Showing posts with label animation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label animation. Show all posts

D2: The Mighty Ducks (1994) Review

D2: The Mighty Ducks  (1994)
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Buena Vista (the company that releases Disney films on DVD) chose to not release anamorphic DVDs when they first came to DVD, so none of these films are anamorphically enhanced. This means, if you have a widescreen television, you will have black bars on all four sides of the picture. Also, these discs are absolutely barebones, only featuring a Dolby 2.0 soundtrack and a 1.85:1 widescreen presentation. Where are the extras?! I don't know about you guys, but I am a Mighty Duck fan who is disappointed by the DVD releases of these films.

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Space Jam (1996) Review

Space Jam  (1996)
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Space Jam teams up His Airness, Michael Jordan, with His Hareness, Bugs Bunny, for a fun, and funny, family film.
Michael Jordan has retired from basketball, and currently playing baseball, when Bugs Bunny and his Looney Tunes pals ask for his help in playing a b-ball game against diminuative aliens from Moron Mountain. These aliens have stolen the talent of 5 NBA players, including Charles Barkley and Patrick Ewing, and are now larger than life. Since this is Looney Tunes Land, this game is NOT your average basketball game. If it was, it wouldn't be any fun.
Though not an actor of any kind in anyone's book, Michael Jordan does a very good job of interacting with his cartoon co-stars. Most of the jokes are well done and the basketball game itself is a lot of fun. In addition, it is quite funny to watch the 5 NBA players that had their "games" stolen trying to cope with their newfound ordinaryness.
This movie is not groundbreaking by any means and most all of the original Looney Tunes cartoons are better. But this movie never tries to be more than it is: a good time. And at that, it succeeds very well.

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Animalympics (1979) Review

Animalympics  (1979)
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I was eight years old when this came out; I thought it was slyly clever and funny back then. Now I'm almost thirty and find that the animation, the humor and the subject matter holds up remarkably well. Brought to us by the creator of "Tron", it is a wonderful blending of traditional animation and then-innovative techniques that might be considered almost psychedelic for such a normally straightforward medium. With original songs and voice overs from renowned comedy figures, it is truly a great achievement in its genre. I can't wait to introduce it to my niece and nephew, who I hope will be as delighted as I was.

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Everyone's Hero / The Sandlot (1993) Review

Everyone's Hero / The Sandlot (1993)
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I had never even heard of this movie before so when I was looking for a movie for family movie night I came across this one and purchased it since it was it was such a great price. We have not owned it for a week and my kids have already watched it 10x. They love it. Has a great store line and very entertaining.

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Nick Jr. Favorites Boxed Set (Vol. 1-3) (2004) Review

Nick Jr. Favorites Boxed Set (Vol. 1-3) (2004)
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We cancelled out cable about a year ago, but our 6yr-old daughter missed the programming on Nick Jr. This box set is a nice substitute (better than paying $60/month for cable). Good variety of shows, and no commercials.

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Bruno Bozzetto's: Allegro Non Troppo (1977) Review

Bruno Bozzetto's: Allegro Non Troppo (1977)
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Allegro Non Troppo. The title is Italian for a musical instruction in classical music. Literally translated, it means "cheerful, not too much"
The b&w live action segments, which take place in the beginning and inbetween animation, feature a young presenter, who tells us proudly, "This show is destined for immortality. Music interpreted in cartoons." He then says the movie is called Fantasia, only to get a phone call, at which he's clearly embarrassed. "They've say some guy already made this picture, a certain Crisney, Prisney, an American." Which he doesn't believe. The rough and brutal conductor has more the manner of the local butcher, and the orchestra, consisting of old women in their 60's through 80's, are fearful of him, as is the animator, a mild-mannered man with a balding but flowing haircut that makes him look more like an 18th century composer. His creations make the old ladies applaud, laugh, and cry. There's a funny segment involving a gorilla (don't ask) and him doing the Russian kalinka dance.
The first is Claude Debussy's Prelude a l'Apres-midi d'un faune, which traces the repeated attempts of an aging, pudgy satyr to have one of the beautiful, nude and nubile women for himself. Debussy did write this dreamy work harkening back to the idyllic paganism of Greece. I was surprised my parents let me see this when I was nine(!)
Antonin Dvorak's Slavic Dance No. 7 tells the story of a man who moves from his cave-dwelling neighbours to live alone, only to have his actions imitated by the neighbours. Frustrated, he constructs a different house, only to be imitated by the mindless crowd. Their imitative actions give him an idea.
The next two segments are stand head and shoulders above the others. Life evolved from a Coke bottle, one of the glass ones, not the plastic ones we have today. That is set to Ravel's Bolero. To which the presenter asks, "Who composed it?" From some bubbling liquid Coke, to an amoeboid creature to a reptile, and beyond, the animation also presents the march of life over the ages. The tempo of animation accelerates in tune with the music, where each instrument takes its turn playing the repeated 8-measure tune based on a Spanish dance. Dinosaurs, prehistoric birds, sea creatures, and even the ape, all walk across the volcanic landscape, and things really heat up when the strings kick in for the first time.
The animation to Jean Sibelius's Valse Triste put a real tear in my eye, as it portrays a cat who climbs from a crawlspace under a large house, only to discover it is a bombed ruin. The cat's eyes glow when it remembers happier times, such as an old lady knitting in a sofa, a caged canary, when the house was full of life in general. The colourful scenes when the house is reconstructed in its glory days is a highlight. However, the cat is clearly distressed upon seeing the stark wreckage.
A perky and funny bee's nice lunch in the meadow is constantly disrupted by an amorous human couple. The music is set to one of Antonio Vivaldi's concerti, which resembles the Spring segment of the Four Seasons.
Set to Igor Stravinsky's "Fire Bird" is a revisionist retelling of the Creation, Adam and Eve, and the Serpent. Both Adam and Eve refuse the Apple, to which the Serpent himself eats it, and gets a nightmare flurry of images, a post-industrial hell, complete with horned demons and live footage of the night life. The image of the heart filled with money is a telling one.
The attempt of an Igor-like behemoth to find a fitting finale from the files is actually pretty funny and warped.
Bruno Bozetto's animation is in varied styles, be it the lovely hues of idyllic Greece or the collage of twisted images in the finale. The overall theme here is how the post-industrial society comes into conflict with the old ways, be it pre-war days, romance, and nature. I first saw part of this back in 1977, and 26 years later, have finally seen this parody of Fantasia in its entirety, and am glad because of it. A real one-of-a-kind.

