Release Info:
DVD Release Date: June 22, 2010
Online Availability: Amazon for $24.49

I like cartoons, but I’m not in love with most of the Warner Bros. cartoons. That probably sounds wrong, so let me clarify this statement a little bit. I enjoy watching WB, old school cartoons like Looney Tunes and Tom and Jerry, but I don’t go ga-ga for them like some people I know. Watching these cartoons is a fun way to shoot the breeze, but I’m not going to freak out if I do not see another Tom and Jerry cartoon again. I will live and the world will go on turning.

In contrast, my kid is nutso for these old cartoons, especially Tom and Jerry. This dynamic, cat and mouse duo are his favorites next to the Chronological Donald cartoons. He is so in love with these cartoons that the minute we get the DVDs he wants to watch them. He will drop everything, especially his homework, to see the same hijinks Tom and Jerry have been pulling far before he or I were born. Thus, we own pretty much every Tom and Jerry DVD set Warner Bros. has put out. We have the Spotlight Collections, the Volume DVDs, the movies, the new incarnations of the cartoon…you name it.

You have to understand my son is a teen, but he also has Aspergers. He has a major problem with re-watching shows, cartoons or movies he has already seen, with a few exceptions. There are certain movies he will watch over and over to the point where his mother and I could go our entire lives without seeing these films again and be happy. He did this with Chicago (and he sang along – knowing every word of the movie and the songs). He did this with I Am Sam. As much as I’ve heard, “Why are we watching this? I’ve already seen it,” I must confess, he has never said this about Tom and Jerry. Like the aformentioned films, he could watch these cartoons over and over with nary a complaint.

What he does not realize, because he is oblivious to censorship, is that some of the shorts in this set have been altered for content. Kids need to understand, as much as adults, about the tawdry history of blackface and how prejudice was ever present in everything, back in the day, including cartoons. What better way to teach them then through cartoons? I watch television with the kids and if something like this comes on we discuss it with them. I do not think it is fair to try and erase this part of history. We can’t pretend everything was hunky-dory and let them think that racism did not exist in the land of imagination and animation. They will eventually grow up and learn the truth; the cartoons of their childhood were a lie.

WB saw the err of their ways in past releases when they reissued DVDs with the shorts in their original format. SO…it boggles the mind why they would turn around and release this set with the edited versions of “The Milky Waif” and “The Little Orphan” and the redubbed version of “The Lonesome Mouse.” It makes no sense. I know many adult fans will be disappointed that these shorts are not in their original form. Besides, my son is a teen. This set isn’t geared towards the little ones. If it was, then maybe the censorship was justified, but it’s not.

Tom and Jerry Deluxe Anniversary Collection Episode Synopsis’
The Tom and Jerry Deluxe Anniversary Collection set is spread across two discs. The first disc features 20 shorts, and the second features a hodge podge of Tom and Jerry memories throughout the years.

Here is a list of what is offered on each disc.

DISC ONE
Oscar Winners and Classics

“Puss Gets the Boot” – The very first short to feature Tom and Jerry. At this time, they were known as Jinx and Jasper. Jasper tries to eat Jinx, but only succeeds in making Mammy Two Shoes mad enough to evict him.

“The Midnight Snack” – Tom interrupts Jerry as he sneaks around the kitchen getting some cheese, his midnight snack. Luckily, Jerry has some tricks up his sleeve.

“Dog Trouble” – Tom antagonizes Jerry, causing him to run in his hole. Jerry escapes after thwarting Tom, but things get interesting when Spike, the bulldog, enters the picture.

“Fraidy Cat” – After listening to the “Witching Hour” on the radio, Tom is very scared by the story being told. Jerry uses this to his advantage to antagonize Tom.

“Puss ‘N Toots” – When Mammy Two Shoes gets a girl cat to watch after, Tom falls in love. He tries to impress her by doing magic tricks with Jerry as his pawn, but, as always, Jerry gets the best of him.

“The Lonesome Mouse” – Jerry gets rid of Tom by causing trouble that Mammy Two Shoes blames on the cat. After a few hours of peace, he realizes things aren’t fun with Tom not around, so he sets out on a quest to frighten Mammy into letting Tom back in.

“Yankee Doodle Mouse” – Jerry heads into his “Cat Raid Shelter” aka mouse hole, where he has plenty of ammunition to take on a pursuing Tom. The two go to “war” and Jerry is set to take on the cat.

“Mouse Trouble” – Frustrated in his failed quest to catch Jerry, Tom finds a book on how to catch mice. He follows the techniques in the book to attempt to catch Jerry and hilarity ensues.

“Mouse in Manhattan” – Jerry leaves the country to head off to live in New York City. However, city life is quite different than life in the country. He begins to realize he might not have it so bad, after all.

“Quiet Please!” – Spike wants to take a nap, but Tom chasing Jerry keeps him wide awake. While Tom is content to try to let him sleep while still pursuing Jerry, Jerry likes seeing Tom chased by Spike.

“The Milky Waif” – When baby Nibbles is left on Jerry’s door, he has no choice but to take care of the little mouse. However, Nibbles is always hungry, so Jerry must find a way to get him lots of milk and protect him from Tom.

“The Cat Concerto” – Tom is playing a piano concerto and he awakens Jerry, who is asleep inside the piano. Jerry sets out to have Tom make a fool of himself, as a result.

“The Little Orphan” – The always hungry Nibbles returns to celebrate Thanksgiving with Jerry. Again, Jerry must find him food, and avoid Tom while doing so. Of course, both are put out by Nibbles’ voracious appetite.

“Saturday Evening Puss” – When Mammy Two Shoes heads out to her Lucky Seven Saturday Night Bridge Club meeting, Tom invites Butch, Lightning and Topsy over for a party/jazz jam session. Unfortunately, Jerry is trying to sleep and he’s not very happy about this loud party.

“The Two Mouseketeers” – Jerry and Nibbles are the two mousketeers. They decide to swipe food from an extravagantly set table, for the King’s Mouseketeers banquet. When Tom has been ordered to guard the banquet food, the two must find a way to eat and run.

“Johann Mouse” – Jerry takes on the part of Johann Mouse, the mouse living in the house of Johann Strauss. Johann Mouse loves music so much and when he dances, he is chased by Johann Strauss’ cat, played by Tom.

“Touché, Pussy Cat” – Nibbles has been renamed Tuffy and all he wants to do is become a Mousketeer. It will take quite a bit for him to convince Jerry he deserves to be a mousketeer, especially since he is an excessive talker.

“That’s My Mommy” – When Quacker, a baby duck, wanders away from his mother’s nest, in his egg, and ends up beneath Tom before hatching, he believes Tom is his Mommy because he is the first thing Quacker sees.

“The Egg and Jerry” – Jerry becomes the Mommy this time, when a baby Woodpecker egg rolls into his mousehole after falling out of its nest. When the baby woodpecker hatches, it latches onto Jerry.

“Tops With Pops” – Spike is sleeping with his little son Tyke. When Tom keeps waking the little guy up as he chases Jerry, Spike takes out his anger on the cat.

DVD TWO
Through the Years

“Anchor’s Aweigh Excerpt” -Watch Jerry Dance with Gene Kelly

“Dangerous When Wet Excerpt” – Esther Williams takes a dip with Tom and Jerry

“Pent-house Mouse” – The first short by Chuck Jones, Tom is living it up in a penthouse. Jerry is starving. He is trying to find food at a construction site. When he is lifted up on a steel beam and is transported to Tom’s patio the chase ensues!

“The Cat Above and the Mouse Below” – Another Chuck Jones short where Jerry performs on stage as Signor Thomasino Catti-Cazzaza Baritone. He is singing “Figaro” and it awakens Jerry who is asleep beneath the stage of the opera house. Unable to doze with all the racket, he seeks revenge.

“The Cat’s Me-Ouch” – This is another cartoon by Chuck Jones. Jerry gets a big surprise when he orders a bulldog and it turns out to be smaller than him. The idea was to have the bulldog attack Tom for Jerry, but with him smaller than Jerry it seems impossible.

