention of:
-Figaro, Honest John, and Monstro are my favorite characters in the film. They have such outstanding personality in their animation and voice/sound work.
-Geppetto hugging the tuna instead of Pinocchio when they are reunited inside the whale is still funny after almost 70 years.
-The ending of the film, from the first underwater scene to the final frame, is delightful to watch and quite imaginative.
-Pinocchio's responses to Lampwick's transformations are priceless.
-"When You Wish Upon a Star" is used a little too much by the company in its parks and advertising, but it is still an effective and powerful song in the movie.
The bonus features are generally solid on the Platinum Edition DVD. Those with the most rewatch value are the audio commentary, the No Strings Attached documentary, the "In the Belly of the Whale" deleted scene, trailers, "Honest John" deleted song, live action reference footage, and "The Sweatbox."
As an aside, when I took the Disney character test at Disney's California Adventure, it said I was most like Jiminy Cricket. Of course, my parents' results of Buzz Lightyear and Cinderella make Jiminy a biological impossibility!
Thank you to those who have stated their enjoyment of the reviews in this thread. Knowing that people are actually reading this helps inspire me to keep the quality of the writing high.
A couple people have asked me about those films that I am not choosing to watch. To compare the Disney films to meat, the best of the best are filet mignon, and those on the bottom rungs are hamburgers with pickles and onions (ingredients I don't care for). When the former is readily available, it's not going to be too often that I take the time to separate the good elements from the bad in the latter. I will watch the lesser films in whole or in part from time to time. Perhaps my tastes will change, and I will really like pickles, or perhaps it was just the equivalent of a bad restaurant experience the last time. We all have different tastes, and that makes this world a more interesting place. Please not that I do not intend insult to anyone's own opinions of any of these films. I can only describe how they "taste" to me.
Next up: Fantasia
Bonus features for this movie are quite extensive, and I will be going to see Up tomorrow, so it may be a little time before I post my thoughts.
-Figaro, Honest John, and Monstro are my favorite characters in the film. They have such outstanding personality in their animation and voice/sound work.
-Geppetto hugging the tuna instead of Pinocchio when they are reunited inside the whale is still funny after almost 70 years.
-The ending of the film, from the first underwater scene to the final frame, is delightful to watch and quite imaginative.
-Pinocchio's responses to Lampwick's transformations are priceless.
-"When You Wish Upon a Star" is used a little too much by the company in its parks and advertising, but it is still an effective and powerful song in the movie.
The bonus features are generally solid on the Platinum Edition DVD. Those with the most rewatch value are the audio commentary, the No Strings Attached documentary, the "In the Belly of the Whale" deleted scene, trailers, "Honest John" deleted song, live action reference footage, and "The Sweatbox."
As an aside, when I took the Disney character test at Disney's California Adventure, it said I was most like Jiminy Cricket. Of course, my parents' results of Buzz Lightyear and Cinderella make Jiminy a biological impossibility!
Thank you to those who have stated their enjoyment of the reviews in this thread. Knowing that people are actually reading this helps inspire me to keep the quality of the writing high.
A couple people have asked me about those films that I am not choosing to watch. To compare the Disney films to meat, the best of the best are filet mignon, and those on the bottom rungs are hamburgers with pickles and onions (ingredients I don't care for). When the former is readily available, it's not going to be too often that I take the time to separate the good elements from the bad in the latter. I will watch the lesser films in whole or in part from time to time. Perhaps my tastes will change, and I will really like pickles, or perhaps it was just the equivalent of a bad restaurant experience the last time. We all have different tastes, and that makes this world a more interesting place. Please not that I do not intend insult to anyone's own opinions of any of these films. I can only describe how they "taste" to me.
Next up: Fantasia
Bonus features for this movie are quite extensive, and I will be going to see Up tomorrow, so it may be a little time before I post my thoughts.
-
Escapay
- Ultimate Collector's Edition
- Posts: 12562
- Joined: Tue Jan 27, 2004 5:02 pm
- Location: Somewhere in Time and Space
- Contact:
Re: Chicken Little
Totally agree, Brandon. Chicken Little is a top 10 favourite for me, though sometimes it fluctuates in and out based on my mood. It's a charming movie with likeable characters, and I think much of the flak it gets is because it's not hand-drawn (it's frustrating when people dismiss this movie simply because it's CGI), and the design (CGI or not) is what people expect Disney films to look like these days. It harkens back to the old Mickey Mouse cartoons of yore, featuring humanised animals and wacky proportions for every building, surface, etc. It would have fit right in with the craziness of early Disney, there's a lot of the spirit of Oswald, B&W Mickey, etc. in the animation.BrandonH wrote:When I think of Chicken Little, "offbeat" is the best word I can think of to describe it. It really has a different style than every other Disney movie. I stand by my opinion that it is pretty average but achieves moments of brilliance. That brilliance includes:
-The roll call scene (with Patrick Stewart as the teacher!)
-A crazed game of dodgeball that fleshes out the main quartet's personalities and makes me laugh
-The game-winning hit by Chicken Little
-The movie references and self-parody at the end worked more often than not
-Turkey Lurkey's cue cards
-Runt of the Litter and Abby Mallard's physical and verbal comedy
-The look of the alien technology
-"Melvin, did you just try to use the Big Voice on ME?"
