Writers: Bill Peet, T.H. White
Director: Wolfgang Reitherman
Cast: Sebastian Cabot, Karl Swenson, Rickie Sorensen, Junius Matthews, Ginny Tyler, Martha Wentworth, Norman Alden, Alan Napier, Richard Reitherman
Rating: G
Studio: Walt Disney
Release Date: June 17, 2008
With so many of Disney’s early movies being such magnificent works of art, a few of the lesser known classics have been left to get lost in the shuffle. One of those movies is The Sword in the Stone. I have to be honest. The Sword in the Stone isn’t my favorite Disney movie. However, it is one I grew up watching on the old VHS tapes we used to own. Still, it really is a Disney classic that needs to be seen by a new generation, who might not even know it exists.
The Sword in the Stone is an excellent film. The movie is based on part of the book The Once and Future King (The section aptly titled “The Sword in the Stone” – which was originally released as its own novel in 1938) by T.H. White, which is about the legend of King Arthur. While this is your typical Disney film, with some frivolous, marshmallow-y Disney goodness thrown in to adapt the story into a light, fluffy cartoon, The Sword in the Stone does follow the basic storyline from the book. Of course, I find the mythological tales of King Arthur all very fascinating so this makes the movie all the more entertaining.
Release Information:
The Sword in the Stone was originally released in U.S. theaters on December 25, 1963. This was the 18th animated feature film by Walt Disney and the last movie to be released before his death. While the film was successful at the box office, the critics of the 1960s didn’t like the film. In the 40+ years since its release, the film has developed a following. In 2008, the film is highly regarded as a true Disney classic and while less popular than other Disney films, it is considered a must have film for any Disney collector.
It’s hard to believe but this year marks the 45th Anniversary of the release of The Sword in the Stone. Walt Disney Animation Studios has changed drastically since the days when this movie was animated. At the time, this movie had highly regarded animation sequences. Today, it is honored as one of Disney’s greatest animation achievements, especially for scenes like the battle between Merlin and Madame Mim. It is with great pride that the Disney Studios has released The Sword in the Stone in a special, restored, 45th Anniversary Edition DVD. This DVD was released on June 17, 2008. It is available for purchase through Amazon for $19.99.
The Sword in the Stone (45th Anniversary Special Edition) Plot
The Sword in the Stone follows along with the story of King Arthur throughout his youth. Set sometime in the late sixth century, the Disney version combines the old world with the modern thanks to the magic of Merlin. In what is now considered present day England, a young boy, nicknamed Wart (Rickie Sorensen) is living a somewhat happy life in the castle of Sir Ector (Sebastian Cabot). An orphan, Wart’s real name is Arthur, and he’s training to be the squire of Sir Ector’s buffoon of a son, Kay (Norman Alden).
Arthur is content in his role as a perspective squire. He feels lucky to have been adopted by Ector and though Ector is stern, making Wart do all of the cleaning in the Castle he isn’t necessarily an evil stepfather. Of course, making the perfect Disney story, there is more than meets the eye when it comes to Wart. Merlin (Karl Swenson), the self-proclaimed, greatest wizard in the world, knows that he is to meet a very special boy. It will be Merlin’s job to educate the young boy, who we soon discover is Wart.
While Sir Ector isn’t exactly thrilled that Wart is to be educated he fears Merlin’s magic and allows the boy to learn with him. Not only does Merlin educate Wart conventionally (book learning) with the help of his talking owl, Archimedes (Junius Matthews), he also does rather unconventional learning experiences that teach Wart some of life’s greatest lessons.
What no one seems to realize is that Arthur’s destiny is much bigger than anyone realizes. In London, a forgotten relic, a sword in a stone, sits waiting for Arthur to come and claim his destiny. How that happens to a boy from the English countryside is a Disney adventure just waiting to happen. The thing about the legend of King Arthur is that the story doesn’t have to be changed too much. It makes a near perfect Disney movie, all on its own. Still, in comparison, there are some obvious changes from book to film and book purists might find the movie a bit silly.
This is the ideal family movie. There is adventure, magic, and an inspirational story. Whether the story of King Arthur is true or not is inconsequential. After watching The Sword in the Stone every kid hopes and dreams it is a true story. While the animation is slightly dated, kids of this generation are still going to love this movie. It’s a great movie that parents, grandparents and children can all watch together and have fun doing so. It doesn’t matter how old you are. Sure, some of the scenes in The Sword in the Stone are goofy, but that’s just a part of the movie’s charm.
When it comes to the voice acting, this is a group of classic actors. Disney always went all out for its productions. The Sword in the Stone isn’t any different than the other Disney films that were released around the same time. It’s hard to say anything bad about a Disney movie, especially a classic. So, I’m just going to leave it at this. Buy this film if you don’t already own it. You won’t be disappointed.
