Babes in Toyland
|
List Price: Our Price: $5.70 You Save: $9.25 (62%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $4.85 (click here) Category: DVD See more DVD releases |
|---|
Canada
Movie Reviews of Babes in Toyland
Movie Review: Great Review 2
Summary: 5 Stars
I truly enjoyed this movie as a child, and even now it makes me laugh.Movie Review: a kitschy delight - but deserves better treatment
Summary: 4 Stars
The opening sequence alone, a colorful song and dance in Mother Goose Village Square that could only have been designed and choreographed in the early 60's, is enough to bring a huge smile to faces of those of us who fondly remember the pre-digital days of Walt Disney.
The colorful production design is sensational and reminds me of the early days of Disneyland - whimsically artificial but gorgeous to look at. Sure, the story is Squaresville, and many complain that the set is too stagey, but those are main elements of the film's lasting charm. Dated and corny to some is a cool breeze of nostalgia and simpler times for others.
I am sad that this DVD is shamefully bargain bin. Apparently someone at Disney has deemed this delightful slice of early 60's pop culture woefully insignificant, so not only is the film greatly reduced to fit on standard televisions, but there are NO special features whatsoever, a shame considering that many of the original principals in the film are still with us. Also, there was an episode of The Wonderful World of Disney called "Backstage Party", timed to promote the release of the film in 1961, featuring Walt and the cast on the set doing obviously staged but nonetheless delightful songs, dances, testimonials and stand-up routines. What a shame that no one had the foresite to include this terrific extra - or ANYTHING - on this dvd. (I had the good fortune of catching this episode on the Disney Channel late one night - so it at least exists!)
Still, there is a lot to be happy with here, again thanks to the splendiferous production design, tuneful songs and largely charming cast. Maybe someday Disney will serve up a better release of this ignored but important chapter (it's mistakes paved the way for "Mary Poppins") in the Disney story.
Movie Review: Film Remastering
Summary: 4 Stars
Since there are NO special features on this new remastered DVD, I continue to wait for a stereo surround version in widescreen -(if that's ever going to be possible!).
The colors ARE brightly crisper and the digital surround sound is in fabulous mono, but Disney obviously didn't remaster the original film negatives as you can still see specks during the feature and even an occasional upper-right 'filmroll change' small circle (a blemish on film indicating one of the 35mm rolls on one of the 2 projectors showing the flick was about to run out!).
The picture also looks uncentered at times (possibly because of the way the original was filmed), esp noted on the right-side in the 'book opening' credits, along with other scenes - e.g. 'Won't Be Happy 'Till We Get It'; you only see half of Roderigo's (Gene Sheldon) head at the end of that muscial segment.
But auspiciously, if you're a devoted fan of this movie for the music and Annette, Sands, Bolger, Ed Wynn and a young Ann Jillian (credit says 'Jilliann') and you have a DVD player getting a little bored, then it's worth the under $18 purchase.
This being Disney's first musical production, it's ironic they never released an 'authentic' original soundtrack for this classic. The old Disneyland vinal LP's/45's of this film in the sixties only featured remakes and Ted Cassidy ('Lurch' of Addams Family) doing the Barnaby character, so this definately makes up for that.
Movie Review: It's really out on DVD?
Summary: 4 Stars
I didn't even know that this DVD was out, but I'm pleasantly surprised. This is one of those real holiday treasures that you don't see enough of anymore.Tommy Sands and Annette Funicello play the young Tom and Mary (Quite Contrary) in a land populated by Mother Goose and her creations. The evil Barnaby (played by perfection by Ray Bolger) wants Mary for his own, and begins a series of plots that ends up with our heroes and a band of nursery rhyme children at the shop that really makes Santa Claus's toys, working for the bumbling toymaker (Ed Wynn) and his brainy assistant (Tommy Kirk).
This is a film from the golden age of the live-action Disney musical, back when Haley Mills was cranking out a new film every other month. Although she's not in this one, there is a very young Ann Jillian. There have been many versions of this film both before and after -- this is the best. Be especially wary of the 1986 version starring Keanu Reeves and Drew Barrymore. Yeah. That's who I said.
Movie Review: Adorable Movie But What Is The Correct Aspect Ratio Of The Movie?
Summary: 4 Stars
Babes in Toyland is a cute movie, it's a remake of an old Laurel and Hardy movie March of the Wooden Soldiers and a good movie for family time viewing but I see that the movie is presented on DVD in fullscreen and since the movie originally came out in theaters in 1961 or 1962 I was wondering if the fullscreen aspect ration on the DVD is correct or is it an edited pan and scan edition of a widescreen movie! I really don't want to buy the DVD unless the fullscreen format is the correct original aspect ratio and not another pan and scanned edit of a widescreen movie!