Amazon.com

One of the first gems of the cable TV age, Faerie Tale Theatre brings 26 classic tales to life. Produced over a five-year span (1982-87) for Showtime, FTT brought together creative dramatics and whimsical writing with some of the top talents of the day. Executive producer/host Shelley Duvall (who was coming off her breakout role in The Shining) shepherds this mix of theatrical simplicity and grand storytelling for these oft-told tales ("Goldilocks and the Three Bears," "Little Red Riding Hood," "Hansel and Gretel," "Sleeping Beauty," and the like) for kids and their parents. Since they are not elaborately produced, FTT may be a hard sell for some smaller members of the family at first, but most should be hooked, even older kids who may pooh-pooh fairy tales. There's always a slight twist that makes these productions fresh.

The cast is amazing, especially when you think how lightly cable television was thought of in the '80s: Jeff Bridges, Bud Cort, Liza Minnelli, James Coburn, Susan Sarandon, Christopher Reeve, Klaus Kinski, Billy Crystal, Matthew Broderick, Gregory Hines, Eric Idle, Robin Williams, and Mick Jagger are some of the talented--and varied--actors appearing. Crystal's take on the smart "Little Pig" (with Jeff Goldblum as the wolf) and Williams's "Frog Prince" are two comic gems. Malcolm McDowell, right in the middle of his career high-point of playing baddies, brings flair to the Big Bad Wolf, while his then-real-life wife Mary Steenburgen beautifully counterpoints as Red Riding Hood. The casting of Vincent Price and Vanessa Redgrave in "Snow White" is inspired. Also impressive are the directors Duvall pooled: Tim Burton ("Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp"), Francis Ford Coppola ("Rip Van Winkle") Peter Medak (three episodes), Nicholas Meyer ("Pied Piper"), and Roger Vadim ("Beauty and the Beast"). You can go on for days about these wonderful tales, most totaling around the 45-minute mark, but it's better just to get the set and start wherever you'd like; you will get to the end sooner than you think. --Doug Thomas ... Read more

Reviews (21)

The Sweet Invention of a Child's Dream
I have been watching Shelley Duvall's Faerie Tale Theatre since I was very young, and now am delighted that all her wonderful plays (although I have to admit the Three Little Pigs is definetely her best) is finally on DVD in a full collection.These classic stories are pleasant to watch for any age, and my mom has never hesitated to show them to her second graders, but she also took pleasure in them herself.I recommend this set for any lover of fairy tales, or dreamer of dreams, I promise you won't be dissapointed.

It's funny how I can still get excited over these!
My friends never know what I'm talking about when I tell them about these movies.I bought them on VHS, but as we all know VHS goes bad eventually.When a friend of mine told me they were selling them on DVD, it literally made my day; so much so that I ordered them just a bit ago.I used to watch these so much when I was little (I'm 26 now) that the tapes we recorded off of Showtime went bad.I'll love having them on DVD and can have my kids watch them as well -- well, when I have kids, anyway.:)

The most spectacular set in the world
In all the years of my life i have never experianced such enchantment this set is a remarkable piece of history

This is so exciting!!!
I am so excited that this is finally on dvd because I keep telling my boyfriend about these stories and he has never heard of them.When I was a little girl (now 21), every saturday my mom would take me to the video store and the clerk would only let me take out 5 at a time and I would just keep renting them over and over again.I was gonna buy them on tape a couple months ago but they were overpriced and I was waiting for them to come out in a special dvd series!!!It's so exciting to finally have them and when I told my boyfriend he was happy to finally be able to understand what I was talking about.

I've waited years for this!
My boyfriend (who works in Telivision) had never heard of this series.I was telling him about it the other nite and expressed how much I would love to find the set on DVD!!!I finally have and now he can expierence these clasic tales with a twist we all love!!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Chuck Jones and other great studio animators sneered at the cheap look and lazy craftsmanship of Hanna Barbera's television cartoons in the 1960s, but there's no question HB's original, 35-year-old Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! is enduringly beloved. The Complete First and Second Seasons includes all 25 stories first broadcast from September '69 to October '71, a growth period in which canine hero Scooby's voice (by Don Messick, who also voiced The Jetsons's pup, Astro) was gradually refined from murky garble to Scoob's more familiar, "Rrroowwrr"-inflected, human-like speech.This set also represents the pre-frills Scooby-Doo: no guest appearances by Don Knotts or Batman, no Scrappy-Doo--just adventure and occasional bubblegum pop tunes by Danny Janssen and sundry co-writers (e.g., "Pretty Mary Sunlite" in the episode "Don't Fool with a Phantom").

Watching all the shows back-to-back reveals evolving complexity in the scripts. Over time, Scooby-Doo's creators added multiple bad guys in cahoots with major villains, and developed sub-plots, backstories, and even appealing allies and friends of Mystery, Inc., a traveling band of young debunkers of supernatural phenomena. Riding around in their psychedelic Mystery Van, preppie leader Fred and his friends--haughty Daphne, brainy Velma, quasi-hippie Shaggy, and Shaggy's best pal, Scooby, an excitable Great Dane--chase down and are chased by alleged ghouls who generally turn out to be venal humans running various scams.

Included here is Scooby-Doo's premiere, "What a Night for a Knight," in which the gang looks into the disappearance of a noted archaeologist and end up in a "haunted" museum. The fun "Go Away Ghost Ship" finds our heroes helping a shipping company daunted by the apparent ghost of pirate Red Beard, while the silly classic "A Tiki Scare Is No Fair" concerns a Hawaiian vacation for Mystery, Inc. disrupted by a witch doctor. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (35)

FINALLY! AFTER ALL THIS TIME!
An excellent first 2 seasons. Twenty-five episodes in all. They are as follows...
SEASON 1
1. WHAT A NIGHT FOR A KNIGHT
2. A CLUE FOR SCOOBY DOO
3. HASSLE IN THE CASTLE
4. MINE YOUR OWN BUSINESS
5. DECOY FOR A DOGNAPPER
6. WHAT THE HEX IS GOING ON?
7. NEVER APE AND APE MAN
8. FOUL PLAY IN FUNLAND
9. THE BACKSTAGE RAGE
10. BEDLAM IN THE BIG TOP
11. A GAGGLE OF GALLOPING GHOSTS
12. SCOOBY-DOO AND A MUMMY TOO!
13. WHICH WITCH IS WHICH?
14. GO AWAY GHOST SHIP
15. SPOOKY SPACE KOOK
16. A NIGHT OF FRIGHT IS NO DELIGHT
17. THAT'S SNOW GHOST
SEASON 2
18. NOWHERE TO HYDE
19. MYSTERY MASK MIX-UP
20. JEEPERS IT'S THE CREEPER
21. SCOOBY'S NIGHT WITH A FROZEN FRIGHT
22. THE HAUNTED HOUSE HANG-UP
23. A TIKI SCARE IS NO FAIR
24. WHO'S AFRAID OF THE BIG BAD WEREWOLF

Scooby Doo Where Are You?
Great!!!! Scooby Doo Where Are You The Complete 1st and 2nd seasons is one of the best movies I have ever seen. I really like the original Scooby Doo Where Are You cartoons. So I guess this 4-disc DVD pack is perfect for me.

Here are what all of the episodes are:

1. What A Night For A Knight
2. Hassle In The Castle
3. A Clue For Scooby Doo
4. Mine Your Own Business
5. Decoy For A Dognapper
6. What The Hex Going On
7. Never Ape An Ape Man
8. Foul Play In Funland
9. Backstage Rage
10. Bedlam In The Bigtop
11. A Gaggle Of Galloping Ghosts
12. Scooby Doo And A Mummy Too
13. Which Witch Is Which
14. Spooky Space Kook
15. Go Away Ghost Ship
16. A Night Of Fright Is No Delight
17. That's Snow Ghost
18. No Where To Hide
19. Mystery Mask Mix up
20. Jeepers It's The Creeper
21. Scooby's Night With A Frozen Fright
22. The Haunted House Hang Up
23. A Tiki Scare Is No Fair
24. Who's Afraid Of The Big Bad Werewolf
25. Don't Fool With A Phantom

If you like the original Scooby Doo cartoons, this is the perfect video for you too!!!!

wow, excellent
I grew up watching the old scooby doo cartoons, and well I could not have asked for a more satisfying set of them. None of the cheezy spin offs that in my opinion ruined the series. No scrappy doo, no guest apperances by people that I dont care to see on TV so why would I want to see them in cartoon form.

