Amazon.com

Disney's adaptation of the beloved fairy tale became a classic in itsown right, thanks to some memorable tunes (including "A Dream Is a WishYour Heart Makes," "Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo," and the title song) and some endearingly cute comic relief. We all know the story--the wicked stepmother and stepsisters simply won't have it, this uppity Cinderella thinking she's going to a ball designed to find the handsome prince an appropriate sweetheart, but perseverance, animal buddies, and a well-timed entrance by a fairy godmother make sure things turn out all right. There are a few striking sequences of pureanimation--for example, Cinderella is reflected in bubbles drifting through the air--and the design is rich and evocative throughout. It's a simple story padded here agreeably with comic business, particularly Cinderella's rodent pals (dressed up conspicuously like the dwarf sidekicks of another famous Disney heroine) and their misadventures with a wretched cat named Lucifer. There's also much harrumphing and exposition spouting by the King and the Grand Duke. It's a much simpler and more graceful work than the more frenetically paced animated films of today, which makes it simultaneously quaint and highly gratifying. --David Kronke ... Read more

Reviews (63)

I LOVE THIS MOVIE AND CAN'T WAIT FOR OCT 4, 2005!!!
Despite from what other reviews say, I am putting my 2 cents in here about this movie.
I loved this movie when I was young and I still love it and now since I have a 2 yr old child it makes it that much better for she LOVES the movie (have it on VHS)and it makes it more fun for a Mom and Daughter movie night together!!! For I wish it was Oct 4 so I can get it for her!It is a fairy tale movie not an educational movie (as someone's review complained that it's not educational or giving the right message but I think they claim Shrek does)for it's kind of like what every little girl wants which is to find her Prince to live happily ever after.
This is one of the best Classic Animations that Disney has done along with Snow White.

Also you expect for alittle girl wanting to have an ugly girl like one of the step sisters to marry the prince??? For girls love pretty Princesses not ugly ones.They are Fairy tales for children to watch.That's all and little girls are not watching it to find messgaes.For what is a 2yr old like my daughter who loves this movie gonna pick up from it besides seeing a pretty Princess living happily ever after??

Go watch Shrek Instead
I remember watching this as a child in the 70's and feeling a bit board...now as an adult I don't think the message is very healthy! Cinderella gives children the harmful impression that "it pays to be pretty."I don't think there are any positive messages in this film for young girls.I would recommend that you go out and rent Shrek instead.

WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
I've just seen the images, and waouh! I an sooo looking forward October 4 I hope the original film has been restored I want to see the real Cinderella (the one Disney had drawn himself not the one who looks like a Japanese cartoon) and please the real songs.... quick quick quick I want it soooooooo much!
Nell

THE ULTIMATE FAIRY TALE NOW ON DVD!
This animated feature saved the Disney studio from almost cetain bankruptcy; there hadn't been a big hit since Snow White, and the studio was foundering, badly. Cinderella came along and put on the glass slipper and showed it to the world and the rest, as they say, is history. The songs from Cinderella have stayed with me all my life, and are a fixture I carry with me from many years ago when I saw this magical movie for the first time, my favorite being "So This is Love..." Cinderella contained a scene that Walt himself stated was his personal favorite of all from the wonderful features he created, and that is when Cinderella gets her dress from her Fairy Godmother. The dress, if you notice, is a color that literally defies description and really does seem to come from the magic wand of the FG; the entire scene is fantastic, the mice turned into beautiful, horses to pull the exquisite coach, created from a lowly pumpkin, that dances on it's vine over to the FG so she can transform it into the thing of splendor, the Fairy Coach. The stars and twinkles from the dress and the transformations are spectacular, and it is hard to imagine the meticulous detail the animators used to draw these fairy dust particles that add such enchantment to the scene. Cinderella's old horse becomes a buck-toothed coachman and is clearly delighted to be included in the excitement of the night. An actress/dancer named Ilene Woods was rotoscoped (a technique where the actors are filmed and then drawn over) for her part as Cinderella and it is her movements that became Cinderella's. The Wicked Stepmother is a great Disney Villain, voiced by Eleanor Audley, who later voiced Maleficent for Sleeping Beauty; her voice is fantastic, the perfect blend of sophistication and malevolence. When first seen in her vast bedroom, stroking the wretched cat Lucifer, she seems to be a real witch with her familiar, and her face remains in shadow for a time...The mice are wonderful little characters, the cutest, IMHO, is Gus-Gus, a tubby little guy Cinderella finds in a trap and rescues and gives him, as all her little mice friends have, tiny clothes including shoes. Lucifer the cat is dreadful, such a bad kitty you dislike him all the way, and Bruno, Cinderella's old hound dog saves the day and sends Lucifer to his just reward. Jacques, the lead mouse, is the real hero, and saves the day at a critical point toward the end. There is a wonderful scene of the King lamenting his son's lack of a suitable wife to the Grand Duke, another great and very amusing character, and yearns for grandchildren while looking at portraits of the Prince from childhood up until the present day, and as the Prince gets older, the portraits get bigger and bigger and the last one is so enormous it has to hang in a castle of truly magnificent and royal proportions.
This is the all-time classic fairy tale, originally written by Charles Perrault, who also wrote Sleeping Beauty, another of my favorite Disney classics in ever sense of the word. I have this on VHS, and have watched it too many times to count; and now I cannot even imagine how beautiful and rich the colors will be on DVD; I cannot wait to get my copy and look forward to many viewings of this wonder that saved the Disney stuido from disaster, for the unending benefit of all of us children, from infants to 100+ year olds. Enjoy!

Damn ESPN commercials!
I haven't seen this movie since I was like 5 or 6 years old. But I've been sick of it lately because of those ESPN commercials during March Madness where Cinderella drops the slipper and the guy chases after her when she drops it. Otherwise it's an ok movie. Nuff said! ... 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

Reviews (24)

wow!!!this really is SUMMER MAGIC
what can i say hayley mills is a disney legend,and this movie is one of her masterpeices beside THE PARENT TRAP,THE MOON-SPINNERS,POLLYANNA...and many other disney films this movie has an excellent plot and a wonderful cast i give this 5 stars!!!

Delightful picture
This picture may not be rich in plot but it has a wonderful air about it that will make you feel good all over.When I was a child I begged my parents to take me to this movie. My parents ignored me and took me to a movie they wanted to see. As it turned out the movie they wanted to see had a sneak preview of Summer Magic. For years I have resisted purchasing this Hayley Mills classic. I don't know why I waited. It is excellent.