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In a riot of color and music, master animator Bruno Bozzetto offers his irreverent tribute to Disney's Fantasia.Transcending parody, this erotic, satiric, and delirious animated feature represents Bozzetto's vision of the world.In six distinct episodes, fantastic cartoon creatures march, slither, and bounce to the classical rhythms of Debussy, Dvorak, Ravel, Sibelius, Vivaldi, and Stravinsky.Perhaps most entrancing is the visualization of Ravel's "Bolero," in which the dregs of a Coke® bottle set forth a frenzied animal evolution across a surreal landscape.Maurizio Nichetti (The Icicle Thief, Volere Volare) stars in the equally wild live-action sequences that introduce each piece.For many critics, Allegro non troppo matches or surpasses the imagination and technique of Disney's masterpiece.

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Tom and Jerry - The Spotlight Collection (Volume 1 & 2) (1946) Review

Tom and Jerry - The Spotlight Collection (Volume 1 and 2) (1946)
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Can't Wait for Volume 3!
Tom and Jerry - Spotlight Collection, The Premiere Volume
------------------------------------------------------------------------
DVD-1:
1.-The Yankee Doodle Mouse (7.23 minutes 26 June 1943)
Utterly charming tribute to America's fighting men. Jerry has a cat raid shelter in the basement of a house where he battles Tom. Oscar winner and patriotic.
2.-Sufferin' Cats (7.50 minutes 16 Jan 1943)
Jerry is besieged by both Tom and an orange cat (Meathead, in his first screen role). Jerry plays off both cats into fighting each other and makes his escape.
3.-Baby Puss (7.51 minutes 25 Dec 1943)
Tom is forced to play baby for a little girl. Jerry laughs at him and Tom gives chase and kicks him out the room. Jerry brings in three alley cats who in turn have a little fun with "baby" Tom. They before a Carmen Miranda-sh rendition of "mam, You Quiero." The little girl returns, the ally cats run away and Tom is punished with a dose of castor oil. Jerry doesn't escape the castor oil punishment either.
4.-The Zoot Cat (7.03 minutes 26 Feb 1944)
Tom tries to woo his girlfriend with a zoot suit made from a hammock. However, Jerry ends up with the suit and the girl in the end.
5.-The Million Dollar Cat (7.10 minutes 6 May 1944)
Tom inherits a million dollars from a relative, but the stipulation in the will is that he "refrain from harming any living creature, including even a mouse." Jerry takes full advantage of this, who constantly reminds Tom of the condition in the will. Eventually, Jerry pushes Tom too far. Tom tears up the will and then tears into Jerry, throwing away a million bucks.
6.- The Bodyguard (7.21 Minutes 22 July 1944)
Jerry frees Spike from the city pound truck. Spike promises that if Jerry ever needs anything to "just whistle". Jerry whistles, Tom gets crushed, we laugh.
7.-Mouse Trouble (7.21 minutes 23 Nov 1944)
Tom is reading the book, "How to Catch a Mouse". Tom uses every trick in that book, but Jerry is too smart for that.
8.-Tee For Two (7.00 minutes 21 July 1945)
On the golf course, Tom uses Jerry for a tee, and the fun begins. They make a boring sport, fun!
9.-Flirty Birdy (7.13 minutes 22 Sept 1945)
Just as Tom is about to eat a Jerry sandwhich, a hawk swoops down and takes it away to have for himself. Tom disguises himself as a lady hawk to get his sandwhich back, but the hawk falls for him. Tom can't get rid of the lovestruck bird.
10.-Quiet Please (7.43 minutes 22 Dec 1945)
Tom pursues Jerry into a sleeping Spike. Spike warns Tom that if he makes one little noise, he'll skin Tom alive. Jerry takes the cue and makes every effort to wake the dog. Jerry succeeds with a firecracker, Tom ends up bandaged head to toe rocking a sleeping Spike.
11.-The Milky Waif (7.58 minutes 18 May 1946)
When baby mouse Nibbles (screen debut) is abandoned on Jerry's doorstep, it spells trouble for both Tom and Jerry. Nibbles show's his mettle when he protects Jerry with a frying pan to Tom's face. Jerry shows his heart when rushes to the rescue after Tom hits Nibbles with a flyswatter.
12.-Solid Serenade (7.21 minutes 31 Mar 1946)
Tom brings along his bass fiddle to seranade his girlfriend, but Spike is in the yard. Tying up Spike he proceeds to woo his girlfriend with "Is you Is". He is hampered in his wooing by a music loving mouse name Jerry.
13.-Cat Fishin' (7.54 minutes 22 Feb 1947)
On a fishing trip, Tom uses Jerry for bait. Jerry is not to happy about this and uses Spike to get back at Tom.
14.-The Cat Concerto (7.49 minutes 26 Apr 1947)
Tom is the snooty piano player. Jerry is the music loving mouse that sleeps in the piano. Tom plays Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 while Jerry listens. Tom starts pushing Jerry around and then Jerry ends up finishing the concert and receiving the applause.
15.-Kitty Foiled (7.20 minutes 1 Jun 1948)
Jerry teams up wiht a canary to fight off Tom. Trains and bowling balls join in the fray.
16.-The Truce Hurts (7.59 minutes 17 July 1948)
Spike decides to make amends with Tom and Jerry, but the peace falls apart when they fight over a juicy steak.
