Disney is bringing director Jack Donohue's Babes in Toyland to Blu-ray. The musical stars Ray Bolger (The Wizard of Oz), Annette Funicello (Beach Party), Tommy Sands (The Longest Day), and Disney veteran, Ed Wynn (Alice in Wonderland). Babes in Toyland makes its Blu-ray debut December 11th.
Tom the Piper's Son (Sands), is about to marry Mary Quite Contrary (Funicello). On the eve of their wedding, evil miser Barnaby (Bolger), hires two henchmen to drown Tom and steal Mary's sheep, cared for by Little Bo Peep, thus depriving Mary and the children she lives with of their livelihood, forcing her to marry Barnaby. The sheep are stolen, but Gonzorgo and Roderigo, Barnaby's henchmen, double-cross him by selling Tom to a band of gypsies instead, leaving Tom with the opportunity to escape and make his way with Mary, Bo-Peep, and other Mother Goose characters to Toyland.
The first of Disney's live action "classics" (pre-1970?) on BD. Disney took great care with the original film stock. Before the advent of home video their films were planned for theatrical re-release every 7 years. These films still look great. Can't wait to see "Babes". A quasi-Christmas movie just in time for.....Christmas! I'm looking for a Mary Poppins 50th Anniversary BD in early 2014. (45th anniversary DVD issued 1/27/2009) Here's hoping I get an early Christmas present next year!
mz_2000......I couldn't agree more, finally some of their live-action films, which as you say were greatly cared for, and all will probably be top transfers. My hopes are for many, but I would also really love to get my hands on Mary Poppins. I hope we do not have to wait until 2014, but a 50th anniversary would be the time to do it. In the meantime, I would love to see the roadshow edition of The Happiest Millionaire and the restored (30 extra minutes added) Bedknobs and Broomsticks. All films have top Sherman Brothers scores and are great live Disney.
I had heard through an industry contact that for Mary Poppins and Bedknobs and Broomsticks, which have animated sequences, Disney was going back to the original drawings and super-imposing the live image digitally. I think that has been part of the delay on Mary Poppins. This takes alot of time, and money I am sure. In any case, I'll be covering these live Disney releases in my Silver Screen column.
Now please give us Darby O'Gill And The Little People,Pollyanna , Thomasina , and Twenty thousand leagues under the sea!
Not to mention The Silly Symphony's collection .
Really don't know what Robert Siegel is talking about re: "returining to the original drawings" and "super-imposing the live image digitally". Maybe he means, "digitally re-compositing" the live-action and animated sequences.