And I'm enjoying reading your mini-reviews, so keep it up!
albert
WIST #60:
AwallaceUNC: Would you prefer Substi-Blu-tiary Locomotion?
WIST #61:
TheSequelOfDisney: Damn, did Lin-Manuel Miranda go and murder all your families?
AwallaceUNC: Would you prefer Substi-Blu-tiary Locomotion?
WIST #61:
TheSequelOfDisney: Damn, did Lin-Manuel Miranda go and murder all your families?
Fantasia
The best sequences in Fantasia achieve masterpiece status, and the rest of it is still pretty good.
Toccata and Fugue in D Minor - The music is done well, but the visual footage does not particularly impress me.
The Nutcracker Suite - This is one of the best parts of the film. All of the individual elements are highly memorable, and they are woven together so seamlessly. My favorite elements are the fairies lighting up the flowers, the Arabian fish, and the ice skating frost sprites.
The Sorcerer's Apprentice - Everything comes together quite nicely here, and Mickey's expressions are particularly well done.
Rite of Spring - The stegosaurus battling the tyrannosaurus rex is one of the most exciting scenes ever animated. There are also a couple of predator/prey clashes in the progression of life scene that I enjoy.
The Soundtrack - The animation and sound as the soundtrack shows off on the various instruments, such as the drums, are marvelous.
The Pastoral Symphony - Like many others, the winged horses are my favorite characters in this piece. I love the color palette used and how the drawings have a watercolor look to them.
Dance of the Hours - The whole scene is a lot of fun, and I love the hippos and alligators.
Night on Bald Mountain - The dynamic use of color complements the power of the music. The tortures that Chernabog inflicts on those under his control are quite frightening.
Ave Maria - The ending of the movie is tranquil and elegant, and it closes with a nice feeling of hopefulness.
The Fantasia Anthology box set has a wealth of informative bonus features about the movie. The second audio commentary has the most Walt Disney audio recordings in one place that I can remember, and it's fascinating to hear his take on things. The first audio commentary is also a good listen, although I wish that the duplicated John Canemaker comments were replaced with more input from some of the other participants. "The Making of Fantasia" is a solid overview of the film, and it's probably all the casual viewer needs to watch. The information on the Fantasia Legacy disc is well worth checking out for the devoted fans of the film. My favorite pieces were the Tricks of the Trade excerpts, trailers, posters, the release history, and the music background text screens.
I've got to rag on whomever is responsible for the art gallery navigation on The Fantasia Legacy. There is no way to scroll through all of the images on the page. You have to keep going back to the menu between each image. Thankfully, this problem was fixed for the 2001 releases of Snow White and Dumbo.
Next up: Make Mine Music
Toccata and Fugue in D Minor - The music is done well, but the visual footage does not particularly impress me.
The Nutcracker Suite - This is one of the best parts of the film. All of the individual elements are highly memorable, and they are woven together so seamlessly. My favorite elements are the fairies lighting up the flowers, the Arabian fish, and the ice skating frost sprites.
The Sorcerer's Apprentice - Everything comes together quite nicely here, and Mickey's expressions are particularly well done.
Rite of Spring - The stegosaurus battling the tyrannosaurus rex is one of the most exciting scenes ever animated. There are also a couple of predator/prey clashes in the progression of life scene that I enjoy.
The Soundtrack - The animation and sound as the soundtrack shows off on the various instruments, such as the drums, are marvelous.
The Pastoral Symphony - Like many others, the winged horses are my favorite characters in this piece. I love the color palette used and how the drawings have a watercolor look to them.
Dance of the Hours - The whole scene is a lot of fun, and I love the hippos and alligators.
Night on Bald Mountain - The dynamic use of color complements the power of the music. The tortures that Chernabog inflicts on those under his control are quite frightening.
Ave Maria - The ending of the movie is tranquil and elegant, and it closes with a nice feeling of hopefulness.
The Fantasia Anthology box set has a wealth of informative bonus features about the movie. The second audio commentary has the most Walt Disney audio recordings in one place that I can remember, and it's fascinating to hear his take on things. The first audio commentary is also a good listen, although I wish that the duplicated John Canemaker comments were replaced with more input from some of the other participants. "The Making of Fantasia" is a solid overview of the film, and it's probably all the casual viewer needs to watch. The information on the Fantasia Legacy disc is well worth checking out for the devoted fans of the film. My favorite pieces were the Tricks of the Trade excerpts, trailers, posters, the release history, and the music background text screens.
I've got to rag on whomever is responsible for the art gallery navigation on The Fantasia Legacy. There is no way to scroll through all of the images on the page. You have to keep going back to the menu between each image. Thankfully, this problem was fixed for the 2001 releases of Snow White and Dumbo.
Next up: Make Mine Music
-
kbehm29
- Anniversary Edition
- Posts: 1184
- Joined: Wed Jan 18, 2006 7:49 am
- Location: Too Far Away from Disney
- Contact:
I just had to chime in and state that I'm enjoying your mini-reviews as well. However, I hope you give movies that you rated less than 3 stars a fair chance to move up on your rating system as well.