Corny
This movie is very corny. It is also annoying. It is a little unrealistic that everything would work out so well for this family. It is horribly corny. It is unbelieveable because Hayley Mills has a British accent and her family does not. Burl Ives's role is also cheesy (what else is new), and the name of the dude who owns the house's name is stolen from the bass player is Aerosmith, Tom Hamilton. The movie glorifies old ideals, such as country being better than the city. U should stay away from this one. It is not worth a stinking penny.

It's really good!
I love the end part when the owner of the house shows up and they dance and everyone just stares at him. Isn't he cute?

Soft Summer Magic
Hi! I'm Becky age 14. I've watched this a couple times, and loved it all the times. It does not include any offensive words, or anything eles concernig PG-13 movies. I wasn't around when Hayley Mills was a huge star or seen the rest of her movies or anything, but she did a wonderful job of acting. The special effects aren't incredably great by todays standards, but include that Disney Magic. Oh yeah, and the plot it great, a little slow in parts, but still great. This got boring after a while, so rent it a video rental store before you by it. Have fun! ... Read more

Reviews (148)

One of the best animated movies of all time
The story of the animated film is similar to that of the first book, but contains parts of the second book. Dozy Alice is so silly she follows trouble by chasing a talking rabbit down hs hole. At the bottom, she drinks an unknown substance which helps her get through a talking door into Wonderland. Here she meets the Dodo, TweedleDum and TweedleDee (who tell her the story of the Walrus and the Carpenter), the Talking flowers (watch out for the snobby Iris!), the Caterpillar and the Cheshire Cat. She even has un-birthday tea with the Mad Hatter and the March Hare. However, Alice gets caught up in a game of croquet with the Queen of Hearts, and later a trial. The whole thing becomes such a nightmare, Alice realises she's had a dream while she dozed off.

Firstly, I don't know why loads of people think this film is cheesy. I know Alice isn't for everyone, but when you look at the other films made based on Children's classics by Disney (eg- Jungle Book, Hunchback of Notre Dame), you'll see it's more faithful than those films to the original. However if you have read the books and haven't seen this film, some characters are missing (eg- Duchess, Mock Turtle, Knave of Hearts, White Knight). This may just think that Disney has ruined this classic forever. They haven't. It's the best adaption I've ever seen.

Although I actually have the PAL version, I suppose the movie is just the same over in North America. The best bits are the Walrus and the Carpenter, the garden of singing flowers and flamingo croquet. And the Mad Tea Party is still the funniest part of a Disney classic. So buy this movie. Wether it's a video tape or DVD.

(I also live near Carroll's birth place!)

Disney's 13th Animated Masterpiece!
Following the success of Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland is snother Disney gem, this colorful,classic animated feature tells the adventures of young Alice in a rather odd way since it doesn't really follow the book by Lewis Carroll, but still, makes a wonderful and entertaining film. Although it was not well-liked when it was first released, it is considered today another one of Disney's greatest masterpieces. The colorful characters will make you laugh from beginning to end. It is hard to say who is the wicked villain in this film, since they all play a role in making Alice's day in wonderland not very pleasent, starting from the Mad Hatter, the March Hare, the Chessire Cat and the Queen of Hearts, who just wants to see someone's head roll.

This new Masterpiece Edition DVD set brings Alice in Wonderland to a more deserved release than that previous Gold Collection, which brought very little bonus features. The masterpiece edition does bring many more bonuses, and one of my favorites is that "Virtual Wonderland Party", in which children can enjoy a little while in a fantastic tea pary. Really great! This DVD also has the greatest cover art, I love it. 5 stars!

Follow the white rabbit Neo - no sorry, I mean Alice
I just spent a couple of hours looking at this wonderful movie and the extra features. The aptly named Masterpiece Edition is worth every penny, and like The Matrix, should be included in any movie collection, whether you have a child to hide behind or not.

Beautifully adapted and animated from Lewis Carroll's highly imaginative, high-trippin' classic, the imagery and illustrated puns amaze and amuse, especially the little things like the rocking-horse fly, the bread-and-butter flies, the vultures, the pencil and hammer birds, the momeraths, and the bird in the tree (Queenie Leonard) yelling "Ser-pennnnnt !"

The animators drew each frame based on the portrayals by the actors voicing the parts, and the stand-outs are Kathryn Beaumont as Alice, Ed Wynn as the Mad Hatter, Verna Felton as the Queen of Hearts, Bill Thompson as the White Rabbit, and the very flexible and versatile J. Pat O'Malley as Tweedle Dum, Tweedle Dee, the Walrus AND the Carpenter, in one of the best scenes in the movie.

With fourteen songs, this is the most musical Disney around, but unfortunately, the songs are not very easy to sing along to, making me sound like William Hung every time I try to impress people with my thorough knowledge of the lyrics.

There are lots of interesting tidbits in the extras, such as the discarded Cheshire Cat song, and the fact that one of the songs was later re-worded for Peter Pan. There are other links between Alice in Wonderland and Peter Pan, but you'll have to watch the extras to find out just what, cause I'm not telling.

For those who don't want to watch the previews at the beginning of the DVD, just press "Menu" and get plugged directly into Wonderland.

Amanda Richards, July 18, 2004

Disney-ized
One of my fav children's books gets Disney-ized. I find that this version is simply AMAZING! Yes, there are LOTS of drugged out images (ie..the caterpillar is smoking an opium pipe, she eats mushrooms to get bigger or smaller etc) but its a magical story and its told VERY well by the Disney guys. Not to be missed, grab it before its out of print.

It stinks!
This movie is nothing like the original book, skip it and watch the Hallmark version instead. ... Read more

Reviews (154)

"Good over Evil ~ Sleeping Beauty by Disney"
The final of the Disney fairy tale series is no sleeper in "Sleeping Beauty", a classic tale with all the trimmings ~ including one of the best loved scores ever to grace the big screen. Must make mention the music was nominated for Best Musical Score in 1959, the Tchaikovsky composition blending pure adaptation through brilliant arrangements. The films running time is 75 minutes, but all the extras of bonus features and technical specifications is pure gravy.

Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound gives the viewer options of Widescreen and Fullscreen ~ "RESCUE AURORA" set-top adventure game ~ 3-D virtual galleries ~ "ONCE UPON A DREAM" is The making of Sleeping Beauty" ~ Story Reels ~ Princess personality game ~ Sleeping Beauty ink and paint game ~ Academy award- winning "GRAND CANYON" short film ~ The brilliant music ~ The design ~ The restoration ~ Four artists paint one tree ~ "THE PETER TCHAIKOVSKY STORY" ~ Creating the backgrounds ~ DVD-ROM links ~ THX-certified ~ and much, much more!

