Editorial Review

The film that officially signaled Disney's animation renaissance (followingRead more

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Reviews (382)

A Tale As Old As Time Done Right
Beauty and the Beast may well be the very best animated film Disney ever produced. The characterizations of the leads are great as we have the sweet book loving Belle and the the flawed but totally redeemable "Beast".Gaston and Belle's father are also well drawn and memorable as are the comic relief bearing "enchanted" servants at the castle. There's something for everyone as the story is so romantic it leaves a lot of grown up ladies sighing, the bad guys are not too scary for the little ones and for the rest it is just a great tale.Plus Beauty and the Beast has some of the best songs ever written for a Disney production.No wonder the Broadway musical hasbeen such a hit as well.

Tied for first for best Disney feature
I must've been about 10 when I first saw the Lion King and I was practically floored. Those catchy-for-their-own-good songs, the animation(well, me now talking) and that wildebeast stampede. The other one is Beauty and the Beast which for the life of me I can't remember seeing when I was young yet loved every minute of it. Revisiting it now I still love it and on one hand seeing it as a landmark in Disney's catalogue but also one in a series of films that marked a brief creative comeback.
Beauty and the Beast
Yep, Disney animation. All my students see this movie at some point between leaving high school and when I meet them as university students. Sometimes, their Chinese university teachers show it to them in class. So, I thought I'd see why they love it so much. I'm still wondering. This is a two-page short story, not a film. But on the bright side, if you skip all the songs it's under an hour. I've never enjoyed a singing toon in my life. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Classics (Silents/Avant Garde)   

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• Animated
• Closed-captioned
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Reviews (5)

AGreat Halloween Tape
This is my favorite video, I love it! I watch it over and over- not just at Halloween.A lot of the narration is quoted from the book. I love everything about it: the story, the characters, the animation... It's a great video for people of all ages.

Beware the Headless Horseman!
This classic cartoon features the voice of Bing Crosby in Washington Irving's tale of the schoolmaster who loved the fair Katrina, but also believed in spooks!Children over age 7 will love to be scared by this funny Halloween tale...but keep the lights on!5 stars!

Sing it again Bing
"The Old Crooner" himself, Bing Crosby, narrates and sings this cartoon classic based on Washington Irving's All Hallow's Eve tale.Extremely exomorphic educatorIchabod Crane is competing against Brom Bones ( an ancestor to Gaston in Beauty and the Beast?) for Katrina, the wealthy farmer's daughter. So is it Brom or the Legendary Headless Horseman of Sleepy Hollow pursuing Ichabod through the perilous forest? Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's Video    2. Childrens    3. Movie   

Editorial Review

Not an ideal choice for younger kids, this hip and violent animated feature from Disney was nevertheless a huge smash in theaters and on video, and it continues to enjoy life in an acclaimed Broadway production. The story finds a lion cub, son of a king, sent into exile after his father is sabotaged by a rivalrous uncle. The little hero finds his way into the "circle of life" with some new friends and eventually comes back to reclaim his proper place. Characters are very strong, vocal performances by the likes of Jeremy Irons, Nathan Lane, and Whoopi Goldberg are terrific, the jokes are aimed as much (if not more) at adults than kids, the animation is sometimes breathtaking, and the music is more palatable than in many Disney features. But be cautious: this is too intense for the Read more

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• Closed-captioned
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Reviews (402)

Monarchies tend to create dysfunctional families.
Disney's "The Lion King" is a pretty good movie about a young lion cub, named Simba, who is to become king of a place called Pride Rock located in the appropriately named Pride Lands. I always thought that the part where Simba's father, Mufasa, is killed by his brother, Scar, was kind of tough to watch. On the other hand, from a historical standpoint, scenarios like these were at some point a commoplace reality, all because of an intense desire for power. The most memorable part of the film is the scene where Scar turns on the hyenas, to whom he'd referred as the "real enemy," then tries to make up with them right afterwards by calling them his "friends." The best part was the subsequent reaction by the hyenas to his double crossing.
il'd love to give this 20 out of 5 stars
this movie was incredable. i don't understand how people can dislike this film. this movie's deep and intense story made it great for children AND their parents, a feat rarely accomplished. but rather than stay depressing and traumatizing, this film goes from drama to side-splitting humor within 13 seconds. the best part is that this is all done with seemless perfection.
dont mess with classics
I give the original 5 stars, but why is disney taking all its classics and adding new songs to it? i was so dissapointed when i rented this and there were new scenes in it. i dont want "new and improved" i want the original, the one i watched when i was younger. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Childrens    2. Feature Film Family   

