Lego Star Wars: Droid Tales

by Al Kessel

A Long Time Ago....ok, NOT so long ago, on the Disney XD channel, Disney brought the saga of Star Wars to a new generation of viewers....a YOUNGER generation of viewers, as retold in a most interesting way: by recreating the tales using Lego's! And animation. Well, animated Lego's. 

The fun begins following the victory celebration in the lovable Ewok village on Endor (you know, after the defeat of the Empire in Return of the Jedi?). R2-D2 and C-3PO have gathered all the little Ewoks, Luke, Leia, Han, Chewbacca, and pretty much anyone else who'll listen, to regale them with the tales of their adventures that lead to Star Wars: The Phantom Menace. Of course, this version, though it does present a lot of the events from the actual movie, is presented in a more child friendly way (of course, they ARE Lego's after all) but faithful enough to the original for most fans to be entertained. 

Of course, if you've read any of our reviews in the past, you know we're not about revealing spoilers, and this review is no different. But I will say that throughout 3PO's telling of the prequel movies, there is an underlying plot happening that makes the stories more fun. And don't forget, they ARE Lego's. So, that's always fun. 

The voice cast is truly amazing. The very talented Eric Bauza (Spongebob Squarepants Movie, Ben 10, Batman: Assault on Arkham) voices Luke, Michael Daingerfield (Ace Ventura Pet Detective, Catwoman) voices Han Solo/Admiral Ozzel/Biggs and none other than Anthony Daniels himself reprises his role as C-3PO!  

There are a total of 5 episodes on the DVD (which was released March 1, 2016):
 * Exit From Endor
 * Crisis on Coruscant
 * Mission to Mos Eisley
 * Flight of the Falcon
 * Gambit on Geonosis
Each episode runs about 22 minutes, so they're not too long that you risk getting bored (although they are quite fun). Great gags for both adults and kids, and some 'inside jokes' that only true Star Wars fans will get. The DVD also comes with a special FREE Exclusive Trading Card Set. So, that's cool!

Being a true fan of Star Wars, Lego's, animation and FUN, I really enjoyed Lego Star Wars Droid Tales. It reminded me of playing the Lego Star Wars video game, and brought back memories of the Prequel Trilogy (and trust me, it helps replace some of the BAD memories of the Prequel Trilogy!)

On a scale of 1-5 Deathstars, I give Lego Star Wars Droid Tales a 4! 

Disney Frozen...a Review

 by Al Kessel


You know the story...You've got a brother, or a sister, and you're the best of friends. You do EVERYTHING together, you play, you build snowmen, you sing, you dance. Then, something tragic happens and you drift apart. You realize your powers to control winter are just to darned strong and getting stronger every day. So, your parents decide to hide you away from the world - even your best friend/sibling - until you can control it. It happens to just about everyone when we're young...well, except for the power over the whole winter thing...

In Disney's latest animated motion picture, that is exactly what happens to our heroines. As children, Anna (voiced by Kristen Bell) and Elsa (voiced by the wickedly talented Adel Dazeem...err, I mean Idina Menzel) are the best of friends. Anna, being the younger sister, idolizes her big sis Elsa and Elsa just adores Anna. They love playing games, especially games that include Elsa using her secret blizzardy-wintery-snow-and-ice-making powers! Elsa loves to cover the room in ice so Anna can slide around. Loves building their favorite snowman Olaf for Anna. A perfect life. Until a tragic accident that Elsa causes nearly kills her little sis. An accident that causes her parents to keep Elsa protected from herself (and, I'd posit, everyone safe from Elsa), until they can figure out how to control those powers. Of course, years, and years pass by and the distance between Elsa and Anna grows, much to young Anna's dismay. 

Anna, Olaf and Kristoff

And in true epic fashion, one day, their parents (King and Queen of Arendell) perish at sea, leaving the young girls to be raised by the castle staff! Anyway, the day finally arrives, and Elsa comes of age and is crowned the new Queen. Of course, she's still wary of coming in contact with people and keeps to herself during the coronation ceremony. Anna, quite the opposite of her introverted sister, meets a young prince, decides she wants to marry him and begs her sister for approval. Elsa disapproves, gets in to an argument with Anna (who accidentally removes Elsa's glove), and in the heat of anger, Elsa unleashes her powers with a vengeance! And as she runs away into the wilderness, all of Arendell is turned into the a brutal winter wonderland. 