“Karate Guard” – This is the last Tom and Jerry short written and directed by Joseph Barbera. The short has Tom trying to sleep as Jerry practices karate loudly. Jerry must face his fear and take on Tom as a karate master, which Tom finds hilarious.

“Cosmic Cat and Meteor Mouse” – From the New Tom and Jerry Show, Tom and Jerry are trying to watch their favorite TV show, Cosmic Cat and Meteor Mouse. The noise from the television disturbs a sleeping Spike who is intent on turning off the set, while Tom and Jerry fight to watch their show.

“Jerry’s Country Cousin” – From The Tom and Jerry Comedy Show, Jerry has an identical cousin who comes from the country to stay with him. His cousin is a lot stronger, but Tom isn’t expecting to be outmaneuvered by Jerry’s country cousin.

“Flippin’ Fido” – From The Tom and Jerry Kids Show, Little Tom is chasing Little Jerry, who is, of course, antagonizing Tom. The chase is interrupted by Fido, who wants Tom, so Tom must find a way to distract Fido, with Frisbees!

“A Game of Mouse and Cat” – From Tom and Jerry Tales, this short features an alternative universe where the mice chase the cats. Jerry is ordered to get rid of Tom, when he has the chance to live out his fantasy.

Storyline/Plot: 4 out of 5 stars
Replayability: 5 out of 5 stars
Acting: 4 out of 5 stars
Directing: 4 out of 5 stars

Audio/Visual:
The quality changes from short to short. Obviously, cartoons from 2005 are going to look better than those from the 40s and 50s. This quality ranges from pretty good to wow this is old and looks like it. While most of the shorts are presented in standard format with a 1.33:1 aspect ratio, a few are widescreen at 1.85:1. This does not make them great though. Really, T&J need a good clean up job done to truly do these shorts justice and it’s just not here yet.

The audio is, as expected, a Dolby Digital mono track in English. A Spanish mono track is also included. These shorts sound good, but nothing like the 5.1 mixes we hear today. The audio isn’t horrible, but it isn’t spectacular either. There are no major audio flaws, but it isn’t as dynamic as it could be. Subtitles in English and French are also present.

Visual: 3 out of 5 stars
Audio: 3 out of 5 stars

Bonus Features:
The big bonus is a short documentary. It is not quite 20 minutes in length. Called “Much Ado About Tom and Jerry,” this feature goes over how Tom and Jerry got started, the history of the cartoon and how it has changed throughout the years. It contains interviews with Hanna and Barbera and is featured on Disc 1.

This is the only bonus save for some trailers for other cartoons.

Bonus Features: 2 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line:
The Tom and Jerry Deluxe Anniversary Collection is a great collection IF you do not already own any of the Tom and Jerry sets that Warner Bros has released, in the past. Some of these episodes are already included so it’s the same ol, same ol. That is not to say the shorts are bad, but who really wants more than one DVD with the same eps on them? Further, who wants episodes with these shorts that have been censored? If you own some of the T&J DVDs, you will want to compare them to the list of shorts in this set before buying this. If your kid goes bonkers for Tom and Jerry like mine does, Tom and Jerry Deluxe Anniversary Collection is a nice collection to own. I just recommend proceeding with caution before buying, because most of these episodes we’ve seen before in other Tom and Jerry DVD releases.

Overall Rating: 3.57 out of 5 stars

Technorati Tags: DVD Review, Tom and Jerry Deluxe Anniversary Collection, Cartoon, Warner Brothers, DVD, Tom and Jerry, cat and mouse, Kids, Family

Available on DVD on July 13, 2010

NEW YORK – June 21, 2010 – Go wild with delivery agents Pablo and Tyrone as they try to bring an elephant to a wildlife sanctuary in India in the new DVD, The Backyardigans: Operation Elephant Drop. Featuring four new to DVD episodes, preschoolers will be introduced to the music genres of Alternative Rock, Forró, Bo Diddley-Style Rock and American Country Rock. Created by Nickelodeon Home Entertainment and distributed by Paramount Home Entertainment, The Backyardigans: Operation Elephant Drop DVD hits shelves July 13, 2010, for the suggested retail price of $16.99.

In every episode of The Backyardigans, five high-spirited neighbors meet in their adjoining backyards and use their imaginations to transform themselves into different locations for epic adventures. Each half-hour episode of this Emmy® Award-winning show features a unique music/dance genre with four original songs, along with real choreographed movements recreated in animation. The Backyardigans airs everyday on Nick Jr.

The Backyardigans: Operation Elephant Drop Episode Synopses:

Elephant on the Run
Park Ranger Tasha has a very important job for delivery agents Tyrone and Pablo — to get an endangered Indian elephant safely to the Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary and to avoid the bad guys.
Music Genre: Alternative Rock

The Magic Skateboard
Tyrone really wants to be a great skateboarder. He may not know all the tricks yet, but he’s going to compete in the Show-Off Showdown. Once he finds the magic skateboard, even his top competition takes notice.
Music Genre: Forró

The Flipper!
Uniqua, Tasha and Pablo are the Meteor Watch Squad. But when meteor obsessed Pablo accidentally spills toxic space stuff all over himself, he becomes the super strong, super excitable Flipper!
Music Genre: Bo Diddley-Style Rock

Super Team Awesome!
Tyrone is a tour guide for the world’s only lava geyser, Old Gushie. When a loose boulder in the cavern threatens to cause a geothermal disaster, Tyrone calls for help. Not one, but three superheroes come to save the day!
Music Genre: American Country Rock

The Backyardigans: Operation Elephant Drop Fast Facts:
Street Date: July 13, 2010
DVD SRP: $16.99
DVD Running Time: 95 Minutes

Technorati Tags: The Backyardigans, Operation Elephant Drop, DVD, TV Show, Kids, Cartoons, Nickelodeon, DVD Details

Release Info:
Episodes Original Air Date: January 28, 1975-March 19, 1979
DVD Release Date: June 1, 2010
Online Availability: Amazon for $21.99

Everyone in our house loves the Peanuts gang. Three generations have grown up with Charles Schulz and his beloved Peanuts gang. Ashtyn’s mom watched the specials in the 60s when she was a teenager. Ash and I both grew up watching the specials. CT and Lil B have also grown up with several more specials to watch since the time when Ash was born in the 70s and I was born in 1980. All of us have warm, fuzzy places in our hearts for Peanuts.

CT has to be the biggest Peanuts nut of all. So, he was the first to rip open the plastic on our copy of Peanuts: 1970′s Collection Vol. 2 and pop it into our DVD player. What ensued was a plethora of Peanuts excitement and fun. I must admit that these are not our favorite Peanuts specials nor are they the best Schulz had to offer, but each one is enjoyable enough that fans of the Peanuts, especially kids, will be into what’s available on this disc.

The thing that is so enjoyable about Peanuts is that all people can relate to Charlie Brown. He’s an empathetic character that is likable, despite his lack of success, by those of nearly any age. Pictures of Charles Schulz reveal a striking similarity in appearance (it’s the face) to his anti-hero, Charlie Brown. Those aren’t the only similarities between Schulz and Brown, though the two clearly differ in their level of success (Brown always seems to fail, while Schulz is, clearly, one of the most, if not the most, influential cartoonists of the 20th century).

We own many of the WB Charlie Brown DVD sets. If you are like us, then you need to know that mos of these specials have already been released on DVD in other sets. In fact, only one of these specials is a brand new, never before seen on DVD special. That is the only drawback to this Volume Collection. It seems almost silly to get an entire DVD set for one special out of six, so make sure you don’t already own these specials before purchasing this set.

ThePeanuts 1970′s Collection Vol. 2 Show Synopsis’
There are six Peanuts specials included in this Peanuts: 1970′s Collection Vol. 2 set. Here is information on what is included.

Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown
Original Air Date: 28 January 1975
Valentine’s Day is always unsuccessful for Charlie Brown, who just wants to receive Valentines, especially from the Little Red Haired Girl (who was, coincidentally, based on a real life woman Charles Schulz fell in love with and had his own heart broken over). Charlie Brown waits each day at his mailbox, but to no avail, he gets no Valentines waiting for him. At school, everyone gets Valentines but good ol’ Chuck. He was expecting enough to fill a briefcase. Linus is in love with his teacher, Miss Othmar, and he decides to buy her chocolate, but things don’t go as planned when he learns how crushes on teachers turn out. Finally, Snoopy harasses Lucy in typical Snoopy fashion, at the puppet show he holds.

You’re A Good Sport, Charlie Brown
Original Air Date: 28 October 1975
Charlie Brown never gives up. This special proves this. Fans of motocross get their fill of racing excitement as Charlie and the gang go to the races. Snoopy starts thing off when he takes on an automatic tennis ball dispenser, he also dukes it out with an unseen tennis player. Sally wants to play tennis with Linus, but when big kids have occupied all the courts, she volunteers his “clobbering” services to try and get a free court. In the meantime, Peppermint Patty informs the gang about a motocross race, where the winner gets tickets to the Pro Bowl. Linus convinces Charlie Brown (who gets a broken down bike) to enter, but with Snoopy and Patty in the competition, the unlucky Charlie has little chance of doing anything more than making a fool of himself.

It’s Arbor Day, Charlie Brown
Original Air Date: 16 March 1976
This is one of the more goofy specials, by Schulz, but that doesn’t make it bad. In fact, Arbor Day is one of the more enjoyable Peanuts specials. To make the world a better, more beautiful place, the gang decides to plant a garden. Their location for the garden, Charlie Brown’s baseball field. is upsetting to Charlie, who has a game with Peppermint Patty’s team on the field. Hilarity ensues as they try to play the game around the sea of tree blooming throughout the field.

It’s Your First Kiss, Charlie Brown
Original Air Date: 24 October 1977
Linus and Charlie Brown are a part of the Homecoming Court as the escorts of the queen. The queen turns out to be Heather, the little red haired girl, on whom Charlie Brown has a crush. When Charlie Brown learns that he is going to be Heather’s main escort and he has to partake in the Homecoming tradition, which involves kissing her on the cheek before they dance, he isn’t sure he’s the right man for the job. This special features typical football antics between Lucy and Charlie Brown (as he plays kicker on the football team).

*This special features a few lines that have been altered from the original broadcast, due to a high influx of viewer complaints. The lines altered involve excessively pessimistic dialogue by Peppermint Patty about Charlie Brown.

What A Nightmare, Charlie Brown!
Original Air Date: 23 February 1978
Snoopy is living it up in a great life with Charlie Brown, which Charlie points out to him. After indulging a little too heartily in the pleasures of his life, Snoopy awakens to find himself a part of a dog mushing team in Alaska. His master is harsh and unfeeling and all the luxuries that Snoopy is allowed to partake in at Charlie’s house are no longer allowed. As Snoopy finds himself in his worst nightmare he begins to understand just how good he really has it. What A Nightmare, Charlie Brown! makes its debut on DVD in this set.

You’re The Greatest, Charlie Brown
Original Air Date: 19 March 1979
Charlie Brown’s family is not going on vacation like they planned, so he must find something else to do this summer. He decides to enter the Junior Olympics at his school. His late entry means he must enter the only open event, the decathlon, which is also the hardest event. With very little athletic coordination, Charlie Brown’s persistence is the only thing to get him through competition with the likes of Freddie Fabulous and Snoopy.

Storyline/Plot: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Replayability: 4 out of 5 stars
Acting: 3 out of 5 stars
Directing: 4 out of 5 stars

Audio/Visual:
All of the specials have been digitally remastered and look great despite being presented in their original 1.33:1 aspect ratio. Warner Bros cleaned many of these up in past releases, so they aren’t really new to those who own previous versions of these specials from Warner. That being said, the quality for animated films made in the 70s is fantastic. The black levels are solid, which is important since they highlight and outline all of the animations. These specials have been enhanced so their colors are refreshingly bright. No matter when Warner enhanced the visual quality of these specials does not really matter. It just matters that they look spectacular.

The specials in this set all sound great. They aren’t amazing or as dynamic as cartoons of today, but that is because they all feature English Dolby Digital Mono tracks, typical for the time in which these specials initially aired. Still, the sound did come in loud and clear with no volume toggling necessary, so there are very few complaints from me. Spanish, Portuguese and Japanese Mono tracks are also available. This set of specials features subtitles in English, Spanish, French, Japanese, Portuguese and Thai.

Visual: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Audio: 3 out of 5 stars

Bonus Features:
Like every other Charlie Brown/Peanuts DVD we’ve reviewed, Peanuts: 1970′s Collection Vol. 2 features just one bonus. It is a brand new featurette. The featurette is a little under 20 minutes in length and is called “You’re Groovy, Charlie Brown: A Look at Peanuts in the 1970s.” This is a retrospective, as those who witnessed Peanuts history being made first hand reflect on their experience. Those reflecting include Jean Schulz, Charles’ widow, Craig Schulz, his son, Lee Mendelson (a producer) and Alexis Farjado (cartoonist), amongst others. This is a fun and entertaining listen, as all of the new featurettes made for these DVDs seem to be.

…BUT…sadly that is all that is here.

Bonus Features: 3 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line:
The bottom line for Peanuts: 1970′s Collection Vol. 2 is simple. If you own these specials in other sets, consider whether the addition of one previously released special (What a Nightmare) is worth it. Otherwise, if you do not own these specials, this set is worth it. The specials contained on Peanuts: 1970′s Collection Vol. 2 look excellent and honestly, who does not like Peanuts? This set is recommended.

Overall Rating: 3.57 out of 5 stars

Technorati Tags: Peanuts, Charles Schulz, Be My Valentine, It’s Arbor Day, Charlie Brown, It’s Your First Kiss, What a Nightmare, You’re the Greatest, Peanuts: 1970s Collection, Volume 2, DVD Review, Snoopy, Kids, Family, Television, TV Specials

Disney’s Academy Award®-Winning Animated Classic Beauty and the Beast: Diamond Edition

On Blu-ray™+ DVD Combo Pack – October 5, 2010 And Standard Definition DVD – November 23, 2010

Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment (WDSHE) proudly announces the Blu-ray high-definition debut of Disney’s animated masterpiece, Beauty and the Beast on October 5, 2010.

Disney’s most requested film, Beauty and the Beast, arrives for the first time on Blu-ray Hi-Def as the second installment to the company’s new Diamond Collection. The Blu-ray transformation reveals the magic, music and majesty of the film as never before experienced with state-of-the-art picture restoration, pristine 7.1 Digital Surround Sound and hours of additional viewing experiences that include behind the scenes features, deleted scenes, enhanced music tracks, immersive games and more.

The first of only two animated films ever to be nominated for an Academy Award® for Best Picture (the second is 2009’s Up), Beauty and the Beast earned six Academy Award® nominations and won two Oscars® in 1992 for Best Original Song (“Beauty and the Beast”) and Best Original Score.

Unavailable in any form since 2003, Beauty and the Beast will be released from the Disney vault for a limited time only, arriving on a Blu-ray + DVD Combo Pack (2 Blu-ray Discs + DVD) October 5, followed seven weeks later with the release of a 2-Disc standard definition DVD on November 23.

The Beauty and the Beast Blu-ray™ + DVD Combo Pack has a U.S. suggested retail price of $39.99 and the 2-Disc DVD set has a U.S. suggested retail price of $29.99.

Film Synopsis:
Set in and around a quaint French village during the late 18th century, Beauty and the Beast follows the fantastic adventures of Belle, a bright and beautiful young woman who finds escape from her ordinary life, and the advances of a boorish suitor, Gaston, by reading books. Meanwhile, off in a castle in the distance, a cruel young prince is cast under the spell of an enchantress who turns him into a tormented beast, while transforming his servants into animated household objects. In order to remove the curse, the Beast must discover a true love who will return his affection before the last petal falls from an enchanted rose. When Belle’s inventor father stumbles upon the Beast’s castle and is taken prisoner, Belle comes to the rescue and agrees to take her father’s place. With the help of the castle’s enchanted staff, she sees beneath the Beast’s exterior and discovers the heart and soul of a human prince.

