Toon Talk: Pete's Dragon High Flying Edition - Aug 19, 2009

Toon Talk: Pete's Dragon High Flying Edition
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REMAKE THIS: PETE�S DRAGON

With this year�s Return to Witch Mountain and the upcoming 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea reboot, Disney seems to be all about remakes lately. So how about Pete�s Dragon?

Here�s some �armchair casting� ideas for a potential trip back to Passamaquoddy:

  • Nora: Sure, Helen Reddy could sing, but her acting leaves much to be desired. How about someone who could do both? Reba McEntire has proved, on both stage and sitcom, she�s got what it takes.
  • Lampie: With four Emmys and two Tony Awards, John Lithgow has shown a flair for musical comedy � and a taste for scenery.
  • Doc Terminus: As seen in Spy Kids and the TV version of Annie, Alan Cumming (another Tony winner) can terrorize children with the best of �em.
  • Hoagy: If ace mugger Nathan Lane isn�t available, they could always go with Jason Alexander. (And yes, they are both Tony winners.)
  • Lena Gogan: Since she played Shelley Winters� granddaughter on her own show, how about Roseanne Barr?
  • Pete: Obviously need a newcomer here, so perhaps one of the kids who played Flounder now that The Little Mermaid is closing on Broadway. Or maybe one of the Billy Elliot boys �?
  • Elliott: Charlie Callas is still around, but if not, Disney has their own expert at funny animal voices, Frank Welker (Aladdin�s Abu, Pocahontas� Flit, Mulan�s Cri-Kee and many, many more).

In addition to the Fast Play feature, the new Pete�s Dragon �High-Flying Edition� includes the brand new �Brazzle Dazzle Effects: Behind Disney�s Movie Magic�. Narrated by Pete himself, Sean Marshall (who also voiced the boy in the Disney short The Small One and retired from acting soon after), the 25 minute featurette takes a look back at the evolution of combining animation with live action (at least as far as the Disney Studio is concerned). Beginning with the early silent Alice Comedies and continuing through the landmark Three Caballeros up to the recent Chronicles of Narnia films and Enchanted, the mini-doc touches on all the technical breakthroughs that help moviemakers create the hybrid medium, from the sodium screen process to rear projection to today�s green screens and computer-assisted effects. Marshall even gets to do a little audio commentary-like reminiscing about the making of Pete�s Dragon, along with some extensive, rare behind the scenes footage.

Also of note is an audio only collection of �pop� versions of four of the film�s songs. This nifty throwback was a promotional record consisting of a folksy �It�s Not Easy�, an Up With People-esque �Brazzle Dazzle Day�, an old school Sesame Street take on �There�s Room for Everyone� and a mostly Muzak instrumental of �Candle on the Water�.

Other bonus features include storyboarded deleted scenes and songs, never before heard demo recordings, a �Where�s Elliott� game (which has a video prize if you win), a collection of art galleries (spot the �Elliott stand-ins� in the production section), two trailers, excerpts from the Disney Family Album and The Plausible Impossible and the Donald Duck cartoon Lighthouse Keeping.

Toon Talk Rating: B-

Coming Soon:

  • Bedknobs and Broomsticks returns on Disney DVD with a collector�s �Enchanted Musical Edition� (September 8).
  • The toys are back in town � and in 3-D! The Pixar classics Toy Story and Toy Story 2 return to theaters for a special double feature engagement October 2.
  • Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure promises more Pixie Hollow adventures from our favorite pixie (Disney DVD, October 27).

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-- Kirby C. Holt
-- Logos 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 ... In addition to his Toon Talk reviews, Kirby is the creator of Movie Dearest, a blog for movie fans.

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 August 19, 2009
-- Kirby C. Holt
-- Logos by William C. Searcy, Magic Bear Graphics
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