Showing posts with label 4 stars. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 4 stars. Show all posts

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Walt Disney Treasures - Mickey Mouse Club (1955) Review

Walt Disney Treasures - Mickey Mouse Club (1955)
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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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Friday, September 7, 2012

Walt Disney Treasures - Tomorrow Land: Disney in Space and Beyond (1959) Review

Walt Disney Treasures - Tomorrow Land: Disney in Space and Beyond (1959)
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(...)
The contents of these shows are very special - entertaining, educational, and important historically. The first 3 TV shows usually had a fun, animated story for the first half of the show with scientists in the second half giving scientific info on how future space flights might be possible, based on the facts known in the 1950s. All three TV shows were directed by animator/director Ward Kimball.
Man In Space (3/9/55) Walt Disney introduces the show and then turns over the program to director Ward Kimball. The animated story concerns the development of rockets, the action/reaction principle, Jules Verne writing his story "From The Earth To The Moon", a humorous depiction of the medical challenges to man surviving a space trip - such as acceleration, pressure, weightlessness, radiation, and eating/drinking. Later scientists Willy Ley, Heinz Haber, and Wernher von Braun help explain the challenges of space travel and what a space rocket would probably look like.
Man And The Moon (12/28/55) This show was later shown in 1959 as "Tomorrow The Moon". Walt Disney introduces the show and shows scenes from the Disneyland attraction "Rocket Ship To The Moon". Walt then turns the show over to director Ward Kimball. There is a fun animated segment about man's superstitions about the moon over the ages, including stories about trips to the moon and the creatures found there. Literary references to the moon and songs about the moon are shown. Scientist Wernher von Braun introduces how scientists were preparing for a flight to the moon at that time. There is a nice live action/special effects rocket ship flight that photographs the back side of the moon.
Mars And Beyond (12/4/57) This is my favorite of these TV shows. A giant robot GARCO introduces Walt Disney, who is standing next to the robot. Walt presents this mainly animated program about the universe, including the various planets - with special emphasis on Mars. An animated history of mankind's fascination with space is very well done. A fun science fiction story about a female being kidnapped by a robot from Mars includes a very funny scene of Donald Duck being shown as part of a long line of Martian monsters chasing the female. There is fascinating animation exploring wildly imaginative ideas of different lifeforms that might exist on Mars. This animation caused Walt Disney to exclaim to Ward Kimball, "How do you guys come up with all these crazy ideas?"
Our Friend The Atom (1/23/57) Walt Disney uses a scene from the film "20,000 Leagues Under The Sea" to introduce the story of atomic energy and then turns the program over to Dr. Heinz Haber, a noted atomic energy scientist of that time. There is a fun animated tale of "The Fisherman and the Genie" included as part of extensive animation showing the history of the atom. This history of the atom also included another scene I much enjoy - how an early Greek theory of the atom was lost for centuries.
Eyes In Outer Space (6/18/59) This theatrical release is an entertaining live-action/animation program which is marvelously produced with several fascinating scenes about the future of satellite's ability to forecast and control the weather. There is a funny animated segment about how "folk tales" predict the weather. My favorite scene is the end of the show in which a high pressure ridge is intensified to keep a hurricane out to sea and away from land. This won the 1960 Thomas Edison Foundation Award. It was later shown on TV as part of the show "Spy In The Sky" (4/1/62).
EPCOT (filmed in 1966, shown in 1967) Walt Disney, in his last film appearance, talks about his company's plans for EPCOT and Walt Disney World. Fascinating and interesting info and very important historically.
I have seen these shows and have loved them over the years. I am thrilled that they are being released on DVD for anyone to enjoy.

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Walt Disney was a true visionary, and his most far-reaching vision examined the future. During the 1950s, his investigation into space exploration and the wondrous opportunities and challenges of space travel not only came alive in several Disneyland TV shows, but helped create strong public support for The United States space program. Go back in time to the beginning of the future and enjoy four episodes and a theatrical short that delve into the mysteries of the universe and space travel -- "Man In Space," "Man And The Moon," "Mars And Beyond," "Eyes In Outer Space," and "Our Friend The Atom." You'll also get a rare look at Walt's last film, "EPCOT," in which he reveals his concepts and plans for the Disney World and EPCOT projects. Other not-to-be-missed features include a special interview with noted futurist and author Ray Bradbury. Featuring exclusive introductions by film historian Leonard Maltin, this is a timeless collection from generations past for generations to come.