Just simply great, a classic that will always stay in my collection!

perfect!
perfect set for any fan of the cartoon. Arguably the best of scooby doo. Please release "The Scooby Doo Show" next!

Oh boy what a joke....
You would think that this DVD bxed set would contain some interviews with the cartoon and animation staff that worked on these films. But No. Cmon, Warners, show us some of the animators who worked on these. They deserve to be interviewed also. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The Chronicles of Narnia, a seven-volume, Bible-based children's fantasyseries written in the 1950s by British theologian C.S. Lewis, draws youngreaders into the magical, dangerous land of Narnia and plunges them into theage-old battle of good and evil. Lewis envisioned these stories as picturesbefore he wrote them, so it seems only proper that the books would eventuallymake it to the small screen. In the late 1980s and early '90s, three adventuresin this series--The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (169 minutes),Prince Caspian and the Voyage of the Dawn Treader (168 minutes), andThe Silver Chair (168 minutes)--were faithfully adapted into a TV seriesby the BBC and Home Vision Entertainment, then edited to feature-lengthproductions. All three of these discs (nine hours of viewing!) are included inthis boxed set of DVDs, along with interactive trivia games and more.

Youngsters expecting special effects like those found in The Lord of theRings or Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone may miss the subtlercharms of these sweet but rather homespun productions, with humans dressed aswoodland creatures and patched-in animation. And kids expecting fast-pacedaction adventures may snooze after a few hours of these relatively slow-movingscripts. But those who want a refresher course in all things Narnia will bethrilled to see these well-loved fantasies come to life in gorgeous snowylandscapes--the good lion Aslan (played by a large, talking stuffed animal), thehorrible White Witch (performed with deliciously over-the-top zeal by actressBarbara Kellerman), the four siblings, fauns, dwarves, deadly sea monsters, andall. --Karin Snelson ... Read more

Reviews (30)

Best TV adaptation yet!
Well, the DVD set box arrived and it made my weekend! 20 years after reading the books, I am currently rereading them again, and following them up by watching the DVDs. I enjoyed the DVDs and so did my two sons aged 4 & 2. Well done to BBC for trying to faithfully adapt the books, even with the limited budget. Yes, the special effects are not always special, but pretty good for a television production back in the late 80s/early 90s. The animatronics of Aslan is convincing, especially his size. I hope this DVD production prompts the filmmakers who are planning to make a movie of the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe to produce something great. One surprise with the DVD set; having ordered it from North America, I thought I would not be able to play the DVDs on my Japanese (Region 2) DVD player, but, 'by Jove' it did! So maybe it is a 'Region Free' DVD. One disappointment: Maybe it was my DVD player/amp but the mono sound did not play very well on my system, with the dialogue often hard to hear. But the biggest disappointment maybe that not all 7 books were visualized by the BBC. Maybe one day! Also very good packaging, menus, special features, and liner notes!

Great for hard-core Narnia fans and not much of anyone else.
These movies obviously suffered from an unrealistically low budget. Additionally, in my opinion they tended to follow the books far too closely, which made them very slow-paced. The exception is Prince Caspian, where the pace is no quicker, but they cut out more than two thirds of the material and combined it with The Voyage of the Dawn Treader in a single movie.

These movies are also very sanitized. In Prince Caspian it seems that this was intentional, as the battle scenes lack any realism, and the subplot with the tree spirits, Bacchus, etc., has been completely removed. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, is sanitized basically due to budget constraints, because it's impossible to feel any fear at the death of Aslan when half the evil creatures around him are hand-painted cartoons.

Of the three movies, I think that only The Silver Chair is much good, and that is mostly because Tom Baker as Puddleglum steals the show. He is funny, deep, and powerful, all at the same time--it's comparable in many ways to Johnny Depp's performance in Pirates of the Carribean. Camilla Power as Jill also makes it a better movie, since she was the only child actor in the series who could actually act; and Richard Henders as Prince Rillian gives an outstanding performance as well.

The Silver Chair is perhaps further helped by the fact that we only have to endure about fifteen or twenty minutes of humans in animal costumes, while they are present throughout the other two movies. Such costumes work great in a well-done stage performance, but look absolutely silly on screen.

All hard-core Narnia fans should own these movies. Unfortunately, it's not because they're especially good, but rather because they're a piece of Narnia.

book and movies
I heard about the books but haven't tried them yet. But the movies are awsome! The first one is the best along with the second movie. My rating is the top 5 I love the movies if i had the money I would buy a set for my whole family! Like my aunt my uncle so on so on. Buy this you wont be sorry!

Wonderful Surprise
We stumbled onto this during a visit to a local B&M. My wife and daughter had read the books but I knew nothing of this material but was familiar with some of his other works. If you are expecting a special effects treat, this is not for you. If you are familiar with Dr Who, that is more of what you are getting. (Tom even appears in one of the series) The stories are wonderful for all ages. My children ages 7 and 12 often choose to watch them over Nemo, Spy Kids, etc which pleases me greatly. The quality could be better but is acceptable and when you consider the limited production budget they did quite well. For a Christian with children, this is a must have. Better to get this faithful reproduction of the author's work now because Disney has bought the rights to the books and will be releasing something around Christmas 2005. I hope they can stay true to the story line and not deviate too much but I am not holding my breath on that one.

Time for a remake
I watched this on PBS as a kid and was disappointed. Aslan looked totally fake. His mouth didn't even move when he talked. I'd like to see all the Chronicles of Narnia be made into movies now that we have the technology to do it. There could be a CGI Aslan that would actually look alive. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Now here's something you don't see everyday, Chauncey. It's the complete first season of one of television'ssmartest, savviest, and most subversively funny animated series, ranked by TV Guide as one of the top 50 series of all time. Like the animators at Warner Bros.' Termite Terrace (birthplace of Porky, Daffy, and Bugs), producer Jay Ward, his partner Bill Scott (the voice of Bullwinkle), and the cracked writing staff did not write down to children. The dialogue is witty and sharply satiric. Characters break the "fourth wall" between the screen and the audience. They make sly references to the show's creators and the television network. They hurl barbs of mass destruction at Washington, D.C. politicians. And then there are the godawful puns. This four-discset contains the series' first two serial adventures. "Jet Fuel Formula" is a cold war-era blast, as Rocky (voiced by June Foray, the Queen of Cartoons) and Bullwinkle frantically race to re-create a rocket fuel recipe (actually Grandma Bullwinkle's recipe for mooseberry fudge cake), while being menaced by those no-goodniks Boris Badenov and femme fatale Natasha. "Box Top Robbery" reveals that the basis for the world's economy is not gold and silver, but cereal box tops.

Linking these cliffhanging episodes are such hilarious segments as "Fractured Fairy Tales," which upend familiar storybook favorites (Red Riding Hood, for example, is a predatory fur merchant after the unwitting wolf), "Mr. Peabody," the canine genius who travels through time in the company of his boy, Sherman, and forthright Dudley Do-Right of the Mounties, who must contend with his own horse for the affections of sweet Nell. Bullwinkle gets extra credits as Mr. Know-It-All and as the host of Poetry Corner. And watch him pull a rabbit out of his hat! These cartoons are as fresh and funny as when they first aired more than four decades ago. Boomer-era adults will be amazed at the jokes that no doubt soared over their heads as children. --Donald Liebenson ... Read more

Reviews (68)

Rocky & Bullwinkle Intact & Beautifully Resotred on DVD ! !
At last! Rocky & Bullwinkle get the restoration treatment they deserve. I grew up with these guys. Loved them then, and now that I understand all the jokes, love 'em even more.

This is a collectors and R&B fans dream come true. All 5 seasons are planned for release and this is the first. Four discs, 26 shows, that include the entire 40 episodes of "Jet Fuel Formula" and 12 episodes of "Box Top Robbery".

You also get 20 Fractured Fairy Tales; 21 Mr. Peabody's; 6 Aesop and Son's and 5 Dudley Do-Right's.

The video and sound from these shows is the best you've seen or heard yet. Bill Conrads naration was so clean I thought, at first, it was someone else!

Extras include "Dear Bullwinkle" (footage of the Bullwinkle puppet originally planned as bumpers for the show); "Classic Commercials and Promo's" (used to promote the show); "Rocky & Bullwinkle Savings Stamp Club" (a rare episode to promote U.S. Savings Bonds); "The Many Faces of Boris Badenov" (a montage of Boris disguises) and a "Sneak Peak" at the release of "Complete Season 2" (two R&B episodes with the Metal Munching Mice).