Editorial Review

Ariel and her husband, Prince Eric, have a little problem with their daughter, Melody, in the sequel to Disney's landmark Read more

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• Animated
• Closed-captioned
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Reviews (147)

anything that relates to the little mermaid is the best
who ever tries to say that disney is just in it for the money is stupid, and doesnt really know what they r talking about. like on one of the comments it said that melody had no mermaid traits, that she could hold her breath for up to and over 3 min., could talk to the fish, and could hold her eyes open under the water,well...DUH!!! those r mermaid traits, so i dont know wat they were thinking, and its a disney movie, for littler kids, they try to make it interesting in the kids eyes!!!so grrr! the first one i must say was better, but i still love the sequal!!

Blah Under the Sea
As taken from IMDB.com
Very Good
You know those sequels that are even better than the original?The Little Mermaid II is not one of them.You know those sequels that are thrown together and so bad that they leave an awful taste in your mouth, even regarding the original?It is not one of those either.What this movie is is lovingly crafted, well-thought out, and a nice effort.
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Subjects:  1. Cartoons & Animation    2. Feature Film Family    3. Movie   

Editorial Review

One of the brightest nuggets from Disney's golden age, this 1937 film is almost dizzying in its meticulous construction of an enchanted world, with scores of major and minor characters (including fauna and fowl), each with a distinct identity.When you watch Snow White's intricate, graceful movements of fingers, arms, and head all in one shot, it is not the technical brilliance of Disney's artists that leaps out at you, but the very spirit of her engaging, girl-woman character. When the wicked queen's poisoned apple turns from killer green to rose red, the effect of knowing something so beautiful can be so terrible is absolutely elemental, so pure it forces one to surrender to the horror of it. Based on the Grimm fairy tale, Snow White is probably the best family film ever to deal, in mythic terms, with the psychological foundation for growing up. It's a crowning achievement and should not be missed. Read more

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• Closed-captioned
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• Dolby
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Reviews (265)

For Your Princess
It's so wonderful to live in a time when Disney's strange behavior of taking their classics off the market can be circumvented by great Internet marketers like Amazon. I was able to buy this 5 Star Disney Princess classic recently for my young princess through one of Amazon's third-party sellers. And without that opportunity, my little princess may have outgrown Snow White by the time Disney released it again.
Even a jaded Disney viewer should like Snow White
I am often sickened by Disney's overpriced cheesy books, toys and other merchandise that are far from "classic" as well as their idiotic marketing ploy for their videos - the Disney vault. Yet when I watch a wonderful classic film like this all is forgiven. One caution the movie could be frightening to very young or fearful children. The Queen and her mirror are really scary as are her various plots to kill Snow White. I don't think the typical kid over seven would be afraid of it especially since there is so much comic relief from the dwarfs and the cuddly animals though the film is somewhat of a curious mix. I do find Snow White's singing and speaking voice annoying as well as her role of little homemaker but you have to remember she is a product of the late 1930's and appreciate the film as a hallmark of that time.
"Magic Mirror on the wall, is this the greatest film of all?"
Snow White is simply a milestone in the history of film making. It is one of those films that has ploughed a course through motion picture history, throwing off as it does so, bits and pieces that have been seized upon by later film makers, and turned into ideas and projects of their own. Many of today's film makers will cite this film as being a major early influence on their careers.
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Subjects:  1. Childrens    2. Feature Film Family    3. Movie   

Reviews (4)