17.-Salt Water Tabby (7.16 minutes 12 July 1947)
Tom trys to woo a girl at the beach. Jerry interupts the wooing. Tom is not too happy and he begins to chase Jerry all over the beach. In the end, Jerry sails away with the picnic basket.
18.-The Invisible Mouse (8.42 minutes 27 Sept 1947)
Jerry is being chased by Tom and ends up in a bottle of invisible ink. He discovers that he can't be seen and proceeds to use it towards his advantage. In the end he whacks Spike with a golf club and leaves Tom to take the blame.
19.-Heavenly Puss (7.48 minutes 9 July 1949)
Tom tries to gain entrance to the pearly gates but is turned away unless he can obtain a certificate of forgiveness from Jerry with an hour. Tom find it is more difficult than would seem.
20.-The Little Orphan (7.50 minutes 30 April 1949)
Jerry kindly invites orphan Nibbles to Thanksgiving Dinner. The two join forces to thwart Tom and have a peaceful dinner all together.DVD-2:
1.-Texas Tom (6.34 minutes 11 Mar 1950)
Again a women gets the attention of Tom. Tom enlists an unwilling Jerry's help who promptly tries to interupts the wooing with a bull.
2.-Jerry and the Lion (7.13 minutes 8 Apr 1950)
Jerry hides an escaped lion in the house, while Tom is on the hunt for the lion to get the huge reward. Jerry then sees the lion off on the S.S. Africa, tearfully waving goodbye.
3.-Tom and Jerry in the Hollywood Bowl (7.22 minutes 17 Sept 1950)
Tom is conducting an all cat orchestra to the overture to "Die Fledermaus". Jerry wants to conduct as well, but Tom will have none of that. Jerry retaliates and Tom ends up playing the rest of the overture solo with Jerry conduting.
4.-Jerry and the Goldfish (7.21 minutes 3 Mar 1951)
Tom tries to cook Goldy, the goldfish. Jerry is on hand to rescue his fishy friend from chef Tom
5.-Cue Ball Cat (7.02 minutes 25 Nov 1950)
A riotous game of pool results when Tom wakes Jerry from a nap in the pool table. Never wake up a sleeping mouse.
6.-Slicked-up Pup (6.19 minutes 8 Sept 1951)
Butch (Spike the bulldog) has just bathed Pup (Tyke) when Tom accidentally get the little dog muddy. Dad is not happy and orders Tom to clean Pup or else. Jerry "helps" with the cleaning and Tom ends up in the washing machine.
7.-Jerry's Cousin (6.39 minutes 7 Apr 1951)
Muscles, Jerry's cat-curdling cousing, arrives to help get Tom under control. Muscles is a mean streets mouse, and more than a match for Tom. When his muscle building regime doesn't work, Tom calls in his alley cat friends, "Dirty Work, Inc." to rid the house of Muscles. But Muscles evicts the alley cats and Tom surrenders to the might of this mouse.
8.-Cat Napping (6.52 minutes 8 Dec 1951)
A lazy afternoon, a cool class of lemonade, and Jerry napping in a hammock - until Tom wants it. A battle ensues over the hammock with Spike, a frog, and an army of ants joining in.
9.-The Flying Cat (6.44 minutes 12 Jan 1952)
Jerry and a canary save one another from Tom and take refuge in the Canary's birdhouse. Tom fashoins a piar of wings from a girdle and flies after the Canary and Jerry.
10.-The Two Mouseketeers (7.21 minutes 15 Mar 1952)
Given the responsibilities, by the tyrannical King, of guarding the grand banquet table, Tom is confronted by the sudden appearance of Jerry and Tuffy (Nibbles), the Mouseketeers. But the mice outwitt the guard, turning the table into a battle field.
11.-Smitten Kitten (7.49 minutes 12 Apr 1952)
Another flashback cartoon, this time it's Jerry with the flashbacks. All involving Tom and his women.
12.-Johann Mouse (7.57 minutes 21 Mar 1953)
In the house of Johann Strauss is little Johann Mouse, who love to waltz. Every time Strauss played, the mouse would dance. And when the mouse danced, the cat chased.
13.-Baby Butch (7.09 minutes 14 Mar 1954)
Butch (Meathead) dresses as a baby and leaves himself on Tom's Doorstp as a meand of gaining entry to the refridgerator. Jerry teams up with Tom to foil the sham baby's plot.
14.-Two Little Indians (6.49 minutes 17 Oct 1953)
Scoutmaster Jerry has his hands full with two little orphans from the Bide a Wee Mouse Home. Outfitted in Indian feathers and diapers , the two involve Jerry and the sleeping Spike in a hair-raising battle with Tom.
15.-Mice Follies (6.49 minutes 4 Sept 1954)
Jerry and Tuffy (Nibbles) turn the kitchen floor into a ice skating rink.
16.-Designs on Jerry (6.39 minutes 2 Sept 1955)
Tom designs the ultimate mousetrap. But the blueprint mouse comes to life to help Jerry out of the trap.
17.-Pecos Pest (6.35 minutes 11 Nov 1955)
Jerry's Uncle Pecos spends the evening with his nephew just before a scheduled TV appearance. His guitar string is always snapping and it's always Tom's wiskers that get pulled to replace them.
18.-Touche Pussy Cat (6.45 minutes 18 Dec 1954)
Tuffy's father sends him to Jerry for mouseketeer training. He fails miserable and destroys Jerry's place in the process. However, he gains the mouseketteer title when he thwarts Tom.
19.-The Flying Sorceress (6.40 minutes 27 Jan 1956)
Tom unsupectingly takes a new job with a witch. He steals her flying broom to return home and scare the wits out of Jerry.
20.-Blue Cat Blues...Read more›

