I love it when classic Disney films are released from the “vault” and put on to Blu-ray and DVD. We have a couple of dozen Disney films that are on VHS tapes (remember those?) that we are slowly replacing with Blu-ray and/or DVD copies.
We haven’t had a working VCR in years so it’s great to finally see beloved films again, only this time on Blu-ray or DVD. Plus we can we can donate the VHS versions to whoever wants them.
Today, August 6, 2013, three more classic Disney films have been released on Blu-ray and DVD!
The Sword In The Stone
Can you believe that The Sword In The Stone is celebrating its 50th Anniversary! Now you can buy the special 50th Anniversary Blu-ray Combo Pack (Blu-ray, DVD & Digital Copy).
Did you know that the film won Best Score Adaptation or Treatment from the Academy Awards in 1963?
The Sword In The Stone is the story of a young orphan boy name Wart. He lives in England that is currently has no one claiming the throne. The only person who can sit on the throne of England is the person who can remove an enchanted sword from a stone. The only person who can do this is someone who is pure of heart and has inner strength and character.
One day by chance Wart meets a wizard by the name of Merlin. Merlin can see that there is something special about Wart. Merlin sets out with Wart to teach him special life lessons by turning them into different creatures like a fish, squirrel and sparrow.
Armed with his new found confidence and his special friendship with Merlin, Wart helps out at a special event that will help determine who can take their chance at removing the enchanted sword and therefore becoming the next King of England. To everyone’s surprise someone the young orphan boy is able to do something that strong, brave men could never do – remove the enchanted sword.
I hate to spoil movies for those who haven’t seen it yet, but I have a feeling most people would know where this movie was going from the start – that somehow the sweet orphan boy would someday become king, thanks to the help of his friend Merlin. Although Merlin didn’t perform any special magic to help Wart remove the sword. That power and magic came souly from within Wart. Merlin just aided the young boy into discovering who he was truly meant to be.
There are several bonus features worth checking out. One is an alternate beginning where Wart and Merlin meet for the first time. This bonus feature is done in rough drawings and not a complete animation. It’s fun to see how the images looked before being drawn and colored perfectly to match the film.
I enjoyed to two bonus clips – A Knight for a Day (Goofy takes the place of his boss to joust against a mean dragon in hopes of winning so he can marry the Princess Esmeralda) and Brave Little Tailor (Mickey Mouse is mistaken as someone who is a giant slayer. He takes on the giant in hopes of winning the hand of the lovely Princess Minnie Mouse).
If your kids love to sing along with movies you can set the film to play the words to all the songs across the bottom. I think that is a cute idea but I didn’t personally need the lyrics. I was amazed at how many of the songs I could recall. Not in their entirety, but enough that I surprised myself.
There is also bonus feature staring the Sherman Brothers where they talk about the music behind the film. Sadly most people these days (unless you are 40-something or older) won’t even know who the Sherman Brothers are. 🙂
Robin Hood
I was surprised at just how excited my husband was when I showed him that we had Robin Hood on Blu-ray and DVD thanks to the release of their 40th Anniversary Edition which also includes a Digital Copy. This title is also available TODAY.
Robin Hood is one of my husband’s favorite Disney films. He even took a picture of the cover and uploaded it on his Facebook and Instagram pages. He’s such a kid! LOL!
This is the classic tale of Robin Hood and his Merry Men, except they are all animals.
Robin Hood, his side kick Little John and his band of Merry Men set out to dethrone the evil and greedy Prince John and return the throne to King Richard and free the people of Nottingham from Prince John’s reign. While he’s doing that Robin Hood is also desperately trying to win over the lovely Maid Marian.
If you are familiar with the story line (after all, it’s a classic tale) you know how the film goes. It’s more so the amusing and entertaining creatures that play the different characters that make this film so much fun.
This film was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song Love back in 1973.
Little John (bear) looks a lot like Baloo from Jungle Book, another Disney film.
Prince John, who is supposed to be greedy and evil actually comes across as being a bit goofy and “stuck on himself”. Even though he’s the villain in the film I think he’s the one that cracks me up the most. Especially the faces he makes.
My husband insisted that my kids watch the movie with us. They are teenagers. They resist anything they are “forced” to do. Our daughter refused to let herself enjoy the movie (to prove her point) but our son enjoyed it. He said he’s not keen on “musicals” (there are some songs but it’s not a “musical”) he did enjoy the movie. Yeah! We won over one of our kids.
There are some really nice songs with this film. I love how I also remembered them (it’s been probably 15+ since the last time I saw this film). It’s amazing how much you can recall.
There are plenty of great bonus features also found in this collection. One is a deleted scene from the film. It’s done in a black and white storyboard. It was a nice scene (I would have preferred if it was done with the final animation not a storyboard), but I think it was best that it wasn’t in the film. Still, it was fun to watch.
