Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs 1937
Disney's first foray into the world of Movie -length cartoons saw the first Academy awards for animation. Adapted from the classic children's story by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm. Songs include;Magic Mirror; I'm Wishing; Heigh-Ho; Whistle While You Work; There's Trouble A-Brewin; It's A Girl; Bluddle-Uddle-Um-Dum; Some Day My Prince Will Come; Have A Bite; Love's First Kiss. A classic movie in every sense of the word, which will entrance children of all ages.

Pinocchio 1940
This legendary animated feature is surely beyond criticism by now and, furthermore, it's unlikely that we'll see such forceful narrative in a kids' cartoon ever again. Disney's treatment of Collodi's story of the little wooden puppet who wants nothing more than to be a real boy is always guaranteed to have audiences entranced. While some of the movie's success is derived from its liberal use of the kind of imagery no children's film-maker would even attempt to get past the storyboard - a mysterious island where

children smoke cigars, get drunk and turn into donkeys, a monstrous, malicious sea-creature which is devoid of any trace of cuddliness and a pair of villains who routinely abduct children, to give just a few examples--the characters are depicted with the finest attention to detail, most of the songs have become classics in their own right ("When You Wish Upon a Star" being only one of many) and the graceful, stylised animation positively glows with fine detail. Essential family viewing

Fantasia 1940
Groundbreaking on several counts, not the least of which was an innovative use of animation and stereophonic sound, this ambitious Disney feature has lost nothing to time since its release in 1940. Classical music was interpreted by Disney animators, resulting in surreal fantasy and playful escapism. Leopold Stokowski and the Philadelphia Orchestra provided the music for eight segments by  Tchaikovsky, Moussorgsky, Stravinsky, Beethoven, Ponchielli, Bach, Dukas and Schubert.

 Not all the sequences were created equally, but a few are simply glorious, such as "Night on Bald Mountain", "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" and "The Nutcracker Suite". The animation ranges from subtly delicate to fiercely bold. The screen bursts with colour and action as creatures transmute and convention is thrust aside. The painstaking detail and saturated hues are unique to this film, unmatched even by more advanced technology.

Dumbo 1941
A Disney "classic" that actually is a classic, Dumbo should be part of your video collection whether or not you have children.  The film pits the "cold, cruel, heartless" world that can't accept abnormality against a plucky, and mute, hero. Jumbo Jr. (Dumbo is a mean-spirited nickname) is ostracized from the circus pack shortly after his delivery by the stork because of his big ears. His mother sticks up for him and is shackled. He's jeered by children (an insightful scene has one boy poking fun at

Dumbo's ears, even though the youngster's ears are also ungainly), used by the circus folk, and demoted to appearing with the clowns. Only the decent Timothy Q. Mouse looks out for the little guy. Concerns about the un-PC "Jim Crow" crows, who mock Dumbo with the wonderful "When I See an Elephant Fly," should be moderated by remembering that the crows are the only social group in the film who act kindly to the little outcast. If you don't mist up during the "Baby Mine" scene, you may be legally pronounced dead.

Reluctant Dragon 1941
The 1941 feature film was based around the writer, Robert Benchley, touring the Disney studios.  Unfortunately, the Disney "Mini Classic" release has been edited down to just the cartoon. Benchley is not to be seen or heard. For this reason I am disappointed in the release. If you have no interest in Robert Benchley, you will no doubt love this classic Disney "mini" feature (21 minutes long) and the accompanying short cartoon about a small moose.

Bambi 1942
Reflecting an age of innocence and a time of wonder, no film better captures the pure magic of Disney than BAMBI -- the world's most endearing animated tale about the beauty of nature and the miracle of life. Nominated for three Academy Awards, this immortal blend of classic storytelling and unforgettable characters is most fondly remembered as Walt Disney's all-time favourite picture. As morning light breaks across the meadow, a new prince of the forest is born.

Soon Bambi emerges from the thicket on wobbly legs, much to the delight of his new friends, Thumper, the playful rabbit, and Flower, the bashful yet lovable skunk. But the fun of skating on "stiff water," nibbling fresh blossoms, and frolicking through the woods is only the beginning. Exploring his new world, and guided by the wisdom of Friend Owl, Bambi learns valuable lessons with every adventure --experiencing love, loss, growth, and renewal along the way. Fully restored to its original theatrical splendour, this digitally re-mastered video edition of BAMBI can now take its place among your most cherished family keepsakes. Relive Disney's extraordinary movie masterpiece "filled with laughter and inspired animation!"

Saludos Amigos 1943
Four segments see Donald Duck exploring Lake Titicaca, Goofy as El Gaucho Goofy ,Pedro the mail plane who has to brave the mountains in order to get the mail through and José carioca, a character who would go on to star in many more films and cartoons including "The Three Caballeros. He teaches Donald about the music of Latin America.

Victory Through Air Power 1943
A Disney feature length cartoon that is both documentary and propaganda film. Inspired by Walt's desire to help the war effort, this film deals with the ability of airplanes to help turn the tide against the Axis powers in World War II.

