Sleeping Beauty
50th Anniversary Platinum Edition
Disney

Coming more than 20 years after Snow White, Sleeping Beauty is certainly among Disney’s greatest animated films, just shy of the masterpiece that the former was and perhaps, in its own way, even darker. Celebrating its 50th anniversary next year, this is not just a girls’ princess story, as we get a sword-swinging prince vs. dragon, the oh-so-evil Maleficent (Disney’s greatest villain along with Snow White’s Wicked Queen), and Princess Aurora, of course.  Then there’s the marvelous music of Tchaikovsky from his ballet, including the lyrics-added “Once Upon a Dream,” a forever-waltz, if there was one. This remastered, restored version is stunning in picture and sound –the widescreen look offering an expanded panorama for many scenes. The bonus features include a never-before-seen alternate opening, deleted songs, various games (such as a castle walk-through and a dance game), plus a featurette on the making of the film, which had a $6 million budget back in 1959 — more than many live action films of that day, certainly. Whether you pick this up in the DVD Platinum Edition or as the even-more-vibrant Blu-ray, this is a true family classic — one for the ages and, of course, for all ages.

Win a copy of Sleeping Beauty from Buzzine.  Send your name and mailing address to: dvdgiveaway@buzzine.com. Tell us who is credited with writing the original fairy tale story in the 17th century.

Dinosaur King
Shout Factory

Blue Dragon
Viz Video

Animated shows based on video games and such have been standard for a couple of decades now, especially as Saturday morning cartoon fare. DInosaur King comes from SEGA and the anime teams that brought us Pokémon and Yu-Gi-Oh! To some of us, they all look like the same show, though kids know the differences. Using 2- and 3-D as visuals, Max, the son of a famous paleontologist, and his friends Rex and Zoe became masters of dinosaur cards and a trio (funny how that works out) of small stone tablets that resurrect extinct dinosaurs as they search for lost cards around the globe as the D-Team, pitted against the Alpha Gang. The ten-and-under set — especially boys — will like it.  Hey, it’s all about dinosaurs, right? Good, but not great.

The same goes for Blue Dragon, which is about Shu, who awakens the title mystical character for adventures based on the Xbox250 game. The stories are typical for the genre and the look similar to shows/games such as Dragon Ball Z. Anime fans may get into it as well, though, like Dino, this is younger kids’ fare and there’s not much to engage grown-ups on a parallel adult level.

Pucca
Spooky Sooga Village
Shout Factory

More from the electric Pucca, this release is perfect for Halloween, as super-powered Pucca from the Go-Rong Restaurant explores the goings-on at Sooga Village as goblins, ghosts and the like meet martial arts with a wacky video game-like animation twist. The episodes include “Them Bones,” “Ghost of a Kiss,” “Invisible Trouble,” “High Voltage Ninjas,” “Ninjasarous,” and “Funny Love Eruption.”  The series has quite the following now, from kids to adults, and this DVD may be the best collection yet from the TV show. Lots of goofy fun here.

Harry the Dirty Dog & More Terrific Tails
(Scholastic Video Collection)
New Video Group

Make Way for Ducklings … and More Delightful Duck Stories
(Scholastic Storybook Treasures)
New Video Group

What some of these scholastic releases may lack in animation overall make up for in the stories, which adapt classic children’s books.  Harry the Dirty Dog & More Terrific Tails includes a version of Gene Zion’s title story, as well as Peggy Rathmann’s Officer Buckle and Gloria and Marjorie Flack’s Angus and the Ducks. When Harry runs away from home and comes back covered in mud, the family doesn’t know who he is, while Gloria tells the story of a police pooch narrated by John Lithgow. “Angus” is a charming Scottie and a live-action tale, discovering a quacking bunch just over the hedge.

Make Way for Ducklings … and More Delightful Duck Stories spotlights the children’s book written and illustrated by Robert McCloskey as Mr. and Mrs. Mallard go looking for a family home.  One of my personal childhood favorites is told in Ping, written by Marjorie Flack, illustrated by Kurt Wiese, and is featured, and there’s The Ugly Ducking – the classic Hans Christian Anderson story, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney.
Both DVDs are sort of like audio books with visuals and great for rainy days and a break from the Disney Channel or Cartoon Network.

Travel with Kids: England
Travel with Kids: London
Porchlight Home Entertainment

Great concept, but fair execution at best. I’d rather see Rick Steves and his family, maybe, as these Travel with Kids DVDs are too cutesy, too obvious when it comes to sites, attractions and landmarks in England and then, specifically, in London. Featuring the Roberts family, they don’t seem to really address the true nature of traveling with a child, be it one or two or more. Fancy restaurants aren’t a good idea, but you can do well in charming pubs and such, plus there are plenty of play park areas in Hyde Park in London. Breakfast (especially the traditional English kind with lots of options) and lunches are much better than dinners (unless you go early). And kids don’t care much about shopping unless there’s a toy store involved (how about Hamleys in London — “the world’s biggest”?). Sure, museums and history are a wonderful thing, but for every adult-oriented place, you need to find something kids will really enjoy. Also, this family seems to be able to afford upper price-range places when it comes to lodgings. Maybe the series should be titled Travel with Kids When You’re Well-Off.  Can’t recommend these much, really.  There’s not much fun here, and that’s what you need to keep kids engaged on trips to Europe and elsewhere. These are okay maybe as rentals, but you’ll still need those Frommers or Fodor’s guides and such.

Being Dad
Seedsman Group

Ah, a guide to fatherhood when the mom-to-be is expecting and then gives birth. This is a realistic guide to the male side of pregnancy: the things you can do and the things you just can’t. From the cravings to doctor visits to Lamaze classes to preparing the baby’s room and more, it’s all here in a warm-and-fuzzy style that also includes interviews with family medicine practitioners and talks with dads from all over the U.S. — from California to New York. Smart and sentimental, it’s a nice little reality video, also more to rent-as-needed than owned, but still addressing just how life-changing it all is for men as well as women.

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