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DVD Review: CLASSIC CABALLEROS COLLECTION
A few days ago, I was listening to a 1944 episode of the grand old radio spectacular, Lux Radio Theater, a dramatization of the movie Springtime in the Rockies in which Betty Grable and Dick Powell croon through a formula backstage musical. Cutting through the musical mayonnaise like spicy salsa was Carmen Miranda. Seemingly out of nowhere, rhythmic guitars broke through as if someone had changed radio stations.
Imagine how amazing that must have seemed to wartime Americans who were bringing more of the outside world into their homes with the relatively new radio medium. Diversity was in its infancy. People were discovering the richness of other cultures.
Viewed from this standpoint, both Saludos Amigos and The Three Caballeros deserve far more landmark status than is generally afforded them. Walt Disney, because of a U.S. Government arrangement, flew to South America with a group of great artists and really brought back a feast of music, imagery and culture.
Saluting Saludos
Saludos Amigos is often superseded by its follow-up film, The Three Caballeros, a more dazzling bonanza of special effects and live-action and animation wizardry. Saludos has the extra punch of footage of Disney artists flying with Walt into various locations. And it was the succcess that lead to Caballeros. Through the first film Walt was instrumental in bringing hit latin music to the states, like "Tico Tico," which became a standard -- and even is performed in the aforementioned Springtime in the Rockies!
Both films are loaded to the brim with great music that influenced much of the contemporary music of today. Thankfully, the new DVD boasts much better sound than the predecessors. The new disc is recommended if only for the meticulous improved soundtrack. The picture looks better too, but the sound is dramatically improved. Even the "South of the Border" short film, which uses Bambi score music in the background, has better sound (click here to see Mary Blair and other great artists playing a matchbox game).
Some features but not all
If you have the laserdisc and hopefully can still play it, hold on to it because there are some features not included on this new disc or the previous ones. These differ from the earlier DVDs in minor ways, but I can't part with mine because I really like the packaging, featuring each film separately -- they seem more important that way.
One other recommendation: the Saludos Amigos audio album recorded in South America and released on the Disneyland label in the 1950s. It was a rare find but now you can get it on iTunes. It's not the soundtrack, but a very excellent studio version of the songs and background themes from both movies.
Posted By: Greg, Date of Post: Apr 28 2008
BOOK REVIEW: The Fortune Cookie Chronicles
Just finished reading a swell new book called The Fortune Cookie Chronicles that examines the Chinese food phenomenon in America and a bit internationally.
Ever wonder about those paper boxes with the wire handles or if there were a real General Tso of chicken fame? The answers are here.
It tells the stories of individuals too, from a lady who started delivering food in New York City and began a menu war to a family's dramatic consequences opening a restaurant in a small Georgia town.
It also mentions regional Chinese creations like Szechuan Alligator, which I enjoyed recently in Mandeville, Louisiana. And no, it does not taste like chicken.
Posted By: Greg, Date of Post: Apr 21 2008
Book Review: RUDOLPH, FROSTY AND CAPTAIN KANGAROO: The Musical Life of Hecky Krasnow, Producer of the World's Most Beloved Children's Songs
It's a long title, to be sure, it is so terribly important that more people know who the great Hecky Krasnow is, and what he has made possible, that even those who read the title can get the idea.
He should be a household name, considering that, if not for him, we would never have heard the songs "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer," "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus," Frosty the Snowman," "Here Comes Peter Cottontail" or one of my favorites, "Suzy Snowflake." He believed in these songs when others did not. He bucked the Columbia brass when they and every other label had no use for Johnny Marks' "Rudolph" song. Even Gene Autry was reluctant. The song made added millions to Autry's bank account, as well as those at Columbia who first rejected it. The only one who did not become rich was Krasnow, who was, like many of us, a corporate worker bee with a wife and children to support.
But as this book makes abundantly clear, Hecky Krasnow was rich in the ways that really count. In an exhaustively detailed account of growing up in a suburban household where Dad often took the kids to work, where the likes of Gene Kelly, Rosemary Clooney, Art Carney, Bob Keeshan, Paul Tripp or Jackie Robinson was doing a children's recording, Judy Gail Krasnow deftly shares her storytelling gifts by providing as many sensory details as possible. You really feel like you're having dinner at the Krasnow's, right down to the tasty roast beef with pan drippings.
The anecdotes run the gamut to the absurdly funny (a party at "Tubby the Tuba" composer George Kleinsinger's Manhattan penthouse, which is a living jungle of wild animals, bugs and shrubberies) to the frightening (personal accounts of racism and a kid's-eye-view of McCarthyism). Either Judy has one astonishing memory or she kept a very copious diary.
When rock & roll and the youth market began to change the face of mass entertainment, the "golden age" of children's records as Krasnow experienced it (with kid discs like "Little Red Monkey" hitting the charts and crossing over into mainstream pop) were fading. (And yes, the success of Disney's venture into recording also crowded out most of the competition -- what can I say?)
Fortunately, Judy Gail Krasnow has created this loving tribute to her father so we can all appreciate his contributions to our lives (that's one of our goals with Mouse Tracks, too -- to draw attention to the unsung heroes). It's also reassuring to learn that this man was such a kind and decent human being. It would have been so disillusioning to find out that the person behind these records really cared about what he was doing and who was listening.
His work may not have made him rich, but we are all the richer for it.