Film Accolades:
Beauty and the Beast received two Academy Awards® for music in 1992, three Golden Globes® for Best Motion Picture, Best Original Score and Best Original Song in 1992, and two Grammy Awards in 1993. Listed as number seven on the American Film Institute’s Top 100 Animated Films, Beauty and the Beast helped define Disney animation for a new generation as the second film in the “Disney Animation Renaissance” (1989-1999) which launched with The Little Mermaid and revitalized animated features by captivating mature audiences while still delighting young viewers.

Beauty and the Beast features a cast of top vocal talent. Veteran stage actress and singer Paige O’Hara is the voice of Belle, one of Disney’s most beloved and independent heroines, and Robby Benson (TV’s “American Dreams”) delivers a powerful portrayal of the Beast. Three-time Oscar®-nominated screen star (The Manchurian Candidate in 1963, The Picture of Dorian Grey in 1946, and Gaslight in 1945) and six-time Golden Globe® award winner (TV’s “Murder, She Wrote” in 1992, 1990, 1987 and 1985, The Manchurian Candidate in 1963, and The Picture of Dorian Grey in 1946), Angela Lansbury gives a bubbly performance as Mrs. Potts. The late Jerry Orbach (TV’s “Law and Order,” “House of Mouse”) shines as the voice of Lumiere, the passionate candelabra, and David Ogden-Stiers (TV’s “M*A*S*H,” Lilo & Stitch) is Cogsworth, the tightly-wound mantel clock who functions as the head of the household.

Beauty and the Beast was also the first Disney animated film to inspire a Broadway stage production by the same name. Highlighting the film’s music by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman, seven new songs were written for the stage musical. Beauty… was nominated for nine Tony Awards in 1994 and ran on Broadway for 5,464 performances until 2007, becoming Broadway’s sixth-longest running production in history.

Remember, the Blu-ray combo pack will be available nearly 6 weeks before the DVD comes out so if you have a Blu-ray it’s worth splurging for both copies rather than just one!

Technorati Tags: Disney, Diamond Collection, Beauty and the Beast, Upcoming Releases, Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD

Minnie’s Picnic

Featurette: Bow-tique Game

Minnie’s Bow-tique

Minnie’s Pajama Party

Minnie’s Bow Story

Technorati Tags: Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Clips, Video, Cartoon, Disney Channel, Pre-School, Minnie’s Bowtique

Release Info:
DVD Release Date: November 3, 2009
Online Availability: Amazon for $16.99

It’s Christmas, so all of the big cartoon franchises are going to be putting out Christmas specials. For Disney, Mickey moved on from shorts to become a part of the House of Mouse. This was a series that premiered on television in 2001. One of the episodes, the Christmas episode, is now available as Mickey’s Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse.

Combining the best of both worlds, House of Mouse and Disney shorts, Mickey’s Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse offers a vintage look at Disney, Mickey and Christmas. If you are a fan of Disney, this is worth a watch at least once. However, it is the little ones who will be mesmerized by the celebration of Mickey and the rest of the Disney gang in shorts that span the 20th and 21st centuries.

Christmas is all about family and the entire family can enjoy this together. If you have older children this might be best suited as a Blockbuster rent. If you have younger kids, a purchase is going to be worth your while. Mickey is the emcee at the House of Mouse. It is Disney’s version of a nightclub and offers a look at some great Disney cartoons of past and present. It is kind of sad this show only ran for two years because it sure beats what is being offered to little ones today. All of the Disney characters get the chance to reappear again, together, which is bound to make Disney’s most loyal fans happy.

In the end, what you get is a series of put together, small episodes that are Christmas themed and involve a slew of Disney characters. I found Mickey’s Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse to be charming. While my teenager didn’t seem interested in reliving the adventures of some of my favorite Disney characters, my five year old nephew has watched this more than once. Not only does he love Disney and Mickey, but he also loves Christmas, making this a perfect DVD for him.

The Mickey’s Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse Plot
There are a selection of small episodes/clips that make up this DVD. Here is a list of them with a short description of each:

“Donald on Ice”: When Uncle Donald ruins Huey, Dewey and Louie’s snowman, which they are building for a contest, while he is ice skating on a frozen pond, the three plot to get back at him for ruining their creation.

“Pluto’s Christmas Tree”: This old short from the fifties, features Chip and Dale. When Pluto finds out these pesky chipmunks are in Mickey’s Christmas tree, he tries to get them out, before they ruin the tree. Of course, Pluto causes more harm than good in his attempt to get rid of the rodents.

“The Nutcracker”: John Cleese narrates this parody of the Nutcracker. Minnie as Maria, is captured by Donald, the Mouse King. Her doll, the nutcracker doll comes alive. He is handsome, strong Prince Mickey who sets out to save Maria from being forced to become the Mouse Queen. This episode features Tchaikovsky in Big Band style.

“Mickey’s Christmas Chaos”: It’s chaos at Mickey’s house. This is my least favorite short in the set, but it is still pretty good. Mickey gets into a contest with his next door neighbor, Mortimer. It’s all about decorating, and while the best man is bound to win, things get crazy in the process.

“Mickey’s Christmas Carol”: This is one of the best Mickey cartoons of all time. Scrooge McDuck is Ebenezer Scrooge, the meanest duck in town. He’s rich, cranky and hates Christmas. His employee is the poor yet happy, Bob Cratchit aka Mickey, tries to make the best of his situation, even when he has to work in poor conditions and can barely feed his family. Based on the book by Dickens, this is a faithful adaptation as Scrooge learns the true meaning of Christmas.

Storyline/Plot: 4 out of 5 stars
Replayability: 5 out of 5 stars
Acting: 4 out of 5 stars
Directing: 4 out of 5 stars

Audio/Visual:
Snowed in at the House of Mouse appears in an aspect ratio of 1.33:1. For an animated cartoon, there is not much to complain about, especially when you consider the primary audience is a bunch of non-discriminatory kids. Also, you have to consider the age of some of the shorts, and for their age, they look good. In most cases, quality has to be pretty bad for a kid to complain and you won’t find it to be that bad here. The colors are good and the detail is fair. Compression errors and other visual issues are rare.

The audio is presented by an English Dolby Digital 5.1 track or by a DTS 5.1 track, whichever you choose. In either case you are given a solid audio option. The dialogue is easy to hear and things always sound fun. This isn’t as dynamic as you might expect from some shows, but given the nature of the show the quality does not present much of a problem. At best, its good and at worst, it’s basic but not bad.

Visual: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Audio: 3 out of 5 stars

Bonus Features:
As far as special features go, there is nothing here to write home about. You have two main special features. The premiere episode of House of Mouse and “The Sounds of Christmas.”

House of Mouse offers some funny moments, including the alarm clock that just won’t leave Mickey alone. I found that things either cracked me up or just were not funny at all. If or how funny things are will depend on you. “The Sounds of Christmas” is a much smaller feature that looks at how the sound techs were able to create the effects for the classic animation bits. Things are completed in this section by a set of sing-a-longs including Deck the Halls and Sleigh Ride.

Bonus Features: 2.5 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line:
I really enjoyed Mickey’s Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse. It has many of my favorite Mickey Mouse and Disney holiday shorts and cartoons, especially Mickey’s Christmas Carol. While your teenager may say they don’t want to watch Mickey’s Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse, you should try to get them to watch it at least once for nostalgic purposes. It won’t be hard to persuade your younger kids to watch this though. This is the best of Disney’s holiday offerings and comes highly recommended.

