Knight at HOME at the Movies
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Animation for Kids, Little and Big
Two great choices for the kids, two for their elders - in this edition of DVD Recommendations.
Two great choices for the kids, two for their elders - in this edition of DVD Recommendations.
101 Dalmations – From Walt Disney Home Entertainment. Pongo, Perdita, and Cruella
De Vil are here in a special edition at last! This 1961 classic has been given a deluxe 2-
disc treatment that has been well worth waiting for. Based on the mid-50s popular
children's book, this Disney effort found the studio moving away from their patented lush
animation style to the "flatter," more modern style of Saturday morning cartoons of the
time - a sound decision as the story's modern time setting was also a first for a Disney
animation feature. The modern style works well with the fast paced film (set in London)
and still offers plenty of visual wow. The simple but engaging dog napping story (told
from the pups point of view) focuses on divine, darling Cruella De Vil who covets the coats
of the puppies of Pongo and Perdita, who belong to struggling songwriter Roger and her
old chum Anita. Campy Cruella wants to make a purrrrfectly divine coat out of the little
puppies. Cruella (a cross between Tallulah Bankhead and, um, Tallulah Bankhead) is
given a deliciously arch signature song (composed by Roger) that's also outside of the
usual sugarplums and fairies that Disney songs usually reference. The film has been
given a dazzling make-over and the second disc really shines with extras that will appeal
to both kids and Disney cultists. They include games and assorted featurettes including a
very interesting one that recreates the correpondence between Walt and "Dalmations"
author Dodie Smith. Enormously entertaining and informative, a GREAT one for kids little
and big.
Bee Movie – From Dreamworks Animation. The box cover lays it right out front when it
trumpets: "More Jerry Seinfeld." As the voice of Barry, the lead character in this fun
children's movie done with computer animation with lots of, not surprising, eye popping
color, Seinfeld (who is joined by many other familiar voice talents) brings much to his role
as the little bee that could - the character that wants more than to work in the hive aka
factory. This story of the power of the individual over the masses is knowing, funny and
awfully familiar making Seinfeld's contributions in the leading role that much more
welcome. On this special 2-disc version, we get to see Seinfeld in his bee costume
"flying" overhead at the Cannes film festival and in a plethora of other extras. There are
plenty of games and informative featurettes for the kiddies as well (including an "ow"
meter that shows how badly bee stings hurt). My two year-old granddaughter loved this
and the movie with the "puppies" (see above) but nothing can keep her for long from
Finding Nemo.
Beowulf – From Paramount. Okay, now it's time to put the kiddies to bed as our
animation fest continues with this really cool effort from director Robert Zemeckis. Using
the same "performance capture" animated style first introduced in Zemeckis' Polar
Express, the ancient tale of the Nordic warrior hunk Beowulf is thrillingly retold for modern
audiences. For gay audiences, it doesn't hurt that Beowulf has been visualized as a
Danish hottie who strips down to the altogether for his battle with the dreaded giant
Grendl. Though I had lots of quibbles with the motion capture process used for Polar
Express, Zemeckis' team has ironed those out and the film is visually stunning and
features some great vocal performances from its offbeat cast - especially Angelina Jolie
as the sexy temptress (she really purrs), Robin Wright Penn as the mournful wife of
Beowulf and Crispin Glover as the ultimate dysfunctional child, Grendl. I want to also note
the terrific music score of frequent Zemeckis collaborator Alan Silvestri which is at times
expansive, epic, and haunting. The fight scenes are bloody and raw but another edition
offers even more action for the gore junkies. This version also has a number of assorted
extras. This is a movie so over the top you'll either love it or hate it. I'm in the former
category.
Life After People – From A&E Home Video. Finally, in conjunction with the DVD release
of the Will Smith remake of I Am Legend comes this intriguing television special from A&E.
The premise is right there in the title as this narrated special hypothesizes how earth's
urban cities would fare after the disappearance of humans (the special skips on how that
would happen which is intriguing on its own). The effect on the earth is shown in
increments. In between visiting remote places around the world (including Chernobyl 20
years after the nuclear accident that devastated the area), we are shown animated
simulations of a world without human beings. Urban centers would see the return of plant
and wildlife, along with the slow disintegration of the buildings, cars, and other man made
components of modern civilization. 10,000 years from now it's nice to know that at least
Mt. Rushmore would still most likely be around and, as expected, so would those pesky
cockroaches. No mention of whether Cher will still be belting it out, however, as many
have predicted. This is a really interesting little special that makes for a great curtain
raiser for the afore-said I Am Legend or on its own.