To prove her sister isn't the monster the villagers fear she is, Anna sets out, with the help of ice delivery dude Kristoff, to find Elsa, have her return summer and live happily ever after and, or, as Elsa would say "Let It Go".

Elsa Blasting Some Chill

Of course, there's a LOT more to this movie than what I skimmed over here, but if you're a regular reader of our blog, you know we don't like to give too much away. So, if you want more detail, you'll need to see the movie yourself. And, if you've already seen Frozen...well, then you don't need ME to explain it, now DO you?! :)

Disney Frozen IS a cute movie. Joyce and I didn't get to see it in the theatre when it was first released, so this screening was our first viewing. Now...over the many months since Frozen had been released, there's been a lot of hype concerning it, especially the main song, 'Let It Go'. Which, by the way, we've heard MANYMANYMANYMANYMANY times over the last few months! And, Mr. Travolta didn't help THAT any, now did he! Anyway, when we popped the Blu-Ray in, we were a bit concerned that Frozen wasn't going to live up to all the incredible hype and awesome recommendations by everyone. And...I'm sorry to say, it didn't. Now, before you leave the blog and banish us to the frozen wilderness for all of eternity, hear me out. I didn't say it was a bad movie - no, FAR from it. We LOVED it. The animation was, for lack of a better word, spectacular. Disney has pretty much perfected animation. Character movements were incredibly realistic. The scenery, all the way down to the finest of details were unbelievable. The story was great (based on the Hans Christian Andersen fairytale The Snow Queen), and the voice acting was terrific. We LOVED Olaf (voiced by Josh Gad). But...at least in the beginning, there is WAY too many musical numbers. As you probably know, I'm not much for musicals. I just don't really love them. But in most Disney musical movies, the songs don't outweigh the non-musical scenes, so I actually don't mind them. But, in Disney Frozen, especially in the first half of the movie, every few minutes there's another musical number, and I personally feel they don't all serve the story well. But, that's just me. Now, I mentioned earlier that for us, Frozen didn't live up to all the hype. I remember many people who saw it in the theatre post on social media that it was the BEST Disney animated movie ever. Ah...well...I disagree. Perhaps technically (animation/production) it is, but I'd have to toss out movies like The Lion King, Bambi, The Jungle Book, just to name a few that I feel are a little better. However, Disney Frozen is DEFINITELY a new classic. 

Olaf, Always Looking At The Bright Side

All of the voice cast were spot on in Frozen. Kristen Bell was perfect as Anna. Idina Menzel (whom I've never heard of before) was terrific as Elsa. But, my all time favorite character in Frozen is of course, Olaf, as voiced by the very funny Josh Gad. Although Olaf isn't given a great deal of screen time, I felt his character brought a lot of heart to Frozen. His simple, yet deep meaning way kind of epitomizes the Disney Spirit for me. He's always looking on the bright side of things, always willing to lend others a hand (literally) and always the voice of positiveness. 

All in all, Disney Frozen is another great and epic Disney animated adventure. It is definitely a must see for the entire family. It has many things for children and adults to admire. Disney Frozen will be released on March 18th, 2014 in the following:

• Two-Disc Blu-Ray Combo Pack (Blu-Ray+DVD+Digital Copy) MSRP $29.99
• One-Disc DVD MSRP $15.99

Bonus Features Include:

• The Making Of Frozen (Blu-Ray, Digital)
• D'Frosted: Disney's Journey From Hans Christian Andersen to Frozen (Blu-Ray, Digital)
• Breaking The Ice: The Real Making Of Frozen (Blu-Ray, Digital)
• 4 Deleted Scenes (Blu-Ray, Digital)
• Original Theatrical Short - "Get A Horse" (Blu-Ray, Digital, DVD)
• "Let It Go" Music Videos by Demi Lovato, Martina Stoessel and Marsha Milan Londoh (Blu-Ray, Digital, DVD)
• Frozen Teaser Trailer (Blu-Ray, Digital, DVD)

Now, just a few thoughts about the bonus feature "Get A Horse". Usually, we don't review the bonus features, but we thought this one deserved a mention. THIS cartoon short makes the purchase of your very own copy of Frozen well worth it. If you don't want to be spoiled on this part...stop reading now and skip down................."Get a Horse" starts out just as one of Walt Disney's original shorts used to. In fact, the animation, the music, the look and feel of this short looks exactly as if Walt himself had created it. It stars Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Pete and all of Mickey's friends. Of course, Pete is causing all sorts of trouble and is trying to kidnap Minnie. Well, things happen and...Mickey is thrown out of the original cartoon and into the color world of 3D animation! I won't give more away, but this short is a wonderful blending of old school animation and new school 3D animation. And it is SEAMLESS! Trust me, you're going to LOVE this short, so don't skip over it.

