Reviews (27)

Great Movie, Another Disney Classic
This definitely is a Must See Disney Classic. It tells you the great story of a Christmas carol and at the same time the Disney's character's personalities fit the character that they are playing. It is especially great for children who would be bored hearing the story while the movie keeps them entertained by bringing in Disney characters.

I definitely recommend this movie, but I would also tell you to read the book, because it is also a real classic.

Disney does "A Christmas Carol" as an animated short
The only real complaint about "Mickey's Christmas Carol" is that it only runs 25 minutes, which means the story gets a bit rushed. The rest, such as the idea that Goofy should play Marley, is just quibbling (Goofy has the height to make it work). On the plus side of the ledger is the on-point casting of Uncle Scrooge McDuck as Ebenezer, Mickey Mouse as Bob Crachit, and Jiminy Cricket as the Ghost of Christmas Past. Historically "Mickey's Christmas Carol" was important for Disney because it was the first animated Mickey Mouse short in thirty years. Since these are the Disney characters inhabiting the familiar roles from "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens, you end up with a winning combination of goofy humor and warm sentiments. However, you cannot help but thinking that given the creativity of Disney, even in those dark days six years before "The Little Mermaid" brought back the magic, this could have been a pretty good feature length animated film. Compared to other Disney animated shorts, "Mickey's Christmas Carol" is a five. But compared to other versions of "A Christmas Carol," this one is just short of the top tier. Worth having? Absolutely. But just make sure it is not the first version of this Christmas classic that the small fry see. They should appreciate the original holiday lesson taught by Dickens before they enjoy this more comic version.

First time buyer...very pleased!
I just received this video and was very pleased with its condition. For Only $2.00 it was in great investment and I know that my children will love it during the holiday season.

An animated christmas classic!
This is a magnifiecent retelling of the classic Dickens tale featuring the stars of Disney in this tale. Scrooge Mcduck stars as Ebenezer Scrooge before he became a mega-star on "Ducktales", Mickey Mouse plays as Bob Crackett, Donald Duck as Fred, Willie The Giant as the Ghost of Christmas Present, Jiminy Cricket as the Ghost of Christmas Past, Pete as The Ghost of Christmas Future and many Disney all stars.
A well done retelling of the story with a nice moral at the end and it's a sensational short.

EVERYONE: It IS available on DVD...
Hi! Just saw some of these reviews wishing for this title to be available on DVD. Well - it does exist on DVD, on the compilation DVD "Mickey's Magical Christmas - Snowed in at the House of Mouse (1983)" - which is available here at Amazon. Only flaw - and a big one in my opinion - is the intro which has been cut from the VHS version. It starts right into the movie, with the panning down into the city, and the only bit of the wonderful intro song is a short verse at the end. Maybe most people won't mind, but having seen the VHS every christmas for several years, it's a shame really. But the entire movie is there unedited. I hope the whole thing with the intro and all is on the next "Walt Disney Treasures - Mickey Mouse in Living Color Part 2" available next year... ... Read more

Reviews (14)

It's snowing in the Valley
We meet for the first time the oldest member ever to live in the Valley, going by the name Mr. Thicknose. This character is brought to life by the voice of Robert Guillaume, and does a nice job of filling this part. Usually with The Land Before Time movies there is more than one story going on within the feature, and this one is no exception. The story line consists of snow visiting the valley for the very first time and a herd of Stegosaurus arriving.

The kids start each day learning life lessons from Mr. Thicknose. When he is interrupted while discussing he has to start all over from the beginning. Some of the kids fall asleep or talk amongst themselves and this does not sit well with him.

The kids did not really like this elderly character and the parents and grandparents of the kids thought this man knew everything.

Each movie has one of the kids coming up with a plan to go on some journey and this time it is Ducky going off alone to the Mysterious Beyond after Spike left the Valley and the snow for greener pastures with the new herd. Once the others realize that Ducky is gone they start to go after her. Mr. Thicknose finds them and tags along since he would not allow them to go alone without an adult present.

I noticed right away that the voices of these kids have matured over time from the earlier episodes. Not sure if my son really noticed that or not, but when I quizzed him about it he said he could tell.

The animation is fantastic as usual with the sparkle of the snow and the sound of the wind blowing plus the neat expressions on their faces as they brave the first snow and trek over the mountain.

They all stayed through the season until it all melted and went back to the valley to start a new adventure. The narrator for this edition was again John Ingle, who also does the voice of Cera's grandfather and known in daytime as Edward Quartermaine on General Hospital.

Into every life a little snow must fall
This is one of the best of the Land Before Time sequels.

Our friends are all back (except occasional player Chomper), and they're facing global cooling. But their attention is split by the fact that they may be losing (the most lovable character, IMO), Spike.

The songs in this movie are superior, as with all the movies it teaches a gentle lesson and if you're young enough at heart, it will give your spirit a boost at this time when we all need one.

BEWARE OF THE ADOPTION ISSUES!
This title can be very disturbing for adopted kids because of the subplot involving Spike leaving his adoptive family and going "where he belongs" (with other spike-tails). Be sensitive to these issues and be prepared to address them if you are showing this film to adopted children. PLEASE!!!

Bad bad sequal
They must have lost count because they stopped putting what number it was after the movie title. Or maybe they're hiding their shame...

What a Joy!
The Land Before Time movies have ALL entertained my two young ones (4 & 3). They will watch them over & over & just never seem to get sick of them. They get to meet new characters, learn new "catchy" songs, and learn a valuable lesson or two about life & getting along with others. Good buy! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Magic School Bus, The - Out of This World
This Video is about the space field trip to rescue the Earth from an asteroid collision, and kids are learning all about gravity and meteors. My kids loved this one very much. Strongly Recommended....

Star light, Star Bright...
This video about stars is a great introduction to our sun! The kids set out to "buy" a star. They encounter different age stars and learn how they are different and how they are the same. As always Ms. Frizzle takes all kids for an adventure they wont soon forget! ... Read more

Amazon.com

This direct-to-video feature, which serves as a lead-in to the upcoming Disney animated TV series, continues the adventures of Buzz Lightyear from the Toy Story films--and introduces the new supporting cast. Buzz battles the evil Emperor Zurg, who steals the "Unimind," a device that enables three-eyed aliens to function as a single intellect. The aliens, referred to as "LGMs" (little green men), form the support crew that keep Star Command running, but as individual thinkers, they're inept. During the course of this tongue-in-cheek adventure, Buzz acquires the sidekicks who form Team Lightyear: Booster, an oversized, overeager alien; XR (short for "Experimental Ranger"), one of the aliens' less successful robot inventions; and the inevitable spunky girl, Princess Mira Nova of the planet Tangeah. The two-dimensional, hand-drawn figure of the three-dimensional, computer-generated Buzz recalls the animated versions of live performers who populated Saturday morning TV during the 1980s. This adventure is typical of current kidvid: it has more special effects and sight gags than the cartoons of 20 years ago did, but the violence-free battles feel very tame. Buzz Lightyear may engage kids who play with the toys, but it won't appeal to the adults who flocked to the brilliant Toy Story features. --Charles Solomon ... Read more

