Knight at HOME at the Movies
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The Three Faces of Disney
This week's DVD's recommendations are for three titles that offer heavy duty proof that when it comes to kids movies
Walt Disney has got all the bases covered -- from animation to age groups. I am saddened by the slow waning of the
studio's two-dimension features but hey, they don't make 'em for me and kids today want exactly what you see on this
page. Maybe if the Special Edition release of The Little Mermaid, coming later this year, the late 80s triumph that reignited
Disney's 2-D division sells big, we'll see another rebirth of the format at the Mouse House. Until then, we can look forward
to more spectacular takes on the format from the Japanese anime films.
This week's DVD's recommendations are for three titles that offer heavy duty proof that when it comes to kids movies
Walt Disney has got all the bases covered -- from animation to age groups. I am saddened by the slow waning of the
studio's two-dimension features but hey, they don't make 'em for me and kids today want exactly what you see on this
page. Maybe if the Special Edition release of The Little Mermaid, coming later this year, the late 80s triumph that reignited
Disney's 2-D division sells big, we'll see another rebirth of the format at the Mouse House. Until then, we can look forward
to more spectacular takes on the format from the Japanese anime films.
One of 2005's top financial success stories was the big fat fantasy hit with the title almost
as long as the Harry Potter pictures combined. Now comes the home edition of The
Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. I had a few
reservations when the film originally appeared (enhanced by the movie I created in my
head when I first read the book as a child), but those didn't stop me from highly
recommending the film then -- and now. Though a tad workmanlike, there's still enough
fantasy to take your breath away and this two-disc set from Walt Disney Video is going to
make those "how did they do that?" movie junkies and the kids mighty happy. The film
is presented in Widescreen on disc one along with the usual commentaries, a blooper reel
the tots will like and a Narnia "fun facts" feature also for the wee set. The second disc is
given over to five extremely detailed making of featurettes. These include the director's
"personal" diary as well as eight diaries from various members of the crew. I "personally"
hope that this blogging nonsense (both written and visual) soon goes out of fashion
because there's a lot of mundane detail offered up that's not particularly sizzling (but
then IMHO that's the case with 90% of all blogs). The set's packaging is also very
creative -- an attempt to recreate the magic when the kids go through the wardrobe for
the first time. A stellar set all in all. This was Disney's most striking foray into fantasy
since Mary Poppins and its success is spawning what will probably be film versions of all the
books in the C.S. Lewis series.
Next comes Disney's Chicken Little, the studio's first 3-D animation film hit very much
in the mold of those pioneered by Pixar. The charming story finds our little nerd but
plucky hero (complete with glasses) the only one aware of an impending alien invasion.
Chicken Little is aided by his other misfit friends in alerting the world to the dangers and
naturally, they have to take matters into their own hands, um, paws, claws, or whatever.
Though the story is a bit on the thin side (okay razor thin) there are the usual fart and
underpants jokes that seem to send the kids into spasms of hilarity and the underdog
tone of the script is appealing. Comic voice talents Zach Braff, Joan Cusack and Don
Knotts (!) help though Garry Marshall cast as Little's macho dad threw me for a loop. The
charming disc has the usual kid friendly features and several music videos (love those
tie-ins). My niece gave it a rave and eagerly awaits the next Disney movie -- though, sad
to say, she preferred this over Lady & the Tramp.
Finally, we have 2004's Howl's Moving Castle finally out on DVD in a special two-disc
edition. For reasons I can't quite explain, I have long resisted Japanese animation. I
never was much of a Gigantor or Speed Racer fan and perhaps that adversity has carried
over into my adulthood. Nevertheless, after being inundated by the local Disney rep with
promo discs I finally FORCED myself to put one of the discs into the player. To say that
I'm a convert to the work of Hayao Miyazaki and now understand what all the shouting's
been about would be an understatement. I was entranced from the first moments of the
film. What an amazingly creative story -- the use of color, the sheer visual panache of
the film, not to mention the detailed 2-D animation was stunning as well. And I loved the
range of vocal talents used for the American version (they include Jean Simmons, Lauren
Bacall and Emily Mortimer). Finally, the gorgeous soundtrack music is a decided
throwback to classic, epic scores by the likes of Max Steiner and Maurice Jarre. All of
these elements, so unusual for an animated film, really do give the film an epic sweep.