Overall Rating: 3.71 out of 5 stars

Technorati Tags: Mickey’s Magical Christmas, Snowed in at the House of Mouse, Walt Disney Video, Kids, Family, Mickey Mouse, House of Mouse

Release Info:
DVD Release Date: October 13, 2009
Online Availability: Amazon for $12.99

I am a true 80s baby. I was born in 1978, so my first memories are from the 80s. We had the best cartoons back then. Now that I’m an adult, and I have my own kids, I’m finding the resurgence of many of the cartoons I watched as a child to be very interesting. While I’m not at all fond of the new direction Rainbow Brite is going in, I am very happy to see an old favorite of mine, My Little Pony, back in cartoon form and available as a collectible toy from Hasbro. I had a bunch of different Hasbro My Little Pony ponies growing up, and now a whole new generation of little girls and boys can enjoy the newly designed ponies.

I don’t find the sleeker look to the ponies to be too different than what was offered when I was a child. The ponies I had were a little bit bulkier, but they are ponies, so they look pretty similar now to the ones I had. As much as I loved playing with the ponies, I also was a huge fan of the My Little Pony television show. I was the perfect age to watch it, when it aired. I don’t know a little girl (and even some little boys) who did not watch the show back in the 80s.

It is nice to see the cartoons from my generation re-emerging, especially since I’ve tried to share many of them (as they are released on DVD) with my own children. While nothing truly beats the originals, I have very few complaints about the re-developed My Little Pony cartoons. I feel that these cartoons better reflect the changes in today’s audiences. Twinkle Wish Adventure is the perfect blend of the innocence of the show from my youth and the interests of today’s young audiences. Interests have changed, but My Little Pony hasn’t changed enough that I can’t enjoy the new cartoon with the kids.

My Little Pony: Twinkle Wish Adventure is a darling story you and your young children will love to watch. The adventures of Pinky Pie, Scootaloo, Cheerilee, Rainbow Dash, Sweetie Belle and the rest of the ponies is the perfect way to welcome in the upcoming winter, holiday season. The ponies are preparing for their Winter Wishes Festival and they want you and your little ones to celebrate with them. With a fun story full of heartwarming lessons, your children are going to want to watch this cartoon over and over as winter approaches.

The My Little Pony: Twinkle Wish Adventure Plot
Winter is coming to Ponyville and the changing of seasons is always marked by the Winter Wishes Festival. The older ponies explain to youngsters Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle and Cheerilee that every year Twinkle Wish, the wishing star, is put on the Ever Forever Green Tree. This tree rests in the heart of Ponyville. All of the ponies decorate ornaments for the tree and the pony who creates the ornament that is voted the best is the one who gets to put Twinkle Wish at the top of the Forever Ever Green Tree.

The ponies are so involved in their plans to create ornaments that they forget to invite Cheerilee to go with them. As they head to Sweetie Belle’s house to make use of the special items in her collection drawer, Cheerilee heads home alone to make her ornament on her own. Teaming up, the ponies work together to create beautiful ornaments. Scootaloo is certain their ornament is the best, especially since it has a lucky, brown button on it. When the ponies realize they have forgotten Cheerilee, they abandon their ornament making celebration to go find her.

Cheerilee is disappointed that all she has found is a pine cone and some ribbon. When the other ponies find her, they help her decorate her ornament by each giving her a piece of their own ornaments. Scootaloo doesn’t want to give Cheerilee anything, but then she reluctantly lets Cheerilee take the brown button. Cheerilee now has a stunning ornament, and all the other ponies, but Scootaloo, are sure she will win.

When the mayor of Ponyville chooses Cheerilee’s ornament as the most beautiful ornament and gives her the honor of putting Twinkle Wish on top of the Forever Ever Green Tree, Scootaloo is very disappointed and jealous. Cheerilee is given the task of watching the box where Twinkle Wish is sleeping. Once Twinkle Wish is upon the Forever Ever Green Tree the star will grant the wish of the ponies. However, this is very exhausting so Twinkle Wish must remain asleep until the ceremony when the star is put upon the tree.

Cheerilee is only too happy to watch the box, but when a jealous Scootaloo steals the box and opens it for a peek at Twinkle Wish, it wakes the star up. When the star is kidnapped from Ponyville by a flying dragon and taken to the dragon’s mountain, Scootaloo’s jealousy gets the pony’s in trouble. With the Winter Wishes festival looking to be ruined, the ponies must find Twinkle Wish and get the star back from the dragon before the winter season in Ponyville has truly become a disaster.

Storyline/Plot: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Replayability: 4 out of 5 stars
Acting: 4 out of 5 stars
Directing: 4 out of 5 stars

Audio/Visual:
For a new cartoon I expect decent quality. I’m a fan of Shout Factory. They really try to be conscious of how good their animated DVDs look. Well, My Little Pony: Twinkle Wish Adventure is no exception. The picture looks clear. I didn’t notice any visual errors per se. All in all, I was really impressed with how good the cartoon looked. Your child is going to love how bright and colorful My Little Pony is.

The audio is equally as good as the video. This DVD relies a lot on music, so it is good that Shout Factory provided this DVD with a decent audio mix. There was no need to volume toggle. The dialogue sounded crisp. The music numbers were vibrantly displayed throughout the speakers. The sound was pushed a bit forward, and even the few sound effects were balanced nicely through the speakers. For a new release the audio for this cartoon was exactly what I expected.

Visual: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Audio: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Bonus Features:
There are quite a few bonuses included on the My Little Pony: Twinkle Wish Adventure DVD.

Things start off with a musical prequel to the main story called “Waiting for the Winter Wishes Festival.” This is a song & dance minisode about the Winter Wishes Festival. The ponies sing about their favorite part of the winter season. This automatically plays before the movie, but “Waiting for the Winter Wishes Festival” can also be accessed later through the bonus section.

In the bonus section of the DVD, the bonuses start of with the Singalong Section. There are singalongs for the My Little Pony Theme Song, Thing-A-Ma-Do Song, Dreams Do Come True, Somewhere Super New, That’s What Makes a Friend and Wonderful Winter Song.

Next, there is a selection of Print at home Fun PDF Files. To access these, pop your DVD into your computer’s DVD-Rom drive. The PDF files are for a My Little Pony Coloring Sheet, a Pony Note to Santa, How to Make a Snowman and Cut out Pony Ornaments.

This isn’t a Hasbro DVD without a toy commercial. There is the section “More Ways to Play with My Little Pony,” which is a commercial for the My Little Pony Hasbro toy line.

There is another minisode included in the bonus section for a show called Elefun and Friends. This is an introduction to the cartoon Elefun and Friends, and it features a story called “A Tangled Web.”

Finally there are previews for Jane and the Dragon and Maggie and the Ferocious Beast.

Bonus Features: 3 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line:
The story for My Little Pony: Twinkle Wish Adventure is simply adorable. I loved watching this with the kids. While the oldest wasn’t as into it as the five year old, the story is light enough to watch with just about any age group. Full of musical interludes and a great message about friendship, honesty and responsibility, you can feel great knowing your child can safely watch this cartoon. My Little Pony: Twinkle Wish Adventure is recommended and comes just in time for the holidays!

Overall Rating: 3.93 out of 5 stars

Technorati Tags: My Little Pony, Twinkle Wish Adventure, Cartoon, Pony, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, Pinkie Pie, Ponyland, Hasbro, Shout Factory

Release Info:
Original Air Dates: September 24, 1994-September 23, 1995
DVD Box Set Release Date: September 15, 2009
Online Availability: Amazon for $16.99
Episodes: #3.8-#4.3

What can I say? I love the X-Men. They’re my favorite group of comic book heroes. I have had the privilege to review the two previous releases of this cartoon television series. You can check out my reviews of them and view a synopsis for each of the episodes in these sets (Season One and Season Two episodes) by checking out X-Men, Volume One and X-Men, Volume Two.

This DVD, like the previous two, is released together with a Volume 4 box set. These two sets contain many of the episodes in the later seasons of the series. This set is made up of episodes mostly from season three of X-Men. There are also three episodes from season four. By this point of the show, you should be familiar with who the X-Men are, and know at least a little bit about each of the main characters in the series.