Reviews (80)

Nice Direct-to-Video Works of Two Levels
On the surface, "Buzz Lightyear" looks like a Pokemon-style Saturday morning cartoon. It is certainly that, but it actually has some wit and cleverness about it, too. Firstly, there's the all-too-brief Pixar computer animated intro (about 4 mins.) featuring Buzz, Woody, Jessie, and the rest of Andy's toys (Buzz, Woody, and Rex are the only ones who speak, though). We watch as Andy's toys insert this cartoon into the VCR. Then, we go smoothly into the animated Buzz's world. Thus, on a different level, this is a wry video that combines great sci-fi action with the clever twist of showing the viewer how Buzz became popular with his own TV series in the fictional world of the "Toy Story" movies. As with most of Disney's quality products, the video succeeds both ways--like the two "Toy Story" films, this 70 minute video is funny and smart at once. Plus, another reason to purchase this is to have the great song (over the closing credits) "To Infinity and Beyond" performed by William Shatner and the "Star Command Chorus". A true gem in itself. Overall, this an hour worth of entertainment you'll want to enjoy several times.

To Infinity and Beyond!
The DVD more than met both my son's (he's 7 and a half) and my expectations. For those expecting computer animation in the style of Toy Story obviously didn't pay attention to the trailers. The story is about the "real" Buzz Lightyear and not the toy in Toy Story. The characters are imbued with a lot of cleverness and imagination. XR is a great sidekick. I like Mira Nova's special powers. Booster is well played too. The people who are complaining about violence seem to have a distorted view of reality. Nobody dies or seriously injured in the movie. There are a lot of positive messages here too. Just to name two: good guys come in all shapes and sizes; you can do more working with others than you can by yourself - that applies to Buzz's new partners and to the LGM.

The bonus material is good too. One of the games gives you a hint of who the villains will be in the TV series. The digital comic book is a nice touch, especially with the effects added in when you opt to have the story read to you.

The song at the end by William Shatner and the Star Command Chorus was also a nice surprise.

My two year old loves it
My two year old loves this video since it stars Buzz, his hero from the Toy Story movies. As other people have noted, this is not animated the same way as Toy Story 1 and 2; it is a straight-forward cartoon. That said, it is still a lot of fun. We've watched this together many times (many, many times...parents, you know what I mean) and I still haven't gotten tired of it. The script is funny and well written with lots of great one-liners, especially from Zurg. There are plenty of laser blasts and action, but it is pretty tame any my two year old didn't find any part of it scary. I wish they had done this in wide-screen, but that is a minor complaint (from me, not my son). I am looking forward to the next one.

I LOVE BUZZ LIGHTYEAR!!!!!!! HE'S THE COOLEST TOY EVER!!!!!!
When I was a little kid, I use to love collecting Buzz Lightyear action figures! I even love the Toy Story films and Finding Nemo! I even loved the picture of Buzz Lightyear lying at the dentist's office in Finding Nemo.

This movie was like one of the coolest films! I would think it's better than the original Toy Story and I would place it to a tie with Toy Story 2. I might have to decide that!

I had seen this film 2 years ago and I loved it! I should think about getting the DVD some day! Buzz Lightyear action figures are like the best action figures ever!

If you loved all Toy Story films, then you'll love this one, too! After Finding Nemo 2, Pixar should come up with another Toy Story film, because they do well with all movies. Pixar made it's first 2-D Animated Feature, but they really do so cool with 3D Animation!

no story, a lot of violence
My 3y old kid loves toy story, and especially Buzz

So what a disappointment:
First of all this is cartoon-like, not animation type.
Second of all there is no story at all, except the usual simple plot: "good guy searches for bad guy, and eventually gets him"

Apart from a couple of scenes like the first one, there is no humor neither (nothing like the real toy story). On the other hand, there are endless (and unexplained) scenes of laser fighting, explosions, etc... Violence at its best, that is without justification, and going on and on...

From my son's own words: "it is a bad movie" (to him, it means that it is a violent/scarry movie and not fun to watch)

Definitely a bad experience. ... Read more

Description

Sing, dance, and play along with your favorite Disney songs! It's fun and easy as you read the on-screen lyrics and join your favorite characters in their most memorable musical moments! Join Baloo the Bear from THE JUNGLE BOOK and explore the best in family fun. You'll be singing happy jungle hits like "The Bare Necessities" and "I Wanna Be Like You," plus songs from Disney's THE ARISTOCATS, CINDERELLA, and others! ... Read more

Reviews (4)

A wonderful, uplifting, sing-along video!
The Bare Necessities Disney Sing-Along video is one of my two year old daughter's favorites. She had never seen the Jungle Book, but fell in love with the characters, songs, and animations this video has to offer. She knows the songs by heart and dances all around the house singing these fun songs. A definite winner!

LOVE IT!
My nine month old just loves this video. If I need to do anything I can just plop him down and he will stay put through the whole thing. He is mezmorized by the songs. Defitnitely the best out of all the Sing Alongs. Highly Recommended.

A Winner with Kids
This is the best video. We discovered at around 4 months that our daughter recognized the "Bare Necessities" song and she's been enthralled ever since. Her three-year old cousin loves it, too. Lots of fun songs for kids and parents, and unlike a lot of children's songs, they are not too sugary sweet. We've tried some others, but none does she like as well as this.

Love this Video....
We have several Disney Sing-a-Long videos and while they are all great, this one is exceptional! My 16 month old can't get enough of Ballou and his pals. This one is great for the adults too! From the classic "Bare Neccessities" (Jungle Book) to the swingin' "Everybody wants to be a Cat" (The Aristocats) every song is a winner! My son loves to pick out all the animals in the video and dance along! I would highly recommend it!! ... Read more

Reviews (98)

Excellent Animated Martial Arts Action!
If you are a fan of Japanese animation and Hong Kong kung fu movies, this movie will be a pleasure to watch. It stays true to the original video game, it shows the awesome skills of Ryu as he teams up with his long lost fellow student Ken Masters, who almost is the equal to Ryu, to fight the evil Bison with his collection of fighters. The animation is very well done and the movie has a cool soundtrack, if you like rock and alternative. I'm a big Bruce Lee fan, so I wanted Fei Long, the mirror image of Lee, to have had a bigger part in the movie. The fight between Ryu and Fei Long had to be one of the best, it's one of my favorite scenes in the movie. I hope, if it's not out already, they will have a sequel to this anime. So if you haven't seen it yet and you like the video games that it is based on, I would highly recommend it.