So, we recommend that you add Disney Frozen to your Disney collection, but, if you haven't seen it yet, and have read all the build up on it, just be aware that it may not live up to EVERYONE'S accolades. But...it IS a great movie! Enjoy - Al 

Planes...Planes...and MORE PLANES!!

Look, up in the sky...it's a bird...it's a plane...it's a...no, it IS a PLANE! Dusty Crophopper to be exact! 

Well, let me tell you, WAY back in 2011 when we went to the Disney D23 Expo, we saw some (very) preliminary footage of an upcoming Disney/Pixar movie that was part of the Cars world, called Planes. At that time, what we saw was pretty much the storyboard ideas, but we were pretty excited about it. To think: expanding on the universe created by Pixar in Cars! Awesome! Then, the movie came out...and yep...it was AWESOME! There was that newness of a...well, new world, yet, the familiarity of a world that we all know and loved. The best of both worlds here! 

Dusty Crophopper

So, without (of course) spoiling too much, Planes is the story of a little crop dusting plane by the name of Dusty Crophopper (perfectly voiced by Dane Cook), who just knows, deep down in his cockpit that he was meant for something more. He has this dream of being a famous and winning racer...only problem is, well, he's afraid of heights! Making the tough decision to set aside his life of crop-dusting, Dusty asks Propwash Junctions legendary citizen Skipper (a Navy Corsair Skipper World War II veteran - voiced by veteran actor Stacy Keach) to train him on how to fly....FAST!

Skipper

Supporting Dusty in his flighty goal are his good friend Dottie the mechanic (a very familiar forklift vehicle - voiced by Teri Hatcher) and his fuel tanker best bud Chug (voiced by Brad Garrett).

Chug and Dottie

Against all odds, Dusty finds himself qualified for the big annual air-race, Wings Around The World - and pitted against some of the worlds very best (and some very underhanded) race planes ever seen. Dusty makes some new friends during the first leg of the race, like  a Mexican plane called El Chupacabra (voiced by Carlos Alazraqui), Rochelle (voiced by Julia Louis-Dreyfus) the French-Canadian beauty who El Chupacabra instantly falls for, the Indian beauty Ishani (voiced by Priyanka Chopra) who DUSTY instantly falls for, and Bulldog, the British champion (voiced by John Cleese) who at first, is dead set against a 'common plane' like Dusty joining the elite racers.

Ishani, Dusty's Love Interest 

 Of course, not everyone admires Dusty for his heart and skill - three time champion Ripslinger (voiced by Roger Craig Smith) refuses to allow a nobody-hick-farm plane like Dusty win...and will do anything, ANYTHING to make sure of it! With the help of his dim-witted henchplanes Ned and Zed (voiced by Gabriel Inglesias), Ripslinger does his very best (or is that worst) to steer Dusty off course. 

Dusty Meets Ripslinger, his nemesis 

Of course, there is a lot more to the story than that, but I'm not going to do ALL the work for you! You need to watch Planes for yourself to find out! 

As is the case with all Disney animated movies, Planes does have a point. Dusty is a plane who has a gift - he can fly fast and has heart - and, he is an underdog in every sense of the word. He has a dream, and wants nothing more than to achieve that dream, even when everyone around him tries to talk him out of it, and, even his own fear of heights is seemingly a hurdle that is insurmountable.  But, he stays true to himself and pushes through. Although it may be hard to see in an animated movie, this is a message that everyone needs to hear, from the smallest child to the most 'mature' adult. Don't. Give. Up. In the hustle and bustle of our everyday lives, it's all too easy to forget about our dreams, and blame them drifting away on our fears, or perceived obstacles. But, as Disney usually does very well, that message is here. Dusty is faced with some pretty insane obstacles, including himself, but he does not give up. He perseveres no matter the cost. Yes, I know...'it's only a cartoon'. Well, not really. It's a message. And a fun one at that! 

Dusty and his new Friends

There are a lot of good laughs in Planes as well. Some geared toward the little ones, and some geared toward the adults. The great thing about it is that the kids gags aren't too silly and the adult gags are somewhat subtle. So, the adults won't mind the kid stuff and the kids won't even recognize the adult stuff! Win/Win for everyone! The animation has grown leaps and bounds since Cars. Planes showcases some of the most impressive animation I've ever seen, and like Monsters University, at times takes you out of the fact that it IS animation. I found myself a few times thinking how beautiful these locations were...then I realized they were animation! 