This is a must have for "Disney-classic-collectors" that will do your ever growing collection proud. This is someting you'll cherish and watch over and over again through the years. Disney has done it again ~ it just keeps getting better with every DVD release from the Disney people...gotta love it!

Total: 2-CD-Set ~ Walt Disney Home Video 29755 ~ (9/09/2003)

Stunning Remastering
Sleeping Beauty was one of the first Disney animated films I remember my folks taking me to see. As a child during my 'dinosaur' phase, I loved watching Maleficent turn into the dragon and fight Phillip. The story, you should know by now of course, young princess whisked away by three fairy 'godmothers' to protect her from evil sorceress, raised in the forest unaware of her heritage, meets prince charming unaware he's a prince, eventually finds out they're betrothed to each other as prince fights sorceress. The re-mastering technique employed on this DVD yielded incredible results, the image was actually more vibrant and colorful than originally aired in 1959 and it looks marvelous on today's widescreen HDTVs. I was quite taken with the art, quite unlike anything Disney has done before or since with it's angular geometry and perpendicular themes. Aurora and Maleficent duel for most beautiful Disney female forms to date. The extras on the DVD are quite interesting as well. The original theatrical companion pieces The Grand Canyon was sublime and the snippet of how four artists paint a tree helped glean a bit into the mindset of the brilliant artists on the Sleeping Beauty project. Highly recommended, not just as a child's story, but as an impressive art piece and study of mood and texture.

Unforgettable, timeless classic
One of my favorite movies (animated or nonanimated). THere is a quality and rich story that seems lacking in so many of todays movies (Disney movies included). The music just lifts you up and carries you into the Princess's world, and the ending leaves you with a pleasant sigh without being totally predictable. If you liked the Little Mermaid or Beauty and the Beast, you'll love this.

A delightful animated masterpiece!!!!
Sleeping Beauty is one of the most ambitious animated films ever made. It's a gorgeous, elegant, and absolutely amazing landmark in animation; a film so charming, memorable, and beautiful that it has been hailed as the most incomparable film in the animated genre, and with good reason. Detailed backgrounds, glorious colors, outstanding visuals and beautiful music are all contributing factors to the grandeur pageantry that "Sleeping Beauty" enthralls on its audience.

Up until the last few years, "Sleeping Beauty" was actually considered one of the few Disney 'failures.' That means, a poor box-office success. But that was 1959. Since then, the film, like "Pinocchio" and "Fantasia," has returned to theaters many times and made way on video for new generations to enjoy, earning large estimates of money and critical praise, not to mention being the most requested Disney film on video after "Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs" and "The Lion King."

It was finally re-released in a fantastic Special Edition DVD, and looking back, I can't believe this was once considered a failure. As if! This is not just a timeless tale of good and evil; the plot is elegantly portrayed with rich textures and stunning animation.

Sleeping Beauty is one of Disney's best animated films, EVER, and a must-own DVD for any collection. If only Disney still made films like this. I don't think we could be so lucky. Don't delay, get this before time runs out!!!

Beautiful Artistry and Animation
Sleeping Beauty is Disney's retelling of the fairy tale of the same name. This DVD release of Disney's 75 minute movie features options to view it in either the original 2.35:1 widescreen aspect ratio, or in a "pan and scan" 1.33:1 aspect ratio version that captures most of the action while using the full height of a standard television screen. A second DVD includes supplemental material on the history and making of the film.

The story itself departs somewhat from the traditional fairy tale version, with a story line that provides a little more scope for character exposition and interaction. The result still retains a fairy tale feel, and the plot remains simpler than most of Disney's other animated features.

The biggest strengths of the movie are in its wonderful animation, artwork, and music.

The animation is perhaps the best of any Disney movie. The animators were exceptionally good at using facial expressions to help tell the story - Maleficent's face perfectly expresses her smug satisfaction when something goes her way, and Princess Aurora's expression when she first meets Prince Phillip by surprise perfectly communicates the various emotions that are running through her. The animation of the action is also wonderful, with some of the best moments being Aurora's dancing and Phillip's battle with the dragon.

The background artwork is terrific. Each background is really a high quality painting, full of scene specific detail and yet all coordinating to give the picture overall artistic unity and medieval feel. And yet, all this beautiful background coordinates with the characters in a way that avoids overpowering them.

Unlike some of Disney's other animated classics, this film did not use original music, but instead wisely went with Tchaikovsky's Sleeping Beauty ballet music. Tchaikovsky's beautiful classic music perfectly complements the beautiful, artistic nature of everything else in the film.

All the attention to artistry and detail made the film too expensive to be a commercial success in 1959, but it also made the film a timeless classic that can continue to be enjoyed today and far into the future. Get it now, or you may have to wait seven years for Disney's next rerelease. ... 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

Reviews (34)

Authenic replicant aircraft top this 16:9 grand comedy DVD!!
1965 was the year of the big screen action race comedies with lots of stars, grand costumes, lavish sets and authentic classic vehicles. "The Great Race" a 1910 auto race from New York to Paris and the "Those Magnificent Men and Their Flying Machines" a 1910 International Aircraft race from London to Paris.

What makes this 1965 Action Comedy so Grand is the attention to detail by Director Ken Annakin who had 6 replica flying machines built by real aero - engineers from the original blue prints and specifications. The accuracy of these replicants even proved the critical pilot weight limitations. They had to even substitute a female stunt pilot to fly the French mono - wing because the original pilot was a very small man. Now available for the first time on a spectacular panoramic 2.20:1 Aspect ratio. (Anamorphic WideScreen DVD (automatically adjusts picture to viewing tv size) with Dolby Surround Sound.) NOTE: THIS IS A FANTASTIC MOVIE TO WATCH ON WIDESCREEN 16:9 HDTV!!!!!

This film is 138 minutes and has many extras which include very detailed information and the history regarding all the 1910 vintage aircraft used in the film.

With an All-star 1960's International cast; Stuart Whitman, Sarah Miles, James Fox, Robert Morley, Red Skelton, Gert Frobe, Jean-Pierre Cassal, Benny Hill, Alberto Sordi and Terry Thomas.

This is a magnificent movie and the ingenuity and comedy of 1910 flight is a delight to watch on the BIG SCREEN. Enjoy.

