Release date: 2007-10-29 Run time: 120 min. RRP: £12.99 Price: £6.95
Review The Wiggles - Racing To The Rainbow / The Wiggles:
Actors & Directors
- Phil Harris
- Wolfgang Reitherman
- Brian Bedford
- Terry-Thomas
- Monica Evans
- Peter Ustinov
Release date: 2002-07-22 Run time: 80 min. RRP: £19.99 Price: £11.39
Review Robin Hood [1973] / Walt Disney Home Video:A minor classic from Disney, this 1973 all-animal, all-animated musical version of the familiar story of Robin Hood is more charming than one might expect. Perhaps it's the warm, chummy take on key relationships within the legend-the way Robin Hood (Brian Bedford) gets twitterpated whenever the subject of Maid Marian (Monica Evans) comes up or the way best pal Little John (Phil Harris voicing a variation on his own Baloo from The Jungle Book) admonishes the Sherwood Forest hero, "Aw, Rob, why dontcha just marry the girl?" (Then, of course, there's the canny "casting" of the romantic leads as foxes: Robin the sly one and Marian the, well, foxy one. ) The rest of the vocal cast is lively and eclectic: Peter Ustinov, Andy Devine, Terry Thomas, George Lindsey. Roger Miller provides the songs and voice for the minstrel character Allan-A-Dale. The film is ably directed by Wolfgang Reitherman, whose decades of work in Disney's animation division helped create the studio's rich legacy. -Tom Keogh, Amazon. com.
Actors & Directors
- Anthony Chun
- Sam Liu
- Seung Kim (II)
- Christopher Berkeley
- Ginny McSwain
Release date: 2007-04-10 Run time: 273 min. Price: £8.15
Review The Batman: The Complete Third Season (REGION 1) (NTSC) / Warner Home Video:
Actors & Directors
- Terry-Thomas
- Brian Bedford
- Wolfgang Reitherman
- Monica Evans
- Peter Ustinov
- Phil Harris
Release date: 1993-07-15 Run time: 80 min. RRP: £14.99 Price: £3.44
Review Robin Hood (1973) (Disney) / Walt Disney Home Video:A minor classic from Disney, this 1973 all-animal, all-animated musical version of the familiar story of Robin Hood is more charming than one might expect. Perhaps it's the warm, chummy take on key relationships within the legend-the way Robin Hood (Brian Bedford) gets twitterpated whenever the subject of Maid Marian (Monica Evans) comes up or the way best pal Little John (Phil Harris voicing a variation on his own Baloo from The Jungle Book) admonishes the Sherwood Forest hero, "Aw, Rob, why dontcha just marry the girl?" (Then, of course, there's the canny "casting" of the romantic leads as foxes: Robin the sly one and Marian the, well, foxy one. ) The rest of the vocal cast is lively and eclectic: Peter Ustinov, Andy Devine, Terry Thomas, George Lindsey. Roger Miller provides the songs and voice for the minstrel character Allan-A-Dale. The film is ably directed by Wolfgang Reitherman, whose decades of work in Disney's animation division helped create the studio's rich legacy. -Tom Keogh, Amazon. com.
Actors & Directors
- Stirling Holloway
- Herman Bing
- Verna Felton
- Ben Sharpsteen
- Billy Bletcher
- Edward Brophy
Release date: 2005-04-11 Run time: 64 min. RRP: £19.99 Price: £6.24
Review Dumbo / Walt Disney Home Video:A Disney "classic" that actually is a classic, Dumbo should be part of your video collection whether or not you have children. The storytelling was never as lean as in Dumbo, the songs rarely as haunting (or just plain weird), the characters rarely so well defined. The film pits the "cold, cruel, heartless" world that can't accept abnormality against a plucky, and mute, hero. Jumbo Jr. (Dumbo is a mean-spirited nickname) is ostracized from the circus pack shortly after his delivery by the stork because of his big ears. His mother sticks up for him and is shackled. He's jeered by children (an insightful scene has one boy poking fun at Dumbo's ears, even though the youngster's ears are also ungainly), used by the circus folk, and demoted to appearing with the clowns. Only the decent Timothy Q. Mouse looks out for the little guy. Concerns about the un-PC "Jim Crow" crows, who mock Dumbo with the wonderful "When I See an Elephant Fly," should be moderated by remembering that the crows are the only social group in the film who act kindly to the little outcast. [+]
If you don't mist up during the "Baby Mine" scene, you may be legally pronounced dead. -Keith Simanton.