My only concern (a minor one I suppose) is the comment made in the intro by Jay Ward's daughter, Tiffany Ward (in the enclosed 16 page booklet). She says, "We've brought all the episodes together under one name, using the rare second-season opening (Dad's favorite), beautifully restored the original prints, and replaced the music as Dad later requested with themes he specifically produced for the first two seasons."

I take that to mean that most of these shows do not use the original openings and music. If that's true, I would have preferred them "as shown on TV", but I've been waiting for this so long I will overlook that. Especially since the quality is so good.

This is a MUST for your DVD library.

Punny From the Start
I didn't really discover Rocky and Bullwinkle until I was in college. When I did, I spent every afternoon for a week watching the tape releases and laughing all the way through. I later bought the tapes and love re-watching them whenever I need a laugh. Naturally, I jumped on this set as soon as I could.

Presented here are all 26 episodes of the first season. It contains two stories for our heroes Rocky and Bullwinkle, Jet Fuel Formula and Box Top Robbery. The first, running 40 segments, seems a bit long to me at times. Almost like they were looking for ways to extend the story. But for the most part, it flows along just fine. Box Top Robbery is a short, sweet, and funny 12 "episodes." Probably one of my favorite parts of the show is the titles presented at each cliffhanger. I've always been a sucker for a bad pun.

Also in each large episode are two other segments, either "Fractured Fairy Tales," "Aesop and Son," "Dudley Do-Right," or "Peabody's Improbable History," as well as the brief "Bullwinkle's Corner" or "Mr. Know-it-All." Part of what makes this show great is the humor directed at adults, and these are some of the best examples. Frankly, I can't image trying to watch this show as a kid because so much of the humor would have gone right over my head then.

The DVDs themselves are a treat. The picture shows its age, but I found it a little charming and made it feel like I was watching the old show I am. And it's better then my video collection. The sound is clear and well presented in simple Dolby, befitting the age of the show.

The final disc includes extras. The two segments from season 2 are certainly appetite wetters. The clips of Boris and Natasha in their various outfits are ok, but certainly not worth watching more then once. However, the other three are fun. "Dear Bullwinkle" features a Bullwinkle puppet answering "letters" sent in by fans of the series. Think Mr. Know-It-All as an advice columnist. They include several promos for the show from its initial airing. And an extended promo for savings stamps features Rocky, Bullwinkle, Boris, Natasha, and Sherman and Peabody.

I don't know enough to know if the title segments have been changed or not. My only complaint is that the "Mr. Know-It-All" and "Bullwinkle's Corner" segments aren't listed in the booklet that comes with the set. They are listed on the chapter selection for each disc, however. Overall, this is a minor complaint. Fans of the show will love having this disc to relive the classic show.

Hello Fearless Leader! Moose and squirrel are on DVD!
This boxed set is amazing. Even though I am not of the baby boom generation that originally grew up with the series, I was alive when "The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle & Friends" resurfaced on Nickelodeon in the early 1990s. I was a fan from the first episode I saw. The dialogue in these cartoons is some of the best dialogue ever written; It's intelligent, and you still laugh. I bought the first season as soon as it was released on DVD. It's worth the investment if you are a lover of the show. I can't wait for season 2!

ROCKY AND BULLWINKLE ROCK!
I was about 7 or 8 when "Rocky and Bullwinkle" ended its original run, and hadn't thought about it for maybe 35 years. Then I saw it on the monitor at my video store and said "Rocky and Bullwinkle? Whatever happened to those guys?" Finally, I got to know a special friend- a musician who's also my new "culture minister". Once we determined that most of today's fare is too strong for my highly sensitive brain, he said "Know what my real favorite TV show is? 'Rocky and Bullwinkle'. You'll love it!" So I rented this collection- and soon I'll buy it. Boy, was he ever right! This stuff KILLS me! How on earth did I ever go without the moose and squirrel? And Boris Badenov? And Mr. Peabody? And Dudley Do-Right? "Rocky and Bullwinkle" was the "Simpsons" of the '60s- only better, wittier, and a lot smarter because we weren't so jaded then. Jay Ward is now one of my all-time heroes, and the voices can't be beat. Those cheesy Mexican drawings are also part of the charm. I'm not one to quibble about things like revised theme songs and watermarks- though I hope they restore the brassy opening theme for Season 2. My mom thinks it's "inappropriate" for me to tell people I love this stuff, but what does she know? I think it's the funniest thing on earth and those pun-filled one-liners are a true lost art. So you can have your "hard PG-rated", "hard R-rated", and "NC-17-rated" material, thank you very much. Give me the joyous, jape-
filled,jokey, jivey, "J-rated" Jay Ward brand of humor any day of the week! And forget Dylan, Prince, the Coens and Franken (Keillor's OK)- all hail the greatest Minnesotans of them all: Rocket J. Squirrel and Bullwinkle J. Moose, the pride of Frostbite Falls!

SONY BITES ROCKY & BULLWINKLE ARE 5 STAR
I LOVE THE SHOW ROCKY & BULLWINKLE BUT I WISH SOMEONE ELES WHOLD COPY THE SHOW. ... Read more

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Set your WABAC machine for 1960, and the further misadventures of Rocket J. Squirrel and Bullwinkle J. Moose, the most illustrious citizens of Frostbite Falls, MN (population: 48; and that's during the summer rush). This four-disc set contains seven full-length serials, several of which loom large in the Rocky & Bullwinkle canon, including "Upsidasium," "Metal Munching Mice," and "Greenpernt Oogle," with the rare, reclusive oogle bird (sorry, you'll have to wait until the release of season 3 for the Kirwood Derby).

Perhaps emboldened by what they were able to get away with in season 1, producer Jay Ward, writer and the voice of Bullwinkle Bill Scott, Queen of Cartoons June Foray, "and a host of others," gleefully further broke with television convention. Rocky & Bullwinkle was at once very silly (for the kids) and slyly satirical (for mom and dad). Characters broke the fourth wall ("Don't look at me," a villain insists at one point, "I'm not giving up the plot"). Corporate America (television executives in particular) was mocked. In "Metal Munching Mice," news that robotic rodents are devouring television antennae causes panic when it is realized that the public are unable to watch commercials. And then there are the subversively funny "Fractured Fairy Tales," in which Puss 'n Boots gets skinned, Red Riding Hood is devoured, and no one lives happily ever after, and the time-travel adventures of cultured canine Mr. Peabody and his boy Sherman, in which historical figures are revealed to be boobs. Just for laughs, there is the faux melodrama of forthright Mounty Dudley Do-Right, and the Bullwinkle segments, "Bullwinkle's Corner" and "Mr. Know It All." Still crazy after all these years, Rocky & Bullwinklerises like the anti-gravity Upsidasium above mere nostalgia. Like The Simpsons, this series rewards viewers who pay attention, and invites repeat viewings to catch all the jokes you missed. --Donald Liebenson ... Read more

Reviews (3)

How Many discs?
The covorart says 6 but the description says 4. I think it will be 4 though because what wood they need 6 discs for? I like the covorart alot better for this season. i cant wait until its out.

The 2nd of 6 Boxed Sets?
If the description above is correct (52 episodes) we'll be getting the storylines UPSIDAISIUM (36 segments) and METAL-MUNCHING MICE (16 segments).
At this rate, it will take 6 Boxed Sets to finish the series.
I'm hoping that at some point, they re-instate the closing credits theme with the names in lights and the explosions at the end. That's the best version of the Bullwinkle theme and it's absent from the Season 1 box.
Also, the artwork says 6 discs while the description says 4 double sided discs. Which is correct and which is a filthy liar?

Moose is on the Loose
This boxset contains the remainder of "The Rocky Show" episodes that aired on ABC from 1959-61. It became the Bullwinkle Show on NBC for the next three seasons. Don't expect the real broadcast version of the show being packaged as episodes. The Rocky and Bullwinkle adventures on the first boxset were in proper order. But the inbetween cartoons were from all over the five seasons of the show. Mr. Peabody and Fractured Fairy Tales were mingled with later cartoons: Dudley Do-Right and Aesop & Son. If this goes in order and they contain the remainder of the Rocky Show episodes, the adventures are:

Upsidasium
Metal-Munching Mice
Greenpernt Oogle
Rue Brittania
Buried Treasure
The Last Angry Moose
Wailing Whale

It will be nice to see clear copies of the Rocky and Bullwinkle commercials. Bullwinkle does an amazing song to sell "Trix" cereal.