An airplane movie for the flight buff and general audience .
This is a marvelous film for people who love airplanes, but it also has much to recommend it for anyone in the family. It captures the romance of the pre-WWI era and takes an affectionate look at the pre-war planes as well. The story is set around a race from London to Paris, and is also a fractured take on the political and social situation of the period. Flyers from all over the world meet at an airfield set in the infield of a Brooklands style race track. The first half of the film introduces us to the somewhat caricatured but nevertheless engaging pilots from each major flying nation: the womanizing Frenchman, the stiff-backed Prussians, the rich and prolific Italian, the cowboy from Arizona, and several British types, most notably Sir Percy Ware-Armitage, played with black-hearted delight by Terry Thomas. The film boasts a whole gamut of great character actors like Gert Frobe, Robt. Morely and even Red Skelton. The flying sequences before and during the race combine slapstick comedy with truly awesome shots of the other stars of the film, the authentic reproductions of 1910 aircraft. I've loved this film since I saw it as a child, and my non-airplane daughter even counts it as one of her favorites. Highly recommended.

The best racing comedy of the 1960s.
This was yet another in a series of big-budget comedies that were so stuffed that had to include an intermission. (This 138 minute film has an intermission at the 79 minute mark, followed by a 6-minute Entr'acte, so that the second act is only 52 minutes.) It's also possibly the best one, along with IT'S A MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD, but where IAMMMMW was at times overlong and peopled with nasty characters, you can care about the people in TMMITFM. It's funnier-with much broader comedy than the other, and a careful sense of time and place. There are a few laggy romantic bIts, but Those Magnificent Men is a fine film well served by 20th Century Fox. Well recommended.

Jamie Teller

Absolutely gorgeous DVD of classic comedy!
This is truly a marvelous DVD transfer of the classic 1965 comedy that the whole family can enjoy. The image is breathtakingly sharp, capturing the amazing aerial photography of the classic early planes, the elaborate aerodrome set, and the delightful costume design; the sound, too, is top-notch, with the classic score and title tune bouncing along merrily. But what will keep you coming back is the laugh-out-loud comedy; sure, it's all based on stereotypes for each nationality, but some good-natured ribbing could help these days. Besides, funny is funny, and this movie is very, very funny, with riotous performances from Gert Frobe, Jean-Pierre Cassel and Terry-Thomas. You should try to see this on as big a screen as possible; pure cinematic joy!

Magnificent DVD
Finally! The 20th Century-Fox 1965 roadshow extravaganza comes to DVD. The movie looks marvelous in what must be a transfer from a restored 70mm print. On my 16X9 HDTV in progressive scan the images are quite stunning for a film of this vintage. The Dolby Digital 5.0 remastering of the original 6-track magnetic soundtrack is also a joy to the ears. This is an old-fashioned entertainment for the entire family. Thanks to its presentation on this new DVD the movie is once again a grand experience. The extras are extensive for such a moderately priced DVD too. Director Ken Annakin provides an interesting commentary track and appears in a new featurette. Somebody at Fox definately loves this movie, one that is a childhood favorite of mine. I saw it in its original release, and also in a 1969 reissue as part of a double feature with Fox's "Planet of the Apes." "The Perfect Mates" the ads said, "Apes and Men." Studios just don't don't do things like that anymore. Anyway, this DVD is a joy! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Still waiting............
As of today, May 2, 2004, Disney's masterpiece, the original "That Darn Cat" has yet to be released on DVD.
I dont know what Disney is waiting for, but if enough of us request the DVD, it will be made available alot quicker. All you have to do is sign up to pre-order the DVD on Amazon.com when it becomes available.
You will get an email when the DVD finally comes out.
The movie is about a Beautiful Siamese Cat, named D.C. (Darn Cat).
D.C. and his owner, the cute Disney legend Hayley Mills find themselves up to their necks in crime, and chaos.
A woman has been kidnapped, and only D.C. and Hayley can help he police find her!
Dean Jones, another Disney legend, plays the special agent in charge of the kidnapped woman's case, and he is wonderful.
"That Darn Cat" is the epitome of a Disney Clasic film: A cute, charasmatic Animal as the star, plus some familiar faces in the supporting roles, mixed with the Disney comedy, action and overall fun that we have grown to love.
The late great Roddy McDowall, of "Planet of the Apes" fame, plays a great part in this movie as well.
They made a remake of "That Darn Cat' in 1997, and while it was good, it is not nearly as good as the original.
This original 1965 version of 'That Darn Cat" is the one with the Disney Magic that we all have grown used to.
This movie is full of comedy, action, suspense, intrigue, and most important, pure Disney fun.
You will definitely enjoy this movie, if you havent seen it yet. If you have seen it on video, then you know what I mean.
Hopefully, soon, Disney will release this movie on DVD, and when they do, trust me when I say that it will be a favorite of yours and your family for years and years to come.
So, come on Disney.....we are waiting. Please release "That Darn Cat" on DVD soon, so that a whole new generation can experience its wonder.

Gorgeous!!!
Absolutely fabulous! This movie can make you laugh 1000 times over! It's delicious. The actor's play is a masterpiece, something that is very rare in our days.The intrigue is perfectly balanced, and the storyscript is the work of a genius!If you want to laugh like you do when you were a child, this is your moment! ... Read more

Reviews (28)

A real family classic!
Jim Douglas (played by Dean Jones) is a broken-down, has been racecar driver. But, when he finds himself saddled with an innocuous little Volkswagen Beetle, he suddenly finds that he can get a lot more out of it than anyone thought possible. Jim's kooky friend Tennessee Steinmetz (Buddy Hackett) keeps trying to tell him that this car is special, it has a heart and feelings, but Jim knows that a car is a car, is a car, right? And now that he is winning races, his chief competitor, Richard Thorndyke (David Tomlinson), is out to get that inexplicable little car! [Color, released in 1968, with a running time of 1:47.]

This is a fantastic movie, and a real family classic! I loved this movie as a kid, and couldn't wait to introduce my children to it. As expected, they loved it, especially the scenes where Herbie seemed to swallow Thorndyke and when he "oiled" on his leg! The DVD set is excellent, containing a nice Disney cartoon short, and lots of other neat extras. My family and I all love this DVD set, and highly recommend it to you!

I Love This 2 Disc Special Edition DVD SET of The Love Bug.
When this DVD was put out I bought a copy of it and I have watched it a dozen times Already. I really loved the specail features that they had on this DVD.

Here Is A Brief Description:

Jim Douglas (Dean Jones), is a down on luck race car Driver who finds Herbie at Thorndike Motors Owned By Peter Thorndike ( David Tomlinson). Well when Jim Finds the car. Herbie falls for him like a ton of bricks. The next day Jim finds Herbie Parked in front of the Firehouse that he and Tennesse Stienmetz (Buddy Hackett) live in. Well Jim buys the car from Mr. Thorndike and gains back his pride as he wins race after race. And falls in love with the Beautiful Carol (Michelle Lee).