I used to detest Home on the Range, and now I like it quite well. I try and watch my whole Disney canon once a year, usually based by chronological release date of the original + (sequels) at the same time.
You've inspired me to start my annual Disney DVD review sooner rather than later, thanks!
I used to detest Home on the Range, and now I like it quite well. I try and watch my whole Disney canon once a year, usually based by chronological release date of the original + (sequels) at the same time.
You've inspired me to start my annual Disney DVD review sooner rather than later, thanks!
Disneyland Trips: 1983, 1992, 1995, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016, Aug 2018
Walt Disney World Trips: 1999, 2007, 2011, 2014, 2016, ~Dec 2018~, ~Apr 2019~
Favorite Disney Movies: Peter Pan, 101 Dalmatians, Tangled, The Princess and the Frog, Enchanted, FROZEN
Walt Disney World Trips: 1999, 2007, 2011, 2014, 2016, ~Dec 2018~, ~Apr 2019~
Favorite Disney Movies: Peter Pan, 101 Dalmatians, Tangled, The Princess and the Frog, Enchanted, FROZEN
Make Mine Music
Make Mine Music starts off with one of the most inspired title sequences of the early features, putting the title on the theatre marquee and the credits on signage as the viewer enters the theatre.
Blue Bayou - It's pretty, but it's a cure for insomnia with either the "Blue Bayou" music or "Clair de Lune."
All the Cats Join In - One of my favorite animation-only tricks is used here, filling in the details with a pencil as the short progresses. The poses and music make this number a lot of fun.
Without You - It's not my favorite part, but I can appreciate the visual dissolves, symmetry, and interplay between lyrics and images.
Casey at the Bat - Exaggerations of a baseball game are used to comic effect, and the treatment of the visiting fan by the home fan deserves a chuckle.
Two Silhouettes - It's a good reason to try out the fast-forward button.
Peter and the Wolf - This is one of the all-time great shorts, and I gravitate toward the imaginings of the characters and the lovable, cowardly Sonya the duck.
After You've Gone - Stylized animation of instruments and swing music will always make me smile.
Johnnie Fedora and Alice Bluebonnet - It's a charming, unconventional love story. For some reason, I really like the saloon scene.
The Whale Who Wanted to Sing at the Met - The singing whale is executed perfectly, and the newspaper headlines are used quite effectively. Shamu wishes she had a voice like that!
"The Band Concert" and "Music Land" are two of my favorite Disney shorts, and their inclusion here makes perfect sense.
Next up: Fun and Fancy Free
Blue Bayou - It's pretty, but it's a cure for insomnia with either the "Blue Bayou" music or "Clair de Lune."
All the Cats Join In - One of my favorite animation-only tricks is used here, filling in the details with a pencil as the short progresses. The poses and music make this number a lot of fun.
Without You - It's not my favorite part, but I can appreciate the visual dissolves, symmetry, and interplay between lyrics and images.
Casey at the Bat - Exaggerations of a baseball game are used to comic effect, and the treatment of the visiting fan by the home fan deserves a chuckle.
Two Silhouettes - It's a good reason to try out the fast-forward button.
Peter and the Wolf - This is one of the all-time great shorts, and I gravitate toward the imaginings of the characters and the lovable, cowardly Sonya the duck.
After You've Gone - Stylized animation of instruments and swing music will always make me smile.
Johnnie Fedora and Alice Bluebonnet - It's a charming, unconventional love story. For some reason, I really like the saloon scene.
The Whale Who Wanted to Sing at the Met - The singing whale is executed perfectly, and the newspaper headlines are used quite effectively. Shamu wishes she had a voice like that!
"The Band Concert" and "Music Land" are two of my favorite Disney shorts, and their inclusion here makes perfect sense.
Next up: Fun and Fancy Free
Fun and Fancy Free
Fun and Fancy Free doesn't have too much to distinguish itself, but it is generally high quality throughout. The storytelling is lean and effective, and it's got a nice carefree atmosphere.
-In "Bongo," the scene where Bongo and Lulubelle meet is full of cute plays on the heart shape.
-Donald Duck is at his best in "Mickey and the Beanstalk," especially in the scene where he goes a little mad and tries to kill the cow.
-Goofy bouncing on the giant's gelatin is another highlight of the picture.
"The Story Behind Fun and Fancy Free" is one of the only Gold Collection extras to focus on the film itself. It may be concise, but it packs a lot of information into those 15 minutes.
Next up: Cinderella
-In "Bongo," the scene where Bongo and Lulubelle meet is full of cute plays on the heart shape.
-Donald Duck is at his best in "Mickey and the Beanstalk," especially in the scene where he goes a little mad and tries to kill the cow.
-Goofy bouncing on the giant's gelatin is another highlight of the picture.
"The Story Behind Fun and Fancy Free" is one of the only Gold Collection extras to focus on the film itself. It may be concise, but it packs a lot of information into those 15 minutes.
Next up: Cinderella
^You can't miss what you never had. For those who have seen that sequence, can it really compare to the ending of Willie the Whale singing for the residents of heaven?