It will be interesting to see how they work the Bullwinkle Show boxsets since they'll have only 21 Bullwinkle's Corners, 52 tandems (Mr. Peaboy/Dudley - Fractured/Aseops), and 85 R&B "episodes." Here's hoping there's just one more boxset so that we don't have to wait 2 years for the remaining episodes ... Read more

Reviews (21)

Beast Wars, better than G1
The DVD set of the first season of beast wars is INCREDIBLE,you will not be dissapointed. This may not be liked as well for strict G1 fans, because Optimus Prime and some of the other G1 Characters are not involved until season 2, with the exception of Starscream, which appears in "Posession". Instead of Prime and Megtaron, Beast Wars is a story years in the future, way past Optimus Prime's time. The Autobots, now Maximals, and the Decepticons, now Predacons have new leaders, Optimus Primal, a decendent of Optimus Prime, and Megatron, a decendent of the Original Megatron. BW is an incredible series and the characters, story and emotion IS MUCH better(in my opinion) than G1. Bob Forward and Larry Ditillo outdid themselves on writing these stories. Great Stuff! A+++++

Not bad at all....
My friend got me interested in Beast Wars in 1998, two years after it's
debut and I have loved it since. I don't care what anyone says about it
Beast Wars has to be the best Transformers series ever! If you still pefer
the original series you have to check out the episode Possetion! Now to
get to the main aspects of the DVD. There are 26 episodes on this DVD.
The special features include about ten minute interviews with the series two
main writers Larry DiTillio and Bob Forward. I highly recomend this to any
transformer fan!

success at last
the first season is more then i hope for.you cant get a better version then this.i must say you did good.i have been looking all over for this. i was going to ask wb if they had it on dvd.thanks rhino.

Best Transformer series...
Beast Wars!!
At first, with nostalgic prejudice for the original 80's American G1 series, I was POSITIVE that Beast Wars were second rate. It didn't help that I never caught the show's initial run in order or that i only occasionaly saw an espoisode now & then, so the plots/characters never seemed to make sense.

Only after watching the original G1 series on DVD I noticed the glaring difference in quality. I realized that the G1 series were just glorified toy commericals, but Beast wars had high quality writers, very good story lines, and highly interesting charcters/charcter interactions, Beast Wars was a real program. There was also the minor things that bugged me from the originals that were fixed with Beast Wars, like when they transformed they were relative to their size, NO changing size (small item to huge robot) to fit the show/toy line. There were many tie ins with the original series including a special guest apparence of three decepticons in diffent episodes.

The CGI animation was good for mid 90's, bright, clear colors with shimmering metallic surfaces show thru excellent on DVD (that's on only a stero TV, on HDTV it's heaven). A waste that the environment was bland & rather empty. The animals didn't appeal to me at first, but when u thought about it, it ended up fitting into the story better. Then there's none of those ANNOYING humans that wear only one set of clothes and have the transformers alway having to save them from terrible situations they make for themselves.

I was disappointed that there is no subtitles or language options. The menu interface is rather cumbersome to select things. Then for those that care, there are barely any extras like the faces behind the voices or staff caring on with blah blah blah...

I purchased this DVD set and anxiously anticipate the rest of the episodes of Beast Wars and Beast Machines!!!

Where it all begins...
Finally finally finally, someone listens to our begs and pleas to bring this great series to DVD. Rhino, I applaud you. Obviously this is the longest collection of all three seasons, and this is the root for the much more exciting and plot twisted second & third seasons.

Every episode is well crafted, wasn't bored with anyone of them. My favorite Cybertronian of course, is Optimus Primal. I just wish he would have used his power to its full potential like he did in "Gorilla Warfare". Which was one of my favorites episodes from the first season. If you loved Transformers from the past, then you gotta get this and see what their descendents have started. Get this right away!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Toy Story
There is greatness in film that can be discussed, dissected, and talked about late into the night. Then there is genius that is right in front of our faces--we smile at the spell it puts us into and are refreshed, and nary a word needs to be spoken. This kind of entertainment is what they used to call "movie magic," and there is loads of it in this irresistible computer animation feature. Just a picture of these bright toys on the cover of Toy Story looks intriguing, reawakening the kid in us. Filmmaker John Lasseter's shorts (namely Knickknack and Tin Toy, which can be found on the Pixar video Tiny Toy Stories) illustrate not only a technical brilliance but also a great sense of humor--one in which the pun is always intended. Lasseter thinks of himself as a storyteller first and an animator second, much like another film innovator, Walt Disney.

Lasseter's story is universal and magical: what do toys do when they're not played with? Cowboy Woody (voiced by Tom Hanks), Andy's favorite bedroom toy, tries to calm the other toys (some original, some classic) during a wrenching time of year--the birthday party, when newer toys may replace them. Sure enough, Space Ranger Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) is the new toy that takes over the throne. Buzz has a crucial flaw, though--he believes he's the real Buzz Lightyear, not a toy. Bright and cheerful, Toy Story is much more than a 90-minute commercial for the inevitable bonanza of Woody and Buzz toys. Lasseter further scores with perfect voice casting, including Don Rickles as Mr. Potato Head and Wallace Shawn as a meek dinosaur. The director-animator won a special Oscar for "the development and inspired application of techniques that have made possible the first feature-length computer-animated film." In other words, the movie is great. --Doug Thomas

Toy Story 2
John Lasseter and his gang of high-tech creators at Pixar create another entertainment for the ages. Like the few great movie sequels, Toy Story 2 comments on why the first one was so wonderful while finding a fresh angle worthy of a new film. The craze of toy collecting becomes the focus here, as we find out Woody (voiced by Tom Hanks) is not only a beloved toy to Andy but also a rare doll from a popular '60s children's show. When a greedy collector takes Woody, Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) launches a rescue mission with Andy's other toys. To say more would be a crime because this is one of the most creative and smile-inducing films since, well, the first Toy Story.

Although the toys look the same as in the 1994 feature, Pixar shows how much technology has advanced: the human characters look more human, backgrounds are superior, and two action sequences that book-end the film are dazzling. And it's a hoot for kids and adults. The film is packed with spoofs, easily accessible in-jokes, and inspired voice casting (with newcomer Joan Cusack especially a delight as Cowgirl Jessie). But as the Pixar canon of films illustrates, the filmmakers are storytellers first. Woody's heart-tugging predicament can easily be translated into the eternal debate of living a good life versus livingforever. Toy Story 2 also achieved something in the U.S. two other outstanding 1999 animated features (The Iron Giant, Princess Mononoke) could not: it became a huge box-office hit. --Doug Thomas ... Read more

Reviews (453)

Toy Story 2 Is Better Then the Original!
I had expected a dull child's cartoon with a meaningless plot and dull characters...wow was I ever wrong! Toy Story 2 is funny, exciting, dramatic, and very entertaining! This time around, Woody is stolen by a greedy toy collector...why? Because it turns out that Woody is a valuable doll from the 1950's when he had his own popular TV show! As Buzz and the rest of the toys frantically try to find a way to rescue Woody, our cow-boy hero meets other toys just like him---Jesse the cow-girl, the Prospector, and Woody's hillarious horse. And all this time Woody starts to wonder if maybe he's found his rightful home...or has he? The animation is tops, the plot is engrossing, and the movie is excellent! If you think an animated feauture is just a bunch of interesting graphics then you're wrong! This is a heart-warming and wonderful family film.

Toys
Toy Story (1995, 80 minutes, Dolby Digital Surround; Audio Commentary, Interviews) As 6-year-old Andy's favorite toy, Woody (Tom Hanks), a take-charge, pull-string cowboy, is confident in his role as room leader. But after Andy's birthday party, newcomer Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen), a flashy space ranger with laser action and pop-out wings, crash-lands into Woody's world.

Buzz instantly wins the admiration of Andy's other toys, igniting a rivalry that lands the duo inside the home of Sid - the toy-torturing boy next door. To escape Sid's evil plans, Woody and Buzz must work together and realize they've got the perfect friend...in each other!

Toy Story 2 (1999, 94 minutes, Dolby Digital 5.l Surround EX; Audio Commentary, Sep. Film Score Audio Track, Outakes) Andy goes to summer camp and the toys face a new crisis: Woody turns out to be a valuable collectible, and is kidnapped by an evil toy collector. It's now up to Buzz and the gang to find a way to save him.

