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One of Disney's biggest and most fondly remembered hits, the spectacular screen version of the literary classic SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON is full of breathtaking South Seas scenery, hundreds of exotic animals, and treacherous pirates. This heroic tale chronicles the courageous exploits of the Robinson family after they are shipwrecked on a deserted island. Using teamwork and ingenuity, they skillfully get over the obstacles of nature and transform their new home into a "civilized" community. But the uttermost challenge lies in front when a band of cutthroat pirates threaten to destruct the Robinson's Makeshift paradise. Capture the thrills, romance, and fun of this unforgettable Disney film!
The Disney touch is all over this grand, colorful version of the Johann Wyss adventure of a European family set off for the new world of New Guinea. The film opens on a ship jostled and torn by a raging storm while a family struggles to make it through alive. Tossed into a reef near a deserted tropical island, father John Mills takes charge and the family soon turns their island prison into a veritable paradise. Their multilevel tree house, built in record time, is finish with running water and a working pipe organ scavenged from the ship, while their grand yard is abloom in English roses. As a tale of hardship and pioneer pluck, the tale is pure fantasy, but as amusement it's energetic and appealing. The island is impossibly populated by ostriches, zebras, lions, and elephants, a private zoo that delectations the youngest boy and offers a great deal of comic relief. The two older brothers discover even wilder life when they rescue the prisoner of oriental pirates (led by hard-bitten Sessue Hayakawa). There's little real peril anyplace in the film--even the climactic battle with the pirates is a cartoonish affair, with coconut bombs and nonlethal booby traps, until the final desperate, deadly moments. Hardly a faithful adaptation of the novel, but a lush, beautifully photographed film and an agreeably diverting adventure safe for all ages. Dorothy McGuire costars as the proper, worry-prone mother. (Ages 5 and older) --Sean Axmaker
Most helpful client reviews 207 of 214 persons found the following review helpful.
 Loaded particular DVD deserves more than 5 stars
By microjoe
I strongly recommend! Originally freed in 1960, the film returned to theatres 4 times in later years. This is perfectly one of the most fun family films the Walt Disney Studios ever made. There is veritably something for everyone... comedy, action, adventure, drama, romance, and suspense. Even at 126 minutes in length, it does not feel too long. Starting in the aftermath of a shipwreck, the Swiss family rebuilds their life on an uncharted tropical island. They use the wealth of salvage in livestock, tools, guns, furniture, wood, and more to build a safe home in the trees, finish with running water and other conveniences. The mother and father begin an idealic exhistance with their 3 boys aged 9, 16, and 18. But one day the older boys determine to take a canoe and survey the rest of the island. They stumble throughout pirates that are attacking the crew of a ship, and rescue the captain's daughter, bringing the wrath of the pirates on them since they are discovered.
Directed by Ken Annakin, the movie was filmed on emplacement on the caribbean island of Tobago. While the production went way over budget for a total cost of $4 million, Walt did not get trouble with his production team at the time since the film was looking to be success when he reviewed clips from the set. As it turned out, with subsequent theatre releases, television, and video airing, the film has turned out to be one of the top-grossing films from Disney.
The tropical scenery is spectacular as they filmed all over the island; waterfalls, forests, grass plains, flowers, beaches, cliffs, mountains, oceans, streams, and much more. Contributing a tremendous amount to the exotic locale of the movie are animals, pirates, ships, and a tree house to beat all tree houses ever made. Similar to the role the submarine "Nautilus" filled in the earlier film "20,000 Leagues Below the Sea", the tree house becomes a star in it's own right. The fantasti and inventive home designed by the castaways and from the ships salvage is unbelievable to behold.
Featuring a wondrous cast and crew collected by Walt himself, Mr. Disney liked to stick with actors he knew could relate to a wide audience. Most of the actors in this film appeared in other Disney movies over the years, a lot of times with other actors from this film. Dorothy McGuire (Old Yeller, Summer Magic), John Mills (Did not appear in other Disney movies, but was Hayley Mills real life father), James MacArthur (Light in the Forest, Third Man on the Mountain, Kidnapped), Kevin Corcoran (A Tiger Walks, Savage Sam, Old Yeller, The Shaggy Dog, Bon Voyage, Babes in Toyland, Toby Tyler, Pollyanna), Tommy Kirk (Probably the most proficient of all with Savage Sam, Old Yeller, The Shaggy Dog, Moon Pilot, Bon Voayage, Son of Flubber, The Absent-Minded Professor, Misadventure of Merlin Jones, The Monkeys Uncle, Babes in Toyland), and Janet Munroe (Darby O'Gill and the Little People, Third Man on the Mountain). Most of these actors also appeared in movies for the Walt Disney television on a weekly basis anthology show as well.
VAULT DISNEY DVD VERSION
The 2 disc DVD treatment that Disney gave this film is perfect, starting with outstanding packaging and case. It is in Widescreen, the introductory widescreen release outside of theatres for the film in fact. And what a divergence it makes in the finelooking emplacement island vistas of the film. The film has been cleaned up and remastered to it is primary splendor with lush colors, great effigy and depth, it just sparkles. The DVD transfer itself is very well done, a high quality job. The audio is very clean and crisp.