Only for less-picky Street Fighter Fans
There are three reasons to view this anime (and possibly own it): 1) you are an avid fan of the Street Fighter videogames and want to see some well-animated anime versions of the fighting 2) you enjoy only anime that has lots of action but is limp in story, plot, and everything else that should be expected of a good feature 3) you unfortunately feel the need to see Chun Li in her oft-exposed animated underwear

I bought this movie because I'm a bit of a Street Fighter fan (keeping and often playing the Dreamcast Street Fighter Alpha 3 and Street Fighter 3 series in my videogame collection; played then-new Street Fighter II arcade when in college); but I must fairly criticize it because I'm not a prejudiced fan.

This American version DVD is like a big old American muscle car, a simply silly, nonsensical machine by current standards but one which packs a serious punch when the loud pedal is pressed. This movie has a disorganized, sub-amateur storyline; excessively forced and lengthy dramatic character exposition; and even in some areas subpar animation. But it does excel when the fighting happens (unfortunately between stretches of awful, token character development).

Highlights are few but notable, such as Ryu v. Sagat, Chun-Li v. Vega, Fei Long v. Ryu. It is for occassional views of these sequences that I keep this movie on hand. But when I look at my DVD collection (Bugsy, LA Confidential, Perfect Blue, Ghost in the Shell, errr Street Fighter II), this one is always close to a trade.

Not too bad at all
Being a big fan of the Street Fighter video game series, I naturally had to check out this anime that was released way back in 1995. The story revolves around M.Bison, leader of Shadaloo (along with his henchmen: Sagat, Vega, and Balrog), and his search for the ultimate warrior: Ryu. Unfortunately, Ryu is a hard man to find, so Bison kidnaps Ryu's childhood friend Ken Masters in an attempt to lure Ryu over to the dark side. Other Street Fighter favorites like Guile, Chun-Li, and E.Honda have some big roles to play, while we get to see cameos from Zangief, Blanka, Cammy, T-Hawk, Fei Long, Dhalsim, and Dee Jay. The animation itself is very nicely done (action and fighting scenes are great), and the voice acting is surprisingly well done as well. All in all, while Street Fighter 2: The Animated Movie isn't the best anime I've seen, it is pretty good, and fans of the video game should be pleased. And by the way, it is a lot, LOT, better than the live action Jean-Claude Van Damme debacle.

One of the best martial Arts anime.!
Unlike the live-action movie of street fighter with jean claude van damme this one had a better storyline and it sticked with the real main charcter "Ryu" rather then guile. If you are a street fighter fan I highly recommend this one and Street Fighter Alpha.This movie starts out with Ryu fighting against Sagat or someone that looks like him anyway, it's a great scene by the way.Also a great fighting scene to is ryu and ken fighting against the boss of all street fighter games.DVD or videocasste it doesn't matter it will turn out great in the end besides the DVD version really does not have many extras just some stuff. Anyway I hope you buy because I did.

This Kicks The Van Damne Film's Butt!
This animated version more than made up for that terrible live action version that was put out about a few years before this! The artwork and animation is incredible! All the fights are great but Chung Li Vs. Vega is easily the show stealer on this DVD! Get this DVD but be warned! It does contain some language and lots of violence!

By the way, for those that have kids that like anime but don't want them to see all that, there is an edited version of this same film available but I think its only on VHS. ... Read more

Description

Long, long ago, in a time of magic and dragons, there lived a girl named Rapunzel who had the most beautiful radiant hair the world had ever seen.But Rapunzel's life was far from wonderful. She lived as a servant to Gothel, a jealous, scheming witch who kept her hidden deep in a forbidding forest, guarded by the enormous dragon Hugo and surrounded by an enchanted glass wall.

However, in a twist of fate, Rapunzel's discovery of a magic paintbrush leads her on a journey that will unravel a web of deception, bring peace to two feuding kingdoms, and ultimately lead her to love with the help of Penelope(TM), the least intimidating of dragons!

Stunningly produced in computer animation, the movie stars Academy Award(R) - Anjelica Huston* as Gothel and Cree Summer as Penelope(TM). The movie features a song by Samantha Mumba and music by the London Symphony Orchestra.

Barbie(TM) as Rapunzel shows that love and imagination can change theworld... ... Read more

Reviews (39)

Beautiful animation of a classic fairy tale.
They've done it again! Now along with the enchanting Barbie Nutcracker, we have Barbie as Rapunzel. As with the former, this movie is a computer animated glory of a movie. Rapunzel is kept captive in the witch Gothel's castle which is beyond a magical wall that no one can see past. With the help of her friends, Hobie the rabbit, and Penelope the dragon (whose father is Hugo, guardian of the castle), she finds her way to the outside world and meets Prince Stefan in a palace garden.

When Gothel learns of her misdeed, Rapunzel is trapped in a tower with no hope of escape. Her silver hairbrush is touched by magic and becomes a paintbrush that forms paintings that can take one anywhere so of course, Rapuzel goes back to the garden in the hopes of finding Prince Stefan. He invites her to a masked ball and while dressing in the tower, she is found out by Gothel.

What happens from there is, believe it or not, a story of love, betrayal, and redemption. I enjoyed it just as much as my 3-year old! There were just a couple of scenes where she was frightened by Gothel (one in particular during the dream sequence where the Prince asks Rapunzel to let down her hair and a giant Gothel captures her in her hand).

All in all, this is another awesome Barbie DVD and like I said in my Barbie Nutcracker (also very worth watching)review, I hope there are many more Barbie movies to come!

Animated Bad Acting...
As an adult, I absolutely can't stand this movie. It appears to me to be bad acting in animation form. As if they watched a bunch of church-pageant-level players act out the scenes and put them in a cartoon. Perhaps it's the script, which is horrible. If I hear the words "Mighty Dragon" again, I think I'll scream!

However, my daughters LOVE this movie. I have three girls 4 and under, and it's a commonly requested video at our house. Hence, the two stars I've given it.

My advice is if you have children who have already seen this movie, it's probably a must-have. Otherwise, I recommend avoiding this one. If you're looking for a Barbie movie, Swan Lake is better.

I Greatly Dissaprove
This barbie movie is very boring with no plot or action. My children greatly disliked this movie. But one good side effect was that it put them to sleep, so now i love it!

oh man...
As a babysitter, I watch many movies that if I wasn't a babysitter, I'd never watch. This is just one of the many ones that my charges love, especially the 3-4 year olds. honestly, I don't like this movie, mostly because I've seen it so much. However, it keeps the girls happy, and yes, I've seen the boys love it too. As a teenager, I'd have to refuse to watch it, but if you do have kids, it's a great movie for them. Just not a great movie for anyone else.