Posted By: Greg, Date of Post: Mar 29 2008
Book Review: KIRBY, KING OF COMICS
Large format, or coffee table, books are sometimes more about the visuals than the text, but Kirby, King of Comics is one of the exceptions. Written with depth and detail by animation/comic/TV writer/uberblogger Mark Evanier, this lavish, 9x12 tome has as much substance as style.
It tells a life and career story that many of us can identify with, whether we read superhero comics or not. But the story of such an astonishing art and story talent could not be told without substantial illustrations that are its heart and soul, and this book never disappoints on either front.
Whether you're into comics or not, your breath will be taken away by the dynamism of every frame -- not to mention spectacular spreads like the one from "Street Code," in which a dozen or more stories are woven into an eye-popping two page scene.
Perhaps most touching and compelling is the constant struggle Kirby fought for recognition for his substantial role in creating iconic characters that made millionaires of others, balanced with his concern for his family's financial security and his devotion for his unfailingly supportive wife, Roz.
Fortunately the story, as Evanier weaves it, has a happy, somewhat bittersweet ending with a wonderful Fantastic Four excerpt in which The Thing (Kirby's alter ego) sums up a truly universal legacy.
Posted By: Greg, Date of Post: Mar 19 2008
DVD Review: ENCHANTED
This movie was a celebration for everyone who loves Disney classics, whether they've seen them so often they've memorized them, or just grew up waiting until the animated features returned to theaters every seven years -- what an event that used to be. Enchanted is such an event.
My family and I went to the theater three separate times to see this film, and every time we noticed new things. This is the best argument ever for buying the DVD. Now, seeing it at home without the spectacle of the big screen, it's possible to focus more closely on the subtleties of the acting, the music, the color and Kevin Lima's expert direction.
The director fits this film like a glass shoe
Years before he most likely ever dreamed he'd be the director of Enchanted, he remarked on the audio commentary of his first live action feature, 102 Dalmatians, that he took great care when he re-created the Lady and the Tramp spaghetti scene for that film. He said his wish was to stage something that existed in animation but made sense in reality. He more than succeeded with Enchanted, which seems to have not one false note.
That's especially true of the most magical actress of our day, Amy Adams. She brings a Julie Andrews sincerity to her portrayal of Giselle, but adds a deft transformation from animated to real-life in her every movement. The entire film rests on her delicate shoulders. We could just as well have started to find Giselle irritating after a few scenes or repeated viewings. Remarkably, this performance is pitch-perfect.
Special Edition someday?
The DVD looks and sounds wonderful, but I it does make me hope that there will be a special edition someday because I was really looking forward to an audio commentary. The bonus features are quite good, but the pickin's is lean, considering how rich this film is.
If you get the Blu-Ray version, you not only get a better picture but they've also added an interactive quiz feature about the numerous Disney classic references (see my blog for photo comparisons). Now, if the Blu-Ray had a commentary or two, I'd be asking my wife for a Blu-ray player for my birthday.
Posted By: Greg, Date of Post: Mar 18 2008
DVD Review: JOHNNY AND THE SPRITES "Meet the Sprites"
The Playhouse Disney series that brings a Broadway flair to preschool TV has finally made it to DVD. It stars John Tartaglia, who was Tony nominated for Avenue Q (and also welcomes one of his costars from that show).
An impressive blend of talents
Tartaglia, who also co-produces Johnny and the Sprites, drew on his experience as a young Muppeteer and Sesame Street performer, bringing former Sesame writer Louise Gikow along as head writer. It's even filmed at the same studio where Sesame Street tapes. The show also benefits from talented puppeteers and richly detailed, colorful sets, filmed with filters to create a glow.
It also sounds as good as it looks, because no less than Stephen Schwartz (Wicked, Enchanted, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, etc.) contributed the theme, with other stage composers and lyricists adding their tunes. Each show is a mini musical, yet simple and intimate.
57 minutes in Grotto's Grove
The DVD is a fine introduction to the series, with five half-hour episodes plus additional short episodes originally seem as interstitials between Playhouse Disney shows. You can also add lyrics to the songs.
To borrow a phrase from legendary composer Joe Raposo (describing the animated Raggedy Ann & Andy feature), "it's the result of a lot of hard work by a lot of good people."
Posted By: Greg, Date of Post: Mar 17 2008
DVD Review: DAN IN REAL LIFE
Perhaps no one is more surprised about Steve Carell's ascent to "a"-list stardom than Carell himself, who said on a talk show that his TV or movie role expectations were, at most, to play the funny best friend. That sort of ingratiating self-perspective is part of his appeal. Dan in Real Life is a change of pace from his clueless "The Office" character and the broader performances that made him stand out in recent hit films.
My guess is that Dan is closer to the real Steve. In fact, as the commentary and other bonus material constantly attest, being "real" was the constant goal of director Peter Hedges and the cast. Though this film has its share of comic situations, it largely veers away from belly laughs. And it has a definite bittersweet edge. Often times, the lonely detachment Dan feels is painful.
Simple, sparse music with original songs
The soundtrack is of particular note because it does not rely heavily on familiar pop tunes to elicit a response. Rather, Hedges called upon Sondre Lerche to write original songs. The effect reminded me a bit of Meet the Robinsons, which took the same route to substantial success.
Commentaries are so revelatory!
The audio commentary is probably the most sincerely magnanimous one I can recall. Hedges is very quick to credit those around him for making up for his own lack of big-screen filmmaking experience, though his vision is very clearly expressed. The interesting thing is that some of the deleted scenes explained the characters and perhaps should have remained in the film; I had to wonder whether the director might have been too close to his work and assumed the audience would pick up on what he already knew. Just a thought.
