Walt Disney Treasures - The Chronological Donald, Volume Three (1947 - 1950) (1948) Review

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(More customer reviews)Yea! The Walt Disney Treasures are back after all! This one contains all 30 Donald Duck cartoons from 1947 through 1950. Here's the list:
From 1947:
* Straight Shooters
* Sleepy Time Donald
* Clown Of The Jungle
* Donald's Dilemma
* Crazy With The Heat
* Bootle Beetle
* Wide Open Spaces
* Chip An' Dale
From 1948:
* Drip Dippy Donald
* Daddy Duck
* Donald's Dream Voice
* The Trial Of Donald Duck
* Inferior Decorator
* Soup's On
* Three For Breakfast
* Tea For Two Hundred
From 1949:
* Donald's Happy Birthday
* Sea Salts
* Winter Storage
* Honey Harvester
* All In A Nutshell
* The Greener Yard
* Slide, Donald, Slide
* Toy Tinkers
From 1950:
* Lion Around
* Crazy Over Daisy
* Trailer Horn
* Hook, Lion And Sinker
* Bee At The Beach
* Out On A Limb
Bonus features include a retrospective of Donald's movie cameos and an interview with Ruben Procopio, a Disney character sculptor. Like the other Treasures box sets, these tins are individually numbered and come with both a certificate of authenticity and a collectible lithograph, this time a reproduction of the poster art for 1948's "Inferior Decorator." Also like before, the discs are hosted by movie critic and historian Leonard Maltin.

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Donald\'s prolific career as leading duck marches on with more of his solo-starring shorts. In this collection we follow our hot-headed hero\'s escapades from 1947 through 1950 as he continues to endear himself to people all over the globe. Among the treasure trove of gems in this volume are three of Donald\'s Academy Award(R)-nominated Best Shorts -- "Chip An\' Dale" (1947) "Tea For Two Hundred" (1948) and "Toy Tinkers" (1949); the outstanding "Donald\'s Dilemma" from 1947; and a brand-new retrospective of the cranky quack-up\'s complete movie career THE MANY FACES OF DONALD DUCK. It\'s no wonder his webbed feet are immortalized in cement at Grauman\'s Chinese Theater. Featuring exclusive introductions by film historian Leonard Maltin this is a timeless collection from generations past for generations to come.System Requirements:Running Time: 263 Mins.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre:CHILDREN/FAMILY Rating:NR UPC:786936740806

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Walt Disney Treasures - Your Host, Walt Disney (1954) Review

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(More customer reviews)Disney DVD has announced 6 episodes that will be included in this collection:
1) "The Fourth Anniversary Show" : 1957 DISNEYLAND season opener, originally aired 9/11/57 on ABC.
2) "Where Do Stories Come from?" (1956) a nice little behind-the-scenes show about the Disney animators and their inspiration.
3) "I Captured The King of the Leprechauns" : this last DISNEYLAND episode of the 1958 season was a big promo for the Darby O'Gill movie, originally aired 5/29/59 on ABC. *** This has already been released as a bonus on the Darby O'Gill DVD. ***
4) "Kodak Presents Disneyland '59" : a long thought lost TV special, not part of the DISNEYLAND series. This is well worth getting this set for!
5) "Back Stage Party" sort of a behind-the-scenes wrap party for Disney's 1961 movie "Babes In Toyland" starring Annette.
6) "Disneyland 10th Anniversary Show" : from the 1964 season of Wonderful World Of Color, originally aired 1/3/65 on NBC. *** Sadly, this EDITED presentation is identical to the show's previous appearance on the Disneyland USA Treasures tin, missing several minutes of Tiki Room footage. *** Sure that older DVD is out of print, but It is disappointing not to have a new to DVD episode included here, or a complete version correcting the previous error. There are SO many episodes in which Walt plays a major part, this DOUBLE DIPPING is regrettable! ***

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Celebrate Walt Disney and his magical vision with this look back at several of the most memorable hours from his groundbreaking television shows. As its friendly, approachable host, Disney endeared himself to millions and became much more than an icon for family entertainment. He became Uncle Walt. Join Walt as he celebrates the rededication of Disneyland with a parade of celebrities and guest stars, the fourth anniversary of his weekly show featuring a surprise party arranged by the Mouseketeers, and a tenth anniversary program showcasing some of his talented Imagineers at work. And in a rare interview, Diane Disney Miller shares warm and personal memories of growing up with the man we all admired from afar.

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Dr. Syn: The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh (Walt Disney Treasures) Review

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(More customer reviews)Of the three newest Walt Disney Treasures DVD packages, this is perhaps the lesser known, but it is by no means the least important. It's what used to be known as "rip-roaring" great adventure, produced on a rich, grand scale unheard-of during the period in which it first appeared.
"Dr. Syn," which was based on British novels and legends explained on a fascinating documentary also included on disc one, is a Robin Hood or Zorro of sorts. But the difference is that Dr. Syn is a highly respected minister who completely fools the pompous bad guys. Yet, in this three-part series, the villains are fleshed out and not caricatured. The dignity and seriousness of the drama holds up beautifully today without the slightest sense of cliché.
In this 2-disc set, you get all three WONDERFUL WORLD OF COLOR hours with introductions by Walt himself, plus the edited feature-length version released theatrically in Europe in the 60's and then in the U.S. in the 1970's. But the aspect ratio of the original print has been restored for this release so you'll even see the television versions in more depth than before, with gorgeous restored prints and sound that especially brings out the lush musical score (I wish it was on a separate track!)
And speaking of music, you'll get to see who sings the haunting "Scarecrow" theme--Terry Gilkyson, who also wrote "The Bare Necessities," along with George Patterson and The Wellingtons. The only detail left out is that The Wellingtons are best known for singing the Gilligan's Island theme in its first season (there's more about them in "Mouse Tracks").
The other mini-documentary traces Walt Disney's long and fruitful live-action movie enterprises in the United Kingdom with comments by several of those involved including director Ken Annakin. It's great that the live-action part of Walt Disney's art is getting recognized and appreciated.
Most of all, if you are a fan of the TV classics The Prisoner or Secret Agent, you have to have this because Patrick McGoohan is in top form in this film, even to his remarkably varied speaking voice which transforms his character as much as his mask.

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Originally airing in three parts on "Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color," this thrilling adventure stars Patrick McGoohan as Dr. Syn, a kindly country vicar in 18th-century England. Only a few know that Syn is also the masked Scarecrow, notorious leader of a band of smugglers, who defends the villagers from unjust taxes and oppression by King George III's men. George Cole, Michael Hordern, Sean Scully also star. Includes all three episodes, along with the British theatrical version; 129 min./98 min. AKA: "Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow," "The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh." Soundtracks: English Dolby Digital 5.1, Dolby Digital mono.