I like this adaption of the X-Men comic books more than nearly any other available. I feel that this cartoon is one of the most faithful adaptations to the series. A lot of care seems to have been put into making this with respect to fans of the comic book. There are some minor liberties taken here and there, but fans of the comic shouldn’t be disappointed by the overall quality of this series. It certainly is one up on the live action movie adaptations.

The best part of the X-Men, Volume Three set of episodes is the four-part Dark Phoenix Saga. The nice thing about the Dark Phoenix storyline is that the writers of the cartoon didn’t attempt to cram all of it into one episode. Stretched over four episodes, this storyline follows the Phoenix, as it is reactivated within Jean Grey, and the manipulation of the Circle Club on Phoenix, a secret group that wishes for Phoenix to be their queen. While this is the best series of episodes in this set, the others are enjoyable to watch, as well.

Before heading into the synopsis section, I should mention the voice talent involved in this series. The voice talent is great, overall. The voices fit nearly every character, spot on. While this talent isn’t big name Hollywood, there are many voices known throughout the voice acting community. I also like that the writing for the voice actors doesn’t dumb down the characters, so both children and adults can enjoy this series, without it being too corny, which is a common problem with superhero cartoons.

The X-Men (Marvel DVD Comic Book Collection) Episode Guide
There are 15 episodes available in the two-disc set X-Men, Volume 3. The episodes are a mix of what is available for seasons three and four of the series. Though there were 20 episodes made for season two, the episode set to air before the “Savage Land” two-parter was never aired until season 5. The episode is called, “No Mutant is an Island,” and is not available in this set.

Here is a list of the episodes, with their season/episode number, and a brief synopsis:

#3.8 – “Savage Land, Strange Heart: Part 1″
Zaladane, the high priestess of the sun god of the Savage Land, Garokk, convinces Sauron to kidnap Storm. Of course, Zaladane has plans for Storm. She has Sauron convince Storm to release her inner storm-filled energy, which awakens the Sun God (Garokk) himself! Storm’s only hope is the X-Men who must find her before things get out of control.

#3.9 – “Savage Land, Strange Heart: Part 2″
As Storm continues to release her weather-based energy, Garokk has the chance to rise and is fused with the island volcano, as well as the planet beneath it. When it looks like the Sun God is set to return and the Savage Land may see its final end, an unlikely hero steps forth and helps the X-Men.

#3.10 – “Obsession”
Archangel wants revenge and this leads to obsession. He is unable to control his hatred for Apocalypse, an immortal mutant who made Archangel evil and used him as a weapon. Desperate to complete his quest, Archangel finds an ally in Rogue, who plans to help hunt down Apocalypse, so vengeance can be his. However, Beast has another idea for how to punish Apocalypse.

#3.11 – “The Dark Phoenix: Part One: Dazzled”
Jean Grey is hurt by Scott’s (Cyclops) flirtatious behavior with a singer named Dazzler. The Phoenix is still living within her and it takes control of Jean. It is still not stable, leaving Jean open to the manipulation of Jason Wyngarde at the request of a secret sect, the Inner Circle Club. Jason manages to trick her mind into thinking they have a past and a romance, leading Jean right into his clutches.

#3.12 – “The Dark Phoenix: Part Two: The Inner Circle”
Phoenix (Jean) is made the queen of the Inner Circle Club and both Emma Frost and Professor X try to get control of Jean through a psychic connection. Jean’s bond with Scott stands in the way of the Inner Circle achieving its goals as does the appearance of a thought-dead Wolverine. With the X-Men prisoners to the Inner Circle Club, the Phoenix must fight her own inner demons to escape.

#3.13 – “The Dark Phoenix: Part Three: The Dark Phoenix”
The X-Men try to get Phoenix to leave Jean’s body, but this just angers her, and she vows to destroy them all. As the Phoenix turns darker, she attempts to re-energize by feeding off an entire star system and destroying it. The empress of Shi’ar, Lilandra, whose star crew witnessed the destruction, vows that Phoenix must be stopped and the only way to do that is kill Jean/Phoenix together.

#3.14 – “The Dark Phoenix: Part Four: The Fate of the Phoenix”
In order to spare Jean and find a way to destroy Phoenix without hurting her, the X-Men take on the Shi’ar Imperial Guard. When the X-Men, and in particular, Professor X, begin to question how safe Jean is with Dark Phoenix in her, their shifting attitude is bound to have an impact on Jean.

#3.15 – “Cold Comfort”
When the X-Men find out former founding member, Iceman (Bobby Drake), has broken into a government facility, Professor X thinks he has turned to the bad side. It is later revealed that Lorna Dane was kidnapped. Bobby attempts to break in again, and the X-Men follow, but when another group of mutants, X-Factor, show up, there are more questions than answers being offered.

#3.16 – “Orphan’s End”
Scott learns the truth about who his father is and what happened to him when Corsair, the leader of the Starjammers, shows up seeking Scott’s help. The Shi’ar police are after Corsair, and Scott and the X-Men must discover the truth about whether Scott’s father, who abandoned him as a child, is a good guy or a bad guy.

#3.17 – “The Juggernaut Returns”
Juggernaut, Professor X’s step-brother, returns. The enemy of X and the X-Men loses his powers when an archeologist finds the Ruby of Cyttorak. With it, he is able to take on Juggernaut’s powers for himself. X must get over the memories of the past in order to save his step-brother’s life by restoring his powers.

#3.18 – “Nightcrawler”
Wolverine takes a ski vacation to Europe (Germany) with Rogue and Gambit. While there, the three learn about the local legend, a blue demon that terrorizes the town and hides out in the monastery. What they learn is that it is not a demon, but a mutant named Nightcrawler, who is actually very gentle. Appearances can be deceiving and the town folks want nothing more than to destroy the blue demon.

#3.19 – “Weapon X, Lies, and Video Tape”
Wolverine is haunted by the memories of his painful past. When he receives a mysterious postcard, it reawakens those memories. Beast and Wolverine head to the Canadian government Weapon X facility, where he was given his Adamantium skeleton, looking to find the answers he seeks. When it looks as though all he ever knew as right is wrong, the truth may be even more painful than Wolverine could imagine.

#4.1- “One Man’s Worth: Part One”
When Master Mold orders Trevor Fitzroy and Bantam to kill Professor X, they time travel back to 1959 to do the deed. Messing with the past creates an alternative universe in the present and humans and mutants are at war. In this world, the leader is Magneto. Bishop and Shard try to get the married Wolverine and Storm from this alternate world to go back in time and save Professor X, but since X died before he founded the X-Men, they have no connection to him or desire to want to save him.

#4.2 – “One Man’s Worth: Part Two”
When Bishop, Shard, Wolverine and Storm fail to save Professor X, they mess with time even more than they already have. In fact, Forge has never even used his time machine, so he has no idea who they are when they return to the further altered present. With Master Mold now entirely in charge of the future, it’s up to them to try one last time to save Professor X and help restore the much more peaceful future.

#4.3 – “Courage”
Morph has decided it is time to come home. The day he rejoins the X-Men is supposed to be happy, but the celebration is cut short when the Sentinels attack a top secret weapons facility. When Wolverine and Morph investigate the attack, they learn the truth. Morph is forced to face his past with the Sentinels, a past where he almost lost his life.

Storyline/Plot: 4 out of 5 stars
Replayability: 4 out of 5 stars
Acting: 5 out of 5 stars
Directing: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Audio/Visual:
You shouldn’t expect 2009 quality for the episodes presented in the X-Men, Volume Three two-box set. This show was made in the 90s and while it looks good for being over ten years old, it still looks like it was made in the 90s. The episodes are presented at a 1.33:1 aspect ratio in standard, full frames as it originally aired on television. There really aren’t all that many errors, minus some occasional, faded colors in the animation. There are minor instances of grain and fuzz, as well. For this type of release, it’s about as standard as it gets.

The audio for this box set is available in English French and Spanish Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo sound. This is fairly typical for an animated cartoon’s audio track. The primary track is the English 2.0. Dialogue comes through clearly. There is no need to volume toggle. The musical score is kept forward and is only somewhat dynamic (it occasionally sounds tinny), as can be heard with the title theme. The effects seem fairly full bodied, though a surround element would have made them better. Subtitles are available in English for the Hearing Impaired, Spanish and French.