Posted By: Greg, Date of Post: Mar 11 2008
DVD Review: 101 DALMATIANS: Platinum Edition
Before this era of home video, my exposure to 101 Dalmatians was through the Disneyland story LP (the one with the red cover), as well as the read along book and record (with the wrong story inside: "Lucky Puppy").
I loved these records and have an early memory of sitting in the school library as our grade school class listened to the story LP. I laughed out loud at the "Kanine Krunchies Kommercial," which was done more like a radio spot on the record. I couldn't wait to get my own copy of the album.
And the movie's nice too
The movie always seemed like a separate entity. Many of the actors appeared on both, but the pace and style were different. That's not to say there's anything about the movie I find lacking; it's just one of those funny things.
Many have effused about the bold, breakthrough style of 101 Dalmatians, and it is all true -- it is a remarkable film with some of the best character work in Disney history.
The lost songs
The most ironic thing about it is that the main human character is a songwriter yet the film contains very few songs. Perhaps that is the most fascinating aspect of this Platinum Edition DVD. There were LOTS of songs planned, including variations on "Cruella DeVil." We get to hear them in demo form or in reconstructed scenes.
Disney artist/author/historian Russell Schroeder makes several appearances discussing the music, which is fitting since his excellent book, "Disney's Lost Chords," chronicles the many songs deleted from Disney films for one reason or another (a second book is in the works.
You can also hear the great Bill Lee in recording sessions as the singing voice of Roger. He was the "ghost singer" for countless Hollywood classics including The Sound of Music (for Christopher Plummer), South Pacific (for John Kerr), The Jungle Book (for George Sanders and even Hey There, It's Yogi Bear (for Yogi).
But...
I do miss an audio commentary, though. With so many stellar experts on the bonus features, including animator Hans Perk and voice of Anita, Lisa Davis, surely they would have been delighted to participate (by the way, over Hans' shoulder is his copy of LP record I've always cherished) . It's one of those things that would have made a wonderful package even wonderfuller.
Posted By: Greg, Date of Post: Mar 04 2008
DVD Review: BECOMING JANE
This is sort of a change of pace for my site, but this is a Miramax film released by Disney, and my wife loooooves the Jane Austen books. She loves some, but not all, of the movies. So I asked her to be my guide through this film, a genre of which I like to call one of those "stuffy movies" she likes so much.
For Disney fans, though, it does offer the luminous Anne Hathaway (of the Princess Diaries films among others) and James McAvoy, who we thought was excellent as Mr. Tumnus in The Chronicles of Narnia and has now become an a-lister, Oscar nomination and all.
An icon in the making
Both are front and center of Becoming Jane, Hathaway radiating a personage akin to classic Hollywood icons rather than whatever the current tastes for beauty in actresses might be temporarily. According to the fascinating audio commentary, she not only is an Austen fan, she also stayed in character -- accent and all -- throughout the filming. My wife thought she gave a superb performance.
The story is not intended to be an accurate document of Austen's real life history, but more of a speculation of what might have made her the renowned author she became. In a way, it's somewhat like the way Danny Kaye's Hans Christian Andersen was admittedly a "fairy tale" about the great writer rather than a biography.
An odd parallel
Since recently enjoying the Mickey and Judy Collection DVD set, I couldn't help noticing a scene in Becoming Jane in which irresponsible young playboy son McAvoy is reproached by his father. Almost exactly the same thing happens in MGM's Girl Crazy -- Mickey Rooney's screen father sends him off to a more rural atmosphere where he meets a lovely young lady who does not like him at first. Imagine that!
Anyway, my lovely wife enjoyed the film except for the anachronistic frolic between the mother and father at the beginning of the movie, which the filmmakers added because they felt the need to make those "old-fashioned" characters more contemporary and "humanized." Based on the very knowledgable and reverent atttitude they exemplify in the commentary, one wonders if these anachronisms were their idea or whether it was imposed. This scene and a few others prevented my wife from sharing the film with our little girl, at least until she's much older.
Crumpets, milady?
Visually, the film is one of those British drawing room dramas that bathe the eye in picturesque scenery, most of which was filmed in Ireland. Everybody's in fancy clothes, playing cricket and to quote The Timekeeper, calling each other "Trevor."
A good choice for grownup Valentine's Day viewing. For everyone else, there's a new remastered edition of "It's Valentine's Day, Charlie Brown."
Posted By: Greg, Date of Post: Feb 12 2008
DVD Review: THE ARISTOCATS: Special Edition
One way to think about the The Aristocats as the second film in the Disney "Phil Harris trilogy" (sandwiched between The Jungle Book and Robin Hood), but of course it's more than that.
By the way, a little bit of unknown trivia
Here's
one bit of trivia you may not have heard before: according to a
gentleman I spoke with years ago named Albert Johnston, who worked in
Disney's New York office in the 60's, helping choose books for the
studio to acquire for film and TV adaptations, the legendary
choreographer George Balanchine had written a similar book about cats
and, even though it little similarity to The Aristocats, they paid a
licensing fee to Balanchine to prevent a possible suit.
The Aristocats
film, of course, premiered in 1970 and was somewhat of an event in its
day because Disney was still only releasing new animated features every
three to four years. By this time, on top of the Phil Harris
connection, there was also a Green Acres / Andy Griffith Show connection with voices such as Pat Buttram and George Lindsey popping up even when the settings were in France or England.