Five stars for the movies, one star for Disney
Why must they stick to this archaic way of releasing their movies on video/DVD? I could understand discontinuing collector's or limited editions, but why discontinue entire movies? Well we all know the answer, I just hate to be jerked around like this. Disney is the largest movie company in the world but our enjoyment of their films is based around their idiotic release/discontinue schedule.
Well, with that unpleasantness out of the way, I must say Toy Story 2 is my favorite animated movie of all time and the Toy Story series is my favorite animated series (if you think about it, though, that's not saying a lot). Let's just do this in the order they came out.
Toy Story blew my mind, because the things they did in that movie (the first in particular) were so like me when I was a kid (at that age). Toy Story is sure enough my second favorite animated movie ever. It's funny, and colorful, and touching. I think all good kid's movies should have a sense of wonder, or delight, and it shouldn't be in either a cynical or naive way. They should show wonder in a way that can be found in the real world, which is a balance hard to find. The original Toy Story has all kinds of wonder and awe, both in positive and negative ways (some kids could be afraid of Sid but I bet they won't be able to stop looking at him). It's about finding your place in life, and what to do with what you've got. When Buzz happens upon a commercial for himself and then tries to fly through the window-well that is one of the most touching scenes in any movie I've seen. And the whole ending sequence is beautiful, from Buzz and Woody on the RC car going through traffic, or them being blasted from a rocket through the air. Not to mention it's filled with all kinds of toy-related jokes that any kid can relate to. I think it's safe to say it'll be looked back on like the very first full-length animated movie (it was Snow White, wasn't it?).
Toy Story 2 is nearly flawless. It has one of the craziest openings for a movie ever, and I love the way it can find a way to have characters with all kinds of motives. Al is driven by his greed, the Prospector is jaded but just wants to be loved, Jessie hasn't given up hope yet so is overjoyed when she can find a way to confirm her hopefulness. The movie uses the toys as a metaphor for growing up and moving on: or not. You can aspire for your dreams or you can realize you're happy with what you've got. Toy Story 2 is/was the last movie Disney made with Pixar before they got too smug and self-indulgent. They realized they had the power to stir emotions and awe (they also realized they could make a ton of money), but instead of giving us a sweet movie like Toy Story, we got the self-congragulatory Monsters Inc, with its obvious conflicted main character, and instead of a great secondary character like the Prospector, we got Boo. Finding Nemo was a step in the right direction, but in my opinion doesn't have the heart of the Toy Story movies.
I can actually think of one thing wrong with Toy Story 2, and that's that lame Sarah Mclachlan song. I'm not one of those people with a weird Randy Newman fascination, but his songs were so much better than that one Mclachlan song. I guess it's because the scene in which it's used is already so emotional, instead of Newman's weird but effective delivery we got Mclachlan hammering the point home with her yodeling. But I love that scene because it shows how the little girl grew up. Other than that, Toy Story 2 is great: funny and vibrant, even on my crusty old VHS tape.
I wish I had these movies on DVD. They spark wonder in me at my age just like they did when I first saw them. They have plenty of in-jokes and such but also have a timeless quality (and a strong sense of innocence). Five stars for the both of them, the best animated series of all time.

It's Different.
It's different from your average animated film. So was Toy Story part 1 but this one is better. The movie plotting is a lot better in this part. I give it five stars(I'd give it six if it was in my hands!)

The secret lives of toys
Woody (Tom Hanks), who turns out to be a rare collectible, is stolen by an unscrupulous toy store owner and slated to be sold to a toy museum in Japan. Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) and friends embark on a dangerous cross-town rescue mission. This is a very entertaining and perceptive film that remembers the guilt that a child can feel over outgrowing a favorite toy. Sammy the bear was my own constant companion when I was a young child. As I grew older, I sometimes felt a pang of shame when I would encounter him lying unloved and unplayed-with in the bottom of my old toy chest. I hope he's as philosophical and understanding about it as Woody is. As cheerful as this film is, it takes on an added dimension by honoring that first melancholy that a child feels upon outgrowing a formerly cherished plaything. The animation and voice talent are also top-notch. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The 1985 series Tatakae Cho Robot Seimetai Transformers ("Fight Super Living Robots Transformers") was a U.S.-Japanese coproduction, written in America and animated in Japan. Based on a line of robot toys from Takara--licensed to Hasbro in America--that could be reconfigured into cars, trucks, planes, etc., it spawned numerous sequels and a feature. Civil war rages on the planet Cybertron between the virtuous Autobots and the evil Decepticons. Both sides launch crews into space to find new energy sources, but the ships crash on Earth and are buried in lava. When the robots awaken four million years later, the Decepticons, led by the dictatorial Megatron, want to drain the planet of its resources, enslaving or destroying mankind. The Autobots ally with humanity and befriend oil-rig worker Spike Witwicky. The Saturday morning-style cheat of cutting to a logo, rather than animating transitions, and the frequent pauses for commercial breaks make for very choppy storytelling. The designs of the robots are interesting but lack the graphic sophistication of Yoshiyuki Tomino's Gundam Mobile Suits. The animation is very limited, and the choreography of the battle sequences lacks the panache of Tomino and other more talented directors. Like Robotech, Transformers will appeal most strongly to adults who watched the show as kids: it's remained popular through Web sites, role-playing games, fan fiction, and a lively trade in the original toys. Serious students of anime will find this early series of historic interest. Unrated; suitable for age 6 and up: Robot vs. robot violence. --Charles Solomon ... Read more

Reviews (175)

A dream come true!!!!!!!!!
I've been waiting so long for this day to happen. The Transformers complete first season on DVD. This was the most amazing cartoon I had ever seen while growing up. I was nine years old when the Transformers debuted in 1984 on Saturday mornings. I had my mom set the alarm clock ten minutes before six o'clock to make sure I didn't miss the begining of it. I only wished I still had all my original toys. The entire story line is brilliantly written. The heroic Autobots, lead by there leader, Optimus Prime versus the evil Decepticons, lead by there leader, Megatron. It shows the true meaning of the phrase "It's good vs. evil". I'm hoping that they continue to release all the Transformers seasons on DVD until the very last episode. Just like the recently released Robotech series. The Transformers were, and still is, my favorite cartoon and toy ever!! I have never stop thinking about Transformers even to this day. It is a must have for everyone!! Buy this DVD!! It is MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE!!!!!!!!!!

THE classic 80s cartoon series! ...but over-remastered
PICTURE QUALITY (2/5 STARS)
The overall image quality has definetly been improved: brighter colours, sharp images and heavy remastering (scratch removal, ect.) but WHAT HAVE THEY DONE?? They really made some devastating mistakes! Some scenes are played in reverse (i.e. the infamous Ironhide transformation scene from 'Heavy Metal War'), some visual heat-, smoke- and fire-effects are just missing!! And there is this mistake-documentation which should show the people what errors the original film masters had and that they have been corrected... they found the errors, but forgot(?) to correct many of them.
Sharpness and colour of the image deserve 5 STARS, but in fact of the errors 2 STARS is the proper rating!

SOUND QUALITY (2/5 STARS)
Generally the sound is very clear and free of hiss/crackles but WHAT HAVE THEY DONE...AGAIN?? They have remixed the soundtrack to Dolby Digital 5.1, initially that sounds brilliant but to reach this goal Rhino added some really strange&stupid soundeffects. Ok, the explosions have a great *boom* but gunfire sounds like children toy guns.
The Dolby Stereo soundtrack is another mess, some episodes have the new 5.1 remix simply downmixed to stereo, but others have the original soundtrack with no added effects. I believe every fan of the series demands at least an option to hear the original sountrack!
First a disappointment then you (have to) get used to it. Nothing more and nothing less.

EXTRAS (5/5 STARS)
The extras is the real strenght of this set! I wonder why they have used so much from season 2 and 3. Can it be that they already have used up all their resources?

SPECIAL/UNIQUE ON THIS DVD RELEASE:
- all new transfer from the original 35mm negative
- Dolby Digital 5.1 remix & Dolby Stereo
- extras... more than meets the eye
- 2 limited-edition cels of Transformers characters (limited?? just to the availability of this boxset LOL!)

COMMENT:
I am a great fan of Transformers G1 and I would have loved to see the TFs in its original form, without remastering mistakes and additional soundeffects.
As a Transfan I also bought the UK boxset of season 1 which contains a lot of other worthy extras. The picture quality is not so sharp and brilliant but there are NO MISTAKES and errors. The soundtrack is the 5.1 remix from this US boxset. I highly recommend buying both editions or if you are not sure, just buy the UK Region 2 boxset if your DVD player is PAL-compatible!