Visual: 3 out of 5 stars
Audio: 2.5 out of 5 stars

Bonus Features:
It’s no big surprise that there are absolutely no bonus features available.

Bonus Features: 0 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line:
If you already own Volumes One and Two of this awesome cartoon series, why stop now? Pick up a copy of X-Men, Volume Three today. If you don’t have the other two volumes, and/or you’ve never seen this series before, but you think you and your kids will enjoy it, I recommend starting with Volume One and working your way up from there. This will give you a chance to really get to know the characters and watch them evolve throughout the series’ various seasons. On the whole, X-Men, Volume Three is recommended.

Overall Rating: 3.14 out of 5 stars

Technorati Tags: DVD Review, TV Show, X-Men, Volume 3, Marvel DVD Comic Book Collection, Stan Lee, Wolverine, Rogue, Professor X, Charles Xavier, Magneto, Cyclops, Jean Grey

Release Info:
Theatrical Release: September 13, 2005
DVD Release Date: September 8, 2009
Online Availability: Amazon for $16.99

Who doesn’t like Poohbear? I have yet to meet a person that doesn’t. Most of the kids in my generation grew up with him in some way or another and that is something that has traveled on to their children. He is not seen as much as he used to be, but he commonly shows up around holiday times for specials. We always see him around Christmas, occasionally for Easter or other holidays, and certainly around Halloween. It wouldn’t be a scary, fun holiday without a romp through the Hundred Acre Woods.

Kids will love Pooh’s Heffalump Halloween Movie. It has fun frights (occasionally jumpy moments that aren’t all that scary) and plenty of cute moments to go along with them. All of the usual suspects have been included from Pooh to Roo along with Tigger, Eyeore, and Rabbit, too. There is a new addition that some might not be familiar with though and that is Lumpy. He is a Heffalump (looks sort of like a Elephant).

If you’re one of those families that pulls out all of the same Halloween DVDs every holiday then your kids may just appreciate this even more. Don’t get me wrong, we love Garfield, The Chipmunks, and Charlie Brown, but if you’re looking for something new Pooh’s Heffalump Halloween Movie will make an excellent addition to your Halloween movie list. The funny thing is that Pooh doesn’t really feel like the star of this show. Roo and Lumpy take center stage and they are unique as leads for this because both of them are terribly easy to frighten. It makes the movie funnier than you can image, because both of them will jump and hide after seeing their own shadow.

I normally am not a fan of newer versions of older cartoons, but Pooh might be the exception. The reason for that is that the characters don’t seem to change. With other cartoons it’s almost as if they attempt to update both the look and the personalities of the characters and if you’ve been watching them since you were a kid it’s really sad to see that. With Pooh that doesn’t happen (ignoring the classic Pooh look – this is how Pooh has looked in all the movies). They might show up in a clearer format, but that’s the only real noteworthy change to speak about. It makes it well worth recommending, because parents know when they pick up this movie they will be getting the Pooh they know and love.

The Pooh’s Heffalump Halloween Movie Plot
Pooh and the Hundred Acre Wood residents are celebrating a Spooktacular Halloween. The youngsters, Roo and his best friend, Lumpy the Huffalump, are going to be trick-or-treating. Lumpy doesn’t know about trick-or-treating or Halloween. It is going to be the younsters’ first time trick or treating, so Roo and the old folks (Pooh, Tigger and Eyeore) explain the joys of Halloween to Lumpy.

This just makes Roo and Lumpy more excited about trick-or-treating. Well, that is until Tigger starts talking about the Gobloon! The Gobloon is scary and frightening. If they are caught by the Gobloon then they will be turned into a Jaggedy Lantern. However, if they catch the Gobloon first, they can ask it for a wish! Poor Lumpy is so frightened by this story, he is no longer certain he wants to go trick-or-treating. Luckily, he has a good friend in Roo.

Roo convinces Lumpy that they are best friends and together they can do anything. Friends together and friends forever, not even a Gobloon can stop them! When Halloween comes and Pooh has eaten all the candy, the friends end up going out to get more. The only problem is Roo gets scared and the two get separated. Lumpy must face his fears, and Roo must face the fact that he let Lumpy down, but when he is certain he’s found that Gobloon, he realizes there is something more important to wish for than candy.

Storyline/Plot: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Replayability: 4 out of 5 stars
Acting: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Directing: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Audio/Visual:
Heffalump is shown in a 1.78:1 anamorphic transfer that is virtually free of flaws. There are a few moments where it is easy to see artifacts, noise, and dust, but that it is the older scenes that come from Pooh’s other Halloween haunt. While this area could use a little work, the majority of the material is clear, crisp, and clean. The level of detail is nice and the colors are certainly child friendly. It’s highly unlikely that kids will notice anything wrong with this transfer. As it is, most adults will have little to complain about either. All in all, things are more than fair for a family DVD.

The audio for Heffalump is handled in a Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack that works perfectly from beginning to end. Everything is highlighted with little problems. The music is fun, the dialogue is easy to understand thanks to a high level of clarity and the sound effects get the job done nicely. Of the two, the audio is the better transfer. Along with the English audio there are tracks in French and Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1, as well as subtitles in English for the Hearing Impaired.

Visual: 4 out of 5 stars
Audio: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Bonus Features:
There are a number of small bonus features available for this cute Halloween flick. Before the movie begins there is a selection of previews that includes The Disney Princess Fantasy DVD Game, Bear in the Big Blue House DVDs, Kronk’s New Groove, Disney Learning Adventure DVDs (Winnie the Pooh Shapes & Sizes, Winnie the Pooh Wonderful Word Adventure), and a JoJo’s Circus Playhouse Disney ad.

Though not a special feature, it should be noted that like most kids DVDs by Disney, this comes with the Fast Play option. This means that if you don’t press any buttons the movie will begin right after the features. You can bypass this via the menu, but if you start the DVD and leave the room it will work all on its own.

Another thing worth noting is that the menu was incredibly hard to navigate. It took a couple of tries to get it to do what I wanted it to do. That’s not anything normal as far as DVD menus are concerned, so I thought it was worth mentioning. I don’t know if it sticks on all DVDs or just mine, but since it’s not something that normally happens it’s worth the mention.

There are three games included in the special feature section. Trick or Re-Treat includes Lumpy and Roo. It’s their job to go out to re-trick or treat because Roo’s bag had a hole in it. The game was a disaster. The main problem was that it kept sticking. The concept itself is adorable, but it sticks frequently and when you attempt to go back to the game you end up having to listen to the entire set of instructions again. That is probably the most frustrating thing of all.

Next up is Pass the Pumpkin. I wouldn’t call this a game as all it really does is explain the rules of an activity. The game is like musical chairs, but instead of sitting you pass a pumpkin. You can use the music provided to play the game. Unlike the other games you need more than two kids to play this.

Pooh’s Boo! Bingo is an interactive game. You need to print out the Bingo cards from the computer then you can use this game to play Pooh bingo. The numbers differ from game to game, so you can play this over and over without repeating the same digits. The Heffalump Halloween Party Planner is also included in the games section though this is really just a parent’s guide to plan a party. It includes party printables, when you insert this into the DVD-Rom.

Other than that you can opt to register your DVD or you can check out more sneak peeks.

Through the Sneak Peek section there are a number of previews including, Cinderella: Special Edition, Pooh’s Grand Adventure: The Search for Christopher Robin, Disney Princess: A Christmas of Enchantment, Disney Princess Fantasy DVD Game, Bear in the Big Blue House DVDs, Kronk’s New Groove, Disney Learning Adventure DVDs, and a Jojo’s Circus ad.

Note: The Limited Edition DVD we received comes with an adorable Baby Pooh dressed in a Tigger Halloween costume!