The Three Caballeros 1945
As a Disney oddity, they don't get much odder than Three Caballeros. Donald Duck receives a birthday package from South America, and the film proceeds to unravel like some peyote-induced hallucination. It starts out reminiscent of other Disney films, where shorts are cobbled together, such as "Make Mine Music" or "Fun and Fancy Free".

Make Mine Music 1946
Share in Walt Disney's extraordinary vision of pairing imaginative stories with spectacular music in Disney's 8th full-length animated classic, available for the first time ever. In the tradition of FANTASIA, MAKE MINE MUSIC is a glorious collection of musically charged animated shorts featuring such fun-filled favourites as "Peter And The Wolf," narrated by the beloved voice behind Winnie The Pooh. In addition, you'll enjoy such classic cartoon hits as "Casey At The Bat," "The Whale Who Wanted To

Sing At The Met," and "Johnnie Fedora And Alice Bluebonnet," the whimsical adventure of two hats who fall in love in a department store window. Every member of your family will have a favourite in this musical medley of fun and fantasy from Disney!

The song "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah," won an Oscar as Best Song and James Baskett's unforgettable portrayal of Uncle Remus has touched generations since.  The Motion Picture Academy presented the actor with an honorary Oscar "for his heart-warming characterization of Uncle Remus, friend and storyteller to the children of the world."
With this honour, James Baskett became the first male African-American actor to receive an Academy Award.

Fun & Fancy Free 1947
A cartoon with two delightful stories featuring Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy and Jiminy Cricket, and was the last animated film with Walt Disney as the voice of Mickey Mouse. Fun is probably worth the purchase for "Mickey and the Beanstalk," the second half of this combo-film. "Beanstalk" includes the last performance by Walt Disney of Mickey Mouse. It also has Donald Duck and Goofy as comrades who climb the beanstalk in their back yard to face Willy the Giant. This segment actually achieves the

goals of the film's title. The first half, however, is "Bongo," the story of a addlepated circus bear. "Bongo" is more poky and interest-free. Dinah Shore warbles and narrates the segment, and it goes on much too long for its purpose. Don't trade your cow in for it.

Melody Time 1948
This is another collection of Disney shorts set to music, but this time the formula works. That's predicated on the inherent strength of the individual pieces and almost all of them come through. Surprisingly, two American folk heroes, Johnny Appleseed and Pecos Bill, are the stars of this show, with rousty little tunes, humour, and compelling linear story lines (a rarity in most of these shorts). Even the shorts that are weak in one area, thematically or musically, make up for it in another. There's very little of the Disney

animators attempting to be 1940s modern, thank goodness, and there's a sterling quality in the depth of the art work. A definite plus to an animation (or Disney) collection.

The Adventures of Ichabod & Mr. Toad 1949
This 1949 Disney feature has never been available on video in its original form until now. The 68-minute film contains two shorts: The Wind in the Willows and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. The former is a lively version of Kenneth Grahame's book of animal adventures, including Mr. Toad, a rambunctious sort with a passion for motorcars. Basil Rathbone narrates the story. Sleepy Hollow is the Washington Irving story of a stuffy schoolmaster and his ability to win the love of the fair Katrina from the brutish Brom Van

Brunt. Many fans will see a resemblance to Disney's masterpiece created some 40 years later, Beauty and the Beast, in style and story. The end is still scary enough to send youngsters under the table. Bing Crosby supplies the narration, character voices, and songs. The opening number in a library including two stories has been included in this good-looking restoration. The shorts were made in Disney's prime, a year before Cinderella, and the look is wondrous. The exaggeration of Ichabod's skinny frame and his slumping horse is a glorious example.

Cinderella 1950
Disney's adaptation of the beloved fairy tale became a classic in its own right, thanks to some memorable tunes (including "A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes," "Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo," and the title song) and some endearingly cute comic relief. We all know the story--the wicked stepmother and stepsisters simply won't have it, this uppity Cinderella thinking she's going to a ball designed to find the handsome prince an appropriate sweetheart, but perseverance, animal buddies, and a well-timed entrance by a fairy godmother make sure things turn out all right. There are a few striking sequences

of pure animation--for example, Cinderella is reflected in bubbles drifting through the air--and the design is rich and evocative throughout. It's a simple story padded here agreeably with comic business, particularly Cinderella's rodent pals (dressed up conspicuously like the dwarf sidekicks of another famous Disney heroine) and their misadventures with a wretched cat named Lucifer. There's also much harrumphing and exposition spouting by the King and the Grand Duke. It's a much simpler and more graceful work than the more frenetically paced animated films of today, which makes it simultaneously quaint and highly gratifying.

Treasure Island 1950
Strap on your pantaloons and prepare to travel with Jim Hawkins and Blind Pew to one of the most famous fictional islands in history, Treasure Island. Walt Disney's 1950 adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's swashbuckling masterpiece has held up extremely well, with action and characterisations that feel freshly minted (although it's unlikely that the Mouse of today would sanction the high level of booze flowing throughout the picture). Great fun, with nary a wasted frame and, in the character of .