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Walt Disney Treasures: Zorro - The Complete Second Season Review

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(More customer reviews)The Complete Second Season is the definitive version that Disney Zorro fans have waited years for. Covering the 39 episodes that comprise season #2 (1958-1959), this limited edition (and numbered) 6-disc set of 30,000 includes a Certificate of Authenticity, a collectible pin (very handsome showing a silver sword with a shadow of Zorro & his horse superimposed on top), as well as a black-and-white photo postcard showing Guy Williams in his Zorro costume. A booklet outlining the contents of the set can also be found here. The set comes handsomely encased in a black metal tin, fitting of this B&W series where the hero wears an all-black costume.
A 3:29 intro by Leonard Maltin introduces the episodes and gives a brief overview of the series and these particular episodes along with the extras on these discs. The remastering is evident on these episodes. The picture is clear and so is the sound; naturally, with the way it was originally recording, a digital surround experience is not possible, but the Dolby Digital recording is crisp, clear, and the score sounds better than it has in years. And no...there are no colorized versions here. Just the genuine black and white originals.
Besides the 39 episodes (starting with "Welcome to Monterey", original air date of 10/9/1958 and finishing with #39 "Finders Keepers", original air date of 6/2/1959), there is a 6th disc of bonus material. Here you will find 2 hour long episodes:
1. "Zorro: The Postponed Wedding," original air date of 1/1/1961, from Walt's anthology TV series "Walt Disney Presents." Clocking in at 49:04, this episode features Annette Funicello, who is beginning to mature into a very pretty young lady.
2. "Zorro: Auld Acquaintance," original air date of 4/2/1961, from Walt's anthology TV series "Walt Disney Presents." Starring Ricardo Montalban & Ross Martin ("Wild Wild West") this episode is 49:09 long.
There is also a featurette entitled, "Behind The Mask" (7:52) which is a short look at Zorro's leading man, Guy Williams. Also known as Professor Robinson on "Lost In Space," Williams is often regarded as the quintessential Zorro. Well-liked by his costars (Suzanne Lloyd is quoted here as saying Williams was "one of the most charming professional men I ever had the pleasure of working with"), he began as a model and then became a contract player at Universal. An injury sidelined him and caused him to take up fencing. A call to audition for Disney's Zorro was a fortuitous break for the actor, and catapulted him into stardom. Zorro's stunt double, Buddy Van Horn is also interviewed here, along with Williams' son, Guy Williams, Jr., who obviously has many fond memories of his father and this particular role. Interestingly enough, it is recounted that most action scenes were shot on Fridays so that any injuries would have the entire weekend to heal! Rare color movies of Williams performing at Disneyland as Zorro are shown here; Van Horn recalls them staying at the Disneyland Hotel and taking advantage of the carte blanche they had at the Hotel. Author Antoinette Lane, Guy Williams: The Man Behind the Mask, is also interviewed about Williams, recounting what a role model he was, playing a father figure in "Lost in Space" and a protector in "Zorro."
Finally take a trip to the Walt Disney archives in Burbank on the studio lot (10:55). Leonard Maltin and Guy Williams, Jr. display original costumes and sword from the show, calling particular attention to the lavish detail (genuine silver thread, exquisite embroidery, and heavy wool) that is evident in these pieces made by Western Costume. Two costumes are also shown with the famous "Z" emblazoned on them, including one for Henry Calvin's oafish and comedic Sergeant Garcia. Next up a generous sampling of the more than 500 licensed items that were sold to promote the Disney series, including lunch boxes, rings, child costumes, and even roller skates!
This fantastic set is a must-have for Disney fans both new and old alike. Quality entertainment presented in a quality package.

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With his sword, whip and trusty steed Tornado, Zorro continued to fight the forces of evil in the second season of Walt Disney's legendary classic. The final 39 swashbuckling episodes saw even more children dressing up as the sly fox Zorro in Spanish and making the sign of the Z The second season aired from October 9, 1958, through July 2, 1959, and is presented here -- newly restored and remastered in its original black-and-white format. To add even more thrills to this six-disc set, we've included two rarely seen one-hour specials shown on Walt Disney's anthology series WALT DISNEY PRESENTS -- ZORRO: THE POSTPONED WEDDING and ZORRO: AULD AQUAINTANCE. You'll meet Guy Williams in a profile of the actor who became an overnight star in the role he was born to play. And you'll meet his stunt double, Buddy Van Horn. Featuring exclusive introductions by film historian Leonard Maltin, this is a timeless collection from generations past for generations to come.

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Walt Disney Treasures - Mickey Mouse Club (1955) Review

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(More customer reviews)The contents of this set has been released.
This set will contain the first week of the Mickey Mouse Club - 5 one-hour shows shown 10/3 thru 10/7, 1955.

Disc 1 Program
Show #1 10/3/55 Monday

Newsreel #1
Fun With Music Day: The Friendly Farmers (and) The Shoe Song
Serial: What I Want To Be - Episode #1
Cartoon: Pueblo Pluto

Show #2 10/4/55 Tuesday

Sooty #8: TV Set
Guest Star Day: Wally Boag (comedian)
Serial: What I Want To Be - Episode #2
Cartoon: Mickey's Kangaroo

Show #3 10/5/55 Wednesday

Newsreel #3
Anything Can Happen Day: Gadget Band #1
Serial: What I Want To Be - Episode #3
Cartoon: Mickey's Service Station

Disc 1 Bonus
Leonard Maltin Introduction
The Leader of the Club (The Jimmie Dodd Tribute)
Disc 2 Program
Show #4 10/6/55 Thursday

Jiminy Cricket: I'm No Fool With A Bicycle (educational cartoon)
Circus Day: The DeWaynes (acrobats)
Serial: What I Want To Be - Episode #4
Cartoon: The Wise Little Hen

Show #5 10/7/55 Friday

Talent Roundup Day: Larry Ashurst (trumpeter) and Cubby O'Brien (Mouseketeer and drummer)
Serial: What I Want To Be - Episode #5
Cartoon: Two Gun Mickey
Disc 2 Bonus
Mouska-Memories (6 of the original Mouseketeers share their memories of the club - Sharon Baird, Bobby Burgess, Lonnie Burr, Doreen Tracey, Cubby O'Brien, and Karen Pendleton - I guess Annette was too ill to contribute to this)
The Mouseketeers Debut at Disneyland
Opening Sequences in Color (the original animated openings)
Still Frame Galleries

Sooty was an ill-tempered puppet from England.

