Lady and the Tramp [Blu-ray] [UK Import]

Disney's "Lady and the Tramp" was just re-released as a new two-disc DVD to celebrate the film's 50th Anniversary. It is worthy of everyone's money and attention. Children in the family? Fond childhood memories of the film? A film student? Interested in filmmaking? A kid at heart? This is the film for you."Lady and the Tramp" is easily one of the best films ever made by Disney, animated or otherwise. It combines an irresistible romanticized view of Victorian America with great animated characters and a couple of catchy tunes. Perhaps the best thing about this film is the relative lack of overly cutesy elements. Because the film is told from the viewpoint of the animated animals, they become a much more important element of the story, downplaying the tendency to make animated animals `adorable' and `cuddly' (see Disney's current "Chicken Little" for an example of how overdoing it doesn't work).On Christmas morning, Darling, the lady of the house, opens a gift from her husband, Jim Dear. The box moves, wiggles and whimpers, and Darling finds a little Cocker Spaniel puppy inside whom they quickly name Lady. Lady is soon an integral part of the family and has grown into a beautiful adult dog living a happy life following Darling around and waiting for Jim Dear to come home. When Darling has a baby, Lady initially feels neglected as she no longer receives the attention she once did. The Tramp, a mutt who makes it his practice to visit many of his adult friends on a weekly basis, stopping at the Italian restaurant one night, the deli the next, takes a liking to Lady. Darling's aunt comes to visit and take care of the baby while Jim Dear and Darling are away on a trip. Her two Siamese cats, Si and Am cause mischief and Lady gets into trouble and become banished to the dog house. Can the Tramp help her?Made in 1955, "Lady and the Tramp" is a beautiful, fun animated film, certain to please every one in the family. Thankfully, the DVD release features both a full screen and a widescreen version of the film. When the film was released, both anamorphic and academy prints were made available to theaters. Anamorphic films were created in an effort to battle the impending threat of television. Watching the widescreen print, I was struck at how beautiful the film looks. The colors are crisp and bright, the images are believable and lifelike, and it just looks mesmerizing. This is the result of restoration done by the studio for this DVD.There are two more reasons why these Disney Platinum DVDs are so important for any family or film aficionado.In each of the Classic Disney films, the primary reason they are remembered today is because of the story. As subsequent generations watch the films, they are equally entranced by puppets brought to life, the plight of a deer, the story of a boy who would never grow up and two dogs who fall in love, in addition to the adventures of various kings, queens, princes and princesses. In the late 80s and early 90s, the studio enjoyed a resurgence creating a new batch of films with timeless stories. These films work because both audiences can enjoy them; the kids can enjoy the stories along with the adults. Because parents grew up with them, and loved them, they take their children to them or rent the DVDs for them, exposing a new generation to the magic of these films.The story is charming. It was a stroke of genius to set the story in Victorian America. Walt's childhood home of Marceline, Missouri seems to have been the setting, feeding off of the filmmaker's romanticized memories. Not only are the settings and backgrounds beautiful, but the depiction of a simpler time is beneficial to the story. Because there are fewer things going on, the relatively simple story has greater impact. The story also calls on familiar moments in our lives. Many people have received pets on Christmas day, a little box squirming around, with a pet wearing a bow inside. Many people have dealt with jealousy and being blamed for something we didn't do. It all brings back memories of our childhood and of happier times, making the film all the more endearing.When the story does deviate from the traditional, it does so in an exceptional manner. When Lady arrives in the pound, her fear is palpable until she meets the other dogs, realizes they are all very nice and would do her no harm. This is also the opportunity for the filmmakers to introduce another song, "What a Dog!" by Peggy Lee. While the song doesn't exactly fit the setting, it is very memorable and enjoyable, introducing a very timely Jazz theme into the film. "The Siamese Cat Song" and "Bella Notte" only further enhance the musical heritage of this film. I think a large number of people who have never seen the film could at least tell you something about these songs.The film does have some racial stereotypes, but they don't seem offensive or mean-spirited. Any dog character uses the accent associated with their name. For instance, a Chihuahua has a Mexican accent, a wolfhound, Russian. Jock, a Scottish terrier, speaks with a heavy brogue, Rusty, an old bloodhound, speaks with a heavy Southern accent. Then, of course, there is Tony and his assistant. Because they are Italian chefs, they have heavy Italian accents. I think the key here is most of the characters involved play an integral part to the story. Tony is the host to Lady and Tramp's first date, including the very memorable and often spoofed spaghetti kiss. With the exception of the Chihuahua, none of the stereotypes seems mean-spirited or offensive. Perhaps you could use this as a platform to discuss this type of behavior with your kids and help them recognize why this practice is no longer PC.The Disney Platinum DVDs are like encyclopedias of information. They include deleted songs, storyboards, portions of Walt Disney television shows explaining techniques or promoting the films and much more. Each DVD title has a second disc containing a plethora of extras. Of course, the more recent titles have more extras, but the folks at Disney usually come up with at least two or three great finds, making these discs a great treasure for film historians.Disc Two features a lengthy documentary about the making of the film, covering everything from the origins of the story to the design of the characters to the different voices used for different characters. Each of the segments in this documentary can be watched separately or as part of a nearly hour long documentary. There are two particularly interesting extras featuring reconstructions of abandoned scenes and a different, extended version of the song "La La Loo". There are also the obligatory kids' games and excerpts from related Disney TV specials. There is a lot of information here and it will provide any film scholar with a good look at the making of this animated classic."Lady and the Tramp" is a joy to watch, anywhere, anytime, anyplace. Since they seem to have stopped re-releasing the films in movie theaters, this DVD is the next best thing to watching it on the big screen.