The coo-coo pigeons
Of all the characters, my mom loved the two British geese best when
we first saw the movie. Played by Monica Evans and Carole Shelley, they
were clearly inspired by their portrayals of the Pigeon Sisters in the
film and TV versions of The Odd Couple.
The
film looks and sounds great in this DVD issue, and even though it would
have been nice to have two discs -- and my favorite feature, the audio
commentary -- this disc does feature one of the most wonderful things
ever to appear on a special feature, at least from the standpoint of a
Disney records fan -- the first time Robie Lester is ever officially
acknowledged as the singing voice of Duchess (see my blog for more).
And now for something completely ironic
One of the bonus features is an edited Disney TV show called "The
Great Cat Family," in which the cat is lauded for preventing the
potential worldwide disaster of the plague spread by rats -- which
contradicts the earnest denial of such a fact in the recent short
cartoon, "Our Friend the Rat" on the Ratatouille DVD package. You be
the judge!
Posted By: Greg, Date of Post: Feb 05 2008
DVD Review: SNOW BUDDIES
 What could be more adorable that cute little puppies and the plucky way they pull a sled team to win the big race? In Snow Buddies, a modestly budgeted film that sometimes seems like it should have been a commercial for really soft tissues or baby lotion with aloe, this film uses the digital talking doggie technique -- and it works on its own terms. As a longtime Florida resident, this is the kind of movie I like to watch in the middle of a hot, humid summer because it features fine atmospheric photography of the frozen north. Like a visual popsicle. TV stars for the tween set
Disney Channel viewers will want to check out the extra music video that features Mitchell Musso of Hannah Montana performing "Lean on Me," also synergistically appearing on the recent Radio Disney Jams 10 CD release. And fans of The Suite Life of Zack and Cody will enjoy hearing series star Dylan Sprouse as the voice of Shasta. The puppies tell all
I especially liked that there was an Audio Commentary aimed at kids in which the young voice actors commented in character throughout the film, scripted of course but a nice touch. There is also fascinating behind the scenes moments showing how the effects and sets were created (ever try to build an igloo?) Snow Buddies is part of a sort of Disney mini-franchise that started with Air Bud and branched off into puppy Buddies films. It reminds me of carefree, fluffy Saturday afternoon matinees of bygone days that are not really so much bygone, but packaged and consumed in a different way. Posted By: Greg, Date of Post: Feb 02 2008
DVD Review: THE GAME PLAN
Sure, we adults have seen this sort of "Little Miss Marker"-type story before (adorable little girl shows crusty-but-benign oaf the path to goodness, and makes the whole town love her and worry when danger strikes and sigh when danger is averted), but it works when it's done well. And it's done very well in The Game Plan, with little or no gratuitous cheap material that creeps into so many "family" films these days. The Rock appears in virtually every scene, and while his performance isn't going to threaten Dame Judi Dench, he carries the entire film with warmth and charm. Kyra Sedgwick shows very capable comedic chops as the neurotic exec-witch who manages The Rock's football star career (perhaps channeling character actress Susan Tolsky from Here Come the Brides?). The new DVD edition, while lacking an audio commentary (something I always look for), offers an amusing mockumentary about the egotistical Joe Kingman character with real-life sports figures and ESPN commentators, a behind the scenes feature, bloopers presented by Marv Albert, deleted scenes and a cute "Peytons's Makeover Madness" feature you can access on the "remote" you see on the menu, which is designed like Kingman's apartment. Who would have thought The Rock would have become today's answer to Fred MacMurray?
Posted By: Greg, Date of Post: Jan 19 2008
DVD Review: WALT DISNEY TREASURES - THE LATEST WAVE
The three latest entries in the coveted Walt Disney Treasures 2-disc DVD sets almost didn't happen, as the series' demise had been formally announced. But saner heads prevailed and these three sets are among the best.
Ah, the glory of completeness! With one more set to go after The Chronological Donald, Volume Three 1947-1950, we all can own the complete library of classic Donald Duck cartoons. Many on this set are personal favorites, like Clown of the Jungle and Inferior Decorator. Having read -- and memorized -- Leonard Maltin's The Disney Films since it was first published, I was delighted to see the man himself introduce Donald's Dilemma, a short he had described lovingly in his book.
There are also short features on Donald's life and sculptures with such renowned artists as official Donald voice Tony Anselmo and sculptor Ruben Aquino. You can even hunt for multiple "gong hitting gags" from the original Mickey Mouse Club!
This set is a work of beauty in more ways than one. It explores the exquisite detail of Walt's gem in Anaheim with time lapse and other archival photography (much of it never before released), presents several outstanding Wonderful World of Color shows, and offers the premiere of a feature-length documentary, "Disneyland: Secrets, Stories & Magic," which has been in the making since the park's golden anniversary.
The new doc is a parade of the "who's who" within Disney including Diane Disney Miller, Richard Sherman, Bill Sullivan, Marty Sklar, Julie Andrews and scores more. The TV episodes include "Disneyland Goes to the World's Fair," which not only showcases the attractions Walt brought to the 1964 fair, but also have original music and rare color footage of the 1939 World's Fair.
Another example of beauty, inside and out, is of course Annette Funicello, who stars along with Ed Wynn, Betty Taylor, Louis Armstrong and Wally Boag in a TV recreation of The Golden Horseshoe Revue. Annette does a production number called "Mister Piano Man" in which she puts Betty Grable to shame.