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Saturday, September 1, 2012

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

Walt Disney Treasures - The Chronological Donald, Volume Two (1942 - 1946) (1942)
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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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Monday, December 12, 2011

Gia (Unrated Edition) (1998) Review

Gia (Unrated Edition) (1998)
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This is a terrific movie and I was thrilled to see Angelina Jolie playing this part, (I first saw her in Hackers). But in case you don't know this, the DVD is missing 6 minutes of the movie. the only way to have the extra 6 minutes is to have gotten the original release on VHS (or recorded in from HBO). After Angelina became more popular, 6 minutes of her nude scenes were deleted from later re-releases of the movie including this DVD. But it still is a good movie.

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GIA (UNRATED) - DVD Movie

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Saturday, November 12, 2011

Veggie Tales: God Made You Special Review

Veggie Tales: God Made You Special
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I usually skip the VeggieTale collection DVD's. For some reason, I bought this one. And I've had fun taking this trip down memory lane.
This DVD features three classic Veggie stories, two silly songs, and one all new tale.
First up, "Dave and the Giant Pickle" reminds us that God can use us no matter how big or small we are by retelling the story of David and Goliath.
Then comes "Bob's Vacation," the new story on the disc. In it, a misunderstood phone conversation sends Bob off on his vacation depressed. Does Larry really think so little of him? And can Larry answer the fan mail and water Bob's plants while he's gone? Or will the other Veggies get in the way?
Then we go way back in time for "The Gourds Must be Crazy" from the third Veggie video ever. This is the story that introduced Jimmy and Jerry Gourd, in fact. The crew of the USS Applepies must figure out a way to avoid being hit by a giant popcorn asteroid. Maybe those new guys who are always eating can help.
Finally, we come to "A Snoodle's Tale." In this story, told in classic Dr. Seuss style, we learn of one snoodle who set out to discover why he was created. After some nasty encounters, he sets out for solitude. Will he find it there?
In between, we get to enjoy the classic silly songs "Belly Button" and "Yodeling Veterinarian of the Alps."
When I got this, I was hoping to really enjoy the new story. However, "Bob's Vacation" was the weakest. Even though I love the verse Qwerty gives us during the story, it isn't worth getting this video to see. And the veggie on the street interviews after each episode were just a little weird for me.
However, the other stories are still as wonderful as they were when first done. Granted, we do really get to see how far their computer animation as progressed as we go back and forth in time. But everything is so entertaining I really don't care about that.
While there are good stories here, there's little reason to buy this disc. Die hard fans already have the best parts elsewhere. Buy it only if you are a collector or you don't have the classic stories presented here.

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Join Bob, Larry and all the VeggieTales friends for God Made You Special – a landmark collection of stories that help kids learn that they are special just the way God made them. In "Dave & the Giant Pickle," a shepherd boy realizes that little guys can do big things too. A trip to outer space helps the Veggies learn to appreciate the differences in others in "The Gourds Must Be Crazy." In "A Snoodle’s Tale," a self-conscious Snoodle realizes that he is uniquely made and all the Veggies are reminded that each one of us is special in the all-new "Bob’s Vacation."Filled with laughs, music, over 75 minutes of fun and lots of surprises, God Made You Special is sure to be a favorite of VeggieTales fans everywhere!

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Monday, September 19, 2011

Prancer (1989) Review

Prancer (1989)
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Here is a story that brings us all back to what Christmas is all about faith, love, hope, and family. This film tells the story of a young girl, Jessica, that keeps the joyous feeling of Christmas in her heart all year long. Her mother has died and her father is struggling to raise a son and daughter as well as a failing farm. Circumstances seem too much, and he contemplates sending Jessica to live with a nearby aunt. This upsets Jessica because family is as important to her as Christmas, especially as she has already lost one parent. While this is going on, Jessica discovers an injured reindeer, and she needs to help him as "he is one of Santa's ". With an injured reindeer and an injured family, Jessica applies the necessary healing with hope, faith and love. Her true innocence and undying belief in all that is good and wonderful (God and Santa) brings a family and a town together in a joyous celebration.

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A wounded reindeer and a precocious eight-year-old girl form an everlasting bond in this tender holiday drama about true devotion and friendship. An enchanting film full of Â"heart and gumptionÂ" (Roger Ebert), Prancer will set your imagination aflight!Jessica Riggs (Rebecca Harrell) plays an angel in her school pageant...but she becomes a real guardian angel when she finds an injured reindeer in the forest. Convinced that the deer is SantaÂ's very own Prancer, Jessica vows to nurse him back to health and return him safely home. But before she can carry out her plan, Jessica discovers that her father (Sam Elliott) has made another Â? very different Â? plan of his own! Will Jessica be able to help her antlered friend find his way back to Santa in time to make their deliveries on Christmas Eve? The magical final scene is sure to make your heart soar!

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Monday, May 23, 2011

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

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