Disney Movie Club has been offering exclusive DVD releases to members since 2005. The content has ranged from Walt-era live action films to more recent television programming. These releases are typically bare bones (just the film, no bonus features), but offer an added incentive to join the club or maintain your membership status. In a home entertainment industry that seems hell-bent on pushing consumers towards digital consumption, it’s refreshing to see Disney Movie Club expand its exclusive releases onto Blu-Ray. On September 9th, two classic Disney films debuted on Blu-Ray as Disney Movie Club Exclusives.
The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes is presented in a 45th Anniversary Edition. Dexter Riley (Kurt Russell) was an average college student who accidentally downloads a computer’s memory bank into his head. His newfound knowledge makes him a celebrity and the star student of Medfield College. But when the computers’ donor discovers that Dexter now knows his illegal gambling secrets, Dexter’s life may be in danger!
The Apple Dumpling Gang is almost a year early for this 40th Anniversary Edition. When bachelor Bill Bixby inherits three orphans, they throw off his gambling lifestyle. But when the trio stumbles upon a stash of gold, it brings out the worst in people. Wishing to unload the gold, the kids arrange for two bumbling outlaws (Don Knotts and Tim Conway) to steal it. The only problem is that real outlaws are on their way to beat them to it!
Video
Both films are presented in 1.66:1 widescreen and have received wonderful restorations for this HD release. Grain is still present, but detail is clear in every shot.
Audio
The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes is presented in 2.0 stereo and The Apple Dumpling Gang is in 1.0 mono. Both tracks are disappointing, seeing as the previous DVD of The Apple Dumpling Gang was in 5.1 surround sound and The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes has surround sound on the digital copy through iTunes. The only audio option on both discs is English, which is also the only subtitle option.
Bonus Features
Neither of these Blu-Ray releases have bonus features. While The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes didn’t have any on its previous DVD release, The Apple Dumpling Gang was treated to a Vault Disney release in 2003. That release featured a making-of documentary, featurettes and an audio commentary.
Packaging and Menu
Each release has its blue disc housed in a standard single-disc Blu-Ray case. An insert inside gives you a code for Disney Movie Rewards (150 points each). Surprisingly, both releases are housed in a slipcover. The back of the box advertises both films as being “Magical memories straight from the Disney Archives.”
No trailers are found on either disc. The menu for The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes is a purple motherboard with images of the film’s cast. The menu for The Apple Dumpling Gang clones the previous DVD cover in a 16×9 ratio. Menu options on both discs are “Play” and “Scene Selections.”
Final Thoughts
Both The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes and The Apple Dumpling Gang are fun Disney comedies unique to the era in which they were made. They don’t make movies like these anymore, and its hard to not feel nostalgic when watching them today. It’s great to see more of the live-action Disney catalogue getting released on Blu-Ray, but a few odd choices and lack of effort make it hard to give these discs perfect scores. Compared to their DVD counterparts, The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes is an upgrade while The Apple Dumpling Gang loses substantial bonus features and a surround sound mix.