Release date: 2004-07-19 Run time: 195 min. RRP: £15.99 Price: £6.96
Review Thunderbirds: Volume 3 [1965] / ITV DVD:"Filmed in VIDECOLOR [explosions, drum roll, music builds to a climax] and SUPERMARIONATION"! The opening sequence of Thunderbirds is itself a masterclass in Gerry Anderson's marionette hyperbole: who else would dare to make a virtue out of the fact that (a) the show is in colour and (b) it's got puppets in it? But everything about this series really is epic: Thunderbirds is action on the grandest scale, pre-dating such high-concept Hollywood vehicles as Armaggedon by 30 years and more (the acting is better, too), and fetishising gadgets in a way that even the most excessive Bond movies could never hope to rival. Unsurprisingly, it transpires that the visual effects are by Derek Meddings, whose later contributions to Bond movies like The Spy Who Loved Me and Moonraker echo his pioneering model work here. As to the characters, the clean-cut Tracey boys take second place in the audiences' affections to their cool machines-the real stars of the show-while comic relief is to be found in the charming company of Lady Penelope and her pink Rolls (number plate FAB1), driven by lugubrious chauffeur Parker, whose "Yes, milady" catch phrase resonated around school playgrounds for decades. (Spare a thought for poor old John Tracey, stuck up in space on Thunderbird 5 with only the radio for company. ) The puppet stunt-work is breathtakingly audacious, and every week's death-defying escapade is nail-bitingly choreographed in the very best tradition of disaster movies. First shown in 1964 and now digitally remastered, Thunderbirds is children's TV that still looks and sounds like big-budget Hollywood. On this DVD: The four episodes are: "End of the Road", "The Uninvited", "Sun Probe" and "Operation Crash Dive".
Release date: 2007-06-04 Run time: 85 min. RRP: £5.99 Price: £1.73
Review Transformers The Movie - Special Edition [1986] / Metrodome:
Actors & Directors
- Christine Cavanaugh
- Stig Bergqvist
- Cheryl Chase
- Elizabeth Daily
- Paul Demeyer
- Joe Alaskey
- Tara Strong
Release date: 2001-10-08 Run time: 75 min. RRP: £12.99 Price: £0.98
Review Rugrats In Paris - The Movie [2001] / Paramount Home Entertainment:The second theatrical film from the popular television show, Rugrats in Paris is better than the original surprise hit, The Rugrats Movie. Instead of delving into their rich fantasy life, the Rugrats gang goes on a real adventure when their families visit Paris together. Mr Pickles is brought over to fix his giant Reptar robot, the centerpiece of EuroReptarland (a biting version of the trouble-plagued EuroDisney). The underlying story has Chuckie (the one with the square glasses) looking for a new mummy, as his dad (who has a square personality) starts to fall for a villainous executive (voiced by Susan Sarandon). Soon Paris takes it on the chin as the diaper gang tries to save Chuckie's dad from the altar. The success of the Rugrats is in the writing, where much thought goes into finding comic gems for the adults (there are wonderful parodies of The Godfather and King Kong that will sail over kids' heads). The garble-mouthed youngsters keep up their joyful ways in this 78-minute feature that feels no different from their Nickelodeon series except in length, some 3-D animation sequences, and an eclectic song score (with Cyndi Lauper's "I Want a Mom That Will Last Forever" the real catch). (Ages six and older) -Doug Thomas, Amazon. com.