Great transfer, but with a few errors
While not the best production to bear the Marvel Productions or Sunbow Productions banner (that would be Dungeons & Dragons and G.I. Joe, respectively), Transformers is by far the most popular Marvel/Sunbow series. So, of course, Rhino knew they'd make a mint by releasing the first season on DVD in its entirety (*and* uncut, unlike the original FHE releases).

Rhino did one better by restoring the series, going for the 35mm source, and the original vocal/sound effects tracks. While the sound is spot on (and actually better, as the "changes" reflect effects unearthed in the new mix), the 35mm masters are from the *first* take that Sunbow ordered. In essence, that source has errors that were corrected (or not, depending on the episode's budget) before airing. For the most part, Rhino has corrected these errors using alternative sources (including the suddenly very horrid-looking broadcast master), but they weren't perfect (and the bonus disc manages to catch them with their pants down)-there are additional moments where Starscream, Skywarp, and Thundercracker are miscolored, for instance, and the disappearance of the Decepticon space cruiser in "More Than Meets the Eye", Part III. Rhino wanted the best quality possible, as evidenced by a few feats of digital editing where the 35mm master was only slighty "wrong".

However, most have noticed the big issues with "Heavy Metal War", which has a huge host of "new" errors, while still covering up a lot of problems with the 35mm master (the last minute or so of the ep has a good 4 cuts to the broadcast master in order to cover up missing animation, for instance). However, since the ep features the first appearance of the Constructicons (plus a major battle between Optimus Prime and Megatron), we notice the errors that much more. The fact that the three affected scenes are the ones featuring Megatron's challenge of Prime, the power transfer sequence (which Rhino would have been better served by just using the broadcast master for the entire scene, save the few shots that weren't fixed by Sunbow in 1984), and the battle between Prime and Megatron makes it almost unbearable on some level.

Rhino did a great job with the remastering process, even with their mistakes. Of course, Toei's mistakes in processing the animation (most of which are amazingly dumb, especially for such a high quality studio) and the lack of a 35mm master of the corrected episode don't make it any easier for Rhino. One not only hopes for an even better job from Rhino with season 2, one expects it, largely because the re-take budget dwindled to practically zero from that point on as Sunbow's workload increased almost sixfold (as evidenced by the whopping three distinct styles in the animation in Season 2). Regardless, if you like Transformers, you'll probably enjoy this box set.

Awesome
Ok, there are tons of reviews nit-picking every little detail in this box set. I am not going to do that. If you look for mistakes hard enough you will find them, hell you will spot them easily in this box set. But if you are looking to be entertained, as you were when you were a kid watching this series, then you will feel like a kid again seeing this series come to life again on DVD. This is not your kid's Beast Wars or Beast Machines or Transformers Armada, Energon or whatever other boring, bad-animation, rip-off that spun off of one of the greatest cartoons/toy-lines ever. No, this is the original and best.

From the introduction of the Transformers in the 3-part opening episodes "More Than Meets The Eye" to the introduction of Skyfire (Fire In The Sky) & Dinobots (S.O.S Dinobots & War Of The Dinobots) to the introduction of the Constructicons (Heavy Metal War) & the Insecticons (A Plague Of Insecticons). This first season is what started it all. None of us would be writing reviews, or caring about the Transformers all these years later, if not for this first season.

The 2nd season gets better with introductions of Omega Supreme, the Aerialbots and others.

The 4th disk is all Special Features with bumpers, Botcon special and oher extras and outtakes. The first Box Set is definately one of the best.

The animation and characters stand the test of time. This was long before they created Transformers with little or no character. Optimus Prime is one of the best leaders ever in a cartoon, cool characters like Sideswipe, Jazz, Bumblebee and many others in the first season left us fans wanting more and more.

The only problem I have with the Transformers cartoon continuity (not this box set but the overall series) is that there seems to be chunks of story cut out. For example, how did Teletran One get destroyed? What happened to the Ark? Where did Transformers from the Movie come from originally? Was Hot Rod built by the Autobots on Earth or was he a rebuilt Autobot from Cybertron? Same for Sky Lynx. Who created Autobot City aka Metroplex? What happened to Sparkplug (Spike's Dad)? If someone could answer some of these questions please feel free to email me at Joecool1@ptd.net

i love transformers no 1 !!!!
i love transformers long time since i was kid and my favorite love no1 is optimus prime the autobot leader he turn in semi truck and lot battle with megatron much times. and also my favorite 2nd is starscream too best than megatron. thanks i have two dvd of season 1 and 2pt1 thanks i will order more like season 2pt2,3 and season 3, 4 soon thanks very much i love it!!!!!!! thanks!!!!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

All nine of Disney's first collection of animated classics on DVD areincluded in this set. Some of the nine titles include bonus features, and the DVD format will provide optimum sound and picture quality for the young and old collector alike. The crown jewels are Pinocchio and The Little Mermaid. The former celebrates its 60th anniversary with a brand new print, while the latter is the 1989 film that revitalized Disney's animation wing and brought new audiences to the art form. Both offer Oscar-winning songs. Two of the popular classics from the '60s are represented with 101 Dalmatians and The Jungle Book, which was thelast animated feature that Walt Disney directly worked on and which saved the animation department when it was a box-office hit in 1967. Hercules and Mulan make great strides in the look of animation. The mythical figures of the former are based on the radical designs of Gerald Scarfe, and the latter makes bold advancements in computer animation in the refreshingly unknown legend of a Chinese girl. The collection rounds out with Lady and the Tramp in a grand widescreen format, the charming Peter Pan that hardly shows its age, and 1998's The Lion King II: Simba's Pride, a made-for-video sequel. Although the sequel is entertaining,it's frustrating to note the original The Lion King has been kept out of circulation completely for a few years (as Disney does with many classics), gearing towards a grand future release into theaters. --Doug Thomas ... Read more

Reviews (61)

Some Good, Some Bad
Ok, ok...I have got to say that the biggest thing that dissappoints me about this set is the lack of some real true classics. As many have said, The Lion King, one of the best...Aladin, who can forget that...and if Disney would get off of it's back side and see the truth, they would release Song of the South on DVD and add it......I do love Lady & the Tramp, Jungle Book, Little Mermaid, and (although newer than the rest) Mulan....But Lion King 2 stunk bigtime, huge let-down...Hercules, BLAH BLAH BLAH...101 Dalmations, Pinochio, and Peter Pan are definately the classics that have earned their right to be in there. One last thing....with DVD's today typically going for about 20 to 25 bucks....why in the world are these averaging [price] a pop, and they don't even come with special behind the scenes, deleted scenes, special add on stuff that make DVD so awsome..............

A few gems with much crap
Don't bother with this set.

What a Scam
Why this product is entitled "Collector's Set" I will never know. Several of the DVDs arrived all scratched and unviewable, four of the DVDs were in fact foreign editions, and several of the DVDs appeared to be copies, in fact two of the movies stopped immediately with "The End" screen and did not roll the credits. I would strongly encourage anyone who wasted their money on this set to review your DVDs for lack of bar codes, smudged artwork etc and report it to the Walt Disney Company copyright department. How disappointing that Amazon would let a vendor such as this post goods on it's website. Oh yeah - the vendor did not send this expedited shipping as they were supposed to and it arrived almost three weeks after it was ordered.

Very bad idea, except one major correction to others reviews
This is a terrible collection, no extras, far too expensive..they must think we are really stupid to buy this set.
That having been said one point needs to be made, the older Disneys films were not originaly filmed in what we call "Widescreen" on DVDs. Snow White, Pinnochio, and I think one or two others were filmed in what we call Pan and Scan. These film are not cut they never were filmed in the wider format, just look at the Wizard of OZ it isn't widescreen either.
People need to realize that widescreen films were not possible until about the 1940's or 50's and even then it was soo expensive not all films were made in that format.