Now, at the time of this writing, the sequel to Disney's Planes has already been announced. Planes: Fire and Rescue which features a quirky crew of elite firefighting aircraft devoted to protecting historic Piston Peak National Park from a raging wildfire. When world famous air racer Dusty learns that his engine is damaged and he may never race again, he must shift gears and is launched into the world of wildfire air attack. Dusty joins forces with veteran fire and rescue helicopter Blade Ranger and his courageous air attack team, including spirited super scooper Lil Dipper, heavy-lift helicopter Windlifter, ex-military transport Cabbie and a lively bunch of brave all-terrain vehicles known as The Smokejumpers. Together, the fearless team battles a massive wildfire, and Dusty learns what it takes to become a true hero. Planes: Fire and Rescue is set to open in theaters July 18, 2014. 

Disney's Planes is now available on Blu-Ray, DVD and Select Digital Retailers. 
     Bonus Features Include: 
      *Exclusive Franz's Song - Produced exclusively for Blu-ray  
         and HD Digital, this never-before-seen completely 
         finished animated song features the German mini-car, 
        Franz Fliegenhosen, who encourages Dusty on his flight
      *Klay's Flight Plan - Follow director Klay Hall's journey  
        during the making of Planes and discover why his family 
        connection to aviation made Planes his perfect project. 
      *Deleted Scenes
      *Meet The Racers

Disney's Planes is approximately 91 minutes long and is rated PG in the U.S., and G in Canada. 

All in all, Disney's Planes is a wonderful addition to the world Pixar created in the Cars movies, and a must have for Disney fans of all ages. On my scale of 1 - 5 Corn Dogs, (5 being GREAT), I would give Disney's Planes a solid 4.5! - Al

Walt Disney Studios Classic Releases!

**This is AWESOME NEWS for Disney Fans! Stay tuned to Tales From The Mouse House for more details**

TWO ANIMATED CLASSICS AWAKEN TO SPECTACULAR NEW LIFE IN 2014…

THE JUNGLE BOOK & SLEEPING BEAUTY

AVAILABLE FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER AS PART OF DISNEY’S 

PRESTIGIOUS BLU-RAY™ DIAMOND EDITION COLLECTION

Burbank, Calif., August 2, 2013 – The Walt Disney Studios is pleased to announce the addition of animated classics THE JUNGLE BOOK and SLEEPING BEAUTY to its prestigious Blu-ray™ Diamond Edition Collection. Released from the Disney vault for a limited time only, THE JUNGLE BOOK opens to colorful new life on Blu-ray Diamond Edition in February 2014, while SLEEPING BEAUTY awakens on stunning Blu-ray Diamond Edition in October 2014.

Released from the Disney vault for the first time in almost seven years, THE JUNGLE BOOK swings onto Blu-ray Diamond Edition in the U.S. on February 11, 2014. Based on Rudyard Kipling’s classic novel, this song-filled celebration of friendship, fun, and adventure was Disney's 19th animated masterpiece and the last animated feature to have Walt Disney's personal touch. Now, viewers can experience its lush and colorful world and jazzy, toe-tapping songs - including the "I Wan'na Be Like You” and Academy Award®-nominated classic "The Bare Necessities" - with the ultimate in high definition picture and sound clarity. Also featuring thrilling new bonus features, THE JUNGLE BOOK is next winter’s must-own Diamond Edition Blu-ray!

The ultimate Disney fairy tale, SLEEPING BEAUTY, once again awakens to exquisite new picture and sound on Blu-ray in the U.S. in October 2014. Heralded by audiences and critics alike, SLEEPING BEAUTY was one of the final fairy tales to be that Walt Disney himself worked on. Fully restored with revolutionary Blu-ray technology, this animated classic’s dazzling colors, spectacular action, and Academy Award®-nominated orchestration (for Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Picture) shines brighter than ever. With wondrous new bonus features families will love, SLEEPING BEAUTY charms like never before on Blu-ray Diamond Edition!

 

To date, Disney has released seven Diamond Edition titles – Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Beauty and the Beast, Bambi, The Lion King, Lady and the Tramp, Cinderella and Peter Pan - with The Little Mermaid scheduled for release on October 1, 2013. Each Diamond Edition title boasts the highest level of picture and sound; features groundbreaking, state-of-the-art immersive bonus content; and in some cases second screen interactivity, made possible because of Blu-ray technology.