Release date: 2007-10-01 Run time: 154 min. RRP: £20.99 Price: £26.99
Review Cinderella/The Little Mermaid / Cinderella/the Little Mermaid:
Release date: 2005-03-07 Run time: 56 min. RRP: £16.99 Price: £5.01
Review Postman Pat - Postman Pat And The Pirate Treasure / Universal Pictures UK:
Actors & Directors
- Keenan Wynn
- Helen Hayes
- Robert Stevenson
- John McIntire
- Stefanie Powers
- Ken Berry
Release date: 2004-01-12 Run time: 85 min. RRP: £15.99 Price: £3.74
Review Herbie Rides Again [1974] / Walt Disney Home Video:
Actors & Directors
- Susan Hampshire
- Don Chaffey
- Vincent Winter
- Karen Dotrice
- Patrick McGoohan
- Denis Gilmore
Release date: 2004-07-06 Run time: 97 min. Price: £4.46
Review The Three Lives of Thomasina [1963] (REGION 1) (NTSC) / Walt Disney Video:
Actors & Directors
- Tom Hanks
- John Lasseter
- Wallace Shawn
- Tim Allen
- Jim Varney
- Don Rickles
Release date: 1999-12-13 RRP: £14.99 Price: £4.99
Review Toy Story [1996] / Walt Disney Home Video:There is greatness in film that can be discussed, dissected, and talked about late into the night. Then there is genius that is right in front of our faces-you smile at the spell it puts you into and are refreshed, and not a word needs to be spoken. This kind of entertainment is what they used to call "movie magic" and there is loads of it in this irresistible computer animation feature. Just a picture of these bright toys on the cover of Toy Story looks intriguing as it reawakens the kid in us. Filmmaker John Lasseter's shorts (namely Knickknack and Tin Toy, which can be found on the Pixar video Tiny Toy Stories) illustrate not only a technical brilliance but also a great sense of humour-one in which the pun is always intended. Lasseter thinks of himself as a storyteller first and an animator second, much like another film innovator, Walt Disney. Lasseter's story is universal and magical: what do toys do when they're not played with? Cowboy Woody (voiced by Tom Hanks), Andy's favourite bedroom toy, tries to calm the other toys (some original, some classic) during a wrenching time of year-the birthday party, when newer toys may replace them. Sure enough, Space Ranger Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) is the new toy that takes over the throne. Buzz has a crucial flaw, though-he believes he's the real Buzz Lightyear, not a toy. Bright and cheerful, Toy Story is much more than a 90-minute commercial for the inevitable bonanza of Woody and Buzz toys. [+]
Lasseter further scores with perfect voice casting, including Don Rickles as Mr. Potato Head and Wallace Shawn as a meek dinosaur. The director-animator won a special Oscar "For the development and inspired application of techniques that have made possible the first feature-length computer-animated film. " In other words, the movie is great. -Doug Thomas Toy Story 1 John Lasseter's Toy Story poses the universal and magical question of what do toys do when they are not being played with? Cowboy Woody (voiced by Tom Hanks), Andy's favourite bedroom toy, tries to calm the other toys during a wrenching time of year-the birthday party, when newer toys may replace them. Sure enough, Space Ranger Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) is the new toy that takes over the throne. Buzz has a crucial flaw, though-he believes he is the real Buzz Lightyear, not a toy. Bright and cheerful, Toy Story is much more than a 90-minute commercial for the inevitable bonanza of Woody and Buzz toys. Lasseter further scores with perfect voice casting, including Don Rickles as Mr Potato Head and Wallace Shawn as a meek dinosaur. The director-animator won a special Oscar "For the development and inspired application of techniques that have made possible the first feature-length computer-animated film". In other words, the movie is great. Toy Story 2 Like the handful of other great movie sequels, Toy Story 2 comments on why the first one was so wonderful while finding a fresh angle worthy of a new film. The craze of toy collecting becomes the focus here, as we find out that Woody (voiced by Tom Hanks) is not only a beloved toy to Andy but also a rare doll from a popular 1960s children's show. When a greedy collector takes Woody, Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) launches a rescue mission with Andy's other toys. To say more would be a crime because this is one of the most creative and smile-inducing films since, well, the first Toy Story. Although the toys look the same as in the 1994 feature, Pixar shows how much technology has advanced: the human characters look more human, backgrounds are superior, and two action sequences that book-end the film are dazzling. And it's a hoot for kids and adults. The film is packed with spoofs, easily accessible in-jokes and inspired voice casting (with newcomer Joan Cusack especially a delight as Cowgirl Jessie). But as the Pixar canon of films illustrates, the filmmakers are storytellers first. Woody's heart-tugging predicament can easily be translated into the eternal debate of living a good life versus living for forever. Toy Story 2 was deservedly a huge box-office success. -Doug Thomas.