Great Movie 5 Star Rating.

Disney almost got this DVD right
For the most part, this is one of Disney's few successes when it comes to releasing a movie on DVD. However, even with this DVD, there are some issues. The scene in Chinatown is strangely out of focus, while the rest of the movie appears just fine. Did the engineer fall asleep while he was doing the transfer, or just what happened?

In spite of that, I will say that this is one Disney DVD you are PROBABLY safe in buying. Maybe it came out before they started cutting corners so severely.

Cute but should not be rated G
I recently rented this movie for my three year old son who loves cars. I did see this movie when I was going up (though I did not remember the exact details) but now that I have seen it as a parent, I have some concerns about it.

Though the moive is rated G, it has a few things about it that I don't find appropriate for young children.

The dialogue is riddled with words like "stupid" and "idiot,"-- words I prefer to keep out of my son's vocabulary, at least for now.

I also find the character, Mr. Thorndike, to have an anger management problem. In the majority of his scenes, he is yelling at the top of his lungs and calling his sidekick, Havershaw, a series of derogatory names-- definitely not a characteristic I want my son to emulate. Finally, while I appreciate the whole appeal of a car having human qualities, I find the scene where Herbie tries to commit suicide a bit much for a kid's movie. Having to explain what the car was doing was difficult.

Overall, though the movie has cute qualities, I wish that the attributes I mentioned were not included. Call me a protective parent but seems to me that today's kids are considered rude because they are exposed to media like this that are considered acceptable.

Sorry to the die-hard Herbie fans, but this movie is not all its cracked up to be.

my favorite disney movie
there is no disney movie that could top this one. the race scenes with cute music playing went excellent with this movie. the cross country race at the end of the movie was one of the best slapstick race scenes i ever saw. this is like smokey and the bandit type movie. A LOT OF FUN TO WATCH. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The daughter of legendary British actor John Mills and novelist Mary Hayley Bell (as well as the sister of actress Juliet Mills), young Hayley Mills broke the surface of fame at the tender age of 12, starring opposite her father in the thriller Tiger Bay. That film, along with a Berlin Film Festival award, was enough to attract the attention of Walt Disney, who promptly signed her to a five-year contract and put her in the starring role of Pollyanna. After wringing hearts and nabbing a special Oscar, Mills segued into the comedy thing--for double the fun--in The Parent Trap, the 1961 farce in which she played twins, separated at birth, who scheme to reunite their biological parents (Maureen O'Hara and Brian Keith, both surprisingly sexy for a Disney movie). On the brink of adolescence, Mills was a saucy role model for children of the Kennedy era: cute, endearing and, above all, wholesome despite her sneaky ways--everyone's meddlesome sister. Easily stepping into the Disney child-star gap as the original Mouseketeers were (literally) outgrowing their uniforms, Mills was the studio's live-action bread and butter for a brief moment in time, and The Parent Trap still remains her best vehicle, a classic now to adults who came of age during the early '60s. It also pioneered the processed split-screen technique, which while not seamless was revolutionary and exciting enough that, upon seeing the initial results, Uncle Walt asked the filmmakers to shoot more scenes in which Mills played opposite herself. --Mark Englehart ... Read more

Reviews (97)

A Fun, Spirited Adventure Starring Hayley Mills
In the original movie, The Parent Trap, Hayley Mills stars, twice! As twins, not knowing about each other's existence, who meet at a summer camp where they immedietly dislike eachother, until, of course, they discover that they are twins. In the course of all this, they switch places in attempt to reunite their parents, played by Maureen O'Hara and Brian Keith. A fun movie to watch. Though perhaps not quite as colorful as the new version, it is a nice addition to your video collection, especially to compare to the new one. A must see movie that your whole family will enjoy.

"Let's Get Together,Yeah,Yeah,Yeah!"
"The Parent Trap" tells the story of two girls at summer camp: Sharon McKendrick and Susan Evers(both played by Hayley Mills). Their parents got divorced and took both of them separately. Maureen O'Hara plays Margaret McKendrick,and the late Brian Keith plays Mitchell Evers. The song that Hayley sings in the movie was a # 1 hit for her in 1961: "Let's Get Together" is written by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman,who also wrote the title song sung by Tommy Sands and Annette Funicello. Hayley Mills also reprised the roles of Sharon and Susan in "The Parent Trap II" (1986),"The Parent Trap III"(1989),and "The Parent Trap Hawaaian Honeymoon"(1989). Lindsay Lohan took Mills' roles in the remake of "The Parent Trap"(1998).

Help, I'm seeing Double........
I love this movie. Both versions arwe great. The first one, with Haley Mills, has the song,"lets get together yeah yeah yeah, why don't you and I combine.." and the second one with Lindsay Lohan, has the song "There She Goes" And there are some other diffrences. Like in the new one, there is the lizard fiasco. I'm pretty sure that wasn't in the old one. But they are both good. if I wer you I wouldn't chose. I'd get both.:)

Hayley to the Rescue
This was the highest grossing box office success in America in 1961 and if there isn't a statue of Hayley Mills in Disneyland there oughta be. Her successive hits for Walter and Roy Disney bailed them out of a tight spot financially. Ms. Mills effortless adolescent charm is backed by two first rate performers in Brian Keith and Maureen O'Hara and neither was ever better. The plot about separated twins is older than Shakespeare and doesn't bear too close examination, but the theme of a re-kindled love and re-united family is one very few of us can resist. Highly recommended.

Special features are wonderful
Of course this is a wonderful Disney family film. I'm in my twenties, and I can remember watching this movie since I was a toddler. Since I'm sure you know how great the movie is and can read other reviews for that, I'll concentrate on the special features of this DVD, some of which aren't even mentioned above.

• "Caught in the Act: The Making of the Parent Trap" is a good documentary (about 30 minutes), including interviews with Hayley Mills, Maureen O'Hara, director David Swift, Joanna Barnes, and more. It provides a lot of background details on how the idea for the film came about, selecting the cast, fine-tuning the screenplay, etc.

• "Disney Legend: Hayley Mills" is a 25-minute feature all about Hayley, and it's quite good. It includes photos and home movies from her childhood as well as interviews with Hayley, Maureen O'Hara, Dean Jones, Kevin Corcoran, David Swift, Nancy Olson, and others she worked with at Disney. Hayley talks about her family, her experiences at Disney, and her departure from that Disney image in the late '60s.

