Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #88017 in DVD
• Released on: 1999-12-10
• Rating: G (General Audience)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Animated, Box set, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English, French, Spanish
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 737 minutes

Amazon.com
All nine of Disney's first collection of animated classics on DVD are included in this set. Some of the nine titles include bonus features, and the DVD format will provide optimum sound and picture quality for the young and old collector alike. The crown jewels are Pinocchio and The Little Mermaid. The former celebrates its 60th anniversary with a brand new print, while the latter is the 1989 film that revitalized Disney's animation wing and brought new audiences to the art form. Both offer Oscar-winning songs. Two of the popular classics from the '60s are represented with 101 Dalmatians and The Jungle Book, which was the last animated feature that Walt Disney directly worked on and which saved the animation department when it was a box-office hit in 1967. Hercules and Mulan make great strides in the look of animation. The mythical figures of the former are based on the radical designs of Gerald Scarfe, and the latter makes bold advancements in computer animation in the refreshingly unknown legend of a Chinese girl. The collection rounds out with Lady and the Tramp in a grand widescreen format, the charming Peter Pan that hardly shows its age, and 1998's The Lion King II: Simba's Pride, a made-for-video sequel. Although the sequel is entertaining, it's frustrating to note the original The Lion King has been kept out of circulation completely for a few years (as Disney does with many classics), gearing towards a grand future release into theaters. --Doug Thomas

Customer Reviews

Don't Pay the advertised price for these Disney films!
I was excited when I heard that Disney was releasing some classic films on DVD. But when I received Pinocchio in the mail, and noticed really no extra features (just no ten minutes of commercials for other Disney products like on the videos), I was a little disappointed. I was glad I ordered my DVD online. Don't pay the advertised price for these films. Buy them online. As for this "collection", make your own. You can save by not buying that "straight to video" one. Always check the price on collections, often you can make your own "best" collection for less and not have any "filler" films.

Thanks for the warning about no extras!
I would LOVE to have all the Disney stuff on DVD, BUT I want all the goodies that I have come to appreciate in other DVD releases. The studios only listen to your wallet. I agree that if we want the goodies, then we can NOT buy anything that does not have them, otherwise we will never get what we really want. It will be frustrating to wait, but in the end it's the only thing that will get Disney, and the other studios still being lazy and cheap with their DVD releases, to pay attention. Besides, I have already been burned too many times with CDs as well as DVDs by hurrying to buy a new release, only to have the 'Special Edition' released a year later with all the goodies.

Let your money do the talking!

Disney DVD comes up short
I just want to re-iterate what many of the reviewers have already posted.

I was excited when I heard that the classic Disney animated features were going to be on DVD. However, I was just as disappointed when they were finally released.

The prices Disney is charging for these DVDs, compared to the features being offered is nothing short of ridiculous. Extra features and trailers aside, Disney could have at least remastered the older movies in Dolby 5.1. I believe 101 Dalmations and Pinocchio are not even being offered in widescreen. It is also not clear whether the films that are widescreen are enhanced for widescreen TVs.

These are basic features I believe many DVD enthusiasts require before even considering whether or not to buy a movie on DVD. I hope the market bears this out and either forces Disney to lower the prices of these editions, or to start producing more feature-rich DVDs.