And the breathtaking, CinemaScope "Disneyland U.S.A" is another flower in this bouquet. It gently captures a Disneyland and an America of the past and also offers the wonderful musical score isolated so you can enjoy it on its own.
The audio commentary by Leonard Maltin and Disney Legend Tony Baxter is an eye-opener (see my blog for one astonishing revelation).
Tony also offers praise for Peter Pan's Flight: "Peter Pan I think, to this day, is one of the greatest things we’ve ever done. Ray Bradbury wrote to Walt, saying, "I will be eternally grateful that you let me board a pirate galleon and sail away over moonlit London."
"And that's really what it's all about," Tony adds. "Such a magical thing no one else could do."
The package also includes a replica of an actual Disneyland ticket book! "I love the ticket books," Tony says. "Because on rainy days in winter I'd pull out all the leftover ones and dream about what I was going to spend them on."
Perhaps the most exciting of the three Walt Disney Treasures sets is The Adventures of Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, a bonafide milestone in Disney history. Who would have thought we'd ever see these cartoons again, much less as Disney cartoons?
The bonus documentary explains how Disney CEO Bob Iger traded Oswald from Universal in exchange for sending sportscaster Al Michaels to NBC (Michaels himself does not appear --- hmmmm?)
Each cartoon is a pleasure to watch, and thanks to several fine commentaries with Leonard Maltin, Jerry Beck and Mark Kausler, we can watch them with experts who point out the artistic development and historical context. Plus, each cartoon has a musical score; either played by composer Robert Israel at the keyboard or conducting a full orchestra.
Not all the Oswald cartoons have been located, but in addition to the 13 included (plus one fragment), there's a feature documentary finally on DVD called "The Hand Behind the Mouse," paying long overdue tribute to Ub Iwerks by Leslie Iwerks, followed by some of his classic Disney landmark cartoons.
There's even a little Oswald button inside. But you may want to attach it under one of the booklet clips to keep it from bouncing around in the box!
Posted By: Greg, Date of Post: Jan 19 2008
CD Review: ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS GREATEST HITS
A wonderful new compilation album called Still Squeaky After All These Years (a new updated edition of the 1999 collection of the same name) presents 25 greatest hits from the early years of David Seville and the Chipmunks, covering the first ten years of their career.
Seriously, this is indeed a tribute to the artistry of Ross Bagdasarian, about whom son Ross Jr. writes in the new liner notes, a precursor to a forthcoming biography he's writing. Apparently even The Beatles were fans and gave their blessing for the 1964 Liberty album The Chipmunks Sing The Beatles' Hits, which spawned many imitations and won a Grammy. Three cuts from this album show up on this CD.
Bagdasarian could have taken a much less fastidious approach to these records, gone the cheaper route, and they still would have sold--but they would not have endured. On this CD, you'll hear Alvin, Simon and Theodore singing with a full chorus on "America the Beautiful," no less than The Jimmy Joyce Singers for "Do-Re-Mi" (they sang in countless Hollywood films and shows including The Sound of Music) and a 50-piece orchestra in my personal favorite, "Alvin's Orchestra."
It's nice to know this material is still in circulation, and now that the big screen movie is a hit, it may encourage the reissue of the complete recordings on CD and the superb Alvin Show on DVD.
Posted By: Greg, Date of Post: Jan 14 2008
DVD Review: DISNEY'S NATIONAL TREASURE 2-DISC COLLECTOR'S EDITION
The success of the first National Treasure film was a groundbreaking event in a significant way in 21st century moviemaking. Here was a movie that had all the action and excitement of a modern Hollywood blockbuster without most of the "naughty bits" that make parents cringe.
"Why can't they just make a good movie without adding the extra baggage?" parents and those who loved how movies used to be say to themselves. Why indeed? National Treasure proved it can work, and work to tremendous success. Imagine that! What a shockaroo!
PG with a just a dash of edge
That's not to say that this film, and the current, box-office-busting sequel are like watching Mister Rogers. They are PG, mostly for violence of a rollicking sort and buy very little language and no bedroom scenes (just a clothes-changing sequence right out of It Happened One Night).
There is, in the deleted scenes on disc two, a dash through a strip joint (the director felt there really should be a strip joint in a Bruckheimer film) but it's daytime and nothing is happening in it. Of course, small kids might wonder what a strip joint is.
Other than that, it's actually a great family film, especially considering the historic angle upon which the whole story sets. And it's a great, grand, caper movie that you can't help but be drawn into.
Discs of treasure
The first disc of this special edition is pretty much the same as the earlier DVD release of National Treasure (fans of TV's Hannah Montana show will want to see the deleted scene featuring Jason "Jackson" Earles).
There's also a treasure hunt for extra features that you can either solve, or use the enclosed flyer for the answers (that's what I did -- sorry). The second disc has more deleted scenes and some fascinating behind the scenes features about the production and treasure hunting in general.
If you haven't seen either National Treasure movie, seeing the first will definitely whet your appetite to see the second.
Posted By: Greg, Date of Post: Jan 09 2008
DVD Review: CINDERELLA II: DREAMS COME TRUE Special Edition
It's difficult to top one of Walt Disney's most beloved classics, much less to come near its level. Surely the creative team behind Cinderella II had no such delusions; they were doing what they could to follow up the story, constrained by a three-story format suggesting three television episodes.
Well, she's movin' on up...
One story finds Cinderella (with Jennifer Hale doing a superb job in the Ilene Woods role) struggling with her new station in life and it's apparent snobbery (thanks to the advice of a new character voiced by the wonderful Holland Taylor). It's sort of like the first episode of TV's The Jeffersons, when Louise struggled with her new station in life.