Now, I take a look at Cinderella. Our UD reviewer was quite harsh on the film, and I think it's much better than that review makes it sound, although I'm not one of its raving fans. Cinderella is one of the most relatable protagonists of a Disney film. Even though very few of the audience are in circumstances as dire as hers, each of us can find some common ground with her. What stood out to me on this viewing?
-Lucifer has an amazing screen presence. He's fun to watch, but he's also a real, nasty threat, so it's quite satisfying when others get the better of him.
-Gus has some great slapstick antics, and he's also got innocence, enthusiasm, and loyalty.
-Lady Tremaine has mastered the art of being cruel and malicious without being flamboyant.
-This was the first time I've noticed that the slipper coming off is foreshadowed by a similar event as Cinderella is delivering breakfast. Maybe it's a good thing that she gave the other slipper to the Duke to try on because shoes don't stay on her other foot too well!
-Cinderella has a lovely singing voice, and I really like her harmonies with the soap bubble reflections.
-The voices of Tremaine and the fairy godmother are well-suited to the parts, and I'm glad they got them back for Sleeping Beauty.
-Cinderella's exasperation with her impatient family members is something I can really identify with, although it's not family members in my case.
-The reversals of fortune in both directions are timed just right for maximum effect.
-The transformation sequence and "Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo" are extraordinary.
I was disappointed with the Platinum Edition DVD's extras upon its initial release. It still does not measure up to its five predecessors, yet it contains some valuable nuggets, and it positively shines in comparison to some of today's DVD releases.
"From Rags to Riches: The Making of Cinderella" is an excellent showcase of the talent who worked on the movie, and it sets up the context for Cinderella for viewers who were not around in 1950. I'm a big fan of Disney animation of both yesteryear and today, so "From Walt's Table: A Tribute to the Nine Old Men" is one of my favorite bonus features to grace a disc. "The Cinderella That Almost Was" and "The Art of Mary Blair" are also no-brainer recommendations. The "Village Store" radio excerpt has a marvelous rendition of "When You Wish Upon a Star" performed by Ilene Woods, the voice of Cinderella. "Cinderella and Perry Como" and the excerpt from "The Mickey Mouse Club" both have some camp value and some nice musical performances. Rounding out the good bonus features are the dependable Deleted Scenes section, trailers, and Sneak Peeks.
Next up: Peter Pan
Now, I take a look at Cinderella. Our UD reviewer was quite harsh on the film, and I think it's much better than that review makes it sound, although I'm not one of its raving fans. Cinderella is one of the most relatable protagonists of a Disney film. Even though very few of the audience are in circumstances as dire as hers, each of us can find some common ground with her. What stood out to me on this viewing?
-Lucifer has an amazing screen presence. He's fun to watch, but he's also a real, nasty threat, so it's quite satisfying when others get the better of him.
-Gus has some great slapstick antics, and he's also got innocence, enthusiasm, and loyalty.
-Lady Tremaine has mastered the art of being cruel and malicious without being flamboyant.
-This was the first time I've noticed that the slipper coming off is foreshadowed by a similar event as Cinderella is delivering breakfast. Maybe it's a good thing that she gave the other slipper to the Duke to try on because shoes don't stay on her other foot too well!
-Cinderella has a lovely singing voice, and I really like her harmonies with the soap bubble reflections.
-The voices of Tremaine and the fairy godmother are well-suited to the parts, and I'm glad they got them back for Sleeping Beauty.
-Cinderella's exasperation with her impatient family members is something I can really identify with, although it's not family members in my case.
-The reversals of fortune in both directions are timed just right for maximum effect.
-The transformation sequence and "Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo" are extraordinary.
I was disappointed with the Platinum Edition DVD's extras upon its initial release. It still does not measure up to its five predecessors, yet it contains some valuable nuggets, and it positively shines in comparison to some of today's DVD releases.
"From Rags to Riches: The Making of Cinderella" is an excellent showcase of the talent who worked on the movie, and it sets up the context for Cinderella for viewers who were not around in 1950. I'm a big fan of Disney animation of both yesteryear and today, so "From Walt's Table: A Tribute to the Nine Old Men" is one of my favorite bonus features to grace a disc. "The Cinderella That Almost Was" and "The Art of Mary Blair" are also no-brainer recommendations. The "Village Store" radio excerpt has a marvelous rendition of "When You Wish Upon a Star" performed by Ilene Woods, the voice of Cinderella. "Cinderella and Perry Como" and the excerpt from "The Mickey Mouse Club" both have some camp value and some nice musical performances. Rounding out the good bonus features are the dependable Deleted Scenes section, trailers, and Sneak Peeks.
Next up: Peter Pan
IMO, no, as I find that Willie the Whale ending to be quite beautiful. I always liked how it implied that animals, too, have eternal souls, which is something I believe in deeply...BrandonH wrote:^You can't miss what you never had. For those who have seen that sequence, can it really compare to the ending of Willie the Whale singing for the residents of heaven?
Still, having the first segment missing from the DVD is extremely annoying, especially for those of us who are used to seeing MMM in it's entirety... and Blue Bayou works much better IMO as a second piece than a lead-off.