After devouring it, I eagerly watched the making of features on the second disc which
nicely detail how it was done.
Okay, okay, so I'm late to the party where Japanese animation is concerned but now I'm
a believer and am plowing through my other promo titles (hey local Disney rep if you're
reading this -- send me Spirited Away!).
as long as the Harry Potter pictures combined. Now comes the home edition of The
Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. I had a few
reservations when the film originally appeared (enhanced by the movie I created in my
head when I first read the book as a child), but those didn't stop me from highly
recommending the film then -- and now. Though a tad workmanlike, there's still enough
fantasy to take your breath away and this two-disc set from Walt Disney Video is going to
make those "how did they do that?" movie junkies and the kids mighty happy. The film
is presented in Widescreen on disc one along with the usual commentaries, a blooper reel
the tots will like and a Narnia "fun facts" feature also for the wee set. The second disc is
given over to five extremely detailed making of featurettes. These include the director's
"personal" diary as well as eight diaries from various members of the crew. I "personally"
hope that this blogging nonsense (both written and visual) soon goes out of fashion
because there's a lot of mundane detail offered up that's not particularly sizzling (but
then IMHO that's the case with 90% of all blogs). The set's packaging is also very
creative -- an attempt to recreate the magic when the kids go through the wardrobe for
the first time. A stellar set all in all. This was Disney's most striking foray into fantasy
since Mary Poppins and its success is spawning what will probably be film versions of all the
books in the C.S. Lewis series.
Next comes Disney's Chicken Little, the studio's first 3-D animation film hit very much
in the mold of those pioneered by Pixar. The charming story finds our little nerd but
plucky hero (complete with glasses) the only one aware of an impending alien invasion.
Chicken Little is aided by his other misfit friends in alerting the world to the dangers and
naturally, they have to take matters into their own hands, um, paws, claws, or whatever.
Though the story is a bit on the thin side (okay razor thin) there are the usual fart and
underpants jokes that seem to send the kids into spasms of hilarity and the underdog
tone of the script is appealing. Comic voice talents Zach Braff, Joan Cusack and Don
Knotts (!) help though Garry Marshall cast as Little's macho dad threw me for a loop. The
charming disc has the usual kid friendly features and several music videos (love those
tie-ins). My niece gave it a rave and eagerly awaits the next Disney movie -- though, sad
to say, she preferred this over Lady & the Tramp.
Finally, we have 2004's Howl's Moving Castle finally out on DVD in a special two-disc
edition. For reasons I can't quite explain, I have long resisted Japanese animation. I
never was much of a Gigantor or Speed Racer fan and perhaps that adversity has carried
over into my adulthood. Nevertheless, after being inundated by the local Disney rep with
promo discs I finally FORCED myself to put one of the discs into the player. To say that
I'm a convert to the work of Hayao Miyazaki and now understand what all the shouting's
been about would be an understatement. I was entranced from the first moments of the
film. What an amazingly creative story -- the use of color, the sheer visual panache of
the film, not to mention the detailed 2-D animation was stunning as well. And I loved the
range of vocal talents used for the American version (they include Jean Simmons, Lauren
Bacall and Emily Mortimer). Finally, the gorgeous soundtrack music is a decided
throwback to classic, epic scores by the likes of Max Steiner and Maurice Jarre. All of
these elements, so unusual for an animated film, really do give the film an epic sweep.
After devouring it, I eagerly watched the making of features on the second disc which
nicely detail how it was done.
Okay, okay, so I'm late to the party where Japanese animation is concerned but now I'm
a believer and am plowing through my other promo titles (hey local Disney rep if you're
reading this -- send me Spirited Away!).