Awesome!! A treat indeed!
I loved Disney's Halloween Treat!!! The song at the beginning is awesome and i find myself singing it at random times. I had originally recorded this off tv and have been looking everywhere for a legit copy since i think i lost the tape. :( Anyway, this is great for the kids-- i sure enjoyed it when i was little. I still enjoy it now and i watch it every Halloween because it just makes you laugh. Some of the cartoons in this special are hilarious, especially the one where donald duck finds out that a gorilla escaped from the zoo and he's trying to get away from it by running with the ladder. It's funny.
There is one thing you all should be aware of!
I love this show.I watched it every year on the Disney Channel with my family on Halloween until they stopped showing it (grrr!).But there is one thing you all should know-there are actually TWO versions of "Disney's Halloween Treat" that were made.The one that was shown on TV was hosted by the Magic Mirror (which I believe is the best version), while the one that was released on VHS is hosted by a pumpkin and follows a completely different layout than the other version.According to my dad, the pumpkin version was the original one that showed on TV first, but I don't remember it at all.Both versions are good for a Halloween treat, but the Magic Mirror has more of a spooky feel to it.If Disney ever releases this on DVD, they should release both versions on the same disc so the viewers can choose which one they can see, just for the sake of choices!
best halloween special
i watched this special constantly growing up.It wasn't halloween without it.For many years I had it taped off the tv, but my tape has myseriously disappeared.I must get a new copy. I loved the disney halloween treat song (those who have seen it know what i'm talking about).I can't wait to show it to my daughter ... Read more

Editorial Review

From the moment that Prince Eric's ship emerged from the fog in the opening credits it was apparent that Disney had somehow, suddenly recaptured that "magic" that had been dormant for thirty years. In the tale of a headstrong young mermaid who yearns to "spend a day, warm on the sand," Ariel trades her voice to Ursula, the Sea Witch (classically voiced by Pat Carroll), for a pair of legs. Ariel can only succeed if she receives true love's kiss in a few day's time and she needs all the help she can from a singing crab named Sebastian, a loudmouth seagull, and a flounder. The lyrics and music by Howard Ashman and Alan Menken are top form: witty and relevant, and they advance the story (go on, hum a few bars of "Under the Sea"). Read more

Features

• Animated
• Closed-captioned
• Color
• Original recording reissued
• Original recording remastered
• Special Edition
• NTSC

Reviews (244)

Five Big Stars is the review, the text is some advice:
If you plan on buying this as a present for some young person's birthday or other event , check with other relatives and friends who will be involved:Attwobirthday parties recently, -Everyone- bought this for the baby!

Good film...GREAT 2nd DISC FEATURES!!
First... let's just say that somebody needs to tell Ashley Tisdale to lose the boots. They're only gonna be even more embarrasing in 20 years than they are today. Where are Joan and Melissa when we need them!? "Kiss the Girl"? ... pass.
One of Disney's Finest Achievements!
In a wonderful kingdom under the sea lives the beautiful mermaid princess, Ariel, seventh and youngest daughter of King Triton, ruler of Atlantica. Ariel's feisty spirit and gorgeous red hair make her a bit of a favorite among Triton's daughters, and her passion for learning human ways and collecting of their artifacts causes much stress to her family and friends. After spying a handsome, young, human prince aboard a ship one evening and saving his life, Ariel is instantly love-struck, and this is completely unacceptable to her overbearing, human-hating father. In a desperate and rebellious action, Ariel turns to a seductive sea witch for help, who takes possession of Ariel's beautiful voice in exchange for a magical spell. The spell changes Ariel's fish-like tail into a lovely pair of human legs, but there is a condition attached. If Ariel can't get the young prince to fall in love with her in three days and seal it with a kiss, the spell will be broken and Ariel will join the witch Ursula's collection of hideously transformed victims. Luckily, the prince is in love with her already, though he doesn't know it. Prince Eric is obsessed with finding the young lady who saved him from drowning that night and whom he caught a glimpse of as she sang to him just before disappearing. When he takes in the now human Ariel after she appears seemingly washed up from a shipwreck, her inability to speak makes him sure she is not the one. Voiceless and only left with her beauty and exuberant charm, Ariel and her animal friends must try their best to make the prince see that she is the lost love he has been searching for, but the Sea Witch will do all she can to stop them before time runs out! If Ursula holds power over Princess Ariel, the king himself will have to bow down before her!
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Subjects:  1. Cartoons & Animation    2. Feature Film Family    3. Movie   

Editorial Review

Disney's 1959 animated effort was the studio's most ambitious to date, a widescreen spectacle boasting a gorgeous waltz-filled score adapting Tchaikovsky. In the 14th century, the malevolent Maleficent (not dissimilar to the wicked Queen in Disney's Read more

Features

• Animated
• Color
• Limited Edition
• THX
• NTSC

Reviews (178)