The "What I Want To Be" serial was about a Mickey Mouse Club newsreel reporter (Alvy Moore) who picks two 10-year olds and takes them to the headquarters of Trans World Airlines in Kansas City, Missouri, where they learn how TWA trains its flight crews. These five episodes are part of a total of 10 episodes.

I like the idea of the first 5 shows being released as this set. However, being the very early shows, the entertainment value will be less than some of the better later shows. I have never seen the hourly shows - most of the shows I have seen have been the half-hour repeats shown on the Disney Channel in the mid to late 1980s.

But at the very minimum, these first five shows are very interesting to me historically - since they are the very first shows.

I will be glad to have this treasure set but would have preferred a set of the Mickey Mouse serials - such as Spin And Marty, The Hardy Boys, or Annette. Maybe these serials will be released in future treasure sets.

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"M-I-C-K-E-Y-M-O-U-S-E." Before the theme song's memorable spelling became an audio icon, before the series even aired, the Mickey Mouse Club was the most anticipated children's programming ever. This volume features the five episodes of week one of the black-and-white series that launched a television revolution. Also showcased in this volume is a wonderful tribute to the unforgettable Jimmie Dodd, the singer-actor who hosted the show. You'll also see recently discovered, never-before-seen color archival footage of the Mousketeers' very first appearance at the grand opening celebration of Disneyland. And you'll meet six original Mouseketeers in a reunion on the soundstage where they first got together in 1955. So, sit back and enjoy -- and you don't have to wait until 5:00.

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Walt Disney Treasures - The Chronological Donald, Volume Two (1942 - 1946) (1942) Review

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(More customer reviews)The official announcement of the exact contents of this DVD set has just been made, with the set containing the Donald Duck cartoons of 1942-1946. These first official announcements occasionally have some mistakes or omissions, but they are generally accurate. In addition to the cartoons, the following extras were announced:
A chat with the current voice of Donald Duck.
The complete episode of the Disney TV Show "A Day In The Life Of Donald Duck", first shown February 1, 1956. The cartoon Donald (and his car, at times) is placed in live-action settings to show his "typical work day". One special scene has Donald arguing with his "voice" Clarence "Ducky" Nash, with Nash getting the last "quack". Jimmy Dodd, Roy Williams, and the Mouseketeers also appear. A few of Donald's cartoons are included.
A featurette on Donald Duck artists Carl Barks "The Art And Animation of Carl Barks".
The 1940 Donald Duck public service short 1940 "The Volunteer Worker". If this info is correct, I don't know why this is repeated from the Walt Disney Treasures DVD set Chronological Donald Duck Volume 1.
A timeline of the Walt Disney Studios during the World War II years 1941-1945.
Donald-themed still frame art galleries.
The cartoons below noted with a "*" were also previously released on the Walt Disney Treasures DVD set On The Front Lines. Cartoons noted with a "+" should be in the set, but were probably mistakingly left off the official announcement list.
1942
1. The Village Smithy - Donald is a smithy who is continually frustrated in his work on a wagon wheel and trying to shoe a donkey.
2. Donald's Snow Fight - When Donald destroys his nephews' snowman, the snow fight escalates into Donald's snow ship attacking the nephews' snow fort. The nephews win the fight, with hilarious results. My favorite of the Donald/nephews conflict cartoons.
3. * Donald Gets Drafted - Donald eagerly obeys his army induction order, but soon suffers through a humiliating physical and a sadistic drill sergeant. I always got a laugh out of Donald reporting to an army induction in his sailor suit.
4. Donald's Garden - Donald continually has gardening problems - first, with his watering can and water pump; and then with a gopher who eats his prize watermelons.
5. Donald's Gold Mine - Donald's conflicts with his donkey in his gold mine results in finding gold; but, in the end, Donald looks like one of his bars of gold.
6. * The Vanishing Private - Donald uses invisible paint to camouflage an anti-aircraft gun. His sergeant Pete angrily chases an invisible Donald. Pete finally loses his temper by throwing grenades where he thinks Donald is. Donald gets the last laugh when a general has Pete thrown into jail, with Donald as the guard.
7. * Sky Trooper - Donald continually bugs his sergeant Pete by saying he "wants to fly an airplane". Pete tricks Donald into being a member of a parachuting team. When Donald refuses to jump and Pete tries to force him out of the plane, both Donald and Pete fall out without a parachute. As they fall, they dislodge a bomb, which destroys the general's headquarters. Donald and Pete both end up doing KP peeling potatoes.
8. + Bellboy Donald - After Donald's hotel manager gives him a lecture about Donald's impoliteness to the guests, Donald is taunted continually by Junior, Senator Pete's son. Donald controls his temper until the very end, when Donald ends up spanking Junior after Donald has lost his temper and his job.
1943
9. * Der Fuehrer's Face - Donald has a nightmare that he is living in Nazi Germany, where everything (buildings, trees, clouds, etc.) is shaped like a swastika. He dreams of bayonet discipline, starvation, hard labor on a munitions assembly line, and having to "Heil Hitler" every minute of the day. He awakens to find himself glad to be a U.S. citizen. This is a very effective propaganda cartoon and is also an entertaining, funny cartoon. It is the only Donald Duck cartoon to win an Academy Award.
10. Donald's Tire Trouble - While speeding through the countryside, Donald has a flat tire. Due to the wartime rubber shortage, Donald has several hilarious misadventures in trying to fit the flat.
11. Flying Jalopy - Donald buys a defective plane from Ben Buzzard, who makes Donald's life insurance out to Ben and then proceeds to try to wreck the plane while Donald is flying it.
12. * Fall Out - Fall In - Donald suffers through the drudgery of the life of a soldier, including impossibly long marches through all types of weather. Donald wrestling with his tent while trying to pitch it is hilarious.
13. * The Old Army Game - His sergeant Pete catches Donald sneaking back into his barracks after curfew. Donald takes off, with Pete chasing him, with funny and interesting results.
14. * Home Defense - Donald, a civilian war aircraft spotter, falls asleep at his post. His nephews trick him by launching a toy plane and toy parachutists to make Donald think there is an enemy attack. Several funny scenes follow.
1944
15. Trombone Trouble - The gods Vulcan and Jupiter are kept awake by Pete's awful trombone playing, so they give Donald the power to stop Pete. After Donald wins, he picks up the trombone and starts playing it himself. One of the funniest Donald/Pete conflict cartoons.
16. Donald Duck and the Gorilla - Donald and his nephews scare each other with a fake gorilla suit when the radio announces that a gorilla has escaped from the zoo. But a frantic chase begins when the real gorilla shows up.
17. Contrary Condor - Donald Duck, an egg collector, pretends to be a baby condor when the mother condor catches him trying to steal one of her eggs. Very funny scenes follow of Donald trying to get out of his predicament.
18. * Commando Duck - Donald is given a secret mission to wipe out a Japanese airbase. Unfortunately for Donald, he isn't told how he is supposed to accomplish this alone. There are several very imaginative scenes that follow, resulting in Donald wiping out the airbase.
19. The Plastics Inventor - Donald bakes a plastic airplane from radio instructions and proudly goes out to try it. But several hilarious scenes follow as the plane melts in a rain storm.
20. Donald's Off Day - Donald's nephews and the weather continually frustrate his efforts to go golfing.
1945
21. The Clock Watcher - Donald works as a department store gift wrapper, but his job is threatened by his tardiness, laziness, playing with the merchandise, and the gifts just refusing to be wrapped.
22. The Eyes Have It - Donald mistreats Pluto by using hypnotism glasses to change Pluto into different animals. Pluto turns the tables on Donald and chases him when Pluto is changed into a lion.
23. Donald's Crime - Donald, needing money for a date with Daisy, steals from his nephews' piggy bank. After the date, his conscience makes him get an all-night dishwashing job to get the money to put back into the piggy bank. But Donald doesn't get away with his theft - the nephews catch him putting the money back into the bank and thinks he's stealing the money.
24. + Duck Pimples - A fun and imaginative cartoon in which characters in a murder mystery book come to life and Donald is accused of the crime.
25. No Sail - One of my favorite Donald/Goofy cartoons. They rent a sailboat that runs on nickels. After they run out of nickels, there are several frustrations for Donald due to Goofy being silly and clumsy.
26. Cured Duck - Daisy refuses to see Donald again until he is cured from his terrible temper. Donald uses an "insult" machine to cure himself. He returns to Daisy cured, but then has to deal with her temper.
27. Old Sequoia - Forest ranger Donald is fired after many misadventures in trying to prevent some beavers from destroying a sequoia tree.
1946
28. Donald's Double Trouble - Daisy breaks up with Donald due to his numerous faults. Donald meets his "sophisticated" double and uses him to win back Daisy's love. The trick backfires when the double falls in love with Daisy.
29. Wet Paint - Donald gets into a war with a bird that destroys Donald's new car paint job and uphostery while gathering material for her nest. Donald gives up when he sees her nest full of her baby birds.
30. Dumb Bell of the Yukon - Artic trapper Donald gets the trouble he deserves when he takes a cub from a sleeping mother to make a fur coat for Daisy. Several funny scenes follow when the mother bear chases Donald.
31. Lighthouse Keeping - Donald, a lighthouse keeper, must deal with a pelican who is trying to douse the lighthouse light. As usual, Donald causes his own problems by first playing tricks on the bird.
32. Frank Duck Brings 'Em Back Alive - Donald loses his sanity in trying to capture "wild man of the jungle" Goofy.
These cartoons are among Donald's funniest and most imaginative. These Walt Disney Treasures sets of the Disney cartoons are among the best bargains of any DVD set. I own these cartoons since VHS tapes of the 1980s and the Disney Channel cartoon shows and still enjoy them after watching them for many years. I very much look forward to the DVD sound and picture quality that these Walt Disney Treasure sets have had.