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Walt Disney Treasures - Mickey Mouse in Black and White (1932) Review

Walt Disney Treasures - Mickey Mouse in Black and White (1932)
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Despite this being a seminal moment in DVD history having the black and white Mickey Mouse cartoons available in the best possible digital format, this Disney Treasures collection is not a complete set. As mentioned, this set will contain 34 black and white MM shorts, but they are only selections out of about 75 made between 1928-1935. Last year's "Silly Symphonies" collection was put together in a similar way with a little more than half of the 73 or so made. Rumors are that next year's DT series will include a "Mickey Mouse in Living Color Vol. 2", which means that host/compiler Leonard Maltin possibly intends to include second volumes of past and future collections in this series that don't contain everything in one set due to large amounts originally produced. When these MM black and white shorts were available on laserdisc years ago, they were also released in two volumes.
Here is a complete list of the B&W selections on this collection (year-by-year) straight from the Disney press release:
1928--"Steamboat Willie", "The Gallopin' Gaucho", "Plane Crazy" (actually the first official Mickey Mouse short--originally silent with sound added later and re-released following the success of "SW").
1929--"The Karnival Kid", "Mickey's Follies"
1930--"The Fire Fighters", "The Chain Gang", "The Gorilla Mystery", "The Pioneer Days"
1931--"The Birthday Party", "Mickey Steps Out", "Blue Rhythm", "Mickey Cuts Up", "Mickey's Orphans"
1932--"The Duck Hunt", "Mickey's Revue", "Mickey's Nightmare", "The Whoopee Party", "Touchdown Mickey", "The Klondike Kid"
1933--"Building a Building", "The Mad Doctor", "Ye Olden Days", "The Mail Pilot", "Mickey's Gala Premiere", "Puppy Love", "The Pet Store", "Giantland"
1934--"Camping Out", "Gulliver Mickey", "Orphan's Benefit", "The Dognapper", "Two-Gun Mickey"
1935--"Mickey's Service Station" (Curiously, "Mickey's Kangaroo" is not included here. This was really the last B&W Mickey cartoon done shortly after he premiered in color in "The Band Concert").
The press release has stated that, in addition to all the features mentioned above, there will also be rare footage of the only MM B&W pencil test known to exist. This pencil test was done for "The Mail Pilot." Also, new interviews were apparently done with the legendary animators Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston for the documentary. Much-needed audio commentary (presumably by Leonard Maltin) has also been added to the poster gallery on disc 2 that was absent from last year's "Mickey Mouse in Living Color."
For those not acquainted with last year's "Mickey Mouse in Living Color": that collection collects Mickey's first three years in color between 1935-1938. Next year's rumored Vol. 2 will probably complete the color Mickey, going up to his last short under Walt Disney--"The Simple Things" (1953).
More rumors for next year's DT series: "Wartime Cartoons" (originally intended for this year) and "The Chronological Donald" (obviously the first phase of the many Donald Duck cartoons produced through the 1930's-1960's).

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Witness the birth of an American icon. This historic compilation chronicles Mickey Mouse's early career, from his landmark debut in 1928's "Steamboat Willie" to the last of his black-and-white shorts, "Mickey's Service Station," in 1935. Gain insights into Mickey's beginnings in new interviews with legendary Disney animators Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston. See the earliest visuals on record showing the creative birth of animation's most historically significant cartoon as well as the only black-and-white cartoon pencil footage known to exist. All of this and more is revealed in this homage to the mouse who captured the imagination of the world. Featuring exclusive introductions by film historian Leonard Maltin, this is a timeless collection from generations past for generations to come.

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Walt Disney Treasures - Mickey Mouse in Living Color (1937) Review

Walt Disney Treasures - Mickey Mouse in Living Color (1937)
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First the good:
This is by far the best compilation of Mickey shorts available to the public to date. Disney produced 87 Mickey shorts in the 30's - by far the most prolific period of Mickey Mouse Cartoons (there were only 120 made from 1928 to 1953). 27 of these shorts are contained on this disc, which constitutes more than half of the color Mickeys made. He was already a sensation before he went to color; these shorts firmly established him as an American icon. To the animation fan, it can be argued that this disc contains some of the best cartoon "acting" of the golden age of animation. By no means should a serious fan avoid this disc.
The not so good:
These shorts have not been remastered. I'm not even sure they come from the best available print. Some of these shorts have looked better on the "Ink and Paint Club." The cartoons in this package contain flaws that some could consider unacceptable, or at least annoying - colors going out of register (albeit probably not noticeable to the casual viewer), a few sound problems (rare, but a bit annoying), dust and dirt. Watch the "Brave Little Tailor" in the scene where Mickey kills the seven flies. The amount of film debris present is alarming - it almost looks like it's snowing. Some have said that the recent remastering of Snow White has resulted in an ultra-clean presentation that takes away from the period animation. Well...this disc certainly doesn't present THAT dilemma. It's not unacceptable as the good far outweighs the bad. But I would have thought Disney to spend a bit more time on presenting the best possible versions of these pieces.
Overall:
An absolute must for the animation collector. Concerning the comments about the mastering - it's highly unlikely that Disney will remaster these shorts in another package. Grab it while it's available as this is supposedly a limited release of 150,000 copies....

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A collection of twenty-six animated shorts in color starring everyone's favorite, Mickey Mouse, released between 1935 and 1938. Introduction by Leonard Maltin. Cartoons: The Band Concert, Mickey's Garden, Mickey's Fire Brigade, Pluto's Judgement Day, On Ice, Mickey's Polo Team, Orphan's Picnic, Mickey's Grand Opera, Thru the Mirror, Mickey's Rival, Moving Day, Alpine Climbers, Mickey's Circus, Mickey's Elephant, The Worm Turns, Magician Mickey, Moose Hunters, Mickey's Amateurs, Hawaiian Holiday, Clock Cleaners, Lonesome Ghosts, Boat Builders, Mickey's Trailer, The Whalers, Mickey's Parrot, Brave Little Tailor.

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Jem - The Complete 1st & 2nd Seasons (1985) Review

Jem - The Complete 1st and 2nd Seasons (1985)
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Like most cartoons of the 80's, JEM may have had an agenda of commercialism behind it. But that in no way should overshadow the fact that this cartoon aspired to be more than what it seemed at the superficial level. JEM made a serious effort to not only capture the attention of girls ages 5-13(through a mixture of catchy 1 minute bubblegum pop tunes and a lucrative collectors doll market), but to actually distinguish itself as something special in the annals of animation lore.As a young comic-book obsessed, introverted boy in the 80's, JEM first managed to catch my attention as part of an animation block of Saturday morning programming along with Bigfoot and the Monster Machines, and the Inhumanoids.As a boy and die-hard comic freak, I tuned in for the Inhumanoids naturally. But there was something about JEM that automatically captured my attention. Perhaps it was the "super-hero" aspect of the show. Perhaps it was the bevy of gorgeous animated babes. Whatever it was,I was instantly hooked.I felt kind of weird being a male JEM fan,but I consoled myself with the fact that I only gave the cartoon my patronage, and NOT the dolls! But I digress. GOD BLESS RHINO!!!! Season 1+2 are here in all thier big-haired glory! Enjoy JEM from her humble origins to her maturity as a pop-goddess and role model for kids of all ages and genders! This is a solid essential for children of the 80's,or any fan of quality animation with quirky storytelling, memorable characters,and (of course) those awesome mini pop anthems that gave the show it's aura of individuality. Good for young children,as it is replete with wholesome values and the triumph of purity and right over the forces of malicious mischief.(By the way:the MISFITS ROCK!!!) The animation itself is a bit rocky at times and primitive by today's manga-obsessed purists. But this can easily be forgiven due to the show's out-and-out ability to enthrall and stand the test of time despite its dated look and feel. HEY RHINO:CAN'T WAIT FOR SEASONS 3-4!!! I feel those are the best episodes, as the show really matured story-wise,and even more unforgettable characters were introduced! Hope this was helpful!