• "Seeing Double" is a short feature on the split-screen technology that allowed viewers to see two images of Hayley Mills side by side at once. This technology was quite innovative and experimental at the time, but it worked beautifully.

• The Sherman Brothers featurette is a short but interesting bit of facts and trivia on two men who wrote songs for many memorable Disney films, including "Mary Poppins" and "The Parent Trap."

• "Lost Treasures: Who's the Twin?" is an interesting feature about Susan Henning, the girl who played the double for Hayley Mills in the film (in scenes with the camera over her shoulder or to her back). Now that I know to look for her, I can plainly see in several profile shots that the other twin is NOT Hayley. Watch the fight scene at the dance closely too. Henning is a warm presence and gives some little-known facts about the film and about Walt Disney.

• "Let's Get Together" is a music video of the two Hayleys singing the song from the movie.

• The Donald Duck animated cartoon, "Donald's Double Trouble," is a Disney short filmed a few years before this movie, but it's a cute bonus.

• Other special features include theatrical trailers, TV spots, radio spots, a lengthy Parent Trap photo gallery, and a 1961 Disney studio album.

• The film's audio commentary by Hayley Mills and director David Swift is also a great feature. Hayley reveals many interesting tidbits about her experiences on the film, her relationships with her costars and Walt Disney, and how she views the film today. Swift offers his own recollections on Hayley's performance and other background information on the film. For example, the scene where Brian Keith finds the bra hanging on his shower was almost censored!

The widescreen transfer is wonderful. I'd never seen this film in its original aspect ratio, so this was a treat. The abundance of special features make this DVD edition truly wonderful. (I had no problems with it playing in my DVD player, either.) This is simply a fun family film that you can watch over and over. I know, because I have for the past 20 years. ... Read more

Reviews (49)

Disney's Personal Favorite - "Lion King"-like Masterpiece!
This Animated Feature, from Walt Disney Studios' "classic" period, showcases Disney's favorite themes: Natures majestic beauty and the miracle of life itself.

From the birth of "the young Prince", to his rightful place at the throne of the forest, Bambi is a delight to watch. My favorite scenes are the time when the new generation of "young ones", one by one, get "twitterpated" (as the wise owl explains it).

The dazzeling animation includes many moving moments, highlighted by the scene wehre Bambi's mother is killed. Searching for the mother, young Bambi is told "your mother can't be with you anymore". It is not until this moment that the father acknowledges his place in Bambi's life.

I first experienced this piece of movie magic as a child during the annual "Disney Feature" at the renouned MGM Theatre in Frankfurt, Germany. Of the films I was privileged to enjoy on their giant screen, this is the one I will always remember most fondly. From the reminders of Stomper's father (related by the mother) to the warnings of danger in the great meadow, and certainly the revitalized forest after a devestating fire, as well as the first signs of spring after a cold and snowy winter, "Bambi" was and always will be a memorable experience.

Until the long-awaited DVD version becomes available, the double lazer disc is the most sophisticated media for this wonderful film. The final side includes many "extras". The DVD format will certainly be filled with "gimmicks" as well. This film receives my highest recommendation for viewing by "children" of all ages!*****

Walt Disney's greatest
"Bambi" is said to have been Walt Disney's favorite picture, and it's no wonder of that. This movie has my favorite songs from any Disney picture I've seen, including "Love Is a Song" and "Little April Shower." My favorite character is, of course, Thumper. He steals the whole show and he has a lot of great lines, which are usually hard to find in animated films nowadays. I hope that the Disney company will re-release this classic in theaters or on video, but one thing I hope they don't do is sell a whole lot of merchandising on it. Almost every Disney movie these days does that. Anyway, one more thing I want to say about this movie. The scene where Bambi's mother dies has left an emotional and lasting impact on generations of children who saw it. Although I'm only 16 years old, I saw this movie about a month ago and I felt the same way during that scene. That is what made Bambi so different from Disney's other efforts and what made it so important.

A simple little film -- NOT!
On one level, "Bambi" is just a little, animated film, just under 70 minutes, that tells the story of an orphaned deer growing up. Right? And an acorn is just a nut.

"Bambi" was made in 1942, but is still impressive in its animation, even in comparison to the computer-generated graphics of today. The colors are so lush, that you want to freeze some of the frames and hang them up on your wall. The beauty of Nature is captured here as well as in any film, animated or not.

"Bambi" is the story of one deer, but it is also a case study in the very basics of life: parental love, loss and grief, friendship, loyalty, balancing risk and need, growing toward independence, being at one and in harmony with Nature, and romantic love. It is a small film that covers more ground than many epic, megabuck productions.

"Bambi" did something else significant: for many, it altered people's view of deer and their relationship to Man. I recently read a study that looked at this issue, and one finding is that two things decreased markedly after the release of "Bambi" involvement in deer-hunting, and the value people in general place on deer-hunting.

Sometimes, in simplicity, there is perfection.

Simply Charming, and Very Touching
As any true Disney Classic will, Bambi touches and warms your heart. This is one of those movies that stays with you for the rest of your life, after just one viewing, because of its impact.
Bambi was the first animated film to ever touch on the subject of ecology, and man's effect on nature. However, while it explores such a heavy subject it still maintains a simple beauty and charm. It has all of the elements of an animated masterpiece: beautiful animation, an interesting story line, loveable characters, and great voice acting. However, it also brings the added joy of remembering all of the wonder that the world has to offer. There are very powerful scenes, including Bambi's well known trama at losing his mother, and its sure to make you stop and think.

Very cute, raises an important issue as well...
This movie really made me think. That sounds silly when it's just a cute and heart warming little cartoon but I cried when Bambi's Mummy was shot. What about all of the deer that go down each and every day in the real world? ... Read more

Amazon.com

Optimism shines in this classic 1960 Disney film starring Hayley Mills. When the newly orphaned Pollyanna comes to live with her wealthy aunt in Harrington Town, life looks promising. Despite her aunt's insistence on propriety and modesty, Pollyanna's cheerful, optimistic ways spread throughout the town--converting even a cantankerous recluse and a whining hypochondriac. Only Aunt Polly has trouble welcoming her young niece into her heart. In a clash between the townspeople and Aunt Polly over local politics, it's Pollyanna's influence that helps individual townspeople find the inner strength to stand up for their own beliefs. When Pollyanna is involved in a serious accident, Aunt Polly finally realizes how much she loves her niece. Can Aunt Polly and the entire town somehow restore Polly's optimism and ensure a full recovery? Pollyanna is wholesome entertainment that will leave the entire family eager to play the "glad game." --Tami Horiuchi ... Read more

Reviews (20)

The Glad Movie
My mom picked up this movie at our library because we didn't have anything to watch and it looked interesting. Well, it was more than interesting, it was fantastic!