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The adventures of the world's favorite fiery-tempered duck continue as we follow his solo-starring efforts from 1942 through 1946. This period was filled with an abundance of comic exploits as Donald shows his huge audience what he's made of, short fuse and all. Among Donald's featured escapades is the Academy Award(R)-nominated Best Short, "Donald's Crime," from 1945. Also showcased is an interview with the current-day voice of Donald Duck, Tony Anselmo, and a profile of the legendary comic book artist Carl Barks -- including a look at the not-often-seen work he did in Disney's animation department.

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Woody Woodpecker and Friends Classic Cartoon Collection: Volume 2 Review

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(More customer reviews)"If Woody had gone straight to the police, this would NEVER have happened..." (from BUNCO BUSTERS)
I share some fans' viewpoint that the 1940s Woody starring vehicles are the best. But many Woody viewers appreciate the 1950s Woody shorts -- the body of this collection -- for other reasons. These are the Woody shorts from which generations of nostalgia come.
"The story you are about to see is a big fat lie..." "Now I've gotcha, Chief Charlie Horse!" "YAAAAAY!" "Make with them keys, Maestro, and don't stop!" Face it: you remember these beloved Woody cliches even if you no longer recall the specific cartoons (UNDER THE COUNTER SPY, CHIEF CHARLIE HORSE, NIAGARA FOOLS, CONVICT CONCERTO) from which they come. You're getting them. All of them.
And that's not even starting on the supporting features, a mini-anthology of highly inspired choices. Andy Panda's MOUSIE COME HOME envisions codependence in crazed cartoon form; Chilly Willy's HALF-BAKED ALASKA has its unforgettable patter routine ("More butter? More syrup?"); and THE HAMS THAT COULDN'T BE CURED is a hot jazz Three Little Pigs send-up.
Finally there's Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, the star Walter Lantz inherited from an earlier (1927-28) Walt Disney/Ub Iwerks regime at Universal. Disney reacquired some rights to Oswald in 2006; last year saw a selection released in their Walt Disney Treasures line. But Universal retained rights to its own Oswald material, and Woody Vol. 2 brings us another small, tempting quintet.
The inventive, vital black and white classics are a fascinatingly different viewing experience from anything else on this box, as wannabe hero Oswald is smacked by Tex Avery's earliest gags. A long-lost color Oswald featuring girlfriend Fanny, SPRINGTIME SERENADE, is here too.
With new Oswald dolls and merchandise now available in stores, one can only hope Universal will tie in by taking the next step -- to release a multi-volume disc set on the Woody model, but with Oswald as the main character. From CHILLY CON CARMEN's pre-Betty Boop hooch dance to the cyborg T-Rex of STONE AGE, from the impossible ocean tricks of PERMANENT WAVE to Oswald's surrealist, pre-Wackyland adventures on MARS, there are dozens of these classics crying for a release.
Throw in a few pre-Lantz Oswalds as extras, and we're so there.

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It's time for more crazy tricks and treats with your favorite feathered friend in The Woody Woodpecker and Friends Classic Cartoon Collection: Volume 2!75 hilarious theatrical cartoons from creator Walter Lantz are presented completely uncut and digitally remastered including 3 Academy Award nominees.Enjoy the side-splitting fun and wacky adventures of Woody along with Chilly Willy, Andy Panda, Wally Walrus, Buzz Buzzard and Woody's nephew and niece - Knothead and Splinter.Featuring rare Musical Miniature and Swing Symphony cartoons plus appearances by Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, Windy the Bear, Maggie and Sam and Inspector Willoughby, this outrageous collection is non-stop fun for fans of all ages!

