DVDizzy Forum

Does anyone have any information with regard to a re-release of Donald Duck in Mathmagic Land on DVD? I am very interested in getting this short animated film, but have only seen a purchase price of around $60 for an "educational" version (released 2004) that comes with other materials that I'm really not interested in. Our family is head over heels for math and being that we really enjoy Disney features too, we thought this was a match made in heaven. Any information provided would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

"Mathmagic Land" is a good one. I don't know about anything exact, but I would expect it in an upcoming Donald Duck volume in the "Walt Disney Treasures" line. For all I know, that could also include material that you're not interested in, though.

HA HA! I've seen this at school! In math class! HA HA!

It's available in Region 2 on Walt Disney's Fables, Vol. 3. But that's no good if you don't have multi-region capabilities.

TheSequelofDisney wrote:HA HA! I've seen this at school! In math class! HA HA!

So have I! I still remember the Golden Rectangle. I didn't understand all of the geometry in the movie but I loved it.

Lars Vermundsberget wrote:"Mathmagic Land" is a good one. I don't know about anything exact, but I would expect it in an upcoming Donald Duck volume in the "Walt Disney Treasures" line. For all I know, that could also include material that you're not interested in, though.

If you mean that a "Walt Disney Treasures" Donald Duck Volume could include, except that short-that is not really very short- other shorts with Donald Duck thay maybe are uninteresting, here's what I say: Donald Duck + Boring= Impossible!! After all, abds18 clarified that he loves maths as much as he loves Disney.

P.S. It's one of my favourite shorts of all time!! It's so educatively entertaining and so interesting. Of course it's interesting for people who want to sharpen their brain and want to know what are the origins of maths, music etc. Just a little masterpiece, but only for people of intelligence!

No, no...don't misunderstand..."uninteresting material" refers to some actual materials that come with the disc which is jacking up the price. i.e., printable graphic novel, interactive web glossary and quiz, and internet resources.

I could NEVER find anything to do with Donald Duck as uninteresting. Soon as that crazy duck utters his first sqwuack, it gets me rolling. Donald rules!

Aladdin from Agrabah wrote:

Lars Vermundsberget wrote:"Mathmagic Land" is a good one. I don't know about anything exact, but I would expect it in an upcoming Donald Duck volume in the "Walt Disney Treasures" line. For all I know, that could also include material that you're not interested in, though.

If you mean that a "Walt Disney Treasures" Donald Duck Volume could include, except that short-that is not really very short- other shorts with Donald Duck thay maybe are uninteresting, here's what I say: Donald Duck + Boring= Impossible!! After all, abds18 clarified that he loves maths as much as he loves Disney.

Well, I did say "for all I know"... But, no, I wouldn't really expect anyone to find a DD Treasure boring.

And quite true, "Donald in Mathmagic Land" does stand out from most of the "shorts" because of its running-time. I guess it's more than 20 minutes long, compared to the usual "classic" short of about seven. In the late 1950s, when Disney was no longer making shorts on a "regular basis", the few they did make were quite a bit longer.

I remember when Donald was showing us how to play billards, and how there was an exact, surfire way to win a game. I don't remember it, however.

TheSequelofDisney wrote:I remember when Donald was showing us how to play billards, and how there was an exact, surfire way to win a game. I don't remember it, however.

There was a demonstration of the "angles" principle in billiards, but the way DD finally made it is harder to figure out...

The cartoon "Donald in Mathmagic Land" was featured on "Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color" with "An Adventure in Color" in which Ludwig Von Drake discussing how color TV works. It has "The Spectrum Song". This episode has references to NBC as well as an animated peacock. NBC was a network that carried the show as part of its NYC affiliate WNBC-TV. It was aired as the first Disney TV color episode back in the fall of 1961.

There are certain elements in "Donald in Mathmagic Land" that remind me quite a bit of "Adventures in Music: Melody" and "Toot, Whistle, Plunk and Boom".

BTW, I just watched "Mathmagic Land" again tonight - its running-time is 28 minutes.

Since Donald in Mathemagic Land was nominated for an Oscar (albeit not in the Animated Short Subjects category), i would srumise it would be offered in ITunes's oscar winning-Disney shorts promotion, and the DVd Box Set Jerry Beck alluded to.

adbs18 wrote:No, no...don't misunderstand..."uninteresting material" refers to some actual materials that come with the disc which is jacking up the price. i.e., printable graphic novel, interactive web glossary and quiz, and internet resources.

Actually, the increased cost is due primarily to the educational version of this video/DVD having public performance rights. That's what makes it legal for schools and other institutions to show it without having to contact Disney to secure those rights ahead of time.

-Lon

Oh my gosh, this movie is awsome! I've seen it in two of my math classes, as an "end of the year treat" kind of thing. and it's definately very...mathy.

oh, are you guys sure that it hasn't been released on a vhs tape? I'm positive that my geometry teacher had it on a produced tape, and it had one of those cardboard covers (versus the "clamshell" cover).

-BB

Wasn't VonDrake in that one too?

Although von Drake has done his share of educating, he is not in this one.

I'm pretty sure it has been released of VHS - at least somewhere sometime. At least it has on laserdisc.

brotherbear wrote:oh, are you guys sure that it hasn't been released on a vhs tape? I'm positive that my geometry teacher had it on a produced tape, and it had one of those cardboard covers (versus the "clamshell" cover).

-BB

Sure. It has been released at least once in the United States, twice if you count the WWOD video release. It was released under the Walt Disney Mini Classic line of videos.

Lon

I've never seen the short, but I'd like to see it.

I've only seen a small picture of it on a book entitled "Disney - The Ultimate Visual Guide" byRussell Schroeder, published by DK Books (Dorling Kindersley).

PS: Why is Maths called 'Math' in the US? In my country we never say 'math'. Either 'maths' or 'mathematics'.

adbs18 wrote:
Actually, the increased cost is due primarily to the educational version of this video/DVD having public performance rights. That's what makes it legal for schools and other institutions to show it without having to contact Disney to secure those rights ahead of time.

-Lon

That is true in some cases, especially with the Reading Rainbow series that airs on PBS. Each video is around $40.

But as for Disney, I know that the school that I teach at is required to purchase a license from Disney every couple of years to show any Disney film, and it costs us about $200 each time we have to renew it.

I remember seeing this in 3rd grade, and then again in my college math class. The professor was showing it for us to see what kind of materials we can use to help out students. I hope that it will eventually be released on some kind of set!