Anthology? Nothing now
I was surprised to read that many of the DVDs in this collection are no even in widescreen. They dared to charge this much for a collection and put in the cheaper versions as well. Watching movies in their original widescreen version is one of the major reasons why DVD format is awesome. It is a real dissapointment that they couldn't "spring" for the widescreen that usually runs [a little] more, boo hoo. I would NOT recommend this set, it is WAY over prices, and you will miss half of some of these movies seeing them in "pan & scan". And don't get me started on why "The Lion King" was not included but "The Lion King 2" was!!!!! ... Read more

Description

SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS revolves around the denizens of Bikini Bottom and a sweet square yellow sponge with the tongue twister name of SpongeBob SquarePants, who lives in a giant pineapple with his cookie-loving pet snail Gary.His two best friends and comrades-in-misadventures, are Patrick, a gullible starfish and a temperamental, thrill-seeking squirrel named Sandy Cheeks who lives in an underwater dome complete with a large Texas tree house and picnic area.SpongeBob is the "best fry cook ever" at the Krusty Krab, where he has to deal with his miserly boss Mr. Krabs and the grumpy cashier Squidward Tentacles.SpongeBob is always landing himself (and his friends!) in hot soup despite the best of intentions.His enthusiasm and optimism are endearing and infectious, making him one of the best-loved characters by children and adults alike. ... Read more

Reviews (48)

Who Lives in a Pineapple Under the Sea?
Here comes the first season of the cult smash that's fun for kids and adults alike. Spongebob's peculiar charm came from nowhere into one of the most beloved cartoons of recent times and finally we have the complete first season on DVD, instead of the numerous compilations already out. (when will they realize people really want TV released by seasons)

The classic episodes contained here are:
- Bubblestand
- Ripped Pants
- Help Wanted
- Reef Blowers
- Tea at the Treedome
- Jellyfishing
- Plankton!
- Naughty Nautical Neighbors
- Boating School
- Pizza Delivery
- Home Sweet Pineapple
- Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy
- Pickles
- Hall Monitor
- Jellyfish Jam
- Sandy's Rocket
- Squeaky Boots
- Nature Pants
- Opposite Day
- Culture Shock
- F.U.N.
- MuscleBob BuffPants
- Squidward, the Unfriendly Ghost
- The Chaperone
- Employee of the Month
- Scaredy Pants
- I Was a Teen-age Gary
- SB-129
- Karate Choppers
- Sleepy Time
- Suds
- Valentine's Day
- The Paper
- Arrgh!
- Rock Bottom
- Texas
- Walking Small
- Fools in April
- Neptune's Spatula
- Hooky
- Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy II

DVD Info
For those of you wondering what exactly will come with the first season boxed set...here it is!

Contains the following episodes:
-Reef Blowers / Tea at the Treedome (Pilot "Help Wanted" Not Included)
-Bubblestand / Ripped Pants
-Jellyfishing / Plankton!
-Naughty Nautical Neighbors / Boating School
-Pizza Delivery / Home Sweet Pineapple
-Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy / Pickles
-Hall Monitor / Jellyfish Jam
-Sandy's Rocket / Squeaky Boots
-Nature Pants / Opposite Day
-Culture Shock / F.U.N.
-MuscleBob BuffPants / Squidward, the Unfriendly Ghost
-The Chaperone / Employee of the Month
-Scaredy Pants / I Was a Teen-age Gary
-SB-129 / Karate Choppers
-Sleepy Time / Suds
-Valentine's Day / The Paper
-Arrgh! / Rock Bottom
-Texas / Walking Small
-Fools in April / Neptune's Spatula
-Hooky / Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy II

Special features:
-The Origin of Spongebob SquarePants
-Recollection from the 1st season crew featurette
-Everybody's talking: The voices of Spongebob SquarePants
-The Bikini Bottoms Up Tour
-In the key of Sea: Krusty Krab Karaoke
-Audio Commentary with Cast discussing 2 of their favorite episodes
-3 Music Videos

I love spongebob
Ok, I don't actually own this DVD, but I have seen all of the episodes. Spongebob is one of the funniest shows ever, and kid-friendly. That's very uncommon. But I've read by all of the reviews, that the pilot episode isn't on this, what a shame! Ecspecially since that has a tiny tim song on it.Anyway, get it. It is worth the money, I will too!

this dvd box set is awesome!
you can never have enough sponge bob and the first season is 40 episodes of great fun. from "hooky" to "ripped pants" this set will provide lots of laughs for you and your entire family.

Great fun
Spongebob is one of those rare cartoons that appeals to kids and adults like. Great fun and a great compilation in this set.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED ... Read more

Amazon.com

To finance Disneyland he wanted to build, Walt Disney turned tothe new medium of television. As host Leonard Maltin notes on this two- disc set of televised specials for the amusement park, Disney used theseries to promote it, "and no one seemed to mind." ABC agreed to investin return for a weekly one-hour program. The "Disneyland" TV showpremiered on October 27, 1954: "Disneyland Story" introduced the parkand its various lands, which would be the subject of future programs.The opening-day special, "Dateline Disneyland" (July 17, 1955),attracted an estimated audience of 90 million--virtually everytelevision household in America. Hosted by Art Linkletter, RobertCummings, and Ronald Reagan, the live broadcast includes such unplannedmoments as Linkletter searching frantically for a microphone inFantasyland. The Tenth Anniversary show (January 3, 1965) featurescameos of Mary Blair and Marc Davis, two celebrated animation artists.Home movie footage of Walt pacing off distances at the barren site inAnaheim is intercut with peeks at forthcoming attractions. "DisneylandAfter Dark" (April 15, 1962) offers performances by Annette Funicello,Bobby Burgess, Bobby Rydell, Louis Armstrong, and a prepubescentquartet of Osmond Brothers. A must-have set for Disneyland buffs,Disney collectors, and nostalgic baby boomers. --Charles Solomon ... Read more

Reviews (52)

Perfect for Disneyland Devotees
If you're a Disneyland fanatic, you'll love this DVD! If you're not, then don't bother. That isn't meant to be a criticism of this set at all. However, if you're thinking about buying this DVD, make sure you know what you're getting.

This fine collection includes four hour-long broadcasts from the original "Disneyland" TV series on ABC in the 1950s and 1960s. There are no "in-depth" documentaries on the park today, or any sort of Travel Channel-esque behind-the-scenes looks.

The original television broadcasts include a show filmed before Disneyland was built, "Dateline Disneyland" - the show broadcast live the date Disneyland opened, a show celebrating Disneyland's 10th anniversary, and a show about Disneyland after dark.

These four shows are absolutely fascinating for those interested in the history of Disneyland and the Disney company. Walt Disney is the host for all but the "Dateline Disneyland" episode, which is co-hosted by Art Linkletter, Ronald Reagan, and other Hollywood stars. The first show takes viewers to an orange grove west of Los Angeles, the site of the future Disneyland. It also features Walt Disney introducing his park with maps, drawings, and models. "Dateline Disneyland" is a lot of fun as you watch the park on opening day - including the broadcasting snafus. Art Linkletter runs around for a few minutes in search of a microphone, many rides break down, and other problems arise to be documented in this important historical collection.

Disneyland After Dark showcases the happenings in the park during nightime. This is a fun look at the park, also hosted by Walt Disney. The last broadcast, Disneyland's 10th anniversary, might be the best of the set. It too is hosted by Walt, just a year and a half before his death. At one point, Walt shows off Disneyland's newest idea, a ride called "Pirates of the Carribean". The ride hasn't opened yet, but Disney shows some of the audio-animatronics that will be used.

If you're looking for a DVD that takes you behind-the-scenes at Disneyland and gives you a comprehensive look at the history of the park and the status of Disneyland today, look elsewhere. If you're a fellow Disneyland aficionado interested in some fascinating and important historical broadcasts, get this great set now.

Looks to be a great package
If you are planning on buying this you probably want to know what's on it. Despite the title "Disneyland USA" it doesn't include the short feature "Disneyland USA but has 4 great TV shows on Disneyland. The first is "The Disneyland Story"(B&W) This premiere episode of the "Disneyland" television series features Walt giving a brief tour of the studio and discussing the format of the series. Also included: a brief look at Mickey's career and clips from various Disney films. This was released 10/27/54 and is 49 minutes long. The second feature is "Dateline Disneyland"(B&W) hosted by Art Linkletter, Bob Cummings and Ronald Reagan; the live opening of Disneyland includes the opening ceremonies and a visit to all park's "lands." Highlights of the coverage include visits with Fess Parker, Buddy Ebsen, Danny Thomas, the Mouseketeers and Governor Knight of California. This was released 7/17/55 and is 1 hour 30 minutes. The third feature is "Disneyland After Dark"(Color) Walt Disney hosts this look at live entertainment in the different sections of Disneyland at night. In Tomorrowland Annette and Bobby sing. In Advertureland a fire dance is performed. On the Mark Twain steamboat Louis Armstrong plays jazz. At the Plaza Gardens the Osmond Brothers make their network television premiere. This was broadcast 4/15/62 and is 1 hour long. The final episode is "Disneyland Tenth Anniversary"(Color) Walt Disney hosts behind-the-scenes look at some new exhibits and talks with exhibit designers as they create new features for Disneyland's tenth anniversary. The second part of the show features production numbers performed in the park; a parade down Main Street. Clips from initial park construction are shown. This was broadcast 1/3/65 and is 52 minutes long. This looks to be a great collection and also has a featurette with Leonard Maltin and a few other extras. This is all packaged in a tin case and comes with a lithograph. For any Disneyland fan this is a must!