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Modern Marvels - Walt Disney World (History Channel) (2005) Review

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(More customer reviews)This History Channel produced documentary provides a nice, overall view behind the scenes at one of the world's most popular tourist attractions, Walt Disney World.
For those who have watched these specials before, there are going to be a number of things presented that you're already familiar with. The history on Walt Disney's purchase of the Florida land is here along with the building of Magic Kingdom, as well as construction on the other three parks: EPCOT Center, Disney-MGM Studios, and Animal Kingdom.
The documentary does go underground to show you the underground tunnel system used by cast members and park management that keeps the show running above. You see the control room that ensures the functions of many popular attractions such as The Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean.
A nice attribute to this documentary is how it shows the inner workings of WDW's famous daily parades. While seemingly simple, you get a taste of how these parades are, in and of themselves, a technological wonder.
You're also treated to a limited first look at Expedition Everest and the first free walking animatronic, Lucky the Walking Dinosaur. If you were unable to see this invention at Animal Kingdom last year, you can get a taste for the amazing piece of work this animatronic is (so amazing that it was featured in Time Magazine as one of the best inventions of 2003).
All in all, this DVD is a great way to familiarize yourself with the inner workings of the resort with a lot of new (as well as some old) material for Disney fans.

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Clandestine land grabs. A maze of hidden tunnels. High-ranking Army and Navy officers. Secret technology known only to a handful of carefully chosen insiders. Cloaked in secrecy for years the project began as one of the world's biggest most ambitious and little-known undertakings. Military research installation? No Walt Disney World. Orlando's Walt Disney World is not only the most visited theme park in the world it's also the most technologically advanced. From a network of underground tunnels connecting the various regions of the park to the space-age propulsion technology called linear synchronous motors Disney has been at the leading edge of theme park technology since it invented the theme park with the opening of Disneyland in 1955. Soaring castles sleek monorails life-like animatronics Modern Marvels: Walt Disney World takes viewers on a behind-the-scenes tour of the ingenious technology and incredible engineering feats that went into building the 27000 acre complex.DVD Features: Interactive Menus; Scene SelectionSystem Requirements:Running Time 100 Mins.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: DOCUMENTARIES/MISC. UPC: 733961745665 Manufacturer No: AAE-74566

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Waking Sleeping Beauty (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)I had the great opportunity to see this at a screening in NYC followed by a Q&A with the directors. It was a great look back at a bit of Disney history many people might not be familiar with. The behind the scenes turmoil, management style, and creative process, especially during the making of such great classics as The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast, make it very interesting. As an animator myself, I truly enjoyed this film. Highly recommended.

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By the mid-1980s, the fabled animation studios of Walt Disney had fallen on hard times. The artists were polarized between newcomers hungry to innovate and old timers not yet ready to relinquish control. These conditions produced a series of box-office flops and pessimistic forecasts - maybe the best days of animation were over. Maybe the public didn't care. Only a miracle or a magic spell could produce a happy ending. Waking Sleeping Beauty is no fairy tale. It's the true story of how Disney regained its magic with a staggering output of hits - "The Little Mermaid," "Beauty and the Beast," "Aladdin," "The Lion King," and more - over a 10-year period.

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Cinderella III - A Twist in Time (2007) Review

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(More customer reviews)I was surprised that my wife bought this DVD for our kids, because Disney direct-to-DVD sequels are usually poorly animated, poorly written flops. I was surprised again when I happened to come into my kids' room while they were watching it, and I found myself getting pulled into the film and watching the rest of it with them. I vaguely remember seeing part of Cinderella II, enough to recall that it was rather poor.
It seems that some reviewers here will hate the film no matter what, because they are Disney purists and feel that no sequel could ever possibly do justice to the original. And then it seems that other reviewers want to love the film so much that they will rate it highly even if they movie is a stinker.
I have neither of these mindsets. I don't have any deep devotion to original Disney features, and I don't really care about the sequels. What I can say is that this movie has very good animation. I had to keep reminding myself that this was a direct-to-DVD production, because it looked so good. As for picky details like what Cinderella's foot looked like, I guess I've got too much of a life to keep replaying the movie over and over to focus on things like that. As alluded to above, the story was good enough to pull me in when I had other things to do. In fact, I agree with some other reviewers that Cindrella and the prince were both more engaging characters in this movie than in the original. The only characters in the original that were really entertaining were the stepmother/stepsisters, the king and duke, and the animals. The star couple were rather boring to watch, but not so in this sequel.
I gave this 5 stars not because it is worthy of any awards, but rather because among other direct-to-DVD releases (especially sequels), it really stands out.

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What if the slipper didn’t fit? Experience the wonder and the majesty of Cinderella’s classic fairy tale with a spectacular twist in Disney’s all-new motion picture CINDERELLA III: A TWIST IN TIME. When her evil stepmother gets hold of the Fairy Godmother’s magic wand and turns back the hands of time, Cinderella must try to find Prince Charming and break through the evil spell. Gus, Jaq and all your favorite characters return in an exciting and hilarious new take on one of the most celebrated films of all time. Bursting with show-stopping music and more magic, wonder and suspense than the original, CINDERELLA III is enchanting entertainment for the entire family.

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Toy Story Trilogy (10-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Copy) Review

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(More customer reviews)No point in selling telling you about the movies themselves. Unless you have been living under a rock for the past couple decades you already know, or seen for yourself, these classics. Each of the three Toy Story films have or will have their own separate Blu-Ray release with a second disk in standard DVD format. So the big question is what else are you getting on this combo pack. Let me give the low down.
For one this trilogy combo pack will essentially be cheaper to get than buying the three movies separately. This is a very good thing for those of you who do not have any Toy Story Blu-Rays as this means you're coming out ahead of the rest of us who bought them separate. Also everybody's favorite talking point on this release is the inclusion of a digital copy for playing on your portables, a feature not included in the separate releases. So is that all the benefits of getting this package? Well you get a cheesy little carrying case that is pictured above, but that's pretty much it.
That's right ladies and gentlemen. No exclusive content. Three disks for each movies (Blu-Ray, DVD and Digital copy) along with a tenth disk that is likely the same supplemental disk that's included in the Toy Story 3 Blu-Ray. If you are looking for a collector's set with never-before seen footage, featurettes, outtakes, alternate endings and whatnot you won't find it here. However if you don't have any of the previous disks you will get a pretty sweet price, and for those moaning about digital copies you will get that too. Oh yeah... and the toy box "collector's" case.