About The Jungle Book:

Based on the Rudyard Kipling’s classic novel of the same name, The Jungle Book follows young Mowgli on a fun-filled journey with unforgettable characters, including Bagheera, the wise panther, the jazzy King Louie, the hypnotic snake Kaa and the lovable, happy-go-lucky bear Baloo, who teaches Mowgli “The Bare Necessities” of life and the true meaning of friendship.

About Sleeping Beauty:

Sleeping Beauty tells the wondrous tale of a princess cursed by an evil witch, protected by three loving fairies and, ultimately, saved by a “true love’s kiss.” Featuring the voice talents of renowned opera singer Mary Costa (as Sleeping Beauty) and Disney stalwart Eleanor Audley (as the evil fairy, Maleficent), the film’s vibrant visuals were created by a team that included Milt Kahl and Ollie Johnston, John Lounsbery, Frank Thomas and Marc Davis (of Disney’s legendary Nine Old Men), and an Academy Award® nominated score adapted from the incandescent music of Peter Tchaikovsky.

About The Walt Disney Studios:

For nearly 90 years, The Walt Disney Studios has been the foundation on which The Walt Disney Company was built. Today, the Studio brings quality movies, music and stage plays to consumers throughout the world. Feature films are released under the following banners: Disney, including Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar Animation Studios; Disneynature; Marvel Studios; Disney|Lucasfilm; and Touchstone Pictures, the banner under which live-action films from DreamWorks Studios are distributed. The Disney Music Group encompasses the Walt Disney Records and Hollywood Records labels, as well as Disney Music Publishing. The Disney Theatrical Group produces and licenses live events, including Disney on Broadway, Disney On Ice and Disney Live!. For more information, please visit www.disney.com. 

Tales From The Mouse House Disneyland Podcast...Episode 71

Welcome to Tales From The Mouse House Disneyland podcast Episode 71! Hey...how you doin’? We missed ya’ll! Seriously! SO, on this fun filled action packed episode, we have a LOT of...well, fun! 

We sure appreciate you all sticking with us during our...transition to a new life period! It's been a bit of a challenge being without a "full time day job", but to be honest, it's been fun. I'm more relaxed than ever and finally doing what I want to do with my life. Now, we need to get Joyce to that stage! 

So, this was honestly a fun episode to record. I think having a little time off really did the trick, because we really just had...well...FUN recording! We share what’s going on around the old Tales house, including a face to foot meeting with one of our local desert dwellers! And, we share a juicy place to get your grub on in our Food Review and another installment of Extinct Attractions Since We’ve Been Visiting The Resort review! See? Told ya’...FUN!

Tracking Your Kids As They Grow!

And in our Tips segment, Joyce shares a terrific bonding moment you can have with your kids as they grow. 
Sorry Kenny...had to do it! 

If anyone out there is an audiobook listener, two of the books I recently narrated are now available for purchase at audible.com, iTunes and amazon.com. The first one was a fun biography on Walt Disney and his amazing contributions to the world of animation, called Legends Of Animation: Walt Disney, The Mouse That Roared, written by Jeff Lenburg. Let me tell you, I was so happy to narrate that one! 

The second book is an interesting read called The Cantor Dimension: An Astrophysical Murder Mystery, written by Sharon Delarose. THIS one...well, like I said, INTERESTING. It's one of the most original and unique science fiction/historical drama novels I've read in a very long time. If you're a fan of a great science fiction, or a fan of a great historical murder mystery, this book is something you'll want to listen to. Even Joyce (who doesn't really care a lot for Sci-Fi recommends this one!) 

Hey, if YOU'RE in need of a great travel agent, why not give our sponsor, Randy Crane from Mouse Ear Vacations a holler! I bet he can make YOUR vacation a MAGICAL one! Visit Randy at www.randyc-mouseearvacations.com 

As always, If you’d like to send in comments for the show, you can send us an email to talespodcast@cox.net, leave us voicemail on the Hotline at 304-TALES23, leave us feedback in iTunes or leave comments for us on our Twitter account @talespodcast. Heck, you can even find us on FaceBook, just search for Tales From The House House - Disneyland podcast! If you'd like to listen to the show, you can find it on iTunes, on our podcast site at talescast.com, the direct episode link: Episode 71, or on Stitcher Radio now! Just visit www.stitcher.com and search for Tales From The Mouse House - Disneyland Podcast!