Anyhow, keep up the great work on the reviews
EDIT: If you've never seen the missing segment and would like to, here it is!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EftOfbOOjNo
"Feed the birds, tuppence a bag"- Mary Poppins
"How high does the sycamore grow? If you cut it down, then you'll never know"- Pocahontas
"I do not make films primarily for children. I make them for the child in all of us, whether he be six or sixty. Call the child innocence." - Walt Disney
"How high does the sycamore grow? If you cut it down, then you'll never know"- Pocahontas
"I do not make films primarily for children. I make them for the child in all of us, whether he be six or sixty. Call the child innocence." - Walt Disney
Thank you for sharing that link with me. I don't agree with Disney's reasons for the cutting of the sequence from the movie, but I can now state with confidence that I like the movie better without it.
Peter Pan has too much good material to list it all, so I'll just share some of my favorite elements of the movie in no particular order.
-Nana waving goodbye as she is led out of the house
-Nana pushing the tray of tonics with her ears
-All of the music, especially "You Can Fly" and "Second Star to the Right"
-"What have you done to your shirt?" "What have...I...OHHH!"
-The way the Jolly Roger turns gold at the end
-Hook dressing up with a golden hook and ring
-The way Michael's teddy bear is bound and tied up to a tiny stake by the Indians
-The great voice of Hans Conried as Mr. Darling and Captain Hook
-The playful panpipe melody that culminates in the familiar three-note motif
I watched the movie on its Special Edition DVD. The special features I like best are the short featurette "The Making of Peter Pan" and the audio commentary. It's evident that there are lots of items that can be included on a Platinum Edition DVD release. What's that? 2007, you say? Wah ha ha ha ha ha ha!!! There's a better "P" word to describe that monstrosity that I'll leave to your imaginations.
Actually, Disc One of the PE and a few of the Disc Two featurettes sound pretty good. However, it is a disgrace compared to the rest of the line, and I refuse to buy it just because of the title bestowed upon it by marketing.
Next up: Lady and the Tramp
Peter Pan has too much good material to list it all, so I'll just share some of my favorite elements of the movie in no particular order.
-Nana waving goodbye as she is led out of the house
-Nana pushing the tray of tonics with her ears
-All of the music, especially "You Can Fly" and "Second Star to the Right"
-"What have you done to your shirt?" "What have...I...OHHH!"
-The way the Jolly Roger turns gold at the end
-Hook dressing up with a golden hook and ring
-The way Michael's teddy bear is bound and tied up to a tiny stake by the Indians
-The great voice of Hans Conried as Mr. Darling and Captain Hook
-The playful panpipe melody that culminates in the familiar three-note motif
I watched the movie on its Special Edition DVD. The special features I like best are the short featurette "The Making of Peter Pan" and the audio commentary. It's evident that there are lots of items that can be included on a Platinum Edition DVD release. What's that? 2007, you say? Wah ha ha ha ha ha ha!!! There's a better "P" word to describe that monstrosity that I'll leave to your imaginations.
Actually, Disc One of the PE and a few of the Disc Two featurettes sound pretty good. However, it is a disgrace compared to the rest of the line, and I refuse to buy it just because of the title bestowed upon it by marketing.
Next up: Lady and the Tramp
Lady and the Tramp
I love the character of Tramp, and his first night of romance with Lady is the best sequence of the movie. Also, Trusty, Jock, and the Italian cooks make lovable supporting characters. Sadly, that is about the extent of the praise I have for Lady and the Tramp. The story crosses the line from being simple to being too thin for a feature. The caterwauling dogs in the pound are enough to bring the movie down a notch all by themselves. My overly generous four-star rating is now dropping to three stars.
At this point, I'm also reevaluating Hercules and bumping it up to three and a half stars. It came at an early point in the order, and I was a being a little too conservative in my judgment of it. I can now say without hesitation that it is a step above Dinosaur and Lady and the Tramp.
The Platinum Edition bonus features are much better if you're a fan of the film, I'm sure. "A Lady's Pedigree: The Making of Lady and the Tramp" is the only one I consider a must-see. Getting more background on Walt is a plus, and I like seeing the children of some of the creators speaking about their parents' work. Some of the other features like the Disneyland excerpts have merit on their own, but the highlights are already in the documentary. As always, the trailers are fascinating time capsules for the advertising of the different eras. Finally, the dog personality game is a type of bonus feature that I always enjoy. This time, it said I am most like Lady. Most of the description given is accurate enough.
Next up: another dog feature, 101 Dalmatians
At this point, I'm also reevaluating Hercules and bumping it up to three and a half stars. It came at an early point in the order, and I was a being a little too conservative in my judgment of it. I can now say without hesitation that it is a step above Dinosaur and Lady and the Tramp.
The Platinum Edition bonus features are much better if you're a fan of the film, I'm sure. "A Lady's Pedigree: The Making of Lady and the Tramp" is the only one I consider a must-see. Getting more background on Walt is a plus, and I like seeing the children of some of the creators speaking about their parents' work. Some of the other features like the Disneyland excerpts have merit on their own, but the highlights are already in the documentary. As always, the trailers are fascinating time capsules for the advertising of the different eras. Finally, the dog personality game is a type of bonus feature that I always enjoy. This time, it said I am most like Lady. Most of the description given is accurate enough.