It's been years—perhaps fifty—since I've seen "Lady and the Tramp," released the year I was born (1955). This late Disney classic is a hundredfold better than I remember it.To clarify: I am reviewing the two-disc (DVD + Blu-Ray) edition (2012).The movie itself: Almost two decades in gestation, "Lady and the Tramp" was produced when both Disney and his studio had recovered from ravages of WW II and were operating at the height of their creative powers. By this time Disney's cadre of principal animators—the fabled "Nine Old Men"—had mastered the unique Disney technique inaugurated twenty-eight years earlier with "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs." The animation, rendered in the classic hand-drawn, hand-painted style, is a masterpiece of the form. When you have animators talented enough to caricature dogs caricaturing humans, as the script requires, you're speaking of sublime talent.In many ways "Lady" was a turning point for the studio. Its genesis was a story idea by Joe Grant, who gave us "Dumbo" among many other treasures; this would be Grant's last work for Disney until decades after Walt's death. It was the last musical score by Oliver Wallace, Disney's maestro for decades, and "Lady" is a semi-musical, at least a comedy-fantasy with a pitch-perfect score. This was also a time of beginnings: "Lady" was the first Disney film released in CinemaScope (1:33:1), though simultaneously released in a conventional format for theaters not yet equipped with widescreen projectors and screens. It was the first animated feature to be released by Disney's own Buena Vista production company. It marked the introduction of popular songs and singers into the musical mix: Sonny Burke and Peggy Lee (the latter, both vocalist and voice artist). Disney departed from a classic fairy tales as source material, setting this story in an early modern period (turn-of-the-twentieth century Americana). Oddly, it is one of the simplest, most basically human stories Disney ever set to film: pampered girl meets boy from (literally) the wrong side of the tracks, each strengthens the other, they fall in love. The supporting characters, voiced by some of the great voice artists of the time, are memorable for their various personalities. Because the entire story is told from the dogs' point of view, I think it superior to "1001 Dalmatians," six years later. The mix of comedy, conflict, danger, and even sexiness is handled with a dab hand that a child from five years up can handle. And its running time is seventy minutes: not too short, not too long.The DVD special features—an interview with Disney's daughter Diane and a comedic short with Fred Willard—are pleasant but skippable, unless you're a wee one. It's the Blu-Ray features that shine and under no circumstances should be missed. A special "Making of [the Film']" documentary—twenty-one minutes longer than the movie itself is a gem, featuring interviews with experts old and young, family members of Disney's artists, and a host of others who help one appreciate how the movie came to be. On top of that, you can watch the Blu-Ray with an extraordinary commentary: not of experts jabbering, but voice artists speaking for Disney himself, his story men, and his animators, using as their script what, apparently, were stenographers' notes from the creative story sessions, synchronized to what you are watching onscreen. Nine times out of ten, the special touches that really sell the story, sequence, even screen-seconds were Walt's ideas. In this recording it demonstrates what a firm grasp he had of characters, storyline, story beats, what voices and music were needed—everything. Disney was every inch the producer-director behind his brother Roy's bookkeeping and his animators' staging. Fabulous—and amazing, when one realizes that, when this movie was made, his mind and body were elsewhere, building an amusement park in Anaheim.Don't miss this set. If it goes out of print, make sure that you purchase a Blu-Ray edition with these truly special features. Many critics write off this movie as make-work for the studio, but, If ever a Disney movie got everything right, "Lady and the Tramp" would win my vote.

Timeless Disney Classic.

Classical children movie

Very nice story and would recommend. However I was hoping it would be played in more languages as I’ve seen a picture of a box from another reviewer. I have attached a screen shoot as on item description it’s stayed only in English. Hope this will help anyone else.

I love dogs, Disney and easy to watch, happy family films. This is all of the above. It's funny, sentimental, well made and downright enjoyable. Classic scenes ("We are Siamese" song and Lady & Tramp sharing spaghetti)stick in the memory forever and seem fresh even 30 years after you first saw it. One of the greatest Disney fims though not as good as Aristocats in my view which has exceptional humour to counterbalance the typical Disney sentiment.

Lady and the Tramp is one of Walt Disney's finest animated films with beautiful animation and a real heart to its story.I have fond memories of this film as a child and now seeing it as an adult the film is still outstanding and is a fine addition to the Classic Disney films of this era such as; Peter Pan and Sleeping Beauty.Suitable for all ages Lady and the Tramp is a brilliant film and I highly recommend it.

Of course it is wonderful and all xtras are an added bonus. Perfect qality and sound etc.

nothing to dislike