Lady and the Tramp: 50th Anniversary Edition

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Rating: G

Starring:

Peggy Lee as Darling/Si/Am/Peg (voice)

Barbara Luddy as Lady (voice)

Larry Roberts as Tramp (voice)

Bill Thompson as Jock/Bulldog in Pound/Policeman at Zoo/Dachsie/Joe (voice)

Bill Baucom as Trusty (voice)

Stan Freberg as Beaver (voice)

Verna Felton as Aunt Sarah (voice)

Alan Reed as Boris (voice)

George Givot as Tony (voice)

Dal McKennon as Toughy/Professor Pedro (voice)

Lee Millar as Jim Dear/Dog Catcher (voice)

rest of cast listed alphabetically:

Bill Lee as Dog (as The Mello Men)

Thurl Ravenscroft as Al the Alligator/Dog

Max Smith as Dog

Special Features:

All-New Digital Restoration With Enhanced Picture And Sound

All-New “Bella Notte” Music Video

Disney Virtual Puppy – DVD-ROM — Adopt and care for your own virtual puppy. You can even teach him tricks!

Disney Dog Trivia – Virtual Board Game — Immerse yourself in this 3D game and test your knowledge of Disney dogs.

PuppyPedia: Going to the Dogs — Learn about the characters’ real-life breeds.

Your Inner Bark: Personality Profile

Never-Before-Seen Deleted Scenes

Original 1943 Storyboard Version of the Film: Exciting secrets revealed about a different version of the film.

Lady’s Pedigree: The Making of Lady and the Tramp

Finding Lady: The Art of the Storyboard

And Much, Much More!

Other Info:

Fullscreen (1.33:1) and Widescreen (2.55:1)

5.1 Disney Enhanced Home Theater Mix

French and Spanish Language

Running Time: 76 Minutes

Synopsis:

Lady and the Tramp was originally released in 1955. The following text is from the official description of the film:

“Walt Disney’s Lady and the Tramp, filled with memorable music and purebred fun, now shines like never before with an all-new digital restoration! Embark on a thrilling adventure with the most unforgettable characters: Lady, a lovingly pampered cocker spaniel; Tramp, a mutt from across the tracks with a heart of gold; Jock and Trusty, Lady’s best friends; and Si and Am, two of the most devious cats to prowl across the screen. The happiest of endings takes place on a lovely bella notte as Lady learns what it means to be footloose and leash-free. Unleash all the fun and excitement in this 2-Disc Special Edition, including never-before-seen deleted scenes, 5.1 Disney Enhanced Home Theater Mix, all-new games, making-of secrets, and much more!”

Lady and the Tramp is rated G.

Mini-Review:

Unless you’ve led a very, very sheltered childhood, you’ve probably seen Lady and the Tramp some time in the last 50 years. There’s little point in me reviewing the film, especially since you’ve probably already formed your own opinion about it. Personally, I don’t think it’s the best Disney animated film, but it’s not bad either. The true test for me was to see what my kids thought about it. I set them down in front of the TV and they were absolutely glued to it. My son even said his favorite part was when the dogs were eating spaghetti and they got “stuck together”. I was impressed to see that even 50 years later this Disney film has what it takes to captivate and entertain kids. The restoration of the film makes it even more beautiful than ever before. The difference is certainly noticeable.

Like Disney’s other recent re-releases, this DVD has an impressive array of bonus features. It has everything you could possibly want to know about Lady and the Tramp. The centerpiece is the documentary “Lady’s Pedigree: The Making of Lady and the Tramp”. Just like the other recent “making-of” documentaries, this is incredibly in-depth. They discuss the origins of the story, the voice casting, the art, the music, and more. At almost an hour long it has a lot to offer. Also included are two deleted scenes. The first shows a fantasy sequence where Tramp imagines what the world would be like if dogs and humans had their roles reversed. We see the dog make his human fetch and do tricks. They even meet another dog and her female pet. (There’s plenty of jokes here but it’s probably in everyone’s best interest if I move along.) There’s also an alternate version of the arrival of the baby into Lady’s house. The lullaby is a little longer and we see more of Lady feeling neglected. Film buffs will also enjoy seeing the Original 1943 Storyboard Version of the Film. It features a significantly different version of the classic movie.

For the kids there are a few games included. There’s a Virtual Puppy DVD-ROM game where you adopt and care for your own virtual puppy. There’s also a Disney Dog Trivia – Virtual Board Game. It allows you to play as a family or individually. You can answer questions about Air Bud, Fox and the Hound, and other rarely seen Disney dog movies. (Somehow The Little Mermaid falls in this category, too.) Rounding out the games is Your Inner Bark: Personality Profile. You answer questions and the game determines what kind of dog you are. (My daughter ended up being a Siamese cat. Go figure.)

You’ll also find on this DVD an all-new “Bella Notte” Music Video sung by some guy I’ve never heard of before. There’s also a documentary on the Siamese Cat song and the various versions they did of it before settling on the one in the movie. Fred Willard also hosts an amusing documentary “PuppyPedia: Going to the Dogs”. In it he makes jokes while introducing a variety of dog breeds. If you have any budding artists in your household they may enjoy “Finding Lady: The Art of the Storyboard”. This details the storyboarding process and it trains you on how to storyboard your own tales. Also look for galleries, trailers, and excerpts from the old Disneyland TV series.

If you have kids or if you’re a Disney animation fan, this edition of Lady and the Tramp is a required addition to your collection. It has plenty for both adults and children.

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