Next up: another dog feature, 101 Dalmatians
One Hundred and One Dalmatians
My list of favorite things in 101 Dalmatians may seem like it covers the whole movie. That's just a sign that I think almost everything in the movie is extremely well done.
-Our introduction to the puppies as they watch TV
-The whole section from the first glimpse of London to the wedding, including Pongo's narration and the "unusual breeds" of pets
-The song and scene of "Cruella de Vil"
-The chase across the countryside
-Sergeant Tibs aiming the horse like a cannon
-The jazzy and dazzling main title sequence
-Every time Pongo causes Roger to lurch forward as he is searching for Perdita
-Roger standing up to Cruella when she offers him money for the pups
-The way "Electric" is misspelled on Horace's bag
-Roger and Pongo in the waiting area as the puppies are being born
-The blaring reds and oranges as Pongo and Perdita face down Jasper and Horace in Hell Hall
101 Dalmatians has a merely average group of supplements for its Platinum Edition. "Redefining the Line" and "Cruella de Vil: Drawn to be Bad" are pretty standard looks at the movie and its famous villainess. "Sincerely Yours, Walt Disney" is the most charming feature, bringing Walt and Dodie's correspondence to life in an inventive way. In the abandoned/deleted songs section, I'm most fond of "March of the Hundred and One," "Cheerio, Goodbye, Toodle-oo, Hip Hip," and both versions of "Dalmatian Plantation." A wealth of advertising material is present, including a very funny French Canadian TV ad. The Puppy Profiler game is a little odd, but it's still good for a laugh. I'm most like the German Shepherd today.
Next up: The Sword in the Stone
-Our introduction to the puppies as they watch TV
-The whole section from the first glimpse of London to the wedding, including Pongo's narration and the "unusual breeds" of pets
-The song and scene of "Cruella de Vil"
-The chase across the countryside
-Sergeant Tibs aiming the horse like a cannon
-The jazzy and dazzling main title sequence
-Every time Pongo causes Roger to lurch forward as he is searching for Perdita
-Roger standing up to Cruella when she offers him money for the pups
-The way "Electric" is misspelled on Horace's bag
-Roger and Pongo in the waiting area as the puppies are being born
-The blaring reds and oranges as Pongo and Perdita face down Jasper and Horace in Hell Hall
101 Dalmatians has a merely average group of supplements for its Platinum Edition. "Redefining the Line" and "Cruella de Vil: Drawn to be Bad" are pretty standard looks at the movie and its famous villainess. "Sincerely Yours, Walt Disney" is the most charming feature, bringing Walt and Dodie's correspondence to life in an inventive way. In the abandoned/deleted songs section, I'm most fond of "March of the Hundred and One," "Cheerio, Goodbye, Toodle-oo, Hip Hip," and both versions of "Dalmatian Plantation." A wealth of advertising material is present, including a very funny French Canadian TV ad. The Puppy Profiler game is a little odd, but it's still good for a laugh. I'm most like the German Shepherd today.
Next up: The Sword in the Stone
The Sword in the Stone
The Sword in the Stone is a lighthearted movie that makes its point without boring the audience. The main reasons the movie appeals to me are Merlin and Archimedes, but I'll elaborate on a few more.
-The message that brainpower is more important than muscle power in the long run is timeless.
-The transformations are well done throughout, especially in the wizard duel and squirrel scenes. Merlin as a walrus is one of the funnier ones.
-"That's What Makes the World Go Round" is a delightful song.
-The way Archimedes laughs at Wart is hilarious beyond words.
-The physical comedy is great throughout. One nice touch is the way Merlin's beard and Archimedes' feathers poof out.
-The unintentional ways that our heroes foil the wolf are also amusing.
The Gold Collection DVD is pretty loaded compared to the rest of that line. "All About Magic" not only has a great intro by Walt, but the two shorts and Cinderella excerpt are fun to watch as well. "Music Magic: The Sherman Brothers" is a brief but appreciated look at the philosophy behind the composers' Disney songwriting, and a couple deleted songs are featured. The scrapbook and film facts are good additions that should have been standard across the line.
Next up: The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
I've got plans tomorrow night, so it may be Thursday before I can watch it and post again.
-The message that brainpower is more important than muscle power in the long run is timeless.
-The transformations are well done throughout, especially in the wizard duel and squirrel scenes. Merlin as a walrus is one of the funnier ones.
-"That's What Makes the World Go Round" is a delightful song.
-The way Archimedes laughs at Wart is hilarious beyond words.
-The physical comedy is great throughout. One nice touch is the way Merlin's beard and Archimedes' feathers poof out.
-The unintentional ways that our heroes foil the wolf are also amusing.
The Gold Collection DVD is pretty loaded compared to the rest of that line. "All About Magic" not only has a great intro by Walt, but the two shorts and Cinderella excerpt are fun to watch as well. "Music Magic: The Sherman Brothers" is a brief but appreciated look at the philosophy behind the composers' Disney songwriting, and a couple deleted songs are featured. The scrapbook and film facts are good additions that should have been standard across the line.
Next up: The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
I've got plans tomorrow night, so it may be Thursday before I can watch it and post again.
Winnie the Pooh and Black Cauldron Too
I've got a double shot of animation today: The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh and The Black Cauldron.