Jaq the mouse takes center stage in the second story, in which he is changed into a human, and stepsister Anastasia (Tress MacNeille) --who has emerged as the most sympathetic character in both Cinderella sequels--falls for the village butcher (both he and human Jaq voiced by Rob Paulsen).
Either sequel is its own sequel
The next sequel, Cinderella III: A Twist in Time fared somewaht better, with more consistent animation, a feature-length storyline and more compelling use of the lead characters. Oddly, the third and second videos are interchangeable as far as story coninuity is concerned; perhaps that's by design so either can serve as a stand alone follow up.
This is the second issue of Cinderella II adds an additional game to the special features and mercifully does not delete any features from the earlier issue, so you don't have to keep both editions.
Posted By: Greg, Date of Post: Jan 08 2008
DVD Review: UNDERDOG
Underdog has a quite a fascinating history, which can be read in this keen book, or heard on an interview with co-creator Buck Biggers (whose daughter appears in one of the special features) on the wonderful Time Travel Radio show.
It seems that he and Chet Stover created and produced the original Underdog, Tennessee Tuxedo and other Total Television cartoons as clandestine moonlighting projects when they worked at a major New York ad agency, having meetings in their cars, sending a British front man to present the storyboards and making millions, especially for Underdog, which has become a pop culture icon and a beloved Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade balloon. The DVD does include a short documentary segment that acknowledges the original series creators (you have to click on a “dig deeper” icon to see it).
The why behind that what
This 2007 film adaptation might have fallen under the “what were they thinking?” category, had it not been for the undeniable success of recent big-screen versions of small screen cartoons and sitcoms. As these sort of films go, this twist on the early 60’s limited animation series is passable for a Saturday matinee potboiler in the Disney mold of The Monkey’s Uncle and The Ugly Dachshund.
The film strangely tries to take itself too seriously at times but also wants to be a campy comedy and teeters between both with a few too many gags about various gasses and sniffs for some parents’ comfort. I must say, though, that I did enjoy the Lady and the Tramp-like sequence at Tony’s Restaurant, meatball and all.
Is that who I think it is?
Take a look at the cast list and you might be surprised: hey everybody, it’s Enchanted’s Princess Giselle – the wondrous Amy Adams – doing the voice of Sweet Polly Purebred! You can even see her at the microphone in the bloopers section For fans of the very grown-up AMC series Mad Men will spot John Slattery is the mayor. And Daily Show viewers will smile to see Samantha Bee.
Not the easiest thing to pull off
I only wish the filmmakers had made a bit more of an effort to reference the series. Perhaps they tried and couldn’t make it work; as a creative person in a large organization, I’m no stranger to how a project can succumb to well-intentioned meddling. It can be tricky to keep fans of the original happy while breaking in a new audience.
The other challenge this film faced was that the cartoon show is no longer widely played on broadcast TV, so it’s not likely that kids were clamoring to see this as much as they would be to see, say, a live action Spongebob feature. When the first Flintstone feature made such a hit in theaters, Cartoon Network was still running the original show.
The special features include deleted scenes hosted by director (and former animator) Frederik Du Chau, some bloopers (real ones, not the faux bloopers in the final credits), a rap video with the appealing Kyle Massey, of the Disney Channel comedy “Cory in the House,” performing the theme song which also plays over the end credits (it would have been nice to hear the original theme too, which occurred in the first Spiderman film).
Posted By: Greg, Date of Post: Dec 26 2007
DVD Review: Disney's DUCKTALES, Volume 3
Because Disney TV animation is not as consistent in quality as most Disney features, the entire genre tends to get passed over in its significance in the overall histories of Disney, animation and television in general. This may change as generations who grew up on series like “DUCKTALES” and offer deeper analysis and background.
For the moment, it’s a fair statement that DuckTales is by far one of the most influential animated TV series for a number of reasons: its success in daily syndication, its overall level of quality, its outstanding voice cast and most of all, its role in the bringing Carl Barks’ Uncle Scrooge McDuck character to a larger audience, sometimes in stories based on actual classic comics (including “The Status Seekers” episode in this set). For a closer look at the story of Uncle Scrooge, read the incomparable Wade Sampson's chronicle here.
Superb talent behind the scenes
Jymn Magon, whom we discuss at length in Mouse Tracks about his major creative role in Disneyland Records’ second golden age, was instrumental in developing and sustaining much of the high quality in the scriptwriting, along with many other outstanding writing talents.
As for the voices, how could you go wrong with skilled veterans like June Foray (doing a "Natasha"-like Magica DeSpell), Avery Schreiber, Russi Taylor, Joan Gerber, Clive Revill, Frank Welker, Don Messick, Alan Oppenheimer, Chuck McCann, Peter Cullen, Maurice LaMarche, Arte Johnson, Tony Anselmo, Dick Gautier, Tress Macneille, Hamilton Camp and Kathleen Freeman?
Several cast members are even good friends of Mouse Tracks, whom we profiled, including Alan Young (who made the Scrooge character his own and continues performing the voice today), Hal Smith, Linda Gary, Corey Burton, Peter Renaday and Will Ryan.
Volume 3 of a total of four DVD sets?
This volume comprises the third in third quarter of every episode produced, and includes two multi-part shows that made up two TV special, “Super DuckTales” and Gizmo Duck” the latter earning something of a fan following and seems very much to be a proposed series that may have evolved into Darkwing Duck. There was also a DuckTales feature film, Treasure of the Lost Lamp, which is only available on DVD currently through the Disney Movie Club.