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TOY STORY 3 MOVIE COLLECTION - Blu-Ray Movie

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Cars Gift Set (Combo Pack with DVD) Review

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(More customer reviews)"Cars" is definitely a popular Disney/Pixar classic and in terms of quality, has received the highest of rankings when it was released on Blu-ray back in 2007. In 2009, the "Ultimate Cars Gift Pack" comes with the Blu-ray plus the original DVD and 2 exclusive cars (Cruisin' Lighting McQueen and Rescue Squad Mater) with custom Ransburg paint. These items are highly collectible and If you are looking for a holiday gift, especially for someone who owns a Blu-ray player, a die-hard "Cars" fan and loves Disney/Pixar films, you can not go wrong with this gift pack! Definitely recommended!
In 2006, the seventh Disney/Pixar film "Cars" was released in theaters. Needless to say, the film was a major hit as it was nominated for two Academy Awards, has made over $461 million worldwide.
In fact, the film was so popular that merchandise is still sold in department stores today and the cars have been popular toys that have made over $5 billion in sales.
Needless to say, "Cars" was not just a box office success, it is one of Disney/Pixars biggest money making titles that is loved by critics and fans that easily ensured a sequel for a planned release in 2011.
In 2009, in time for the holidays is the release of "Cars - Ultimate Cars Gift Pack" which is a great release for those who have now jumped aboard in purchasing a Blu-ray player and a Blu-ray which was released in 2007 and has received nothing but magnificent reviews.
"Cars" is a film directed by John Lasseter ("Toy Story" films, "A Bug's Life") and co-directed by Joseph Ranft ("Monsters, Inc.", "Finding Nemo", "A Bug's Life", "The Incredibles") and features a screenplay by Lasster, Ranft, Dan Fogelman ("Bolt", "The 12th Man"), Kiel Murray, Phil Lorin and Jorgen Klubein ("A Bug's Life", "Mulan", "Pocohontaas", "The Lion King").
The film revolves around a popular rookie named Lightning McQueen (voiced by Owen Wilson, "Bottle Rocket", "Marley & Me") who races in the Piston Cup stock car racing competition.
Lightning McQueen is quite arrogant and not much of a team-player. He doesn't trust his pit crew and sure enough, when he gets into a 3-car tie, the race would be determined a week later at the Los Angeles International Speedway.
While on the road to practice in California, he pushes his big rig Mack to travel all early morning but when a group of cars start becoming reckless around Mack, Lightning McQueen rolls out of the back of the big rig and ends up in the countryside.
When Lightning McQueen goes to find Mack, he ends up in a small town of Radiator Springs. But when he gets into a problematic situation with the local Sheriff (he tears up the main road), Lightning is arrested and put in jail.
The town's judge and doctor Doc Hudson (voiced by Paul Newman, "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid", "The Hustler", "Nobody's Fool") wants him out of town but the local lawyer Sally Carrera (voiced by Bonnie Hunt, "The Bonnie Hunt Show") insists that Lightning to do community service.
And thus, Lightning must spend time with the locals of Radiator Springs where he gets to learn more about himself, making new friends such as Mater (voiced by Larry the Cable Guy, "Blue Collar TV"), Ramone (voiced by Cheech Marin, "Lost", "Born in East LA", "Race to Witch Mountain"), Luigi (voiced by Tony Shaloub, "Monk", "Wings") and many more. But also Lightning possibly discovering love.
"Cars" is an exciting, hilarious and well-cast film featuring beautiful animation from Pixar and looks and sounds incredible via HD on Blu-ray!
VIDEO & AUDIO:
"Cars" on Blu-ray is presented in 1080p High Definition (2:39:1) and the picture quality of the film is absolutely vibrant. Colors are absolutely beautiful as you can see the nice sheen of the cars and the reflections of the cars. You can see the detail on the rust stains on Mater and for the most part, if you put in your DVD, you can see how much of a difference the film looks in HD via Blu-ray over its DVD counterpart. Vibrant colors, more detail and overall, a beautiful video transfer with no blemishes, compression artifacts whatsoever.
Audio is presented in English 5.1 (uncompressed, 48 kHz/24-Bit) and the racing segments really utilize the surround channels but also the LFE. It's one thing to have the nice clear dialogue and music through the front and center channels but to hear the cars speeding on the raceway and zooming and hearing through the surrounds is fantastic. Crashes bring out the booms and the audience on the race track can be heard on the surround channels. Overall, a solid lossless audio soundtrack!
Subtitles are in English SDH.
As for the DVD, the DVD is featured in widescreen (2:39:1) and is enhanced for 16×9 televisions. Audio is presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound EX and Dolby Digital 2.0. Subtitles are presented in English SDH.
SPECIAL FEATURES
"Cars - Ultimate Cars Gift Pack" contains the original Blu-ray released in Nov. 2007 but also comes with the original DVD plus 2 exclusive cars (Cruisin' Lightning McQueen and Rescue Squad Mater) with custom Ransburg paint.
The Blu-ray special features are presented in 1080p and 1080i High Definition and also 480i Standard Definition with English 5.1 and 2.0 Dolby Digital. Also, with English subtitles.
DISC 1:
* Cine-Explore - Cine-Explore allows the viewer to watch the film with interactive audio commentary by director John Lasseter. You can see storyboards during the commentary and also see the shorts and deleted scenes as well.
* Cine-Explore Documentary Shorts: Included in this feature are:
- Radiator Springs - (5:23) Behind-the-scenes of Pixar and trying to make the world of "Radiator Springs" seem believable.
- Character Design - (6:06) Director John Lasseter talks about the details that he wanted to see in the film. From the reflections to the dirt being kicked up on the tires and more.
- Animation and Acting - (5:15) Scott Clark and Doug Sweetland (both have the title of Supervising Animator) talk about the character animation and how the characters must have a soul.
- Real World Racing: Getting Geeky with the Details - (5:29) Those who love "Cars" talk about how they love the details in the film since so many other films tend to not cover car racing that well. So, director John Lasseter (who loves cars) made sure that the details were right on the film and professionals talk about how happy they were that Lasseter wanted to get the details correctly for an animated film.
- Hudson Hornet - (2:44) Director John Lasseter talks about his first impression of the Hudson Hornet and how it was the fastest car of its day and then realizing how innovative, how powerful and how fast this car was. Others talk about how significant the car was.
- Graphics - (3:34) The various graphics and product stickers used on the film for each car. Graphic designers talk about the various logos that were used from brands, food, restaurants, products, etc.
- Darrel Waltrip Museum Tour - (7:13) Director John Lasseter visits the Darrel Waltrip Museum and takes a look at the various cars in the museum and learn some of the history behind those cars from Darrel Waltrip.
* Carfinder Game - A game in which you select the cars at a bottom row while watching the film and try to get the best score.
* Deleted Scenes - (14:00) Five deleted scenes which includes: Community Service, Top Down Truck Stop, Lost, Motorama Girls and Traffic School featuring opening commentary by director John Lasseter. Deleted scenes are from pre-production sketches (created 3-4 years before the film was released in theaters) are shown.
* One Man Band - (4:33) Featured in HD, this featurette is a Pixar animation of a man with many instruments (ala a One Man Band) and competes with another musician in order to get the coin of a young boy who wants to donate.
* Mater and the Ghostlight Short - (7:09) Featured in HD, this story features Doc Hudson telling a story of "The Ghostlight" to Lightning McQueen.
* Epilogue - (4:20) Featured in HD, this is the ending of "Cars" without the ending credits.
* Boundin' Cars - (:46) Featuring Mater and Lightning McQueen at the Drive-in watching a short film.
* Movie Showcase - (6:34) Certain scenes that showcase the ultimate in High Definition in picture and sound such as the sequences: Crash, Drive with Sally, Doc Racing and Neon
* The Inspiration of Cars - (16:02) John Laseter talks about his love for cars and wanting to bring his love for cars to animated format. A Behind-the-Scenes look at the making of the film and the crew taking a trip on Route 66.
DVD:
The DVD contains the "Mater and the Ghostlight" short, "One Man Band" short, inspiration for "Cars", deleted scenes and more!
JUDGMENT CALL:
"Cars" was definitely an amazing animated film when it came out back in 2007 and in 2009, the film is still a classic and its so popular that toys for "Cars" are still being offered in department stores which is rare to see for an animated film.
I loved the film when it first came out and the film still holds up today and continues to be quite entertaining. The picture and audio quality of "Cars" in High Definition is still magnificent but of course since the original Blu-ray was released in 2007, the lossless audio soundtrack is presented in English 5.1 uncompressed (48 kHz/24-Bit) instead of the current 5.1 or 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio lossless soundtrack that Pixar films are offered in today's Blu-ray releases. But still, it's uncompressed audio...Read more›