One of the strengths of a package of previously released material is that each piece is designed to be good enough to stand on its own. That's mostly the way it worked out for The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. The first two-thirds is absolutely classic, and the rest is not bad. What did I find notable?
-The interactions of the characters, narrator, and book pages
-Pooh and Tigger's scenes with the mirror
-The "Heffalumps and Woozles" sequence
-The songs "Up, Down, Touch the Ground" and "The Wonderful Thing About Tiggers"
-"While bailing he was sailing"
-"It's not much of a tail, but I'm sort of attached to it."
-"She called me 'Dear.'"
The making-of featurette on the 25th Anniversary Edition is among the best of its kind. It tells us about the history of the books and the production, and we get some insight into what makes the characters so endearing. The Gallery is user-friendly and has photos from the theme parks to boot. "A Day for Eeyore" does not have quite enough material to sustain its 25-minute running time, but I do love some of Eeyore's lines and expressions, so it's still worth a look.
The Black Cauldron heralded the start of a new age of Disney animation. Some of the talent involved who would later go on to prominence at Disney includes Andreas Deja, John Musker, Ron Clements, Don Hahn, and Mark Dindal. I still consider The Black Cauldron a four-star film, and I call it the first film of the third "Golden Age" of Disney animated features.
Sight and sound are key to successful animation, and The Black Cauldron excels in those areas. The multiplane shots, effects animation, and music are all appropriately dramatic and a sign that the Xerox look is on its way out. The bargains with the witches are the most captivating scenes from a story perspective, and I find it interesting that we never find out why the witches want either the sword or the Cauldron. Several great designs of the film are the magic sword, the Horned King, and the dragons.
The stills gallery is the best extra on the Gold Collection DVD, offering slides of text facts in addition to some brilliant artwork and photos. There's even some Tokyo Disneyland shots included. The theatrical trailer is a welcome extra, even though it is obviously in need of some touching up. The trivia game does not have much of a reward (just showing the demise of the villain and his lair), yet I have to give it props for spicing up the format of the game and making good use of film footage.
Next up: The Rescuers Down Under
One of the strengths of a package of previously released material is that each piece is designed to be good enough to stand on its own. That's mostly the way it worked out for The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. The first two-thirds is absolutely classic, and the rest is not bad. What did I find notable?
-The interactions of the characters, narrator, and book pages
-Pooh and Tigger's scenes with the mirror
-The "Heffalumps and Woozles" sequence
-The songs "Up, Down, Touch the Ground" and "The Wonderful Thing About Tiggers"
-"While bailing he was sailing"
-"It's not much of a tail, but I'm sort of attached to it."
-"She called me 'Dear.'"
The making-of featurette on the 25th Anniversary Edition is among the best of its kind. It tells us about the history of the books and the production, and we get some insight into what makes the characters so endearing. The Gallery is user-friendly and has photos from the theme parks to boot. "A Day for Eeyore" does not have quite enough material to sustain its 25-minute running time, but I do love some of Eeyore's lines and expressions, so it's still worth a look.
The Black Cauldron heralded the start of a new age of Disney animation. Some of the talent involved who would later go on to prominence at Disney includes Andreas Deja, John Musker, Ron Clements, Don Hahn, and Mark Dindal. I still consider The Black Cauldron a four-star film, and I call it the first film of the third "Golden Age" of Disney animated features.
Sight and sound are key to successful animation, and The Black Cauldron excels in those areas. The multiplane shots, effects animation, and music are all appropriately dramatic and a sign that the Xerox look is on its way out. The bargains with the witches are the most captivating scenes from a story perspective, and I find it interesting that we never find out why the witches want either the sword or the Cauldron. Several great designs of the film are the magic sword, the Horned King, and the dragons.
The stills gallery is the best extra on the Gold Collection DVD, offering slides of text facts in addition to some brilliant artwork and photos. There's even some Tokyo Disneyland shots included. The theatrical trailer is a welcome extra, even though it is obviously in need of some touching up. The trivia game does not have much of a reward (just showing the demise of the villain and his lair), yet I have to give it props for spicing up the format of the game and making good use of film footage.
Next up: The Rescuers Down Under
The Rescuers Down Under
The Rescuers Down Under takes what worked from the first movie, such as the charming protagonists, Rescue Aid Society concept, and flying albatross, and improves on the other aspects to make a much more enjoyable film. What works:
-The jaw-dropping opening that culminates in Cody flying with the golden eagle
-McLeach is a villain who is both menacing and fun to watch, a rare combination in movies
-The scene of Cody and the animals trying to escape the cages
-The editing is top-notch, shifting between Cody, Wilbur, and the Rescuers at appropriate times
-John Candy's comedy as Wilbur
-A nice mixture of adventure story and romantic comedy
-The way that Jake's assertiveness with the snake has a callback with Bernard and the razorback
The Gold Collection DVD has only a trailer for its decent offerings. I hope for an upgrade to this film someday.