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Walt Disney Treasures - Disney Rarities - Celebrated Shorts, 1920s - 1960s (1953) Review

Walt Disney Treasures - Disney Rarities - Celebrated Shorts, 1920s - 1960s (1953)
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It's not exactly a state secret that the "Disney Treasures" DVDs have been big money-makers for the company. So how do you squeeze a little extra cash out of a cash cow? Why, start throwing animated shorts onto DVD without remastering them, that's how!
Yep, the bulk of these cartoons are presented in vintage 20-year-old transfers. The images are soft and low-res, colors are frequently washed-out (I defy you to find the color tan anywhere in "Paul Bunyan"), and Cinemascope films such as "Toot, Whistle, Plunk and Boom" are presented in non-anamorphic widescreen. If you have a 16X9 TV, prepare yourself for a joyless experience.
The shorts themselves are largely second-tier Disney, with a few bona fide masterpieces such as "Ferdinand the Bull." Others show that when the Disney artists tackled a new field (such as UPA-style limited animation in "A Cowboy Needs a Horse," or dimensional animation in "Noah's Ark," with its fanciful found-object animals) they could do it better than just about anybody else. Kids may become a tad restless at times, but animation fans and Disney completists will be in heaven.
Bottom line: If Disney's going to call these shorts "Treasures" they should treat them as such.

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This fascinating volume features some of Walt's most unique animated triumphs.Included are several of Walt's "The Alice Comedies," a pioneering series of early short films that combined live-action and animation.These wonderful, lesser-known unique films pre-date much of the work that would make him world-famous."Alice's Wonderland" is one of Walt's very first films. Fans will enjoy the unique animation of "Toot, Whistle, Plunk and Boom," which won an Academy Award(r) (Best Short Subject (Cartoon) 1953) and was the first cartoon produced in Cinemascope.This short film established a completely new animation style for the Studio.DISNEY RARITIES, CELEBRATED SHORTS 1920s-1960s showcases a large collection of Walt's outstanding animated shorts that fans may not be aware of. Bonus features include: "Alice's Cartoon World" in which Leonard Maltin discusses Disney's historic "Alice" shorts with Virginia Davis who played the original Alice when she was 4-years old; "From Kansas City to Hollywood" - a timeline of Walt's silent era; "A Feather In His Collar" a rarely seen short supporting the Community Chest; audio commentary for "A Symposium On Popular Songs" by composer Richard Sherman, and still frame galleries. Introductions by Leonard Maltin. CONTENTS *Alice's Wonderland*Ben and Me *Alice Gets in Dutch* Football, Now and Then *Alice's Wild West Show* Toot, Whistle, Plunk & Boom *Alice in the Jungle* Pigs Is Pigs *Alice's Egg Plant*Social Lion *Alice's Mysterious Mystery*A Cowboy Needs a Horse *Alice the Whaler*Hooked Bear *Ferdinand the Bull*In the Bag *Chicken Little*Jack and Old Mac *The Pelican and the Snipe*The Story of Anyburg, U.S.A. *The Truth about Mother Goose*The Brave Engineer *Paul Bunyan*Morris, the Midget Moose *Noah's Ark*Lambert, the Sheepish Lion *Goliath II*The Little House *The Saga of Windwagon Smith*Adventures in Music: Melody *A Symposium on Popular Songs