De Vil are here in a special edition at last! This 1961 classic has been given a deluxe 2-
disc treatment that has been well worth waiting for. Based on the mid-50s popular
children's book, this Disney effort found the studio moving away from their patented lush
animation style to the "flatter," more modern style of Saturday morning cartoons of the
time - a sound decision as the story's modern time setting was also a first for a Disney
animation feature. The modern style works well with the fast paced film (set in London)
and still offers plenty of visual wow. The simple but engaging dog napping story (told
from the pups point of view) focuses on divine, darling Cruella De Vil who covets the coats
of the puppies of Pongo and Perdita, who belong to struggling songwriter Roger and her
old chum Anita. Campy Cruella wants to make a purrrrfectly divine coat out of the little
puppies. Cruella (a cross between Tallulah Bankhead and, um, Tallulah Bankhead) is
given a deliciously arch signature song (composed by Roger) that's also outside of the
usual sugarplums and fairies that Disney songs usually reference. The film has been
given a dazzling make-over and the second disc really shines with extras that will appeal
to both kids and Disney cultists. They include games and assorted featurettes including a
very interesting one that recreates the correpondence between Walt and "Dalmations"
author Dodie Smith. Enormously entertaining and informative, a GREAT one for kids little
and big.
Bee Movie – From Dreamworks Animation. The box cover lays it right out front when it
trumpets: "More Jerry Seinfeld." As the voice of Barry, the lead character in this fun
children's movie done with computer animation with lots of, not surprising, eye popping
color, Seinfeld (who is joined by many other familiar voice talents) brings much to his role
as the little bee that could - the character that wants more than to work in the hive aka
factory. This story of the power of the individual over the masses is knowing, funny and
awfully familiar making Seinfeld's contributions in the leading role that much more
welcome. On this special 2-disc version, we get to see Seinfeld in his bee costume
"flying" overhead at the Cannes film festival and in a plethora of other extras. There are
plenty of games and informative featurettes for the kiddies as well (including an "ow"
meter that shows how badly bee stings hurt). My two year-old granddaughter loved this
and the movie with the "puppies" (see above) but nothing can keep her for long from
Finding Nemo.
Beowulf – From Paramount. Okay, now it's time to put the kiddies to bed as our
animation fest continues with this really cool effort from director Robert Zemeckis. Using
the same "performance capture" animated style first introduced in Zemeckis' Polar
Express, the ancient tale of the Nordic warrior hunk Beowulf is thrillingly retold for modern
audiences. For gay audiences, it doesn't hurt that Beowulf has been visualized as a
Danish hottie who strips down to the altogether for his battle with the dreaded giant
Grendl. Though I had lots of quibbles with the motion capture process used for Polar
Express, Zemeckis' team has ironed those out and the film is visually stunning and
features some great vocal performances from its offbeat cast - especially Angelina Jolie
as the sexy temptress (she really purrs), Robin Wright Penn as the mournful wife of
Beowulf and Crispin Glover as the ultimate dysfunctional child, Grendl. I want to also note
the terrific music score of frequent Zemeckis collaborator Alan Silvestri which is at times
expansive, epic, and haunting. The fight scenes are bloody and raw but another edition
offers even more action for the gore junkies. This version also has a number of assorted
extras. This is a movie so over the top you'll either love it or hate it. I'm in the former
category.
Life After People – From A&E Home Video. Finally, in conjunction with the DVD release
of the Will Smith remake of I Am Legend comes this intriguing television special from A&E.
The premise is right there in the title as this narrated special hypothesizes how earth's
urban cities would fare after the disappearance of humans (the special skips on how that
would happen which is intriguing on its own). The effect on the earth is shown in
increments. In between visiting remote places around the world (including Chernobyl 20
years after the nuclear accident that devastated the area), we are shown animated
simulations of a world without human beings. Urban centers would see the return of plant
and wildlife, along with the slow disintegration of the buildings, cars, and other man made
components of modern civilization. 10,000 years from now it's nice to know that at least
Mt. Rushmore would still most likely be around and, as expected, so would those pesky
cockroaches. No mention of whether Cher will still be belting it out, however, as many
have predicted. This is a really interesting little special that makes for a great curtain
raiser for the afore-said I Am Legend or on its own.