Oh, I've seen this one several times
Yes, even though I'm a grown man (well ok, that's debatable), I'll have to say I've sat through this one a couple of times. My almost three year old daughter loves this movie and is highly entertained by it.
It's well done and it keeps her entertained even after several viewings, a five star in my book. ... Read more

Reviews (257)

It's a Small World
DreamWorks explores the world of an unlikely hero in the imaginative animated adventure "Antz". A neurotic worker ant named Z (Woody Allen) questions his place in the colony and tries to gain the attention of the rebellious princess Bala (Sharon Stone). After a series of mishaps and misadventures, Z becomes an inspirational figure and creates uproar within the colony. "Antz" is a smart and entertaining animated tale of one person making a difference. The story is surprisingly clever, funny and appealing to both kids and adults. Woody Allen delivers a fine comic performance and provides much of the film's witty humor. The all-star voice cast also includes Sylvester Stallone, Jennifer Lopez, Danny Glover, Christopher Walken and Gene Hackman. The computer animation and character designs are quite amazing. The scenes within the ant colony and the fierce battle against the termites are stunning visual achievements.

DreamWorks manages to pull a real winner. The animated feature is presented in its 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen format. The DVD contains a stunning picture quality with striking color detail. Its 5.1 Dolby Digital sound is well balanced and fairly aggressive. The animated menus are colorful and wonderfully done. Its supplemental material features an audio commentary by directors Eric Darnell and Tim Johnson, multiple behind-the-scenes and CGI featurettes, trailers and TV spots. With its lively presentation, "Antz" gets a pleasing "B+".

A very well rendered kid-adult movie.
Who knew a cartoon could have such deep views and ideas about Utopias, communism, dictatorship, and governmental oppression? This is one of the best I have watched. The movie itself is wonderful and has a very deep and involving plot even though you might not expect it. The characters are well written and it doesn't fall into the typical cliches like disney movies do. As for the disc, the video quality is the BEST I've seen, no pixels were present in the video. Heck, I tried to find something wrong with the video quality and I couldn't! The 5.1 audio is excellent also and the .1 channel knows when exactly when to come in. The vibrant sounds never fight with the dialogue, and the movie has a great sense of 5.1 surround creating a real environment. The features are also where this DVD shines. The colorfull animated windows are user friendly leading you to Behind the scenes featurettes, The basics of computer animation, CG facial and character designs, commentaries, a trailor, 4 TV spots, and more. Overall, this is how all DVD's should be and will set a standard. It's a good movie for kids AND adults and I mean that, I'm a 20 year old Male and I loved it. This is definately a movie adults could enjoy.

NOT FOR KIDS
I bought this for my kids and I was NOT happy when I heard cuss words and watched this video. Adults may like this video but I WOULD NOT ever reccomend it for kids.

Clever and Witty Animation for Adults
It's rather unfortunate that Antz and A Bugs Life were released so close together, as they will always be compared, and Antz suffers as a result of the association. In actuality they have very few similarities.
The first thing to note when watching Antz, is that it's not a movie designed for children. There is little here that kids would understand, and some of what they'd be able to pick up on would scare the heck out of them. The battle with the termites is really more graphic than it needs to be. Particularly the aftermath where we see what happened to Barbatus. However, when viewed by a more mature audience this movie is really very bright. The dialogue is clever and insightful. The food for thought comes along just as quickly as the jokes do.
The animation leaves something to be desired. Everything is very angular, and the endless use of browns and greys becomes very monotonous.
The actors do a nice job and put forth a lot of character, and combined with the entertaining story line and intriguing views presented here the movie is definitely worth seeing.

Very Mature in Nature
I don't recommend this movie for kids. Its very mature in nature. Theme is virtually very similar to human, too violent. It doesn't depict the true nature of ants. Ants are more civilized than human, they know what to eat and not to eat. unlike humans anything goes.
One horrific scene of the movie is when they attack their enemy, bodies of ants are scattered all over the place. Especially when Woody Allen is talking to Danny Glover's Head, looking for his body.
This kind of movie relates to striking workers who wants justice.
No wonder this movie never got a sequel.Its a fun movie for grown ups but for kids i don't think so. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A MUST HAVE! A GREAT LEARNING TOOL!
My 11 month old loves this DVD. It catches his attention immediately, and will continue to mesmerize him throughout the entire show. The music is refreshing and the teachings are great and fun. I would recommend this to anyone. This is definitely a MUST HAVE!! -Brandi in Louisiana ... Read more

Description

The first Baby Einstein video is packaged together with three more videos: "Baby Bach," "Baby Newton," and"Baby Shakespeare." The age target for "Einstein" is 1 to 18 months, "Bach" is 1 to 36 months, and "Newton" and Shakespeare" are targeted for 12-48 month crowd. ... Read more

Reviews (25)

Mother Approved!
Our son is almost 8 months old and when we put one of the videos in, no matter where he is in the house he comes to watch. The colors and sounds has captured his attention and we can sit with him to learn. We are so happy for your products. Thank you for helping new parents find a way to connect.

GREAT VIDEOS! BEST BABY VIDEO BUY EVER!!
I bought them when my baby was 5-6 mo. She loved a little bit them by then, especially baby newton. Her interest for the videos has kept growing, she is 13 mo now and she LOVES these videos, she pays lots of attention to each and every thing she watches. My baby has never had a pacifier into her mouth, but these videos have definetely been her pacifier all this time.
I can't explain the emotion she feels when she watches me inserting the videocassette for her, she claps her hands, sings, dances, etc!
The only video that she doesn't watch is baby einstein, I think it's a little bit boring for her, and has always been. But for my overall experience, these videos deserve an A+++. My money was very well spent.

Best video series I have found
I have purchased several of the video series. Baby Genius and Bee Smart are pretty good. I also having the Signing Time videos. While I love Signing Time, my son is not quite into it yet. None of them keep my 7 month old fascinated like the Baby Einstein series. I have the language skills, bach, Mozart, and Beethoven. Doolittle is a little disappointing. I have not purchased Newton yet, and may not, due to reading of the reviews. But, in comparison to the other series out there, Baby Einstein is the top. I still use the other videos, because they seem to provide more direct education. Yet, I have to work harder to keep my son's attention with the other videos. Just today, my son was getting fussy and would not soothe. I turned on baby Mozart and he has not made a peep. I may not get him to sleep anytime soon, though.

Somewhat Disappointed....
Neither of my kids seem to be remotely interested in any of the Baby Einstein DVDs. To me, they seem strange and almost like brain-washing. I think we'll stick to Disney and the like.

Mostly good, if used correctly.....
We have all of these videos and my kids love them. They are bright and colorful, with loads of great images and top notch music. I like that they vary and have different themes, our favorite is Baby Newton. I have no idea why they prefer that one, but they just do.