Several episodes parody classic movies, like Sunset Boulevard, or nod to other iconic animation (i.e. Jetsons-like gimmicks in “Duck to the Future”).
Of course, I do like my audio commentaries, and wish there were one or two of them on this set, but it seems not to be the procedure on TV DVD Disney sets of this kind. Oh well.
Posted By: Greg, Date of Post: Dec 26 2007
DVD Review: RETURN TO NEVERLAND Pixie-Powered Edition
The Disney series of sequels and prequels based on classic animated features started with the direct-to-video hit The Return of Jafar and took a path of high sales and mixed feelings from fans and critics. The arguments for against the existence of these films is well represented throughout the web.
Focusing on the films
Now that new thinking at Disney has discontinued plans for other releases in this genre (with a few exceptions like Pooh and Fairies), it’s kind of a moot point. All we have to look at now are the films, how they stand, judged individually on their own merits.
They may not rank alongside the cream of the Disney canon, but they do represent a large amount of very competent, earnest talent throughout the world that created them—talent that in most cases had a sense of affection for the originals.
Returning to Return to Neverland
Taking a second look at Return to Neverland, now reissued to give a nudge to the long-delayed Fairies series, is one of the better sequels, because it does more than simply repeat the same story with the offspring of the main character. In this version, a disbelieving child named Jane (who is referenced in the Barrie play) is kidnapped by Hook (an excellent vocal performance by Corey Burton in the style of Hans Conried).
The key story element that sets this sequel a few notches above is the World War II blitz setting, a keen parallel for Neverland and the real world (as well as the real world of more recent times). Jane’s disilluionment is plausible and her turn of character is handled deftly.
My Blair Lady
The animation is fine, with some of the uneven quality of the limited budget, but visually very faithful to the 1953 film, especially in its depiction of Neverland somewhere out in another dimension in space. The end titles, suggesting the great Mary Blair storybook look, are especially nice.
The most dated aspect of the DVD, for those who know these things, is the seemingly jovial presence of departed DisneyToon Studios matriarch Sharon Morrill, who helps introduce deleted scenes. The new DVD offers new materials, but my kids asked to keep the old DVD because it has a game this new one does not.
Posted By: Greg, Date of Post: Dec 21 2007
DVD Review: HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 2 Extended Edition
What a great angle for the DVD release: film a song sequence that edits cleanly out of the broadcast premiere, then put it back to create an "extended edition." It certainly did not hurt the success of the Disney Channel premiere of High School Musical 2 that it did not include the song "Humuhumunukunukua'pua'a," and it made the DVD premiere all the more exciting for the millions of fans who have made this one of the biggest pop culture icons of our era. Annette, we salute you!
The song, by the way, is surely an affectionate nod in a way to Annette Funicello, whose top 10 hit, "Pineapple Princess" is referenced in the lyrics. The whole infectious silliness is very much in the fun style of the early Disney pop tunes. And the movie is very much in the spirit of the bubbly 60's Beach Party movies that starred Annette and Frankie Avalon, though High School Musical 2 has more budget and less innuendo. One could even draw a direct parallel between the poolside finale and Annette's poolside number in the film, Pajama Party. 'Way better than it might have been
To its credit, the High School Musical sequel is true to its original style and does not give into what was surely a temptation to cash in on the success with endless cross promotion ("Hey everybody! Look who's just dropped in! It's TV's Regis Philbin!") There are very subtle cameos by Miley Cyrus and the Jonas Brothers strictly for eagle-eyed fans and that's about it. The bloopers are especially ingratiating, showing the cast off to its most endearing advantage. It looks like everyone's having a ball making the movie, though it's also very hard work as other special features prove (i.e. Zac Efron taken through take after take on his "Bet on It" number. No tween home will likely be without one of these DVDs. Say what you want about this franchise, it's perhaps the clearest parallel from Disney's Mickey Mouse Club days to today, utilizing a talented stock company of young talent and giving them fun, frothy entertainment to shine in.
Posted By: Greg, Date of Post: Dec 20 2007
DVD Review: Disney's PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: AT WORLD'S END
The third (and probably not the last) in the blockbuster Disney franchise is just as thrill-packed, explosive and robust as the first two. This time, the heroes and villains chase and double-cross each other all the way to the ends of the earth (where a waterfall provides one of many nods to the classic Theme Park attraction; look for the redhead and the dog with the keys too).
But what's it all about?
The plot doesn't really matter, as long as we can follow the dangerous yet lighthearted romping with our pals Jack Sparrow, Elizabeth Swann, Will Turner and Captain Barbossa (BTW, I recently met the Theme Park version of Barbossa and couldn't resist asking him how his partner was doing -- you know, Hanna-Barbossa? He actually giggled briefly.)
Johnny Depp continues to saunter off with every scene, and provides the standout highlight moments when Jack faces duplicate images of himself two time in the picture (hey, if it worked for Hayley Mills in The Parent Trap, why not here? Depp actually shades each of his dopplegangers with different atttiudes, too.
Fresh as a daisy no matter what
But above all the spectacular special effects in what amounts to a collection of episodic set pieces, of all the astonishing CGI work, far outshining everything else in the entire movie is the perpetually dewy-fresh makeup on the lovely Keira Knightly. They may throw thousands of slimy crabs at her, expose her to freezing temperatures that break other's fingers off, douse her with dirty sea water and set her swashbuckling like the best of them in battle after battle, no matter -- she looks salon sensational. Even her hair is matted in an alluring, stylish manner. As Tom Bosley used to say, "THAT'S Hollywood!"