Hayley Mills was awesome as Pollyanna, and Jane Wyman, Nancy Olsen, and Richard Egan were all very well cast and played their parts beautifully.

It was in this movie, incidentally that Hayley Mills made her debut into Disney movies, and she went on to make other wonderful movies for Disney, the most memorable one, "The Parent Trap" (See my review for that movie also!)

The DVD has literally millions of extras, including a documentary, commentary with Hayley Mills and director David Swift, and sound tracks of Hayley singing the 'The Glad Song,' which unfortunately is not in the movie.

You will not be disappointed if you see this fantastic movie. It's a timeless classic that will never grow old.

Pollyanna touches every heart.
Grab your pillow, your favorite stuffed animal and head into the family wagon! Wait! Come Back! Okay, the days of the Drive-in movie are all but gone. But, the folks from Disney have created a terrific alternate experience with their "Vault Disney" DVD series. Each film fully restored, commentaries and documentaries galore and a cartoon short (Mickey Mouse in THE NIFTY NINETIES) preceding it making the evening a family event just like the Drive-in... without the fumes or the fighting with your brother.

After losing her parents, Pollyanna is sent to stay with her wealthy controlling Aunt Polly. But Pollyanna is innocently immune from her Aunt's control. Gradually, the browbeaten town starts to brighten up in conjunction with Pollyanna's optimistic viewpoint. Eventually, it all comes to a head when Pollyanna is given tragic cause to sour her own attitude. Try as you will to avoid it, tears will fall.

Pollyanna elevated Hayley Mills to Super Stardom and an optimistic reputation that she still can't shake. And her effervescence makes the hoopla worth it. Pollyanna's optimism comes out of Mills mouth as if it were her own. Several wonderful performers including Jane Wyman, Agnes Moorhead, Karl Malden and Disney favorite Kevin Corcoran surround her. Director/Screenwriter David Swift does a great job bringing the favorite novel to the screen. So much so that he was asked to helm Hayley next film THE PARENT TRAP.

The Disney Organization continues to provide its fan base with many smiles with its DVD output. The vault collection also includes other family favorites THE PARENT TRAP, SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON and OLD YELLER. They have also started their archive collection, which includes THE SILLY SYMPHONIES, the entire DAVY CROCKETT series, important episodes of DISNEYLAND, and color MICKEY MOUSE cartoons. Let's keep 'em coming!

Oldy But Goody
I grew up watching Pollyanna, so I decided that I HAD to have it for my collection. I just re-watched it yesterday and remembered why it was one of my favorites.

Pollyanna's parents die and she must go live with her rich aunt Polly. Pollyanna is so optimistic, but everyone in Harrington Town is so pessimistic and it's all because of strict aunt Polly. Pollyanna tries to turn the town around by teaching them the glad game - basically the idea of being optimistic. It's a cute story and teaches a good lesson.

My only complaint - for a Disney movie it is LONG! 2 hours and 15 minutes.

The Glad Movie Everyone Should See!
I was 9 years old the first time I saw Pollyanna on the Wonderful World of Disney back in the early 1970's. I had read the book and was thrilled to see it on the screen. Haley Mill's performance is outstanding and is worthy of an Academy Award nomination. Jane Wyman, Agnes Moorehead and Adolph Menjou also give first rate performances as Aunt Polly, Mrs. Snow and Mr. Pendergast. Throughout the circumstances of life Pollyanna has a choice: she can either give into the circumstances which surround her while adopting the attitude of defeat or rise above the circumstances and "be glad". This is a movie which will inspire you!

A Touching, Moving Film!
When "Pollyana" came out in theaters in 1960, I went to see it with the other neighborhood kids. I was a boy of 9 at the time, and didn't think too much of it.
Seeing it again as an adult, the emotional depth of it hit me very hard. You have to live a lot of those things yourself in order to appreciate them. It's no corny cliche that love has the power to transform the lives of people it touches.
Pollyana did nothing more than give her own simple kindness to the townspeople, and many of them were quite taken aback at it. But it wasn't wasted. The townspeople thronged back to Pollyana in gratitude when she needed them most. It moves me to tears. All the actors make it a believable, special story.
By all means, show this DVD to the kids. But don't forget that it contains a lot of good things for adults, too! ... Read more

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When it comes to long-awaited treats like The Marx Brothers Collection, you can never get too much of a good thing. These seven comedies can't compare to the sheer lunacy of the five classics (The Cocoanuts, Animal Crackers, Monkey Business, Horse Feathers, and Duck Soup) that the Marx Bros. made for Paramount between 1929 and 1933 (available in The Marx Brothers Silver Screen Collection), but when uber-producer Irving Thalberg signed Groucho, Harpo, and Chico to an MGM contract in 1935 (by which time sibling costar Zeppo had become the team's off-screen manager), he knew just how to cure their box-office blues. As a result, A Night at the Opera and A Day at the Races were critical and commercial hits, lavishly produced according to the "Tiffany" studio's golden-age formula of glamorous set pieces and musical numbers combined with sensible plots that smoothly integrated snappy, well-written Marxian antics. Opera is the jewel of this set, with timeless scenes (the Stateroom, the Groucho-Chico contract negotiation, etc.) that rank among the greatest bits of silver-screen comedy... not to mention Groucho's flirtatious insults at Margaret Dumont's upper-crust expense.

A Day at the Races deserves near-equal acclaim ("Get-a your tootsie-fruitsie ice cream!"), but Thalberg's death in 1937 dealt a devastating blow, and the Marxes suffered from studio indifference, resulting in a succession of comedies that are timelessly enjoyable even as they fall prey to diminishing returns. By the time they made Go West and The Big Store, the Marxes were out of their element, and a few of the musical interludes indulge racial stereotypes that were common in the studio era. Despite this, these movies remain fresh and frantic, and Warner Bros. (holder of the RKO and MGM libraries) has done a marvelous job of packaging The Marx Brothers Collection to nostalgically approximate the filmgoing experience of the 1930s and '40s, with vintage shorts (Our Gang, Robert Benchley comedies, MGM cartoons, etc.) from the time of each feature's original release. Archival materials are slim but worthwhile (especially Groucho's 1961 interview with TV talk-show host Hy Gardner), and while Glenn Mitchell's commentary on Races is sparse and superficial, Leonard Maltin brings his usual superfan's enthusiasm and encyclopedic knowledge to bear on a full-length Opera commentary track. The new documentaries are somewhat redundant, but essential viewing for Marx Bros. neophytes. With all seven films presented in pristine condition, this is definitely a Marx Brothers Collection worth having. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (47)

Glad to have'm on DVD but the Boys not at their best here
It's great to finally have the beloved Brothers Marx on DVD. It's just a shame that the first collection contains such a mixed bag. When they get around to releasing their classic Paramount films ("Cocoanuts", "Animal Crackers", "Monkey Business", "Horse Feathers", "Duck Soup") it will make the DVD being reviewed a bit more palatable.