Now, I've read some negative reviews on here and I must say I can see the point that those parents are trying to get across. But Julie Clark tells us at the end of every video that you should watch with your child and discuss what you are seeing. This is an opportunity to interact with your child, this is not intended as an electronic babysitter (Nick Jr. is the electronic video, or didn't you know?). So if used properly they are learning videos. My two kids, aged 4 and 2, enjoy the chance to spend time with a parent and learn about colors, numbers, shapes, etc. For that purpose they are great! ... Read more

Description

Disney's most acclaimed and beloved film just got even better! With its incomparable blend of magic and award-wining music, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST won the prestigious Golden Globe for Best Picture (1991, Best Comedy or Musical) and is the only animated film ever nominated for a Best Picture Academy Award(R) (1991). Now magnificently restored and remastered, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST SPECIAL EDITION features an all-new song, "Human Again," seamlessly integrated into the film. And in this groundbreaking 2-Disc Platinum Edition DVD, you'll enter the Beast's castle and explore its many secrets -- with three versions of the film, never-before-seen movie secrets, exciting games featuring all-new animation, and more! Disney magic reigns supreme in this triumphant 2-Disc Platinum Edition DVD -- a must for every DVD library! ... Read more

Reviews (332)

Excellent job Disney.
I saw this when it first came out in theaters back in 1992. I was only 7 or 8 at the time, and it just didn't appeal to me as much as The Little Mermaid or The Rescuers Down Under. I don't really know why, but having just getting the DVD in the mail, my view of the movie is completely different.

Beauty and the Beast really is one of Disney's top 4 animated films. How they managed to combine a massive cast of characters into the main plot is amazing. Beast is one of my favorite Disney characters after re-watching this. There's so much emotion inside of him. Anger, rage, pity, ambition, and love. You'll really care for him from the moment he appears on screen. Belle is possibly the most humble heroine to date. She doesn't see that she's beautiful, but just cares for helping others and reading books. The supporting cast is just as good. Gaston, the villain, is just a....well I can't use the word. You can bet your money you'll feel the same way. But the characters are just the icing on the cake. The story is what the strong point's always been. Disney did a great job adding so much more to it, whereas the original didn't focus on anyone but Belle and the Beast really. But I'm sure you all know the story, so I'll just get into the features on this DVD.

On the first disc, you get 3 different versions of the film- theatrical, work in progress, and special edition. The theatrical is what you saw in theaters or on the home video release. Work in progress is mostly drawings in black and white while the voices and everything else is put in. The special edition has a few lines changed here and there, and the added musical "Human Again" into the film. Personally, I hated "Human Again". It comes right after and before other songs in the film, making you want them to just get on with the story. Plus the animation in it really stands out since it's newer and has those annoying shadows on every character that you see in so many made for video animated movies. There's also a commentary track that adds a lot of depth and information, and a game that unlocks another game. People complain about the picture quality of the movie, but it's not that bad. On a scale of one to ten, I'd give it a 7.5.

The second disc has a well done documentary on the making of Beauty and the Beast, story origins of a few other Disney movies, art galleries, music videos, more games, and much more. Amazon lists that the Broadway Musical is on this, but it isn't. It's mentioned in the documentary, that's all. This sets the standard for extras on Disney special editions of their movies. It's too bad The Lion King has nothing compared to this. Either way, if you like Disney at all...or just movies, you should go for this while you can. It's a masterpiece, and getting harder to find.

A thinking girl's heroine
When I saw "Beauty and the Beast" in the theater, I had a rare and magical experience: I felt like a child again watching an enchanting Disney movie. In fact, "Beauty and the Beast" seemed even better than the Disney classics like "Cinderella" and "Sleeping Beauty" that were such a wonderful part of my childhood. The animation is absolutely gorgeous--particularly the waltz scene, which feels incredibly three-dimensional. The songs are beautiful, singable instant classics.

Despite the animated characters, I felt like I was watching an old musical. The movie opens with a scene reminiscent of "The Sound of Music," with our heroine, Belle, singing on a hilltop about wanting more out of life. The "Be Our Guest" scene, featuring a Lumiere (the Maurice Chevalier-inspired singing candlestick), dancing dishes and champagne corks popping like fireworks, reminded me of the Busby Berkely musical extravaganzas of the '30s.

A big appeal for me is that Belle is a much different heroine than the Disney princesses of my childhood. Belle isn't looking for a man to rescue her from her life of drudgery. She loves to read and longs for a more interesting life. She already has the "town catch," Gaston, wanting to court her, but she's having none of it.

Belle's escape from "her provincial life" begins when her father, a kooky inventor, doesn't return from his travels. (He has sought shelter from a snow storm in a spooky enchanted castle and is being held prisoner by the Beast.) Belle tracks down her father and, out of concern for his ailing health, takes his place in captivity. The Beast, who has been placed under a spell, wonders if Belle might be "the one"--the young woman whose love will return him to his original human form.

The enchanted furniture, candlestick, clock and dishes added lots of fun characters to the traditional story. Cogsworth, a stuffy clock, and Lumiere, the match-making candlestick are a great comic duo. Cogsworth's romantic advice to Beast about wooing Belle is especially funny: Give her "flowers, chocolates, promises you don't intend to keep."

Gaston, meanwhile, wants to woo and wed Belle himself. He sings about his he-man attributes in one of the funniest ode to a redneck that I've ever heard: "I use antlers in all of my decorating," Gaston sings about himself.

When Gaston realizes that Belle loves the Beast instead of him, he stirs up an angry mob to head to the castle. In another twist on the traditional fairy tale ending, Belle ultimately rescues the Beast--not the other way around.

"Beauty and the Beast" is a delightful classic whether you are a child or a grownup who knows how to feel like a child at times.

Pure Magic!
Bringing this classic fairy tail to life is one of the best things that Disney has ever done. Every second of this film is full to the brim with wonder and magic. More than ten years after first seeing it, there are still some scenes that make me gasp at their beauty.
The movie provides all of the usual Disney elements of gorgeous animation, skilled voice actors, awesome original songs, and non-stop entertainment, but there's something special in the mix. We get one of the most believable and heart felt romances to ever grace the animated world. As a child every time I read a picture book of this Fairy Tail I found it impossible to believe that a woman could love a beast, but Disney found a way to make it happen. You truly believe that it's possible, and feel her pain when she thinks she's lost him.
In the classic Disney fashion, Beauty and the Beast brings along a message for the kids to learn. We see the value of intelligence and compassion, learn to look beyond the superficial, and discover that love knows no boundaries.