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Disney/PIXAR's CARS, the high-octane adventure comedy from the creators of TOY STORY, THE INCREDIBLES and FINDING NEMO, now looks and sounds better than ever in this Blu-ray disc created from the original source file. Hotshot race car Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson) is living life in the fast lane - until he hits a detour and gets stranded in Radiator Springs, a forgotten town on Route 66. There he meets Sally, Mater, Doc Hudson (Paul Newman) and a heap of hilarious characters who help him discover there's more to life than trophies and fame. Go deeper into the world of CARS than you ever dreamed possible in eye-popping visual clarity. Feel the sound of roaring engines and rock to the rhythm of some smokin' roadhouse riffs with audio enhancement that puts the pedal to the metal! Experience CARS for the first time on Disney Blu-ray -- Magic in High Definition.

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The Parent Trap (1961) and The Parent Trap II (1986): 2-Movie Collection (2-Disc Set) (1961) Review

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(More customer reviews)Disney's THE PARENT TRAP remains one of the studio's most fondly-remembered hits. With Hayley Mills, Maureen O'Hara and Brian Keith leading the perfectly-realised cast, the movie has become a favourite of generations.
In THE PARENT TRAP, Sharon and Susan discover while at summer camp that the reason why they look so similar is that they were twins, separated shortly after their parents' split! The girls resolve to reunite their feuding parents by switching places and forcing them to meet once the switch is discovered. However, the twins don't count on "pluck-faced child-bride" Vicky (Joanna Barnes), who is quickly winning the heart of Mitch (Brian Keith)! A brief but quite eventful camping trip should solve the problem...!
In 1985, the Disney Channel made THE PARENT TRAP II, which brought Hayley Mills back to Disney for the first time since 1965, to reprise her roles of mischevious twins Sharon and Susan.
In the delightful first sequel, Sharon's pubescent daughter Nikki Ferris (Carrie Kei Heim) conspires to get her recently-divorced mother together with the father of her best friend Mary Grant (Bridgette Andersen). However, to acheive their goal, the girls must call in Sharon's twin Susan, who'll do most of the groundwork in getting the attention of Mary's father (Tom Skerritt). You'll adore this cute update in the continuing story of the twins' lives!
DISNEY TRIVIA: Nikki Ferris and Mary Grant are also the names of the characters played by Hayley Mills in THE MOON-SPINNERS and IN SEARCH OF THE CASTAWAYS...!
Disney has released PARENT TRAP II in a double-disc set with the previously-available Vault Disney edition of the original movie. Great vaulue!
Later followed by PARENT TRAP III, and PARENT TRAP: HAWAIIAN HONEYMOON (both are as yet unavailable on DVD).

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Hayley Mills, Special Academy Award(R) winner for 1960's POLLLYANNA, lights up the screen in Disney's fondly remembered release of THE PARENT TRAP. Mills stars as Susan and Sharon, identical twins separated at birth. Neither twin knows the other exists until a simple twist of fate finds them at the same summer camp. Then, realizing who they are, they plan a little twist of their own. They switch places with high hopes of getting their parents back together. This delightful and heartwarming comedy will have your whole family doubling up with laughter. First time on DVD! In the full-length sequel THE PARENT TRAP II, Hayley Mills returns to reprise her roles as identical twins Sharon and Susan. Now all grown up, Sharon is a single mom whose 11-year-old daughter Nikki is just as mischievous as she was! During summer school Nikki and her new friend Mary turn into scheming matchmakers when they try to get Sharon and Mary's widowed father together. Not quite able to make it happen, they turn to the one person who can really help -- Sharon's twin Susan!

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The Jungle Book (40th Anniversary Platinum Edition) (1967) Review

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(More customer reviews)I picked this DVD up today and got it home to find that Disney had altered the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.33:1 to make the movie "fit" on widescreen TVs. They did this by chopping off the top and bottom of the image. This results in the loss of a good deal of character animation (at least the tops of their heads and their feet). Trust me, I own the original Limited Issue DVD of this film and I did a side-by-side comparison as soon as I got the new Platinum Edition home. If you are a purist about original aspect ratios, please avoid this release and petition Disney to start a free disc replacement program. We should at least have the option of watching the original unaltered film the way that it was meant to be seen.
***NOTE: There are now user images that can be viewed for this product that illustrate the cropping discussed in my review.