There is a bonus clip called Ye Olden Days, which stars Mickey Mouse. I just realized that the bonus clips on the Blu-ray collections have similar themes to the main movie. With Sword In The Stone the clips were related to medieval times and Ye Olden Days is also from medieval times. Ye Olden Days is similar to Robin Hood where Mickey tries to rescue the beautiful Princess (Minnie Mouse) from an evil, gluttonous king.
There is also an alternate ending (I preferred the original) and a selection of songs you can sing along to as well as other fun bonus features including the Storybook feature and Art Gallery.
Oliver and Company
Oliver and Company is also celebrating a milestone with this release on Blu-ray, DVD & Digital Copy. It’s celebrating its 25th Anniversary. Now I do feel old because I remember seeing this film when it first came out! Sheesh… now I am officially “old”. Ha Ha.
Characters in this film are voice by people you might know like singer Billy Joel, actress and singer Bette Midler, the late Dom DeLuise, actor Cheech Marin and actor Joey Lawrence (who can now be seen on ABC Family’s Melissa & Joey).
Oliver and Company is the story of an adorable orphaned kitten name Oliver. He’s lost and alone on the mean streets of New York City. Thankfully he is befriended by a dog name Dodger. Dodger is a street wise dog who is owned by a thug name Fagin.
Oliver lucks out when he is found and adopted by a rich girl name Jenny. Jenny provides Oliver with a warm, loving home. When Fagin finds out that Oliver was adopted by a rich couple’s child he has his sidekick Sykes and his Dobermans kidnap Oliver so they can hold him for ransom. Their plan is foiled when Jenny shows up to rescue her kitten, only to get kidnapped herself.
Will Jenny’s parents give Fagin ransom money to get their little girl back, or will Jenny and Oliver be rescued some other way? To find out you need to pick up a copy of Oliver and Company now available on a special 25th Anniversary Blu-ray combo pack edition.
This film reminds me more of All Dogs Go to Heaven then a Disney film, but it does have a bit of Aristocat and Lamp and the Tramp look to it too. This movie is not as much of a classic as Robin Hood is, but it hold’s its own none the less.
This is a cute story about friendship and love that the whole family will enjoy.
There are several songs in this film, but sadly none of them were memorable enough for me to really remember them. In all honesty I’ve seen Robin Hood numerous times and Sword In The Stone several times too. Oliver and Company I’ve only seen 2 or 3 times in the past 25 years which is probably why the song really didn’t stick with me much.
As for bonus features, there are also plenty on this Blu-ray combo pack too.
The Making of Oliver and Company was enjoyable to watch. I always love to know the “how’ and “why” things come to the screen and why movies are made. It’s great to get an insider’s look into the background behind the movie.
This Blu-ray set comes with two additional clips;
Lend a Paw – This film won the Academy Award for Animated Short – Best Short Subject Cartoon back in 1941. Pluto finds a kitten that was tossed into a frozen river. When the kitten follows him home and Mickey fawns over it Pluto gets jealous and plots the kitten’s demise only to nearly kill himself in the process. Will the kitten warm Pluto’s heart?
Puss Café – Two stray cats try to have lunch on Pluto’s property including drinking the freshly delivered milk, taking fish from the pond and eating the birds from the bird house. Can Pluto stop them before it’s too late?
You can also put the movie in sing a long mode if your child or grandchild likes to sing along with the songs.
Look for all three of these Disney classics, now available on Blu-ray combo packs TODAY (August 6, 2013) where ever films are sold.
Kimberly
*I received a free screener copy of all three films. There was no compensation. The opinions expressed are my own and not influenced in any way.
Elisabeth says
How did I not know this?! I must get Robin Hood! 🙂
Karen Glatt says
I love the Sword and the Stone and Robin Hood. These are such classics and fun to watch over and over. I am going to have to get these for my movie collection. Such a good deal!
deanna says
We love Robin Hood at my house!
xo
Kate F. says
I’m so glad these movies are out on DVD! They’re some of the few Disney movies I don’t have on VHS.
Kari says
I love Robin Hood! We had so many of the Disney movies on VHS, too. A few years ago, my husband THREW THEM AWAY without my knowledge. He really had no idea what they were – he just thought they were old VHS tapes that we would never use. I was devastated, even though we do not have a working VCR, I was still so upset about losing them. I try to pick up one now and then when they are re-released from the vault.
Tammy S says
I love that they are releasing more of these movies on DVD. My daughter loved Oliver and Company. We still have it on VHS and she will watch it every once in a while. Yes we still have a working VCR player.
Lalita Malone says
I can’t wait until Robin Hood and Oliver & Company come out. I am reliving all these Disney movies with my 3 and 6 year old girls now on Blu-Ray and DVD.
Sarah L says
25 years ago makes you feel old? How about I remember Sword in the Stone when it came out??. Love to see Robin Hood again.
Denise Taylor-Dennis says
My son hasn’t seen either one of these movies yet but I bet he would love them both. I loved these when I was a kid.
Susan Smith says
I remember watching these movies when I was yong, my kids haven’t see them yet. Now that they are on DVD they will be able to.