After A While One Doesn't Notice It Is Animated
It is quite rare for any animated film to be treated with the same respect as any other honored non-animated one. In BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, directors Kirk Wise and Gary Trousdale take the time-worn fairy tale of the outwardly loathsome beast who impossibly enough allows his inner nobility to shine forth sufficiently to cause the beauty to fall in love with him. Robby Benson is the voice of the Beast and Paige O'Hara is Beauty. Even for those readers familiar with the spoken tale or the revamped music video with Meatloaf as the Beast cannot help but allow themselves to be entranced with the seamless melding of sight to sound. The plot is simplicity itself with the Beast as the archetypal symbol of the rebirth of nobility long hidden by the evil spell of a unnamed wizard. There is nothing childish is the unfolding of the tale of Belle the Beauty who chooses to sacrifice herself in marriage to save the life of her doddering inventor father. Enter the Beast who is initially presented as the roaring brute that his tormenting wizard clearly intended him to be. Yet, as Belle ministers to his psychic wounds of self-loathing and his physical wounds incurred in defending her against a pack of wolves, the viewer can see a competing spell at work, one that is older than time itself--the power of love that the film's many songs allude to and function as as subtext that imbues it with timeless energy. There is, of course, some needed plot complications of unwanted attention heaped on Belle by the handsome but warped Gaston, who plots to snare Belle in marriage as firmly as he would stalk a reindeer for its antlers. As Gaston leads the villagers in an assault on the Beast's manor, one is reminded in reverse of the cliched villagers pounding at the walls of Doctor Frankenstein's castle, but in this case the attack in presented in comic tones that keep the real world of harm at bay.

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST has no down moments, with each fresh plot advancement heralded by stunningly effective animation and song. This film was a deserved nominee for Best Picture in 1991, and with repeated viewings, one may rest assured that the alternately gloomy and resplendent halls of the Beast will eternally resonate with the same cachet that gives Tara, Oz, or Rick's Cafe a ticket that allows the bearer to see just how awesome the human spirit can be.

The Beauty
This is a beautiful movie and is in a wonderful set. It has two discs with great behind the scenes stuff for Beauty and the Beast that you definitely wont want to miss out on.
The colors in this movie is beautiful and the music is lovely.
I really wouldn't miss out on this movie because it's a great film and a wonderful set. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Great Thomas the Tank Songs
We have MANY MANY Thomas the Tank videos, this one is unique because it has songs and stories...the songs are great, my son loves this video!!!

A must-have for all "Thomas" fans
If you and your child love Thomas the Tank Engine and all his friends, and you've seen the many videos, the songs on this collection will remind you of why kids love the popular train stories. All songs will be familiar to you, and you'll be surprised when you realize how much more you like the song(s) after you know what the words are! My 3 year old son is mesmerized whenever he watches this video. Most of the seven songs relate to Thomas but a few have some 'words of wisdom' that I think are useful and appropriate for kids and adults of all ages. "Gone Fishing" reminds you to take a break and relax after working hard and "Don't Judge a Book By Its Cover" says it all. My only wish is that a 2nd version or "volume 2" is released soon as this compilation was done in 1995.

Good for little kids
This was Thomas's first musical tape and it was certainly better than the next musical one. The two episodes are Peter Sam and the Refreshment Lady and Bulldog. Peter Sam and the Refreshment Lady is about how Peter Sam rushes to make sure he gets to Henry in time but he leaves the refreshment lady behind. In Bulldog Duke saves Falcon and he shows no matter how old you are you can still be useful. The stories on this tape focus on the little engines which is great because I don't think they have enough stories. Little kids love to dance to the songs and it's a greatidea for Christmas and Birthday presents.

Awesome!
My three year old son chose this video as a rental. He cried and threw a fit when we returned it. He asked for it everytime we passed the video store. We've now rented it three times and I have been amazed at how much he and my six year old daughter love it! It has the text along the bottom of the songs and the bouncing ball that tracks the words-a great introduction to reading for the little one and great practice for the older.

Sing Alongs and Stories
Even though I got this video in summer 1997 (I was 6 years old then) I still watch it occasionally and like it, too. Its song's words are displayed at the bottom of the T.V. screen and a bouncing cloud goes over the words. Speaking of songs, the songs in order are Thomas' Anthem, Let's Have a Race, Gone Fishing, Toby, Don't Judge a Book by Its Cover, Island Song and Really Useful Engine. Some of those songs are in other Thomas videos, too. This video also has 2 stories, Peter Sam and the Refreshment Lady, and Bulldog. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The seventh installment in the long-lived Land Before Time series corrals the familiar cast of cute-faced prehistoric friends for a thoughtful examination of character. When Littlefoot spies a flying rock that crackles through the sky ablaze "like fire in the trees," the grownups speculate that it may have been a stone of cold fire, capable of performing miracles. Soon enough, flyer Petrie's egomaniac Uncle Pterano catches wind of the sighting and hatches a devious plan involving kidnapping the doe-eyed, adorable Ducky to claim the magical stone for himself--what better way to finally secure what he figures is his rightful spot as leader of the herd? Pterano enlists a fearsome posse of fellow flyers to carry out his scheme, but unlike Pterano, who never intends to harm Ducky, they're not careful with the little dinosaur and lose her in treacherous terrain. While the rest of the gang searches for her with help from beyond the mysterious beyond, Ducky deduces that Pterano may not have a heart of gold, but he's not all bad either--a concept she clarifies for the others by breaking into song. "Good Inside," along with two other original tunes, elevate this video from pretty good to really enjoyable; fans of the series will be relieved to find that a string of successive shows hasn't resulted in watered-down characters or tired story lines. --Tammy La Gorce ... Read more

Reviews (12)

This is just as good as it gets!
I think this is the best in the whole serie of these eight cartoons with Littlefoot and his pals, but nothing can beat the first and original movie from 1988 of course.
'The Land Before Time 7' has only three songs (That are the three best in the whole serie), the history is more mysterious (Alien dinos, and a cold stone from outer space), and is therefore a little more different from the other six movies.
This is a movie that seems to have loaned scenes from different movies like 'Cliffhanger'.
I can't wait for 'LBFT 8', and I hope, last movie with Littlefoot and his pals! (If they continue with part nine, and so on, it's problably gonna end the wrong way!)
At last I say, all 'The Land Before Time' movies has always something useful to learn kids, just like frinedship, the place in our life, and the mysteries of the infinite universe.

Not the best
"Stone of Cold Fire" is the third LBT video my family has seen. My 3 year old son loves the series, but was less interested in this video. He enjoyed the adventure storyline, but was confused by the quasi-theology of the "mysterious beyond." The movie would be much better without the sub-plot of the mysterious dinosaurs, who might be space aliens, angels, or, as my husband joked, Scientologists.

Please stop making horrible sequils!
The original LBT was the ONLY good one. That awful habbit of singing every 5 min has GOT to go! & 3D animation may be "new" & "in" but it looks like "crap" mixed with cell. Much like Disney, Universal Studious is more interested in spewing out animation of poor quality in a rush for profits. They've lost their integrity of quality entertainment. Plus it's torture having to watch it if you're over 13.