In the current DVD, "A Night at the Opera" is clearly the winner. It is widely hailed as their best film, although cult Marxists tend to declare "Duck Soup" the best (as do I). "A Day at the Races", er, marks the beginning of their sad decline, though it has many funny scenes and memorable lines (Groucho: "Send a dozen roses to Mrs. Upjohn and write 'I Love You' on the back of the bill"). "Room Service" is a filmed play that happens to have Groucho, Harpo and Chico in it (and a few laughs), but like "At the Circus", "Go West" and "The Big Store", should not be viewed by anyone wanting to know what these guys were all about.

"A Night in Casablanca" is in fact worth watching because it's the last bona fide Marx Brothers movie (the abysmal "Love Happy" in 1949 technically is one but core fans disregard it) and is not all that bad. It certainly is the best one since "Races".

Bottom line: ignore the promotional text touting some of these films as being funny Marx Brothers movies. A Marx Brothers movie has a special kind of "funny" that leaves comedic, er, marks on your brain for life. Not all of the movies on this DVD can make that claim.

Mind you, "Circus" has Groucho's classic "Lydia" song and "Go West" has one of my favorite Groucho lines (i.e., "time wounds all heels"). However, rather than straining and waiting for a good line or scene, just wait for "Horsefeathers" or "Duck Soup" on DVD. You won't be disappointed. Swordfish!

1 Box Set, 5 disc, and 7 Marx Brothers films
Disc 1: "A Night at the Opera"
Special Features:
Commentary by Leonard Maltin
All-New Documentary "Remarks On Marx"
The Hy Gardner Show (1/1/61) excerpt featuring Groucho Marx
Three Vintage MGM Shorts:
Fitzpatrick Traveltalk's Los Angeles: Wonder City Of The World
Sunday Night At The Trocadero
Robert Benchley's Academy Award -Winning How To Sleep
Theatrical Trailer

Disc 2: "A Day at the Races"
Special Features:
Commentary by The Marx Brothers Encyclopedia Author Glenn Mitchell
All-New Documentary "On Your Marx, Get Set, Go!"
Four Vintage Shorts: Robert Benchley's Oscar Nominated A Night At The Movies plus the rarely-seen MGM Cartoons Gallopin' Gals, Mama's New Hat and Old Smokey
Audio-Only Treasures: Musical Outtake A Message From The Man In The Moon (performed by Allan Jones) and an MGM Radio Promo Leo Is On The Air
Theatrical Trailer

Disc 3: "Room Service" and "At the Circus" (double feature)
Special Features:
Vintage Our Gang Comedy Short Party Fever plus Daffy Duck and Porky Pig in the Looney Tunes Classic The Daffy Doc
Vintage Our Gang Comedy Short Dog Daze and Classic MGM Cartoon Jitterbug Follies

Disc 4: "Go West" and "The Big Store" (double feature)
Special Features:
Vintage Shorts, Pete Smith Specialty Quicker 'N A Wink and Fitzpatrick Traveltalk Cavalcade Of San Francisco
Vintage Cartoon, The Milky Way
Leo Is On The Air Radio Promo
Vintage MGM Short Flicker Memories and Vintage MGM Cartoon Officer Pooch
Audio Musical Outtake: Where There's Music

Disc 5: "A Night in Casablanca"
Special Features:
Bugs Bunny in the Looney Tunes cartoon classic Acrobatty Bunny
Vintage Joe McDoakes Short So You Think You're A Nervous Wreck

A Night at the Opera, A Day at the Races, and A Night in Casablanca are also available separately.

Oh la la !!
Realy a great value !
The technical quality of the DVD is good, the scene selection is sentively done, the bonuses are interesting and the set is unexpensive !
For once, it's not a cheap "re-recording" of old movies. It's a real new product with work behind it.
Every true Marxist should get it !

A Day and a Night at the movies
Let's be perfectly honest. The films in this collection are not exactly the highest regarded films of the Marx Brothers' illustrious career. Oh sure, A NIGHT AT THE OPERA and A DAY AT THE RACES are almost universally praised, but the rest fail to completely satisfy the masses. I had some doubts when I initially thought about pre-ordering this set. Since some of the discs were being released individually, I wondered if it would make more sense to just purchase NIGHT and DAY, forgetting about the rest. In the end, I decided to take the plunge and buy the whole thing.

Thankfully, I found a lot here to like. While overall this is a far inferior set of films to their previous work at Paramount, it isn't without some merit. There's a lot of funny stuff here, and only one film that I would classify as an out and out failure (the awful ROOM SERVICE featuring the criminally underused Lucille Ball). NIGHT and DAY are rightfully regarded as classics (12th and 59th respectively on the American Film Institute's list of the hundred funniest films), and the rest of the films are at least amusing and entertaining.

The three constants in this collection are, of course, the Brothers themselves. Groucho with his quick one-liners, Chico with his sly crafty schemes, and Harpo with his utterly bonkers and hilarious silent persona. These films are at their finest when the Brothers are on screen and at their nadir when vainly trying to develop the supporting romantic subplots.

One sad thing I noticed while watching the film was not just seeing the Brothers age, but noticing how progressively cheaper the movies themselves looked as the years progressed. The earliest films in this collection, NIGHT and DAY, were produced under the careful eye of Irving Thalberg who had the entire resources of MGM at his disposal. Big musical numbers, high production values, sharp scripts, and lots of rehearsal time were the order of the day. But after his sudden death (while only in his late 30s) during the production of A DAY AT THE RACES, the Brothers found themselves bounced around different producers and managed by studios suits who just didn't know what to do with the talent that they had. The result is significantly less care given to each subsequent picture. The huge opera house set seen in NIGHT is wonderful and the cheap sets in, say, GO WEST just look woeful in comparison.

This set comes with a multitude of DVD extras, many of which have nothing to do with the Marx Brothers. Someone thought it would be a good idea to place some contemporaneous cartoons and short films on the DVDs, with the idea (one assumes) of giving the viewer the ability to recreate a night out at the movies in t