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One of the most popular Disney films ever, THE JUNGLE BOOK is a song-filled celebration of friendship, fun, and adventure set in a lush and colorful world. Inspired by Rudyard Kipling's "Mowgli" stories, Disney's 19th animated masterpiece was the last animated feature that had Walt Disney's personal touch. The jubilant adventure begins when Mowgli, a little boy raised by wolves, is urged by his friend Bagheera, a wise old panther, to seek safety in the man village. Feeling very much at home in the jungle, Mowgli resists and runs off. Much to Bagheera's dismay, Mowgli meets a new friend with a happy-go-lucky philosophy of life -- Baloo the Bear, a lovable "jungle bum." Together, the three buddies find the journey back to civilization anything but civilized! They encounter a crazy orangutan, the hypnotic and sly snake Kaa, and the menacing Shere Khan! Fully restored for this 30th anniversary edition, this enduring classic swings with jazzy toe-tapping music, including the Academy Award(R)-nominated "The Bare Necessities," and the freewheeling "I Wan'na Be Like You"! A thrilling story for all ages, THE JUNGLE BOOK is an absolute necessity for your video collection.

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Fantasia / Fantasia 2000 (Four-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo) Review

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(More customer reviews)For those of you who may be reading through the other reviews here on Amazon, and being turned off of this product due to all of the complaints of so-called "censorship", I feel the need to set things straight. You are not being told the whole story by the angry one-star reviews.
First of all, the missing (approximately) 15 seconds from the film has been missing since 1969. Most of us probably weren't even born at that time. So it's not like this isn't the Fantasia that we grew up with. Besides, Fantasia has undergone many edits over the years. The original theatrical version was only 81 minutes long (and included the 15 seconds of racism), the version on this new blu-ray/DVD release is 125 minutes (and does not include the 15 seconds of racism, but has 44 minutes of footage that has been restored since the original release). There have been almost a dozen re-edits of Fantasia since it's release in 1940, most of them to restore and repair lost or damaged footage, so making a big deal out of losing 15 seconds is redundant.
More importantly, if you actually saw the 15 seconds of edited film that has caused such a stir, you'd understand the need to remove it (by the way, if you're curious enough you can find the missing scenes on youtube, or do a google image search for "Fantasia Sunflower" to see the black centaur). This is no small offense. The Pastoral Symphony scene is packed with beautiful skinny centaur girls of many different vibrant colors, all with perfect bodies (at least the non-horse part) and long flowing hair. Of the many colors of centaur there is only on black one, and this one black centaur also happens to be short and goofy looking with crooked teeth, big hips, messy matted hair, and huge pail lips. To top it all off, she's clearly the servant to the other female centaurs, we first see her giving a pedicure to another centaur and then happily breathing on her hoof to polish it off like a good slave. She decorates her master centaur's flowing tail with flowers only to get comically slapped in the face by it when the master runs off to see the male centaurs coming. The last we see of her she is dutifully walking behind her master carrying a string of flowers worn like a gown. There's no doubt about it, this is racist as hell. The argument over this content is not whether or not the content is racist. We know, with absolute certainty, that it's racist. The argument is whether or not it's okay to excise it from the film.
Now I understand the need to preserve even the worst things in history, in fact, it drives me absolutely insane how many people completely disregard the fact that the founding fathers of this country were slave-owners. Just because this is a dark and abhorrent side of our history does not mean it should be ignored and that it shouldn't be in our children's school textbooks, this is stuff they shouldn't have hidden from them. I also don't think it would be okay to ban any re-release of the classic silent film "Birth of a Nation" even though it contains some of the most atrocious racism ever depicted on camera (and in a positive light, no less), it's still an important piece of cinema history and the controversy only makes it more interesting. And I even find it completely ridiculous that Disney has not yet released "Song of the South" on any recent home video format, albeit with an introduction/disclaimer to remind people that it's a product of a different time.
Be all that as it may, Fantasia is a different story, unlike the stuff mentioned above, Fantasia is not to be remembered as nothing more than a historical relic, Fantasia is still a culturally relevant movie with fans spanning many generations. It's not "Song of the South". If Disney was to release a remastered and unedited "Song of the South" on blu-ray next week, the only people to buy it would be fans of film history, it's not the kind of thing parents are going to give to their kids to watch, in fact, it would be seriously irresponsible of any parent to let their kid watch a movie that reinforces negative racial stereotypes as much as that one does. The same could be said of "Birth of a Nation" (though I doubt many kids are interested in that anyway). Fantasia is a movie that kids still love, it's timeless, it's perfect, and it would be a shame to lose it all because of 15 seconds.
What prompted me to write this review was one single review on amazon among all the negative reviews. There was one that stuck out to me, because this guy said that he would have loved to show Fantasia to his daughters, but he didn't want to show them the edited version, so he was boycotting this release. Think about that, this guy was basically saying 'I won't show this movie to my children unless it includes offensive racist material!' That's stupid. This is my point, Fantasia is a movie for children, and to include that 15 seconds of racism and market it to children would be a bad idea, even if they got Whoopi Goldberg to give an introduction to the film and forgive the racism (as many reviewers here have suggested they do) the point would still be lost on the kids, all they would see is an ugly black centaur acting as a servant to the others. Fantasia is a movie of a different time, we accept that either way, but there's two ways to deal with that, either we could preserve the racism and let Fantasia become nothing more than a relic that needs to be justified by Whoopi Goldberg before every viewing, or we can lose 15 seconds and let Fantasia remain relevant and thrive throughout the ages as a gorgeous and unspoiled piece of art.
This is one hell of a blu-ray, I can't think of any movie that can show off the technical splendor of blu-ray more than this one, the perfect combination of stunning visuals and magnificent music. I recommend this product to everyone, with a reminder that the missing 15 seconds does not diminish the enjoyment of this classic one bit.

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Walt Disney's animated musical masterpiece is an extravaganza of sight and sound-now brilliantly restored for the first time ever in high defi nition! Blu-ray technology fi nally allows you to experience Fantasia-and Fantasia 2000, the triumphant classic it inspired-the way Walt envisioned! Plus, for the first time ever on Blu-ray, experience the 2003 Academy Award®-nominated animated short Destino-the extraordinary collaboration between Walt Disney and legendary artist Salvador Dali!
Revealing new bonus features and commentary bring the Fantasia experience to life, allowing generations of moviegoers all over the world to enjoy this timeless classic like never before. See the music come to life, hear the pictures burst into song and experience the excitement that is Fantasia over and over again.

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