Kids will watch it, but is that good?
For parents:
Compared to the other "Land Before Time" movies (we haven't seen the newest one), this is the worst. The production values are good for a direct to video release, but the content is shallow. The uncle pterosaur is just mean and his later redemption is lame. As usual, the dino kids' impulses put them in danger. Very very predictable with nothing whatsoever for the parents. Makes a good babysitter, at least for the first viewing.

For kids:
It's another "Land Before Time", so if you haven't seen it then what else matters? Warning: there are singing dinosaurs, but you can fast forward those parts.

Always a great movie
All of the Land Before Time movies are wonderful. They teach children valuable lessons and our son really enjoys going on these journeys with these cute dinosaurs. He sits for hours watching this. This particular video is very cute but not as good as the first movie. ... Read more

Description

Spot, the ever-curious, always adorable puppy greets everyday adventures with the joy and delight of a preschool child! And now your child will discover additional worlds of wonder along with Spot and his friends as they prepare for the first day of school, play safe at the playground, decorate a cake, and put on hats and mittens for a cold day! Between each of these beloved animated stories, a live-action cast of inquisitive preschoolers make learning new things as irresistible as Spot himself! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

cute video
my two year old and his cousing love this video as well as the rest of the spot series. the video teaches the kids to share as well as how to use their imagination. the content itself isn't overwhelming to children like many cartoons today. i would recommend this video to kids ages one to four or five.

Have Fun and Learn with Spot
This is a wonderful video for children. It follows the books by Eric Hill very closely. There are five stories about a little yellow dog with a big brown spot on his back. He lives in a nice house with his Mom and Dad and he has lots of friends including Helen the Hippo, Steve the Monkey, Tom the Alligator, and Claire the Turtle. These are gentle, loving stories that children can easily understand. Each story teaches a positive and valuable lesson and is very entertaining as well.

In the opening story, "Spot Goes to School," Spot is starting school for the very first time. He is a little nervous at the beginning, but once he gets to school, he sees his friends and has a good time with them. The teacher is very nice, and there are lots of interesting things to do. The students paint, and build with blocks, and play dress-up. As it turns out, school is a very fun place to be! At the end of the day, Spot's mother picks him up, and the first thing Spot says is, "Can I go again tomorrow?" I think this story would help any little child who is nervous about going to school.

In "Spot at the PlayGround," all of the friends get together for an afternoon of fun. They play on the Jungle Gym and the Teeter Totter and the Slide. They learn how much fun they can have sharing and playing together. They also learn to be careful and watch out for one another. Having fun CAN be safe!

In "Spot Makes A Cake," Spot is on his way out to play with his friends. He reminds his mother that she promised to make a cake for the school fair. She asks if he would like to help. Of course he would! But only after he finds his Chef's hat. This was my favorite scene in the video. Spot is a fat little puppy who stands on a stool and mixes the cake batter while he wears his hat. He is SO CUTE! He makes the cake with his Mom, and winds up having more fun than he expected. He learns that it can be fun to help around the house. And best of all, when he takes the cake to the school fair, he wins it right back again! Spot's Dad is especially happy about that-because he REALLY wanted to eat it before it went to the fair!

In "Spot In the Woods," Spot and his Dad go out for an afternoon walk. Spot asks everyone he meets along the way if there are any lions or tigers or elephants or bears. "Oh Yes, lots of them," the birds and foxes and squirrels reply. This worries Spot, and he decides he wants to go home. His Dad is puzzled, but he says okay. After Spot leaves the woods, out pop a lion, a tiger, an elephant, and a bear! Sometimes the things that children imagine or fear, really can come true! But when that happens, it's also true that a loving parent or grownup can protect you and take care of you!

The last story is "Spot's Winter Sports." It is a cold and snowy day, and Spot wants to play outside with his friends. But first he must dress warmly! He has a snowball fight with Helen the Hippo and takes a ride on his sled with Steve the Monkey. Helen and Spot work hard at building a snowman. They ask Steve to help them, but he is too busy doing something by himself. Spot wonders what is so important that Steve can't help. Actually, Steve is working on a surprise for Spot-a snowman that looks exactly like Spot! And best of all, he builds it on Spot's sled so that he can take it home and show his Mom and Dad! Aren't friends great!

As you can see, these are sweet and charming little stories. There is nothing rough or violent or scary in them. Around our house, we like to watch these stories in the evening when we're getting ready for bed. They are so calm and quiet, they make you feel like you are ready to relax and go to sleep. This video is a MUST HAVE for small (and even not so small) children!!

Have Fun And Learn With Spot.
This is a wonderful video for children. It follows the books by Eric Hill very closely. There are five stories about a little yellow dog with a big brown spot on his back. He lives in a nice house with his Mom and Dad and he has lots of friends including Helen the Hippo, Steve the Monkey, Tom the Alligator, and Claire the Turtle. These are gentle, loving stories that children can easily understand. Each story teaches a positive and valuable lesson and is very entertaining as well.

In the opening story, "Spot Goes to School," Spot is starting school for the very first time. He is a little nervous at the beginning, but once he gets to school, he sees his friends and has a good time with them. The teacher is very nice, and there are lots of interesting things to do. The students paint, and build with blocks, and play dress-up. As it turns out, school is a very fun place to be! At the end of the day, Spot's mother picks him up, and the first thing Spot says is, "Can I go again tomorrow?" I think this story would help any little child who is nervous about going to school.

In "Spot at the PlayGround," all of the friends get together for an afternoon of fun. They play on the Jungle Gym and the Teeter Totter and the Slide. They learn how much fun they can have sharing and playing together. They also learn to be careful and watch out for one another. Having fun CAN be safe!

In "Spot Makes A Cake," Spot is on his way out to play with his friends. He reminds his mother that she promised to make a cake for the school fair. She asks if he would like to help. Of course he would! But only after he finds his Chef's hat. This was my favorite scene in the video. Spot is a fat little puppy who stands on a stool and mixes the cake batter while he wears his hat. He is SO CUTE! He makes the cake with his Mom, and winds up having more fun than he expected. He learns that it can be fun to help around the house. And best of all, when he takes the cake to the school fair, he wins it right back again! Spot's Dad is especially happy about that-because he REALLY wanted to eat it before it went to the fair!

In "Spot In the Woods," Spot and his Dad go out for an afternoon walk. Spot asks everyone he meets along the way if there are any lions or tigers or elephants or bears. "Oh Yes, lots of them," the birds and foxes and squirrels reply. This worries Spot, and he decides he wants to go home. His Dad is puzzled, but he says okay. After Spot leaves the woods, out pop a lion, a tiger, an elephant, and a bear! Sometimes the things that children imagine or fear, really can come true! But when that happens, it's also true that a loving parent or grownup can protect you and take care of you!