AND, we're listed on Stitcher Radio now! Just visit www.stitcher.com and search for Tales From The Mouse House - Disneyland Podcast!

Thanks for making us part of your Disney experience and remember…
"Make It A Mickey Day!" ~~ Al & Joyce

Peter Pan...You CAN Fly!

Peter Pan 60th Anniversary Diamond Edition Blu-Ray

 **Note, you're in for a treat! Both Joyce AND Al reviewed Peter Pan...enjoy!

By Joyce - 

I “grew up”  with Disney and just like Peter Pan I have not really grown up.  I first saw Peter Pan when I was 5 years and when it was released on VHS in 1990s, my oldest son was almost the same age as I was when I first saw the movie.  He loved it as much as I did and is now sharing it with his children. This movie has been seen by many different generations. 

Peter Pan, Tinker Bell & Wendy

This classic is one of my all time favorite movies although a view it differently as a adult that I did as a child.  I remember seeing it as a child and did not understand the jealously Tinker Bell had toward Wendy and how this caused trouble for her, Peter, the Lost Boys, and the Darling Children.  As a child I loved Nana the dog and remember being afraid of Captain Hook and Tick-Tock Croc, and also thinking that Peter Pan could magically enter my bedroom and “kidnap” me and I would never see my parents again.  This frightened me as a child but as I watched it recently, I realized that Wendy, Michael and John did not seem to care that they may not see their parents again as they flew away with Peter. It was a dream that they lived while sleeping and they wanted to experience it for real.

“You know that place between sleep and awake, the place where you can still remember dreaming? That’s where I’ll always love you. That’s where I'll be waiting.”

Peter shared with Wendy that she could be a mother to the Lost Boys and this excited her so very much.  Wendy was also upset with her father because she had to leave the nursery the following day.  

I loved the movie and it is a classic but I am not sure that children will understand or appreciate it as I did. Today’s society is also different than it was when I growing up.  There is sensitivity to Indians being referred to as the “Red Man” and "Quite Savage”   

Not PC by today's standards

Things I picked up as an adult seeing the movie that I did not notice when I watched it at the age of 5 and even as a young Mom watching it with my sons. There was lots of violence such as the mermaids trying to drown Wendy and Tinker Bell’s jealously towards Wendy.  In my opinion, even though it is a bit outdated it is ok for children of all ages and parents may need to explain it to the children based on their age and maturity. 

Did you know that the message appearing during the credits: "Walt Disney Productions is grateful to the Hospital for Sick Children, Great Ormond Street, London”  JM Barrie gave all the rights to the Peter Pan to the Great Ormond Street Hospital in 1929. 

By Al - 

Ok, I must confess something to you all. I’ve never seen Disney’s classic animated film, Peter Pan. I know what you’re thinking. “But, you’re such a Disney FAN! How could you have NEVER seen this beloved classic?”. Well, I haven’t, ok? I’ve lived a sheltered life, OK? I admit it! I’ve not seen a...few of the Disney Classics out there, but I’m in the process of rectifying that grievous error....

Recently, Joyce and I received a review copy of Disney Peter Pan Diamond Edition Blu Ray and I FINALLY watched it, and I truly loved it. Classic Disney, at it’s very best. Now, I’m pretty familiar with the story of Peter Pan, after all, I DO love Disneyland! I LOVE Disneyland’s Fantasmic show in which Peter and Captain Hook have a daring duel with swords on the Sailing Ship Columbia, while the Hook hungry crocodile is chasing after, waiting for Hook to fall into the river!  And, Joyce LOVES Tinker Bell!! I’ve also seen the myriad of Peter Pan movies over the years including the live action Peter Pan (which I found a bit “dark”), and the Robin Williams big budget Hook, which took a rather interesting look at the Peter Pan story. However, THIS Peter Pan is, in my opinion, the best. 

Tinker Bell

For those of you who’ve never seen this 1953 Disney classic (yes, like I USED to be), Peter Pan is the story of a boy who refuses to grow up and the three Darling kids who, when faced with their fathers disapproval of “all things childish”, embark on an adventure that not only allows them to enjoy being a child, but enables them to better understand the need for a balance between being TOO childish and forever putting those childish ways away. 