Next up: Pocahontas
-The jaw-dropping opening that culminates in Cody flying with the golden eagle
-McLeach is a villain who is both menacing and fun to watch, a rare combination in movies
-The scene of Cody and the animals trying to escape the cages
-The editing is top-notch, shifting between Cody, Wilbur, and the Rescuers at appropriate times
-John Candy's comedy as Wilbur
-A nice mixture of adventure story and romantic comedy
-The way that Jake's assertiveness with the snake has a callback with Bernard and the razorback
The Gold Collection DVD has only a trailer for its decent offerings. I hope for an upgrade to this film someday.
Next up: Pocahontas
Pocahontas
Watching Pocahontas again, it is easy to make a list of reasons why it did not receive the acclaim from general audiences that its immediate predecessors enjoyed. Still, looked at as its own entity, Pocahontas is an engaging drama that makes good use of the animated medium and its music team. This time around, most of the best parts are entire songs and characters instead of smaller moments and scenes.
-"Colors of the Wind"
-"If I Never Knew You"
-"Savages"
-"Mine, Mine, Mine"
-Grandmother Willow
-Meeko, Percy, and, to a lesser extent, Flit
-The rescue at sea during the opening
-The final wave goodbye between Pocahontas and John Smith
The 10th Anniversary Edition supplements are all of pretty high quality. My favorite is the audio commentary. Goldberg proves that he can tell stories just as well behind the microphone as he can with a pencil, and all three participants provide entertainment and knowledge. "Creating Pocahontas" with Glen Keane is a type of feature that I truly love: an artist making a presentation to a live audience, similar to a panel at a convention. "The Premiere in Central Park" looks like it was a cool event, and I wish more footage was shown on the DVD. Other worthwhile extras are "The Making of Pocahontas," Early Presentation Reel, the "Creating X" featurettes, "The Music of Pocahontas," "If I Never Knew You" music video, "The Making of 'If I Never Knew You,'" and the trailers. I appreciate the inclusion of the deleted scenes, but I agree with the decision to cut them. The rest of the features are not bad; they just aren't to my taste. At least they all have a measure of class, something which is lacking in certain other DVD features.
Next up: Meet the Robinsons
By the way, this thread does not have to be a one-man show. I welcome anyone to share fond memories of their experiences with these films and the subsequent video/DVD/Blu-Ray releases. What are some of the scenes, moments, and characters that resonate with you?
-"Colors of the Wind"
-"If I Never Knew You"
-"Savages"
-"Mine, Mine, Mine"
-Grandmother Willow
-Meeko, Percy, and, to a lesser extent, Flit
-The rescue at sea during the opening
-The final wave goodbye between Pocahontas and John Smith
The 10th Anniversary Edition supplements are all of pretty high quality. My favorite is the audio commentary. Goldberg proves that he can tell stories just as well behind the microphone as he can with a pencil, and all three participants provide entertainment and knowledge. "Creating Pocahontas" with Glen Keane is a type of feature that I truly love: an artist making a presentation to a live audience, similar to a panel at a convention. "The Premiere in Central Park" looks like it was a cool event, and I wish more footage was shown on the DVD. Other worthwhile extras are "The Making of Pocahontas," Early Presentation Reel, the "Creating X" featurettes, "The Music of Pocahontas," "If I Never Knew You" music video, "The Making of 'If I Never Knew You,'" and the trailers. I appreciate the inclusion of the deleted scenes, but I agree with the decision to cut them. The rest of the features are not bad; they just aren't to my taste. At least they all have a measure of class, something which is lacking in certain other DVD features.
Next up: Meet the Robinsons
By the way, this thread does not have to be a one-man show. I welcome anyone to share fond memories of their experiences with these films and the subsequent video/DVD/Blu-Ray releases. What are some of the scenes, moments, and characters that resonate with you?
Re: Pocahontas
OK!BrandonH wrote: By the way, this thread does not have to be a one-man show. I welcome anyone to share fond memories of their experiences with these films and the subsequent video/DVD/Blu-Ray releases. What are some of the scenes, moments, and characters that resonate with you?
Pocahontas is one of my favorite DACs from the 90's, due to many of the strengths you've mentioned.
"Colors of the Wind" is one of my all-time favorite Disney songs from ANY era because the poignant lyrics (that I deeply relate to) take the already beautiful melody to another level, IMO. (see my signature!)
Also, I find the film works better with "If I Never Knew You" and I'm glad that version was included on the DVD. I think the songs and score in this film overall are fantastic.
The animal sidekicks are among my favorites, as I find them cute, charming, and funny without being obnoxious. I really like Grandmother Willow as well and the connection the film makes between nature and spirituality.
In addition to the scene you mentioned of Pocahontas and John Smith saying farewell, I find the scene where Pocahontas saves his life by blocking him from harm incredibly powerful! (even if it did remind me of a similar scene at the climax of The Fox and The Hound!)
Keep up the good work, I'm enjoying the series of reviews.
"Feed the birds, tuppence a bag"- Mary Poppins
"How high does the sycamore grow? If you cut it down, then you'll never know"- Pocahontas
"I do not make films primarily for children. I make them for the child in all of us, whether he be six or sixty. Call the child innocence." - Walt Disney
"How high does the sycamore grow? If you cut it down, then you'll never know"- Pocahontas
"I do not make films primarily for children. I make them for the child in all of us, whether he be six or sixty. Call the child innocence." - Walt Disney