The last story is "Spot's Winter Sports." It is a cold and snowy day, and Spot wants to play outside with his friends. But first he must dress warmly! He has a snowball fight with Helen the Hippo and takes a ride on his sled with Steve the Monkey. Helen and Spot work hard at building a snowman. They ask Steve to help them, but he is too busy doing something by himself. Spot wonders what is so important that Steve can't help. Actually, Steve is working on a surprise for Spot-a snowman that looks exactly like Spot! And best of all, he builds it on Spot's sled so that he can take it home and show his Mom and Dad! Aren't friends great!

As you can see, these are sweet and charming little stories. There is nothing rough or violent or scary in them. Around our house, we like to watch these stories in the evening when we're getting ready for bed. They are so calm and quiet, they make you feel like you are ready to relax and go to sleep. This video is a MUST HAVE for small (and even not so small) children!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Not the egregious foul it seemed to be in theaters, Hercules stands up as an entertaining spritzer of an animated feature. The continual peppering of in-jokes and cultural references becomes less irksome on video. That there's no majesty or awe invested in the beloved Greek legends also seems less of an error. Also on the plus side is the bounciest Alan Menken music since Little Shop of Horrors. With Zeus's blood in his veins, young Hercules's amazing strength makes him an outcast (sorry, that still doesn't fly), so he trains with a satyr named Phil to become a hero. Along the way Herc meets Meg, a common mortal who falls hard for him. They're both against the jocular Hades, who has to destroy Hercules to take over Olympus. The hydra is the computer-animated set piece for this little number, a no-chance attempt to beat that wildebeest herd from The Lion King. --Keith Simanton ... Read more

Reviews (133)

Best Disney Movie since "The Lion King"
Hercules restored my faith that Disney can still make fun, engaging animated movies (this one's much better than the more recent disappointing Road to El Dorado or The Emperor's New Groove). The animation is dazzling (from the makers of Aladdin and The Little Mermaid), the music is a new take -- gospel, and the characters are funny. The voices include a cast of famous names, such as Tate Donovan and Danny DeVito as Hercules and his goat-man sidekick. The plot is predictable and the storytelling of the Greek myth may be a bit off, but after all, it's Disney. The DVD includes a documentary ("The Making of Hercules") and a Ricky Martin music video (for the song "I Can Go the Distance"), and most Disney DVDs hardly have any extras. I wouldn't call this movie a must-buy, but it's a welcome addition to Disney's family of great cartoon movies... and kids will certainly love it, too.

The World's First Super Hero
Disney adds a new twist to the story of the mythological strongman in the funny animated feature "Hercules". Hercules (Tate Donovan), the son of Zeus, is kidnapped and turned mortal by the sinister god Hades (James Woods). Now, with his amazing strength and the help from his fly stallion Pegasus and trainer Phil (Danny DeVito), Hercules journeys to regain his place among the Gods of Olympus. Though not as memorable as previous Disney animated films, "Hercules" is a lighthearted fun-filled fantasy adventure. The story is fresh and funny, and the animation is stylish and colorful. The film contains some clever humor and amusing scenes including a thrilling battle between Hercules and the fierce hydra. James Woods shines as the voice of the sly Lord of the Underworld Hades and Susan Egan is amazing as Grecian beauty Meg. The voice cast also includes Bob Goldthwait, Matt Frewer, Paul Shaffer and Rip Torn. The animated tale is presented in its THX certified 1.66:1 widescreen format. The DVD contains a very detailed video transfer and a rich 5.1 Dolby Digital sound. Its supplemental material features "The Making of Hercules" featurette and a music video with Ricky Martin. Despite the lack of interesting extras, "Hercules" earns a "B-".

Great teaching tool
Precisely BECAUSE of the complete disregard for the original mythology, this movie is a superb teaching tool for middle schoolers. After a unit on Mythology, the kids can identify for themselves the many creative changes Disney opted to make, and even better, they can figure out for themselves why Disney made those choices. It makes the kids savvier media consumers, they enjoy spotting the "mistakes," and the music is terrific and holds their attention. We all enjoy the fact that nearly every time the Muses sing "and that's the Gospel truth!" they're referencing something completely FALSE. And the group scene at the christening makes a great "test" of those symbolic identifiers--the kids like being able to identify the gods and goddesses based on the clues in their appearance.

Zero to Hero
When the evil Hades, god of the underworld, learns that if Zeus and Hera's newborn son Hercules fights his world takeover plan, he will fail, Hades' idiotic helpers Pain and Panic kidnap the tyke in an attempt to turn him mortal and kill him. But before baby Herc could drink the last drop of the potion, a middle aged couple intersept. They take young Hercules in and raise him as their own. The only problem Hercules has is his god like strength, which he retained because he did not drink the last drop of the potion.

Hercules grows up feeling like he doesn't belong and goes on a journey to find his true identity. When he discovers that he is the son of Zeus, he is told that the only way he can regain entry to Mount Olympus is to become a true hero.

So with the help of Phil, a satyr, and Pegasus he begins training to become a hero. He ends up meeting Meg, a young woman who sold her soul to Hades, and falling in love with her. Meg is torn between loyalty to Hades and her growing love for "Wonder Boy".

When Hades strikes a deal with Hercules to give up his strength for 24 hours, Hades frees the Titans to take over Olympus. Due to one technicality in the deal, Hercules regains his strength and defeats Hades. But when he learns of Meg's death, he strikes a deal with Hades to rescue her and take her place in the underworld.

A little bit too modern for a story set in Ancient Greece but this movie contains all the essential elements of a true Disney classic.

From Zero to Hero
Hercules is a total knockout - for the first half of the movie. The second half falls flat. Hercules has one of the best animated film scores ever. To promote the film, Disney had a traveling "troupe" of singers in Greek costume perform at malls around the country. The executives apparently even appreciated the incredibly orignal gospel-style songs with witty and joyful lyrics. The rollicking songs get a big "Amen!" The fabulous Muses are wonderful creations.

The story involves Hercules as an awkward boy trying to fit in with the humans who have adopted him. After he inadvertently causes a disaster at the marketplace, Herc strikes out on his own, and is shocked to discover his Mt. Olympus heritage. Megara, the female romantic interest, is not very likeable as a fallen woman redeemed by love. You feel Herc deserves better.

Since Aladdin, Disney has used celebrities as character voices. Hercules in particular benefits from this, with James Woods ad libbing hilariously as Hades, lord of the underworld, and Danny DeVito, who brings heart and laughs as "Phil" the Satyr. ... Read more

Description

The main episode is "Daisy, la Quinceanera."This marks the first appearance of Daisy, Dora's cousin, who celebrates her 15th birthday, a milestone in Latin culture. ... Read more