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

Walt Disney Treasures - The Chronological Donald, Volume Two (1942 - 1946) (1942)
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The official announcement of the exact contents of this DVD set has just been made, with the set containing the Donald Duck cartoons of 1942-1946. These first official announcements occasionally have some mistakes or omissions, but they are generally accurate. In addition to the cartoons, the following extras were announced:
A chat with the current voice of Donald Duck.
The complete episode of the Disney TV Show "A Day In The Life Of Donald Duck", first shown February 1, 1956. The cartoon Donald (and his car, at times) is placed in live-action settings to show his "typical work day". One special scene has Donald arguing with his "voice" Clarence "Ducky" Nash, with Nash getting the last "quack". Jimmy Dodd, Roy Williams, and the Mouseketeers also appear. A few of Donald's cartoons are included.
A featurette on Donald Duck artists Carl Barks "The Art And Animation of Carl Barks".
The 1940 Donald Duck public service short 1940 "The Volunteer Worker". If this info is correct, I don't know why this is repeated from the Walt Disney Treasures DVD set Chronological Donald Duck Volume 1.
A timeline of the Walt Disney Studios during the World War II years 1941-1945.
Donald-themed still frame art galleries.
The cartoons below noted with a "*" were also previously released on the Walt Disney Treasures DVD set On The Front Lines. Cartoons noted with a "+" should be in the set, but were probably mistakingly left off the official announcement list.
1942
1. The Village Smithy - Donald is a smithy who is continually frustrated in his work on a wagon wheel and trying to shoe a donkey.
2. Donald's Snow Fight - When Donald destroys his nephews' snowman, the snow fight escalates into Donald's snow ship attacking the nephews' snow fort. The nephews win the fight, with hilarious results. My favorite of the Donald/nephews conflict cartoons.
3. * Donald Gets Drafted - Donald eagerly obeys his army induction order, but soon suffers through a humiliating physical and a sadistic drill sergeant. I always got a laugh out of Donald reporting to an army induction in his sailor suit.
4. Donald's Garden - Donald continually has gardening problems - first, with his watering can and water pump; and then with a gopher who eats his prize watermelons.
5. Donald's Gold Mine - Donald's conflicts with his donkey in his gold mine results in finding gold; but, in the end, Donald looks like one of his bars of gold.
6. * The Vanishing Private - Donald uses invisible paint to camouflage an anti-aircraft gun. His sergeant Pete angrily chases an invisible Donald. Pete finally loses his temper by throwing grenades where he thinks Donald is. Donald gets the last laugh when a general has Pete thrown into jail, with Donald as the guard.
7. * Sky Trooper - Donald continually bugs his sergeant Pete by saying he "wants to fly an airplane". Pete tricks Donald into being a member of a parachuting team. When Donald refuses to jump and Pete tries to force him out of the plane, both Donald and Pete fall out without a parachute. As they fall, they dislodge a bomb, which destroys the general's headquarters. Donald and Pete both end up doing KP peeling potatoes.
8. + Bellboy Donald - After Donald's hotel manager gives him a lecture about Donald's impoliteness to the guests, Donald is taunted continually by Junior, Senator Pete's son. Donald controls his temper until the very end, when Donald ends up spanking Junior after Donald has lost his temper and his job.
1943
9. * Der Fuehrer's Face - Donald has a nightmare that he is living in Nazi Germany, where everything (buildings, trees, clouds, etc.) is shaped like a swastika. He dreams of bayonet discipline, starvation, hard labor on a munitions assembly line, and having to "Heil Hitler" every minute of the day. He awakens to find himself glad to be a U.S. citizen. This is a very effective propaganda cartoon and is also an entertaining, funny cartoon. It is the only Donald Duck cartoon to win an Academy Award.
10. Donald's Tire Trouble - While speeding through the countryside, Donald has a flat tire. Due to the wartime rubber shortage, Donald has several hilarious misadventures in trying to fit the flat.
11. Flying Jalopy - Donald buys a defective plane from Ben Buzzard, who makes Donald's life insurance out to Ben and then proceeds to try to wreck the plane while Donald is flying it.
12. * Fall Out - Fall In - Donald suffers through the drudgery of the life of a soldier, including impossibly long marches through all types of weather. Donald wrestling with his tent while trying to pitch it is hilarious.
13. * The Old Army Game - His sergeant Pete catches Donald sneaking back into his barracks after curfew. Donald takes off, with Pete chasing him, with funny and interesting results.
14. * Home Defense - Donald, a civilian war aircraft spotter, falls asleep at his post. His nephews trick him by launching a toy plane and toy parachutists to make Donald think there is an enemy attack. Several funny scenes follow.
1944
15. Trombone Trouble - The gods Vulcan and Jupiter are kept awake by Pete's awful trombone playing, so they give Donald the power to stop Pete. After Donald wins, he picks up the trombone and starts playing it himself. One of the funniest Donald/Pete conflict cartoons.
16. Donald Duck and the Gorilla - Donald and his nephews scare each other with a fake gorilla suit when the radio announces that a gorilla has escaped from the zoo. But a frantic chase begins when the real gorilla shows up.
17. Contrary Condor - Donald Duck, an egg collector, pretends to be a baby condor when the mother condor catches him trying to steal one of her eggs. Very funny scenes follow of Donald trying to get out of his predicament.
18. * Commando Duck - Donald is given a secret mission to wipe out a Japanese airbase. Unfortunately for Donald, he isn't told how he is supposed to accomplish this alone. There are several very imaginative scenes that follow, resulting in Donald wiping out the airbase.
19. The Plastics Inventor - Donald bakes a plastic airplane from radio instructions and proudly goes out to try it. But several hilarious scenes follow as the plane melts in a rain storm.
20. Donald's Off Day - Donald's nephews and the weather continually frustrate his efforts to go golfing.
1945
21. The Clock Watcher - Donald works as a department store gift wrapper, but his job is threatened by his tardiness, laziness, playing with the merchandise, and the gifts just refusing to be wrapped.
22. The Eyes Have It - Donald mistreats Pluto by using hypnotism glasses to change Pluto into different animals. Pluto turns the tables on Donald and chases him when Pluto is changed into a lion.
23. Donald's Crime - Donald, needing money for a date with Daisy, steals from his nephews' piggy bank. After the date, his conscience makes him get an all-night dishwashing job to get the money to put back into the piggy bank. But Donald doesn't get away with his theft - the nephews catch him putting the money back into the bank and thinks he's stealing the money.
24. + Duck Pimples - A fun and imaginative cartoon in which characters in a murder mystery book come to life and Donald is accused of the crime.
25. No Sail - One of my favorite Donald/Goofy cartoons. They rent a sailboat that runs on nickels. After they run out of nickels, there are several frustrations for Donald due to Goofy being silly and clumsy.
26. Cured Duck - Daisy refuses to see Donald again until he is cured from his terrible temper. Donald uses an "insult" machine to cure himself. He returns to Daisy cured, but then has to deal with her temper.
27. Old Sequoia - Forest ranger Donald is fired after many misadventures in trying to prevent some beavers from destroying a sequoia tree.
1946
28. Donald's Double Trouble - Daisy breaks up with Donald due to his numerous faults. Donald meets his "sophisticated" double and uses him to win back Daisy's love. The trick backfires when the double falls in love with Daisy.
29. Wet Paint - Donald gets into a war with a bird that destroys Donald's new car paint job and uphostery while gathering material for her nest. Donald gives up when he sees her nest full of her baby birds.
30. Dumb Bell of the Yukon - Artic trapper Donald gets the trouble he deserves when he takes a cub from a sleeping mother to make a fur coat for Daisy. Several funny scenes follow when the mother bear chases Donald.
31. Lighthouse Keeping - Donald, a lighthouse keeper, must deal with a pelican who is trying to douse the lighthouse light. As usual, Donald causes his own problems by first playing tricks on the bird.
32. Frank Duck Brings 'Em Back Alive - Donald loses his sanity in trying to capture "wild man of the jungle" Goofy.
These cartoons are among Donald's funniest and most imaginative. These Walt Disney Treasures sets of the Disney cartoons are among the best bargains of any DVD set. I own these cartoons since VHS tapes of the 1980s and the Disney Channel cartoon shows and still enjoy them after watching them for many years. I very much look forward to the DVD sound and picture quality that these Walt Disney Treasure sets have had.