Disneyland USA: One to Really Look Forward To!
Walt Disney Treaures Review 4 of 11
Sorry, no easter eggs on this set. (hidden DVD features)

Disneyland USA, the fourth and final volume of wave 1, is probaly the most important. Here, as with all the others, the DVD is enclosed in a numbered tin, along with a lithograph of the poster for Autopia, and a program booklet with a list of features and a letter from Leonard Maltin, the host of the series. On disc 1, we trace the early years of Disneyland with two complete episodes from the original TV show. Each have an intro by Maltin

The Disneyland Story: The very first episode of the Disneyland Television series, which give clips of whats to come in each section of the Disneyland television series anthology. There is a sneak peek of Disneyland, a peek at the new Davy Crockett series, and a tribute to Mickey featuring two entire cartoons.

Dateline Disneyland: Join your hosts Art Linkletter, Ronald Reagan, and Bob Cummings as they cover live, the inagural day at Disneyland, with the late Reagan covering the dedication. This is the most important of the set, and is a treat for Disneyland film buffs and fans alike.

On disc two, there are two more shows in full color, with intros by Maltin.

Disneyland After Dark: Here, we get to meet amazing stars from the sixties, journey through Disneyland after dark, and meet a couple of the famous "Mouseketeers," including Annete Funicello.

Disneyland 10th Anniversary: This piece has two parts. One showing new attractions at Disneyland, mainly the then in progress Pirates of the Carribean, Haunted Manision and Its a Small World. Then the history of the park, during construction, new attractions and a lot of other juicy stuff.

Finally there are the bonus features.

The Magic Kingdom and the Magic of Television: This documentary gives a short history of the park and the Disneyland TV Show with Leonard Maltin

Gallery: A gallery of photographs and posters, as well as merchandise.

The smallest of the four in wave 1, Disneyland USA could have a little more material. However, that is a small price to pay for the historical broadcasts in this wonderful set. I'll write the reviews for Wave 2 tomorrow. See you then.

List of Reviews of Walt Disney Treasures:

Silly Symphonies
Mickey Mouse in Living Color
Davy Crockett
Disneyland USA
Mickey Mouse in Black and White
The Complete Goofy
Behind the Scenes at Walt Disney Studios
Mickey Mouse in Living Color Volume 2
The Chronological Donlad Volume 1
On Front Lines
Tomorrowland

All with the complete list of features, including Easter Eggs! (hidden DVD features)

For Whom Ever LOVES Disneyland
This is a good DVD overall. I enjoyed the t.v shows. I would have, however, like to have seen more of "the making" of the rides and maybe even some more current Disneyland on this.

Heavy, Tear-Jerking Nostalgia For the Disney Fanatic
This set wasn't created for the typical Disney fan, it was created for folks like me: Disney ADDICTS. We fanatics tend to be more demanding, but I always pride myself in being able to appreciate the good points, while still realizing the flaws, in all Disney products. I've managed to get my hands on all the Disney Treasures sets so far, and so far they've all been wonderful, but this review is about the unnecessarily weakest one, Disneyland, U.S.A.
There are 4 feature programs and 2 extras in this set. Disc 1 contains The Disneyland Story and Dateline Disneyland, both black and white. The Disneyland Story is the 1st ever episode of the Disneyland TV series. This milestone from 1954 begins with Walt Disney telling us of his plans to build the Disneyland Park, then switches to a discussion about the TV series and how it will tell stories from the various areas of the theme park, such as Davy Crockett's story from Frontierland. The 2nd half of this feature is a tribute to Mickey Mouse (by way of cartoon clips), as Walt expresses that he wants everyone to remember that, "It all started with a mouse." The 2nd feature on Disc One, Dateline: Disneyland, is the live ABC Broadcast of Disneyland's opening day in 1955, hosted by Art Linkletter, Ronald Reagan, and Bob Cummings. This features the hosts in the various "Lands" of the park, explaining the themes and rides of each of them. We are treated to celebs like Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis, Jr. riding rides, and live performances by the likes of Fess Parker and Buddy Ebsen. We also see Walt's own, live dedication ceremonies of the Park and its various lands. It can really bring a tear to the eye of a true fan.
Disc 2 contains two more features, Disneyland After Dark and Disneyland 10th Anniversary, both in color, and this time from the 1960s. Some time has passed, and now the park is an established American treasure! Disneyland After Dark is a collection of live performances from musical celebrities of the time, such as Annette Funicello and Bobby Rydell in Tomorrowland, the Osmond Quartet at the Plaza Gardens, and the highlight for me, Louis Armstrong aboard the Mark Twain! We also are treated to hula dancers and a fire dance in Adventureland. In Disneyland 10th Anniversary, we see some of Walt's last work on the park as he gives Miss Disneyland Tencentennial (some sort of Disneyland 10th Anniversary Beauty Pageant Winner) a tour of the Imagineering Department to fill her in on future park plans before she goes on tour. Here we get to see Disney attractions in early production stages, such as a 1/8th inch to a foot scale model of It's A Small World and miniature versions of some elements of the Haunted Mansion. Walt also explains audio-animatronics, showing the work being done for Pirates of the Caribbean, and treating us to a sample of the Enchanted Tiki Room show. We also see various clips of early park production and a parade down Main Street. Also on the 2nd disc are the extras; a gallery of some of the Disneyland ride poster art over the years, and a short Leonard Maltin featurette on Disneyland.
The set comes in a lovely snap case with a small litho, and is in a very nice tin box with serial number. If you are a nut for Disneyland and Disney history in general, this set is for you. Be warned though, if it's a tour of the park you are looking for, you won't find it here. Many of us were disappointed that the actual film, "Disneyland, U.S.A.," was not in this set. Strange, considering the title. That short film actually IS a tour of the park, and hopefully will find its way to DVD SOMEDAY. My other complaints? Well, the DVD set is missing scenes involving the original Mousketeers, as well as certain Tiki Room sequences. All I can say is I HATE it when I buy a DVD and find out it's been edited, but especially when it's classic Disney, as was the case with Melody Time and Make Mine Music! That's just unacceptable, especially in these Deluxe sets! Also, the "do not try this at home" warnings added onto the fire-dance and fire-walk sequences were totally unnecessary and annoying. Lastly, there was the problem of simply not enough stuff. C'mon, there is a ton of material they could have included! I would have been satisfied if they had at least included Disneyland, USA. They also could have included some of the Birthday specials of the past years, like that Disneyland Birthday that had Tony Danza, Charles Fleischer, Ernest, etc... That would have been nice! But, despite these complaints, I do love the set, I just hope this is not the only time we'll ever see this material on DVD, because we definitely require unedited releases, not to mention releases of the other episodes of the Disneyland TV show, from day one to today; from Swamp Fox to Fluppy Dogs, from The Scarecrow to Mickey's 60th Birthday. Not to mention all the other stuff on the parks, like Disneyland, U.S.A., Gala Day At Disneyland, and Disneyland Showtime. Let's hope we see another Disneyland set for these shows, and some sets for my favorite place, Walt Disney World! But unless you are incredibly easily disappointed, I encourage any fans of Disney history, or Disney park history, to pick up this set and check out the other Disney Treasures collections! Even with its disappointments, this set is still a hit! ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Along with Fantasia and Fantasia 2000, theanthology set contains a third disc that examines a segment of bothmovies in detail. Each segment has an introduction that has experts(including Leonard Maltin), producer Roy E. Disney, or the animatorssetting up the piece's history. Notes on the music and dozens of designphotos are included on all the segments, although others offer moreintriguing features. Abandoned animation is shown on many segments, asare a few behind-the-scenes shorts; the most intriguing are expertsfrom Walt Disney's hosted documentaries on how his company made movies.As for the photos, they are awkwardly catalogued and only the mostpatient of viewers would want to look at all