Storyline/Plot: 
Replayability:
Acting:
Directing:
Audio/Visual:
The Sword in the Stone was released on DVD in 2001. The 2008 release is nearly identical to the 2001 release when it comes to visual quality. This release may have been enhanced to give the picture a slightly more whimsical appearance, since the contrast isn’t nearly as sharp (it’s blended nicely). Fans of the movie who own the previous release may not want to upgrade based on visual quality, since both films are full frames at a 1.33:1 aspect ratio. Still, The Sword in the Stone in its 45th Anniversary Edition is free of dirt, grain, and animation foibles. For its age, this movie looks exceptional.
The sound for The Sword in the Stone is equally as impressive as the visual quality. This Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound mix is the same one featured on the previous, 2001 Gold Edition version of the movie. Closed Captioning is available in English. Everything comes through clearly. I didn’t need to fool around with the volume. The musical numbers sounded spectacular. Everything came through sounding excellent. There are French and Spanish dubbing and subtitles also included on this disc.
Visual:
Audio:
Bonus Features:
Those who own The Sword in the Stone in its Gold Edition release will be equally as disappointed with the bonus features as they are the audio and video quality. The bonuses are mostly recycled from the last release with only a few extras not included on the 2001 DVD version for the film. While the movie has an attractive bonus menu, the lack of extras not previously released is slightly bothersome.
What is new is an interactive DVD game entitled “Merlin’s Magical Academy”. There are also additional sing along songs for the songs from the movie. However, part of the songs were already in the previous release. It is unlike Disney to release a DVD without making an attempt to stack on the bonuses. I don’t know if because of the age of the film and the fact that many of the actors and creators of it have passed on, the bonuses have to be limited or what. Either way, I truly wish there could have been something added to make double dipping worthwhile.
What has been added to The Sword in the Stone in its 2008 Edition, which was already included in the 2001 release, is a series of bonuses which include:
-Animated Short – “Knight for a Day” – This medieval themed short features Goofy as an assistant to a knight who is taking on a champion knight in battle to win the hand of a fair maiden. Goofy accidentally knocks the knight out and the scrawny Goofy must take his place in battle.
-Animated Short – “Brave Little Tailor” – When Mickey Mouse says he killed a number of flies (seven I think) in one fell swoop, the townspeople think he is talking about giants. Mickey is taken to the King who promises him riches and the hand of the fair maiden, Minnie, if he gets rid of a nearby giant. Realizing they have misunderstood him, but too afraid to tell them so, Mickey, a small, peasant who works as a tailor, must find a way to outsmart a giant.
-Featurette – “Music Magic: The Sherman Brothers” – The Sword in the Stone marked the feature song debut of The Sherman Brothers on a Disney film. This featurette is a documentary on the brothers.
-“All About Magic” – While this isn’t the full show (which was available on the Gold Collection) this contains part of a Disney TV show that shows the magic of Disney and television. My son (age 13) got a kick out of the hijinks of Walt Disney as he disappeared, reappeared, and made other objects perform stunts a la movie magic. It’s a shame the entire show wasn’t included on this DVD, as well.
-Production Art – “The Sword in the Stone Scrapbook” – A scrapbook filled with production notes and art.
-Trivia Feature – “Film Facts” – Lists facts about The Sword in the Stone film and its adaptation from the book by T.H. White.
-Sing Along – Nearly all of the music from the movie is included with lyrics listed so you can sing along with the songs.
As with all Disney movies, the option for Fast Play is available. The bonuses are rounded out by some film trailers for upcoming Disney releases.
If you don’t already own a copy of The Sword in the Stone, the amount of bonuses is excellent. If you do, double dipping doesn’t seem to be worth it, at all.
Bonus Features:
Bottom Line:
The Sword in the Stone is one of those classic Disney films you just have to add to your collection. While I prefer Lady and the Tramp and The Fox and the Hound, this is still a great movie I enjoy watching with the kids. I feel proud to have introduced this movie to a new generation, my 13 year old son and my 4 year old nephew. Since my son had just recently read The Once and Future King for homeschool he was excited to see this Disney movie. Disney has been delighting audiences for nearly a century. It’s easy to see why with excellent movies like The Sword in the Stone. Whether you have kids or not, this is a must have DVD. Pick this one up before it returns to the Disney vault.
Overall Rating: 
Technorati Tags: The Sword in the Stone, 45th Anniversary Special Edition, King Arthur, Disney, Classic, Cartoon, DVD Review, Movie, Disney Vault
Written by Dominick Evans - Visit Website
---
Dominick is in his late 20s. He lives in Michigan with his life partner, Ashtyn, their 14 year old son Robert, and their Shih-Tzu, Oliver. Dominick is a writer and the head editor for both LI Kids and Literary Illusions. He enjoys composing music and is an aspiring director/screenwriter. In his free time he enjoys spending time with his family, playing and watching sports, playing video games, watching movies, and singing.
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