Ok, so, what did I think of Peter Pan? Like Wendy, John and Michael Darling, I was drawn into Peter’s ongoing war with the evil pirate Captain Hook and delighted in the many ways Peter outwits Hook. On the surface, Peter Pan is a lighthearted look at the age-old struggle between parents and children, where parents insist on their offspring growing up and facing the “real world”, while the children just want to remain children forever. Unfortunately, parents typically win in this battle, and the result is that too many kids grow to forget how fun it is to be a kid, and end up being like Mr. Darling, who has no patience for games. In that regard, it’s not hard to see why Peter Pan is a classic. In true Disney fashion, we’re entertained by some incredibly enjoyable situations, all the while learning a life lesson that few of us would admit to learning. There MUST be balance in the Force (sorry, wrong franchise), there MUST be a balance between becoming a responsible adult and retaining your child-like side. If you can accomplish that, well, then you’d be Walt Disney!

Peter Pan 

One of the things about Peter Pan that I enjoyed is that although there is a “message” in the film, it certainly isn’t too “deep” or too serious like Bambi. Peter Pan appeals to just about everyone really, from the kid who can relate and yearns to have adventures like Peter and his Lost Boys, to the adults who (almost) remember what it’s like to BE a kid. For an animated film, it is very beautiful. At times the animation almost makes you forget it is indeed a cartoon. And again, in true Disney fashion, our hero is triumphant over the villain and saves the day. Every scene in Peter Pan was familiar to me, mostly because of the Peter Pan attraction at Disneyland and the aforementioned Fantasmic show. 

Of course, there are a few things in Disney’s Peter Pan that made me wince a bit. First off, remember it was done in 1953, a time that we didn’t really understand the term “politically correct”. Certain scenes that portray Native Americans in a rather...stereotypical light, but like I said...1953. And, is it just me or is Tinker Bell NOT very nice in this film? I mean, this is NOT the Tinker Bell I know, this one is mean, vindictive, jealous and well, VIOLENT!  When we watched the film, I mentioned to Joyce that if they had made Peter Pan today, those scenes would have been altered drastically to be certain! Aside from that, Peter Pan is one of my new all time favorites and will be one of our “going to Disneyland” movies. The humor, awesome animation, simple yet poignant message, and a story that has the ability to immediately make us not only remember but FONDLY remember what it’s like to be a carefree child, make Disney’s Peter Pan a must see movie for anyone. And, this film is one of three to boast all nine of Walt’s famous “Nine Old Men” as directing animators! So that fact alone makes Peter Pan an instant classic and an historic piece. 

Tick Tock, Tick Tock 

Celebrate the 60th anniversary of Disney’s classic adventure Peter Pan as it soars to new heights for the first time EVER on Disney Blu-Ray! By the way, we viewed Peter Pan on DVD and on the Blu Ray version and although DVD is nice, the Blu Ray is beautiful! The level of clarity offered by Blu Ray makes the animation even more outstanding and the sound...well, THIS is what surround sound was made for! 

Disney’s Peter Pan Diamond Edition Blu Ray is available now, bonus features include Growing Up With Nine Old Men, Disney View, Disney Intermission, Deleted Songs and Scenes, You Can Fly: The Making Of Peter Pan, Tinker Bell: A Fairy’s Tales, Disney Song Selections, Audio Commentary Hosted By Roy Disney, Music Videos and More!

3-Disc Blu-Ray Combo Pack includes Blu Ray disc, DVD, Digital Copy and Storybook App, SRP $44.99
2-Disc Blu-Ray Combo Pack includes Blu Ray disc and DVD, SRP $39.99

Never Grow Up Games!

Frankenweenie...The Tales Review

Disney's Frankenweenie

You know the story old story, the one that goes like this: Boy loves his dog. Dog loves his boy. Boy plays fetch with dog, dog gets run over by a car. Boy is sad. boy brings dog back from the dead. Ok, so maybe it's not your TYPICAL "boy and his dog" story, but Disney's Frankenweenie is without a doubt a testimony to love and devotion, and how it's possible to look past one's oddities and see the real person inside.

For those of you who haven't seen Tim Burton's latest masterpiece, we'll try not to spoil too much here. 

In 1984, 25 year old Tim Burton co-wrote and directed a live action short film called Frankenweenie. Produced and distributed by Buena Vista Distribution (a Disney Company), Frankenweenie was both a parody and homage to the classic 1931 film Frankenstein (which of course was based on the story of the same name by Mary Shelley). Burton's version of the classic Frankenstein story introduced a young boy named Victor Frankenstein, who loses is beloved friend and dog Sparky in an automobile accident. A very distraught Victor learns, through is school science class, all about electrical impulses in muscles, and formulates a plan to use said electricity to bring his best friend back to life. As you can well imagine, the newly resurrected Sparky causes quite the commotion and mayhem in the neighborhood, resulting in a very dramatic and climatic ending. Burton's original live action Frankenweenie, shot in black and white for effect, ran for only 30 minutes. 