For Your Princess
It's so wonderful to live in a time when Disney's strange behavior of taking their classics off the market can be circumvented by great Internet marketers like Amazon. I was able to buy this 5 Star Disney Princess classic recently for my young princess through one of Amazon's third-party sellers. And without that opportunity, my little princess may have outgrown Snow White by the time Disney released it again.
Sleeping Beauty Awakens!
This DVD changed my opinion of Disney's Sleeping Beauty.Since the story has been summarized elsewhere, my review will focus mainly on the DVD itself.I had never been much of a fan previously and viewed this as a sort of Snow White and Cinderella also-ran, although I did love the gorgeous, sweeping adaption of Tchaikovsky's ballet, with "I wonder" and especially "Once Upon a Dream" being among Disney's finest and most transportative musical pieces.The difference between this and prior releases of Sleeping Beauty (indeed, of many Disney movies) is that the digital restoration truly enhances the film possibly beyond what, as one reviewer put it, may actually have been experienced by the original theatrical audience.
This movie is excellent.
One thing I most love about this movie, is the music. Slepping Beauty has songs from the ballet. I watch this movie whenever I can. It has brilliant animation, brilliant songs and brilliant characters, especially princess Aurora, my favourite Disney Princess. I highly recommand this movie. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Childrens    2. Feature Film Family    3. Movie   

Editorial Review

There are two types of Schoolhouse Rock fans. Type A: those who--inspired in the '70s and '80s by "Conjunction Junction" and "Interjections!"--went on to become grammar gurus, copyeditors, and computational linguists. And type B: those who--less inspired by grammar than by catchy refrains--can still sing lines that today sound less than P.C.: Read more

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Reviews (25)

School House Rocks!
At my school we perform plays and School House Rock was one of them. This year was the year we performed it and it was a success. The play even helped me. Cause some of the things they said i didnt know. This Review will help you with choosing the best school related movie to help your child with school.
Now all I need is a video of "Time for Timer!"
When my son was born, and only my singing seemed to comfort him, (my singing had never comforted anyone before...) I found myself singing "The Preamble" and "Conjunction Junction." I bought all four Schoolhouse Rock videos shortly afterwards.
Great for ALL AGES!
As a kid, I loved the Schoolhouse Rock series and still remember the Grammar Rock songs.As a mom, I came across Schoolhouse Rock again by chance and thought I'd get the tapes for my kids who are now 2 and (nearly) 5 to enjoy when they're older.Amazingly, not only my Kindergartener but also my 2 year old prefer this tape to just about anything else right now - including the Wiggles and Blues Clues!I thought I'd bought these for the future, but they absolutely love the music and the animation and my 2-year old goes around singing snatches of "Interjections" and "Lolly Lolly Lolly get your Adverbs Here".As for my Kindergarten-age son, he has grown to enjoy it on a whole new level now that he is reading and beginning to learn grammar and punctuation concepts.Parents, it's never too soon to invest in this gem!I'd much rather have them watching this than the Rugrats or something... ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Childrens    2. Educational    3. Movie   

Editorial Review

Disney's adaptation of the beloved fairy tale became a classic in itsown right, thanks to some memorable tunes (including "A Dream Is a WishYour Heart Makes," "Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo," and the title song) and some endearingly cute comic relief. We all know the story--the wicked stepmother and stepsisters simply won't have it, this uppity Cinderella thinking she's going to a ball designed to find the handsome prince an appropriate sweetheart, but perseverance, animal buddies, and a well-timed entrance by a fairy godmother make sure things turn out all right. There are a few striking sequences of pureanimation--for example, Cinderella is reflected in bubbles drifting through the air--and the design is rich and evocative throughout. It's a simple story padded here agreeably with comic business, particularly Cinderella's rodent pals (dressed up conspicuously like the dwarf sidekicks of another famous Disney heroine) and their misadventures with a wretched cat named Lucifer. There's also much harrumphing and exposition spouting by the King and the Grand Duke. It's a much simpler and more graceful work than the more frenetically paced animated films of today, which makes it simultaneously quaint and highly gratifying. Read more

Features

• Animated
• Closed-captioned
• Color
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Reviews (165)

How do I play The Royal LIfe ?
I love the movie! I just have one problem. I can't seem to be able to play The Royal Life from Disc 2? I put it in my computer and clicked on The Royal Life and it just gives me a summary of what it's about and then tells me to insert the dvd-rom. Does someone know how to do this?