DVD EXTRAS
The extras on this DVD are what in truth make the best version freed of this film, and they are not all listed here at Amazon or even on the packaging. You have to hunt them down and get originative with your remote. So let me support by telling you what to look for if you buy this... For starters they have the primary cartoon that was freed with the movie, "Sea Salts" permitting you to see this with the kids the way that it is meant to be seen. There is a 2 minute "1960 Disney Studio Album", a montage of projects, attractions, shows, and films being made and freed that year. There is an audio commentary as an substitute track that features remarks from cast and crew.
Next we have 23 minutes from a vintage Walt Disney television "Wonderful World of Disney" episode titled "Escape to Paradise", that show the making of the film behind the scenes. Up next is the original 1960 movie theatre trailers for the film, and the 1960 televison spots to publicize the film. Then there are "Storyboard to Scene Comparisons"; a seperate "Storyboard Gallery"; and a 2 minute "Production Gallery" of photo stills from behind the scenes at location. Another gallery is full of production stills; Next is "Biographies" on 8 principle actors; and then "Concept Art" on the films pre-production design work.
As if that's not sufficient a featurette titled "Adventure in the Making" was made just for this set, and at 49:00 minutes long it is very finish and satisfying, with recent consultations of the basi cast and crew. There is outstanding behind the scenes firstborn footage in this piece, and the folks regale us with amusive stories of the filming days. Peter Elleshaw (matte artist), Ken Annakin (director), Danny Lee (special effects), and actors John Mills, Tommy Kirk, Kevin Corcoran are all here for progressed interviews. ANOTHER short 4 minute featurette that was likewise made just for this set is "Swiss Family Treehouse", narrated by Hayley Mills (Pollyana, Parent Trap, That Darn Cat, Summer Magic, In Search of the Castaways, The Moon-Spinners), . It is the pre-opening footage and the actual Opening Ceremony of the "Swiss Family Robinson's Tree House" attraction (now gone, substituted with Tarzans Tree House) at the Disneyland Park. Walt Disney himself is there and it is evident he is genuinely enjoying himself in this must-see footage.
Included on the set is a very nice 12 minute consultation with James MacArthur, who appeared in this film and 3 others for Disney along with a TV movie. This features great video as well. There is a "Pirates" music video sing along featuring pirate themed clips from Disney films, TV shows, cartoons, and the theme park attraction "Pirates of the Caribbean", all set to the Disney tune of "Yo Ho, Yo Ho, A Pirates Life For Me". An strange or unexpected extra is a featurette that has 20 minutes of excerpts from a 1940 non-Disney version of the story.
The dvd set has Audio Archives set to photos from the film, including 2 Interactive Sound Studios, 2 songs from the film, initial 1960 radio spots. Another real treat is the finish LP soundtrack of the basi "Storybook Album" of the movie freed in 1960.
SUMMARY
I in truth enjoyed this DVD, and this film actually got the best of treatment by Disney. They merely outdid themselves and I am one thankful viewer. I wish all the in truth good classic Disney films got at least some of this royal treatment. They have a reputation as the best studio with regards to protecting their old source material, archives, etc, but they are not always generous in using it for their DVD's so I may actually be grateful for the effort here by the decision makers. Thank you Disney for this compilation that actually honors this gem of a film the way it will have to be!!!! My most eminent recommendation if you are taking into account buying this DVD. 22 of 23 humans found the following review helpful.
Classic Disney adventure -- Superlative DVD release
By A
The folks at Walt Disney Home Video have put together four magnificent new "Vault Disney" releases that veritably showcase DVD technology at it is best. "Swiss Family Robinson," one of Walt Disney's best-loved live-action adventures, gains immensely from DVD technology, particularly the wide-screen making something publicly available and THX restored picture and sound quality. The widescreen alone would have satisfied most fans, so the plethora of extras on the supplemental disc are genuinely special. I have never seen a DVD with so galore extras staged in such a originative and without apparent effort accessible way. Thank you to every one at Walt Disney Home Video for this fantasti DVD. Hopefully, more titles will follow in this series (like Third Man on the Mountain, Darby O'Gill and the Little People, The Moonspinners, and Summer Magic) and ALL Disney DVD's will be freed in their original theatrical ratios 21 of 23 humans found the following review helpful.
Vault Disney DVD packed with extras for a low price
By Lulu
What a fantastic DVD this is. The Vault Disney series is wonderful, and I hope they give more films the same treatment soon. Not only is the film beautifully restored (in it is original 2:35:1 theatrical aspect ratio, and with 5.1 THX surround sound), but the DVD itself is packed with delightful extras. There's a documentary when it comes to making "Swiss Family Robinson" that is almost 50 minutes long and holds consultations with Sir John Mills, James MacArthur, Tommy Kirk, and Kevin Corcoran. There's a commentary track with the latter three contributing remarks with regards to the film. There's an further and added consultation with MacArthur regarding his film work, the original theatrical trailer and television spots, radio spots, the entire story album that came out with the film, a Donald Duck cartoon, and more! If you like "Swiss Family Robinson," get this DVD -- even if you already have the VHS tape. It's worth it just to at long last have a widescreen version of this family-friendly classic (the better to view the wondrous island vistas), even if you don't figure all of the fantasti extras into the bargain. See all 137 client reviews... |
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