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The adventures of the world's favorite fiery-tempered duck continue as we follow his solo-starring efforts from 1942 through 1946. This period was filled with an abundance of comic exploits as Donald shows his huge audience what he's made of, short fuse and all. Among Donald's featured escapades is the Academy Award(R)-nominated Best Short, "Donald's Crime," from 1945. Also showcased is an interview with the current-day voice of Donald Duck, Tony Anselmo, and a profile of the legendary comic book artist Carl Barks -- including a look at the not-often-seen work he did in Disney's animation department.

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Hot Wheels Acceleracers Boxed Set (Ignition / The Speed of Silence / Breaking Point / The Ultimate Race) (2006) Review

Hot Wheels Acceleracers Boxed Set (Ignition / The Speed of Silence / Breaking Point / The Ultimate Race) (2006)
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We are pacing him on these, to get more gift bang-for-the-buck. He loves the first movie, and as you can imagine we've seen it bunches of times. For an adult, it's kinda thin on plot, but there is one. For a little boy that wants to see cars go fast, and likes a good-guy/bad-guy story, it's the bomb!

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Walt Disney Treasures - The Complete Goofy (1941) Review

Walt Disney Treasures - The Complete Goofy (1941)
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Here is a list of all forty-six Goofy cartoons--year by year--contained on this new Disney Treasures collection:
1939-"Goofy and Wilbur" (Goofy's first official "solo" short)
1940-"Goofy's Glider" (The first in the long-running "How-to" series)
1941-"Baggage Buster", "The Art of Skiing", "The Art of Self-Defense"
1942-"How to Play Baseball", "The Olympic Champ", "How to Swim", "How to Fish"
1943-"Victory Vehicles" (Could have been released under the delayed "Wartime Cartoons" Disney Treasures collection)
1944-"How to Be a Sailor", "How to Play Golf", "How to Play Football"
1945-"Tiger Trouble", "African Diary", "Californy er Bust", "Hockey Homicide"
1946-"A Knight for a Day", "Double Dribble"
1947-"Foul Hunting"
1948-"They're Off", "The Big Wash"
1949-"Tennis Racquet", "Goofy Gymnastics"
1950-"Motor Mania", "Hold That Pose"
1951-"Lion Down", "Home Made Home", "Cold War", "Tomorrow We Diet", "Get Rich Quick", "Fathers Are People", "No Smoking"
1952-"Father's Lion", "Hello Aloha", "Man's Best Friend", "Two Gun Goofy", "Teachers Are People", "Two Weeks Vacation", "How to Be a Detective"
1953-"Father's Day Off", "For Whom the Bulls Toil", "Father's Weekend", "How to Dance", "How to Sleep" (the last of the "How-to" series made for the big screen)
1961-"Aquamania"
Though this collection is "The Complete Goofy", it would have been nice to include the two cartoons Goofy did with Donald Duck ("No Sail" and "Crazy with the Heat") in 1945 and '47, respectively (probably saved for a later Donald Duck collection in the DT series). Also, "How to Ride a Horse" and "El Gaucho Goofy" (taken from "The Reluctant Dragon" and "Saludos Amigos", respectively) were re-released in an animated short format in the 1950's, but are obviously unnecessary to include in this collection. Goofy also appeared in "Freewayphobia" and "Freewayphobia #2" (both in 1965) which also appears to not be included here (probably because these were educational films produced extensively during this time by the Disney company).
Many of the above-mentioned Goofy shorts contained controversial scenes that have been removed and/or altered by the Disney company in recent years. This collection is promising that they will all be uncut--so let's hope they will be seen the way they were originally seen if only for the historical context. Last year's "Mickey Mouse in Living Color" and "Silly Symphonies" collections lived up to that promise, though the "Disneyland USA" set had some perplexing cuts.
This collection is one of three exciting, new releases this December in the second wave of the continuing Disney Treasures series (and extremely limited edition--125,000 appearing to be made instead of the 150,000 last year). There were supposed to be four releases again this year, but the intended fourth (Disney Wartime Cartoons) was delayed for reasons--as of this writing--unexplained by host/compiler of the DT series, Leonard Maltin.
The other two releases for this year: "Mickey Mouse in Black and White", and "Behind the Scenes at the Disney Studio."

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With a gentle, childlike innocence, Goofy has delightedaudiences for 70 years. For the first time ever, celebrate Walt Disney'slumbering, lovable, and eternally loyal everyman in this retrospectiveof his classic animated shorts and enjoy the heyday of one of the mostpopular characters in cartoon history. Unlike the rest of Disney's"mouse pack," Goofy didn't become a major movie star overnight. Thiscompilation of shorts begins with the Goof's first starring role. Thevolume also includes animator Art Babbitt's original descriptivereference of all things Goofy, the original voice behind the Goof, PintoColvig, and an exclusive interview with the current voice of Goofy, BillFarmer. You'll also have the opportunity to see theatrical posters andother memorabilia, a selection of story drawings, and backgroundpaintings. After all, it's the Goofy thing to do. Featuring exclusiveintroductions by film historian Leonard Maltin, this is a timeless collection from generations past for generations to come.

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Learn Judo with the Gokyo Gang - DVD#1 Review

Learn Judo with the Gokyo Gang - DVD#1
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This was a gift for a 7 year old who is learning judo. I had trouble finding an interactive tool to supplement their class time until I found this DVD - there is nothing like it on the market. She is really enjoying the 3D characters, which are helping keep her interested and excited about her classes and the sport. She did find it a little difficult to navigate through the DVD menu's at first, but she seems to have the hang of it on her own now. The menu navigation could be made a little more simple, and maybe add a "start" button instead of "lesson plan."
It can be difficult for children to maintain focus on activities, so i think this is a great educational (and fun) supplement for children taking judo classes.


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Yankeeography Collectors Edition DVD Megaset (2011) Review

Yankeeography Collectors Edition DVD Megaset (2011)
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What are the episodes that this set have that was not revealed in the previous dvd collection?? I can bet that 1996,1998 Yankees plus Yankee Stadium episode will be there.