Flash forward 28 years. Tim Burton has enjoyed a wonderfully creative career with movies like Edward Scissor-Hands, Beetlejuice, Alice In Wonderland, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and stop motion animation films such as The Nightmare Before Christmas and Corpse Bride. Mr. Burton has all but pioneered the art of stop motion animation films, and continually creates vivid and oddly heartwarming stories, through his signature style: dark, sometimes ghoulish visuals, macabre humor combined with a sort of twisted morality that can at times be difficult to define. However, in October, 2012, Tim Burton released a large budget remake of his 1984 Mary Shelley homage Frankenweenie that proves that not only is Tim Burton the absolute master of stop motion, but that he can deliver a touching, heartwarming film with veritable ease.

Tim Burton and Sparky

In this latest telling of Frankenweenie, Burton tells us pretty much the same story he did in 1984, however the characters are more developed and he's added several players to the telling. In this stop motion masterpiece (yeah, I said masterpiece) Burton has made young Victor more of an outsider - not really fitting in with his classmates (although his classmates are a little...odd as well), and more of a science wunderkind. As in the original, Victor's best friend is his beloved dog Sparky. They do everything together, including making their own homemade monster movie. And of course, keeping to the original, Sparky meets his demise fairly early on leading Victor on the same crusade as his real-life predecessor. As the story unfolds, Burton adds "life" to the film by creating a pretty impressive sub-plot involving his classmates, electricity and some deceased pets. I won't get into these to preserve at least SOME spoiler-free moments for those who have yet to see the movie. 

Victor Frankenstein and Sparky

We truly enjoyed Frankenweenie, it epitomizes Tim Burton at his very best. Every aspect of the movie is outstanding - from the lighting to the smoothness of the stop motion. In fact, there are times in the film that I found myself forgetting this was animation! The black and white medium Burton chose was perfection to say the least. Perhaps this style helps with the actual "feel" of the film, it sets the mood if you will as well as screams homage to monster movies of the good old days. The voice talent in Frankenweenie is nothing less than what we've come to expect from Tim Burton. Catherine O'Hara, Martin Short, Winona Ryder, the great Martin Landau and Charlie Tahan (Charlie St. Cloud) bring amazing life to the characters they play. The suburban neighborhood Burton puts the Frankensteins in is no less a visual feast than the neighborhood Edward Scissorhands resided in. Bringing everything together is yet another terrific score by legendary composer Danny Elfman, who's collaborations with Burton are as impressive as Burton's movies. 

Puppets From The Traveling Exhibit

Although touted as a "family film", there are some themes and scenes that may be a little disturbing to the younglings, so be cognizant of that fact. Also, the pure fact that it is in black and white may put off some younger viewers, but I promise, what Frankenweenie lacks in Technicolor it more than makes up for in story. 

Frankenweenie is definitely a must have for all Tim Burton fans, as well as for anyone who loves a good, heartwarming story with a lot of humor, action and many unexpected twists.  Frankenweenie is available now on DVD (SRP $29.99), 2-Disc Blu-Ray Combo Pack (SRP $39.99) and:

Disney BluRay3D+BluRay+DVD+Digital Copy 

        4-Disc Blu-Ray Combo Pack (Blu-Ray, 3D Blu-Ray, DVD   
        and Digital Copy-SRP $49.99) includes:

• All New Original Short: "Captain Sparky vs The Flying Saucers" - an exciting all new short featuring Victor and Sparky's home movie
• "Miniatures In Motion: Bringing Frankenweenie To Life
• "Frankenweenie" Touring Exhibit - Allows audiences to explore the artistry of the film's puppets, sets and props in a showcase that's traveling the world
• The original 1984 live-action Frankenweenie short
• Music Video - "Pet Sematary" by the Plain White T's

Frankenweenie can be purchased everywhere DVD and Blu-Rays are sold, or from our Amazon Affiliate Store at Tales From The Mouse House Amazon Store. This way, you'll get a GREAT movie and you'll be helping the Tales cause!! Enjoy and remember...electricity is our friend! ~~ Al & Joyce

        

Click Here For Some Frankenweenie Fun With Science