Release date: 2006-11-06 RRP: £12.99 Price: £1.72
Review Bob the Builder - the Movie: Built to Be Wild / Bob the Builder:
Release date: 2006-03-06 Run time: 73 min. RRP: £19.99 Price: £4.96
Review Winnie The Pooh's Most Grand Adventure - Search For Christopher Robin [1997] / Winnie the Pooh's Most Grand Adventure:
Release date: 2007-03-19 Run time: 44 min. RRP: £12.99 Price: £3.64
Review Power Rangers - Mystic Force - Vol.1 / Power Rangers Mystic Force:
Release date: 2006-08-07 RRP: £5.99 Price: £2.69
Review Maisy - Panda / Maisy:
Actors & Directors
- David Grossman (III)
- Christopher Showerman
- Julie Benz
- Angus T. Jones
- Christina Pickles
- Thomas Haden Church
Release date: 2003-08-18 Run time: 83 min. RRP: £19.99 Price: £3.68
Review George Of The Jungle 2 [2003] / Buena Vista Home Entertainment:Although direct-to-video Disney sequels usually try to hide or simply ignore the issue, George of the Jungle 2 gleefully points out the lack of continuity between it and the original movie. Here, the good-natured narrator is happy to explain why Brendan Fraser has been replaced and why the special effects look cheaper: it's all a part of an effort to expand beyond the one-joke idea of a block-headed Tarzan who keeps swinging into trees. It's a pleasant surprise that all these self-referential nods and asides to the camera do indeed make hilarious viewing. Replacement Chris Showerman willingly takes on all manner of humiliation at the hands of CG jungle animals and his new extended family. George junior is the main by-product of the five-year gap, and thankfully has inherited brains from his mother's side (Julie Benz). In a dastardly plot to win back his love, Lyle (Thomas Haden Church, one of the few to reprise his role from the original) has the gang trooping back and forth to Las Vegas. With sight gags aplenty, bumbling George has more than just trees to avoid. -Paul Tonks.
Actors & Directors
- Donald Duck
- Mickey Mouse
- Goofy
Release date: 2006-06-19 Run time: 60 min. RRP: £12.99 Price: £5.97
Review Extreme Adventures Fun / Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainm:
Release date: 2006-06-19 Run time: 462 min. RRP: £19.99 Price: £10.64
Review Chorlton And The Wheelies / Fremantle Home Entertainment:
| Browse Characters & Series:
Models & Brands: The Wiggles - Racing To The Rainbow, Robin Hood [1973], The Batman: The Complete Third Season (REGION 1) (NTSC), Robin Hood (1973) (Disney), Dumbo, Thunderbirds: Volume 3 [1965], Transformers The Movie - Special Edition [1986], Rugrats In Paris - The Movie [2001], Cinderella/The Little Mermaid, Postman Pat - Postman Pat And The Pirate Treasure, Herbie Rides Again [1974], The Three Lives of Thomasina [1963] (REGION 1) (NTSC), Toy Story [1996], Bob the Builder - the Movie: Built to Be Wild, Winnie The Pooh's Most Grand Adventure - Search For Christopher Robin [1997], Power Rangers - Mystic Force - Vol.1, Maisy - Panda, George Of The Jungle 2 [2003], Extreme Adventures Fun, Chorlton And The Wheelies |