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Looney Tunes - Golden Collection (2003) Review

Looney Tunes - Golden Collection (2003)
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Animation legend Chuck Jones had a mythic set of ground rules for his ingenious Road Runner series: the setting was always the desert, the characters never spoke, the Road Runner never left the road, the Coyote never caught the Road Runner, etc. A similar set of rules seems at work in THE GOLDEN COLLECTION introductory DVD presentation of Warner Bros. animated shorts. Here is the breakdown:
1. The majority of the fifty-six motion pictures included are artistically valuable and the collection as a whole is a sheer delight which belongs in the library of anyone who loves classic cartoons. The set includes such masterpieces and popular favorites as "Duck Amuck", "Bully for Bugs", "Deduce You Say", "Fast and Furry-ous", "Long-Haired Hare", "Rabbit of Seville", "Rabbit Fire", "Rabbit Seasoning", "The Scarlet Pumpernickel", "Wabbit Twouble" and "Duck Dodgers in the 24-1/2 Century". All the films, even the weakest, deserve preservation, restoration and DVD availability.
2. The selection of complete shorts spans two decades (1940-59), according to year of initial theatrical release. This means that the heyday of Porky Pig (1936-39) is excluded, along with the historic Harman-Ising period (1930-33) and such early characters as Bosko, Buddy and Foxy. On the other hand, the set is also free of material from the Warner cartoon studio's years of decline (1960-64) and decay (1965-69).
3. Within the 1940-59 span is an intensive focus on the six-year "middle" period 1948-53, when the Warner cartoons were at their technical zenith. Fully half of the films in the collection were released during the three peak years of 1949-51 (ten in 1950 alone). The high degree of concentration allows for appreciation of the studio output of a particular era, lent contrast and variety by the broader context.
4. The star of the show is unquestionably Bugs Bunny, with twenty-one cartoons. There is an adequate amount, for a starter set, of Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, and Sylvester & Tweety. Key films of the Road Runner, Pepé Le Pew, Foghorn Leghorn and Speedy Gonzales are duly included. Important supporting characters like Elmer Fudd, Yosemite Sam and Marvin the Martian are well-represented, and the Tasmanian Devil makes a token appearance. The bill is rounded out with a few one-shots and curios.
5. The individual directors at Warner's animation studio are as notable as its character stars. A full twenty-five of the films (almost half) are by superstar director Chuck Jones (and written by Michael Maltese). Most of the rest are directed by Friz Freling, with several by Robert McKimson and one by Arthur Davis. Only three films are directed by the great Bob Clampett.
6. There are no films directed by the legendary Tex Avery, who departed the studio in the early 1940's, or the influential stylist Frank Tashlin.
7. Most cartoons are voiced by the amazing Mel Blanc.
8. All cartoons are scored by Music Director Carl W. Stalling or his immediate successor.
9. Most notable of the anomalies is the poor showing of the ultra-popular (and ultra-"violent") Road Runner, with only one episode (albeit his debut); while tired old Foghorn Leghorn encores with an undistinguished late episode -- rather than, say, "The High and the Flighty", his memorable pairing with Daffy Duck. In keeping with Rule #6, Avery's Oscar-nominated classic "A Wild Hare" (1940), the first "true" Bugs Bunny cartoon, is supplanted by Jones' "Elmer's Candid Camera", a rare prototype from earlier that year which features the debut of Elmer Fudd and the still-evolving Wascal Wabbit. And the extras, in their mania for completeness, include the animated excerpts from the feature films TWO GUYS FROM TEXAS and MY DREAM IS YOURS twice each, but only one version is digitally restored.
10. Not all of these Golden Era cartoons are masterpieces or true classics, but the less exceptional films included represent the high standard against which the extraordinary stand out. A technically crude quota quickie like McKimson's "Rabbit's Kin" shines because voice artist Stan Freburg's endearingly dumb Pete Puma character is memorable. A couple of genuine duds (Davis' "Porky Chops", for instance) have been thrown in for good measure, and even these serve to offset the overall excellence of the remainder.
11. Organization is minimal, with most of the Bugs Bunny material on Disc One, Daffy and Porky on Disc Two, and the others in an "All-Star" free-for-all on Discs Three and Four. The cartoons are presented in seemingly random order, but this very randomness is exactly how audiences experienced them both in theaters and on television.
12. The hours of extras are an embarrassment of riches.
13. Such beloved masterpieces as "Beanstalk Bunny", "Duck, Rabbit, Duck!", "Robin Hood Daffy", "The Singing Sword", "The Three Little Bops", the Oscar-Winning Rabbit's "Knighty-Knight Bugs", and (supremely) "One Froggy Evening" and "What's Opera, Doc?", have been withheld for future DVD editions. The set is designed to whet the appetite for more and leaves the grateful viewer with much to look forward to.
14. THE GOLDEN COLLECTION is worth more than its cost in dollars and is an infinitely better investment than the cheap alternate "Premiere Collection", which simply duplicates Discs Three and Four with no extras. The Premiere Collection is kiddie fodder for the undiscerning bargain-store shopper and is to be avoided by anyone concerned with art and popular culture. High sales of the vastly superior Golden Edition will determine future releases, so buy 'em up and give 'em to your friends.
CARTOONS ARE FOR EVERYONE!
Rating: 10/10 ***** EXTRAORDINARY.

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They're the crown princes of animation. They're the international ambassadors of cartoon comedy. They're the fabulously funny friends you grew up with! And now, 56 of the very best animated shorts starring the very wackiest Warner Bros. cartoon characters have been rounded up on DVD for the first time ever in The Looney Tunes Golden Collection! Just barely contained in four special edition discs, each specially selected short has been brilliantly restored and re-mastered to its original, uncut, anvil-dropping, laughter-inducing glory! Featuring some of the very earliest, ground-breaking on-screen appearances of many all-time Looney Tunes favorites, it's an unprecedented celebration for cartoon-lovers eager to re-live the heady, hilarious, golden age of Warner Bros. animation! Sparkling with one unforgettable, landmark animated marvel after another, there's that icon of carrot-crunching aplomb, Bugs Bunny, in a dazzling assortment of his very best classic shorts. Also highlighted in their own delightfully zany series of cartoon gems: the ever-flustered Daffy Duck and eternal straight-man Porky Pig. Plus, all the rest of the beloved Looney Tunes lineup starring in some of the most wildly imaginative cartoon shorts ever created! Including an array of exclusive bonus DVD features from expert commentaries to insights into the evolution of these classic characters, this is the ultimate animated experience for anyone who's ever thrilled to the timeless query: "Ehhh? what's up, Doc?"

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