Extras and stuff
The DVD does NOT have a commentary that runs through the whole movie, but does offer director Gore Verbinski narrating the deleted scenes. There is, however so much background material on the two discs that every aspect of the production is nicely covered, including "The Tale of Many Jacks!"
Posted By: Greg, Date of Post: Dec 17 2007
DVD Review: THE SANTA CLAUSE 3: THE ESCAPE CLAUSE
There have been several holiday movies in recent years that attempt to straddle the line between family-friendly and straight comedy. Movies like Elf, entertaining as they are, are so much a product of current comedy styles that one wonders how they will endure alongside true Christmas cinema classics. Only time will tell, and maybe it doesn't matter as long as we're entertained...
Posted By: Greg, Date of Post: Dec 10 2007
DVD Review: MR. BEAN'S HOLIDAY
Our family approached Mr. Bean's Holiday with little or no Bean foreknowledge, I must admit. I know Rowan Atkinson from the Black Adder series, as well as his bid for immortality as the voice of Zazu in Disney's The Lion King. Bean shows had been recommended to me for years, as I love vintage comedy and British comedy. Having seen this film, now I don't know why I waited so long...
Posted By: Greg, Date of Post: Nov 29 2007
DVD Review: DISNEY'S TALESPIN, VOLUME 2
This second volume, three-disc set presents episodes 24-54 from the
total 65 produced in 1990-91 for the syndicated animated series, part
of the "Disney Afternoon" package offered to local stations...
Posted By: Greg, Date of Post: Nov 23 2007
DVD Review: RATATOUILLE
There's not much more critical acclaim I can add to the almost unanimous praise heaped upon Disney•Pixar's Ratatouille, so in reviewing the DVD, perhaps I can find a few things that may not have been mentioned as often...
Posted By: Greg, Date of Post: Nov 13 2007
DVD Review: PIXAR SHORT FILMS COLLECTION, VOL. 1
There are two bounteous DVD buffets on sale at the same time: Ratatouille
and this superb DVD assemblage of Pixar shorts that literally takes you
through its history and astonishing progress from 1984's "The Adventures of Andre and Wally B.,"
produced when the small group was basically an experimental arm of
Lucasfilm Ltd. to 2007's "Lifted," released in theaters with Ratatouille...
Posted By: Greg, Date of Post: Nov 13 2007
DVD Review: MEET THE ROBINSONS
Meet the Robinsons is
a CG-animated Walt Disney Pictures feature that was sort of lost in the
shuffle of a very, very crowded movie year, so I'm hoping it gets
discovered on DVD. It's well worth discovering...
Posted By: Greg, Date of Post: Oct 17 2007
Movie Review: THE GAME PLAN
After the Disney Channel had my kids all excited about seeing The Game Plan -- with multiple appearances by Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson on numerous DC shows, we finally got to see it -- and to paraphrase Sally Field, we liked it, we really liked it.
Posted By: Greg and Tim, Date of Post: Oct 09 2007
DVD Review: THE JUNGLE BOOK 40th Anniversary Platinum Edition
Mary Poppins is considered by many to be Walt Disney's crowning achievement, combining almost everything he had developed in one movie, and rightly so. But after watching this new double-disc DVD release of The Jungle Book, I think a case could be made that it also is the culmination of almost everything Walt and his studio developed in the field of animation...
Posted By: Greg, Date of Post: Oct 01 2007
Book Review: DISNEY'S LOST CHORDS
If you have not yet considered getting your copy of DISNEY 'S LOST CHORDS, please keep in mind that it is a very limited edition...
Posted By: Greg, Date of Post: Aug 05 2007
CD Review: MEET THE ROBINSONS Soundtrack
It's refreshing that a contemporary animated soundtrack not fall back
on existing pop tunes to elicit "easy" emotional reactions from the
theater audiences, but rather create new songs by popular artists. The Meet the Robinsons CD not only features new songs, but from the copyright notices on the liner notes, they're all new Disney songs...
Posted By: Greg, Date of Post: Mar 21 2007
CD Review: Corbin's Bleu's Successful Follow-Up To HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL
The sucess of the Disney Channel stars, programs and tie-in products is
nothing short of phenomenal. The latest is Jump In!, a drama with songs
(rather than a sing-out-loud musical) in which a young athlete would
rather compete in extreme jump championships than fulfill his father’s
boxing ring dreams...
Posted By: Greg, Date of Post: Feb 05 2007
iTunes Music Review: The First Mouseketeer Album EXCLUSIVELY on iTunes
The first track on this album is also the first song release in the remarkable career of Annette Funicello. “How Will I Know My Love?" was first sung on a episode of her Annette serial, the Disney Studio received requests from fans wanting a record, and the disc sold 100,000 records right out of the gate...
Posted By: Greg and Tim, Date of Post: Jan 29 2007
CD Review: TRUMPETER'S PRAYER - A Treat for Disney Record Fans
It was delightful to discover that one of Camarata’s most acclaimed compositions is the title of an outstanding big band disc by musician/bandleader Louise Baranger, who counts Tutti as one of her mentors. Adding to the Disney connection is Baranger’s experience as a member of the Disneyland Big Band...
Posted By: Greg, Date of Post: Jan 23 2007
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