Bonus Features: 2.5 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line:
Pooh’s Heffalump Halloween Movie is just adorable. I really enjoyed watching the primary story on the DVD. While the bonus features leave something to be desired, it’s the main movie that makes Pooh’s Heffalump Halloween Movie worth owning. You and your little ones will love sharing a new adventure with all their favorite Winnie the Pooh characters, and they’ll just adore the Hundred Acre Woods’ latest addition, Lumpy. This DVD is recommended for those with children who love everything Pooh.

Overall Rating: 3.64 out of 5 stars

Technorati Tags: Pooh’s Heffalump Halloween Movie, DVD Review, Disney, Children, Movie, Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, Roo, Heffalump, Kids Movie

Release Info:
Theatrical Release: December 13, 1971
DVD Release Date: September 8, 2009
Online Availability: Amazon for $19.99

I am a Disney kid. I was raised on both the live action and cartoon movies. Disney was innovative when I was a child. When it comes to animation, they still are. Prior to my birth, the Walt Disney Company experimented with combining live action with cartoon. One of those movies was Mary Poppins, one of my all time favorite live action, Disney films. Another was the less popular Bedknobs and Broomsticks.

Don’t get me wrong, I like this movie a lot. It’s just not nearly as good as Mary Poppins. That’s just a personal opinion, of course. I have spoken with a few people who think that the entire mixing of live action with cartoon is sacrilegious. I can see how they would feel this way, but honestly, this doesn’t bother me. I think it’s actually kind of funny to watch. I like how the penguins serve Mary in Mary Poppins. It’s just plain funny. Bedknobs and Broomsticks has less time spent in the animated world. It was as though Disney did this just to say, “Ha! Look how good it looks when we combine live action with cartoon.” Still, I don’t fault the film for that, much.

The story behind Bedknobs and Broomsticks is similar enough to Mary Poppins to get fans of this film into Bedknobs and Broomsticks, but original and unique enough to not be a Mary Poppins clone. I like the way they incorporated World War II into the story. It gave the movie a purpose. It wasn’t just a story about a witch. The characters had a very important reason to want to find the spell, which fuels their entire trip on the bed.

Regardless of it’s similarities to Mary Poppins, I still recommend that parents pick this movie up to watch with their children. You cannot beat the stories told by old Disney. Bedknobs and Broomsticks is a classic from the Disney vault. It has every element of a great Disney film. There are kids in it that children can relate to, there are catch tunes to sing along with, and the story isn’t too cerebral little ones will have to miss out on it, but also isn’t so childish that adults and older children will be bored to tears while watching the film. Essentially, Bedknobs and Broomsticks is a film everyone can enjoy, regardless of age.

The Bedknobs and Broomsticks Plot
With London full of uncertainty and bombings, three Cockney orphans, Charlie (Ian Weighill), Carrie (Cindy O’Callaghan) and Paul Rawlins (Roy Snart), are sent to the English countryside. The government hooks up children from London with families who have the room to take care of them. Eglantine Price (Angela Lansbury), a spinster with a large home, is left with the children, against her wishes. With no choice but to take them in, she attempts to make the best of it.

While Miss Price isn’t heartless, she doesn’t want the children to find out her secret. She’s been enrolled in a witchcraft class. She’s hoping her new witch powers will help her to aid the British war effort. When the children discover this, Charlie tries to use it to his advantage, but Miss Price realizes that the children can help her out. She ends up giving Paul a magical Bedknob that can transport them, on a bed, to any location they want to visit.

When Miss Price discovers her classes have been canceled, due to the war, without finding out how to do the last spell, the spell she needs to help her country, she uses the bedknob to transport herself, and the children, to London, to find her teacher, Emelius Browne (David Tomlinson). Brown, who has been sending the lessons to Miss Price, turns out to be a swindler and illusionist. The spells were all from an old book he found. When Miss Price informs him that his spells work, he decides to keep her around, hoping to convince her to swindle with him.

When Miss Price discovers part of the book missing, the part that explains how to do the spell she needs, Mr. Browne and the three children must accompany her on a musical adventure that takes them to the lost island of Naboombu and beyond. The hope of finding the spell, and using it to help their country, lies solely in their hands. If only they can use a little magic to find the spell they need, before the Nazis attack a little too close to home.

Storyline/Plot: 4 out of 5 stars
Replayability: 4 out of 5 stars
Acting: 5 out of 5 stars
Directing: 4 out of 5 stars

Audio/Visual:
The DVD claims that Bedknobs is remastered and in some ways I am pretty sure that they are right, it does appear to offer significant differences than a standard movie made in the 70s and transferred to DVD. The only problem is that this was released previously, a few years back, and it does not appear to offer a hugely different look from that DVD. Like the former DVD, Bedknobs is presented with a 1.66:1 aspect ratio in anamorphic widescreen. In a general sense there isn’t too much to complain about. Things look much better than what you might expect from a older movie. The biggest problems that I noticed had to do with the scenes on Portobello Road and with scenes dealing with the transporting on the bed. Many of the problems in these areas deal with shoddy special effects and with bad coloring. These area seemed to be filled with more noise and dirt than the other areas. Other than that, things look good. It’s not a bad transfer, it’s just not as cleaned up as they might want you to believe.

When it comes to the Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack, it’s a bump up. They obviously didn’t stick to the mono sound, but it doesn’t sound like a hugely different undertaking either. The music is done well, the dialogue is always easy to hear and understand, and the sound effects are dated, but work for this particular feature. In addition to the English track, there is a French Dolby Digital 5.1 track that is also available. Subtitles are available in English for the Hearing Impaired, Spanish, and French.

Visual: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Audio: 4 out of 5 stars

Bonus Features:
There is a small selection of DVD special features available here. Some of the previous features have been dumped in favor of others and depending on your feelings about the classics, you will either love the changes or hate them. I don’t think kids will notice either way, unless you count the loss of a few cartoon shorts. Things begin with previews that include Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, The Princess and the Frog, Santa Buddies, Up, Like Stars on Earth, Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure, Disney Blu-ray, Disney Movie Rewards, and D23. All of these are accessible through the Sneak Peeks section and the first three are shown before the movie actually begins.

Next up, Ms. Stone from from Wizards of Waverly Place arrives to talk about the differences in special effects from then to now. In her seven minute feature she talks about how the sodium vapor screen differs from the green screen. It’s not anything that is overly interesting or incredibly worth watching. In some ways I am not sure why they would bother to add this at all, unless they were just trying to add in something from one of the Disney shows in hopes to bump up the audience.

Next up is “Music Magic: The Sherman Brothers”: This is one of the recycled extras on the disc. Basically, what you have here is a talk with the songwriters, Richard and Robert Sherman. They talk about a lot of things, including how the project got started and various songs in the Bedknobs arsenal. There is some behind the scenes footage that has been included, as well.

“A Step in the Right Direction” is presented while showing a slideshow of photographs to show the gist of how the footage would have looked if it had been available. I am not sure why “Portobello Road” was even included here because it’s not much at all. David Tomlinson sings a brief bit of the song and there isn’t much else there.

Four trailers are available that last between just over a minute to around four minutes. Three of them are older and the last looks like it could be from the re-release of the DVD.

Things are wrapped up with one of the dumbest and most pointless features on the disc. In fact, this is worse than the Wizards feature. Here you have Dylan and Cole Sprouse with their mom talking about Blu-ray and how it is “Suite.” This lasts longer than most of the Bedknob specific features and is nothing more than a fluff-induced infomercial. Both this and the Wizards feature were in poor taste considering the useless and overly promotional nature of them.

Bonus Features: 2.5 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line:
If you do not own a copy of Bedknobs and Broomsticks already, I recommend you purchase one. This Enchanted Musical Edition is a great version to purchase. However, if you already own the last, remastered copy of Bedknobs and Broomsticks, you may want to consider whether the few bonuses are worth the upgrade. The quality for this release looks nearly the same as its predecessor. As a movie, I highly recommend, Bedknobs and Broomsticks. I’m just not sure if this version is worth the upgrade.

Overall Rating: 3.86 out of 5 stars

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