Toon Talk: Cinderella Platinum Edition DVD
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A handful of shorter features round out the set:
The film’s opening sequence is seen in concept art, live action reference photos and final animation with a Storyboard-to-Film Comparison.
Viewable via still frames or slideshow, several comprehensive Galleries are available: Visual Development; Mary Blair Art; Character and Costume Designs; Storyboard, Layout and Background Art; Live Action Reference Stills (including Eleanor Audley bringing her Lady Tremaine to life in the flesh as well as the voice), Production Photos (alas, with no captions - when will they ever learn) and Publicity, which includes several posters for Cindrillon and Askepot, the international titles of the film.
Walt originally adapted the story of Cinderella with a 1922 Laugh-O-Gram Short. This black and white, silent cartoon takes a contemporary look at the fairy tale.
Helene Stanley was the live action model for Cinderella (she also played Davy Crockett’s ill-fated wife on television) and is seen in a 1955 Excerpt from The Mickey Mouse Club, where she sings “The Work Song�? (from Cinderella’s point of view) along with a gaggle of lower-tier Mousketeers. The inclusion of this clip is worthwhile if a bit odd … no mention of her is made anywhere else.
A total of six Theatrical Trailers are included, most containing the same footage. Of curious note: the film was usually re-released around the Christmas season.
And last but not least, Dreams Come True promotes the Disney charity “Disney Hand�?, one aspect of the Disney Company that actually deserves some extra publicity, no matter how synergistic.
Toon Talk Rating: B
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In this ‘Toon Talk’ feature, I will briefly highlight a recommended film or DVD, outside of the Disney universe, of similar interest to the main subject. For another musical take on the story of Cinderella, one need look no further then musical theater geniuses Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella, which was originally produced for television in 1957 (available on DVD from Image Entertainment) and starred Julie Andrews, pre-Mary Poppins. Another Disney alum (and Andrews’ future Victor/Victoria co-star) Lesley Ann Warren (The Happiest Millionaire) stepped into the glass slippers for the 1965 version (Columbia/Tri-Star Home Video), with pop star Brandy taking over in Disney’s own 1997 remake (Buena Vista Home Video). All three incarnations have their own merits, chief among all the wonderful score by the legendary Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. |
Coming Soon in Toon Talk:
- The Oscar-winning duo from Aardman Animation star in their first feature film with Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (October 7th).
- The sky is falling in Disney’s first fully computer animated feature, Chicken Little (November 4th).
- Voldemort rises in Warner Bros.’ newest adventure of the boy wizard from Hogwarts, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (November 18th).
And Coming Soon from Buena Vista Home Video:
- Two recent Feature Animation favorites, Tarzan and The Emperor’s New Groove, find their way back to DVD with new Special Editions (October 18th).
- October 25th brings the DVD debut of this summer’s Herbie: Fully Loaded, as well as the fourth season of Alias and the latest Baby Einstein title, On the Go: Riding, Sailing and Soaring.
- Christmas is coming a little early for Disney DVD fans, November 1st to be exact, with the releases of Disney Channel Holiday, A Very Playhouse Disney Holiday, Disney Princess: A Christmas of Enchantment and the Wal-Mart exclusive The 3 Wise Men, plus two new DVD games ready for gift-giving, Disney’s Princess Fantasy and Disney Channel Showdown. Also available, just in time for its big screen debut, is Chicken Little: Sing Along Songs, plus the newest documentary from James Cameron, Aliens of the Deep.
- First season sets of some favorite Disney television series become available November 8th: DuckTales, Chip ‘n Dale Rescue Rangers, Five Mile Creek and Tales from Avonlea.
- On November 15th, Old Yeller returns in a DVD two-pack along with its sequel, Savage Sam, plus the second season of Scrubs and Winnie the Pooh stars in two new Disney Learning Adventure DVDs: Shapes and Sizes and Wonderful World of Words.
- Even more TV series sets on November 22nd, with the third seasons of The Golden Girls and Home Improvement, plus the best of season one of Extreme Make-Over: Home Edition.
- Celebrate Kermit the Frog’s 50th anniversary with four of his films: The Muppet Movie, The Great Muppet Caper, The Muppet Christmas Carol and Muppet Treasure Island (November 29th).
- Sky High flies onto DVD November 29th, along with several television titles including the complete mini-series Empire, the first season of Project Runway and Their Eyes Were Watching God, starring Halle Berry in her Emmy-nominated role.
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-- Kirby C. Holt
-- Logo by William C Searcy, Magic Bear Graphics
Kirby is a lifelong Disney fan and film buff. He is also an avid list maker and chronic ellipsis user ...
Took Talk: Disney Film & Video Reviews by Kirby C. Holt is posted whenever there's something new to review.
The opinions expressed by our Kirby C. Holt, and all of our columnists, do not necessarily represent the feelings of LaughingPlace.com or any of its employees or advertisers. All speculation and rumors about the future plans of the Walt Disney Company are just that - speculation and rumors - and should be treated as such.
-- Posted October 3, 2005