Better than Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Cinderella is the film that saved the Walt Disney Company.
Walt Disney's Best Movie
Disney made its mark as a major studio in 1937 with its first full-length feature film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. Ironically, given this early success, Snow White was their only hit movie for the next 13 years. World War II kicked the hell out of Disney's overseas markets. Even movies today regarded as classic Disney - Pinnochio, Bambi, Fantasia - lost money on initial release. Disney eked through by diversifying into training films for the US government, and the South American films that were part of FDR's Good Neighbor policy, etc. - stuff that made back its costs but not much more. By 1948, Disney was in dire financial straits. They had just enough money for one more movie. Walt Disney realized he needed a hit or his studio probably wouldn't survive, and it would have to be what they did best: a full-length animated feature film. Walt said to himself, "What we need is a movie about a girl in trouble. Audiences love that. They loved Snow White." That's what he wanted: a movie like Snow White, but even more so - more comedy, more drama, more magic, more music, more lovable characters. He chose as the basis of his company's Hail Mary pass arguably the most famous fairy tale in the world: Cinderella.
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Subjects:  1. Cartoons & Animation    2. Classics (Silents/Avant Garde)    3. Movie   

Editorial Review

For those who never thought Disney would release a film in which Santa Claus is kidnapped and tortured, well, here it is!The full title is Read more

Features

• Animated
• Closed-captioned
• Color
• Dolby
• NTSC

Reviews (373)

Tim Burton's Masterpiece is comin' back in 3D
It was the Nightmare before Christmas & all through the towns people will go to see Tim Burton's frightningly holly jolly triumph in 3D, the characters you love, the songs you love, the frights & seasons greetings you love as Walt Disney Pictures welcomes back Jack Skellington, Sally, Mayor, Ooogie Boogie, Sandy Claus & Zero. The Nightmare Before Christmas is back in 3D, go see it

ALL BARK NO BITE - ALL FAÇADE NO INTERIOR - SQUARES WILL LIKE IT
If your into something slick, high tech and Disney like you'll probably love this. Really. Go for it. It's five stars for you. You will love it.
Probably a 5
This movie takes all the clamation classics I remember as a kid and turns them upside down like only Tim Burton can.A twisted tale of the characters of Halloween town taking over Christmas after kidnapping Santa Claus.Though some of the characters are a little frightening for the young ones, the tone is mostly upbeat and funny.This is a charming, though very short movie.The dvd itself is loaded with great extras and worth the price two times over. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Childrens    2. Christmas / Chanukkah    3. Musicals    4. Pop   

Editorial Review

Disney's 1967 animated feature seems even more entertaining now than it did upon first release, with a hall-of-fame vocal performance by Phil Harris as Baloo, the genial bear friend of feral child Mowgli. Based on fiction by Rudyard Kipling, the film goes its own way as Disney animation will, but the strong characters and smart casting (George Sanders as the villainous tiger, Shere Khan) make it one of the studio's stronger feature-length cartoons. Songs include "The Bare Necessities" and "Trust in Me." Read more

Features

• Animated
• Closed-captioned
• Color
• Original recording reissued
• Original recording remastered
• Special Edition
• THX
• NTSC

Reviews (76)

Stop Limiting Issues
I don't have this dvd and wouldn't buy it unless i was desperate.Disney is always pulling stuff like this: "Limited Issue, Limited Adition, Limited time Only", To Be Perfectly honest, it's becoming quite annoying.The only point i could think of for owning this dvd is because it's "dvd". However i believe it is a waste of money and a vhs copy is sufficent at this point. When they put it out again it should have the special features it deserves.

Funny, cute and exciting!
This animated Disney classic is about a orphan named Mowgli, who lives in the jungle and befriends all kinds of animals such as elephants, a bear named Baloo, and other naimals.
A mix-up between good and bad
Disney's THE JUNGLE BOOK seems rather irrelevant today when you look at the film. The movie was made in 1967, a time when the Golden Age of Animation was clearly over, especially for Disney. Watching this movie on laserdisc a couple of days ago I noticed how grainy the animation looked. And one shot looked like it was an exact copy of another shot. I understand whyDisney used did every single thing by hand--painstakingly doing it frame by frame. Every thing was carefully detailed. But by the 1960's it was too expensive to do. They started cutting corners. The animation grew worse in the 1970's, and it wasn't until new technology came out in the 80's that animation regained its glory.