Alice in Wonderland 1951
Imaginatively rendered but slightly chilly, this 1951 Disney adaptation of the Lewis Carroll classic is also appropriately surreal. Alice (voiced by Kathryn Beaumont) has all the anticipated experiences: shrinking and growing, meeting the White Rabbit, having tea with the Mad Hatter, and so on. The characterisation is very strong, illustrating how hard the Disney team worked to bring screen personality to Carroll's eccentric creations.

The Story of Robin Hood 1952
A minor classic from Disney, this 1973 all-animal, all-animated musical version of the familiar story of Robin Hood is more charming than one might expect. Perhaps it's the warm, chummy take on key relationships within the legend--the way Robin Hood (Brian Bedford) gets twitterpated whenever the subject of Maid Marian (Monica Evans) comes up or the way best pal Little John (Phil Harris voicing a variation on his own Baloo from The Jungle Book) admonishes the Sherwood Forest hero, "Aw, Rob, why dontcha just marry the girl?"

(Then, of course, there's the canny "casting" of the romantic leads as foxes: Robin the sly one and Marian the, well, foxy one.) The rest of the vocal cast is lively and eclectic: Peter Ustinov, Andy Devine, Terry Thomas, George Lindsey. Roger Miller provides the songs and voice for the minstrel character Allan-A-Dale. The film is ably directed by Wolfgang Reitherman, whose decades of work in Disney's animation division helped create the studio's rich legacy.

Peter Pan 1953 Peter Pan has a special place in the realm of classic animated Disney films: it instils an element of child-like wonder. The 1953 version of James M Barrie's story is colourfully told and keeps on the straight and narrow of the book. Barrie's wondrous focus on child's play is the key to its longevity: children who don't grow up, shadows that run away from their owners, pirates, a fairy, and the magic ability to fly. In short, you can't help wishing the adventure would happen to you. Fuelled by a few memorable songs (the stunner being "You Can Fly") and the strong impression of the

pixie fairy Tinkerbell and the goofy Captain Hook, Disney's version of this story neither supplants nor lessens the Broadway version with Mary Martin that was produced for television the same decade. Unlike some classics, Peter Pan never ages along the way.

The Sword and the Rose 1953
This fine period drama, set during the reign of King Henry VIII, tells of the ill-fated romance between Charles Brandon, palace captain of the guard, and Princess Mary Tudor.

The Living Desert 1953 Academy Award® winner for Best Documentary Feature. The film stands as a landmark of factual filmmaking. As Walt Disney had had a difficult time convincing his distributor, RKO, of the value of the True-Life Adventure featurettes, he had renewed problems when he produced his first feature-length True-Life Adventure. Again they argued that audiences would not pay money to see a one-hour-plus film about desert creatures. But again, Walt knew they were wrong. This time he went to Roy Disney and together they decided that it was time to part company with RKO and handle

the releases of Disney products themselves. So with a little trepidation, they made the break and set up the Buena Vista Distribution Company, whose first release was "The Living Desert." This film, made for only about half a million dollars, made $5 million during its original release, and Walt and Roy knew they had made the right decision. Released on video in 1986.

Rob Roy, The Highland Rogue 1954
Richard Todd leads the Scots in revolt against England's stodgy King George I, while trying to gain the support of the Scottish secretary of state. When the latter is replaced by a spiteful louse who wants to undermine Todd's mission, Todd has to fight battles on both fronts. This heavy-handed plot might have worked better had it been directed by Ken Annakin (ROBIN HOOD; THE SWORD AND THE ROSE) as was intended. Instead, at the request of J. Arthur Rank, Annakin was told he could no longer work for Disney and was replaced by French. This fiasco, as well as the picture's failure (though it oddly

The Vanishing Prairie 1954
The second of Walt Disney's feature-length "True Life Adventures", The Vanishing Prairie concentrates on that portion of the United States bounded by the Rocky Mountains and the Mississippi River. After a brief tableux of extinct animal species, the film shows us several "endangered" types: The Whooping Crane, the Buffalo, the Prong-horn Antelope, the Big-horn Sheep, the Prairie Dog, etc. While mankind is clearly to blame for much of the "vanishing" alluded to in the title, the film demonstrates how the various species

themselves enact a process of natural selection. Expectedly, The Vanishing Prairie has its corny moments-Winston Hibler's aw-shucks narration, the use of "The Anvil Chorus" as background music for a deadly battle between two bighorn sheep-the film is on the whole a well-balanced and adroitly assembled presentation. Incidentally, this was the first Disney film to be (briefly) banned in New York, thanks to a superbly photographed--and utterly harmless--scene of a buffalo giving birth to a calf

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea 1954
Climb aboard the Nautilus ... and into a strange undersea world of spellbinding adventure! Kirk Douglas, Paul Lukas, and Peter Lorre star as shipwrecked survivors taken captive by the mysterious Captain Nemo, brilliantly portrayed by James Mason. Wavering between genius and madness, Nemo has launched a deadly crusade across the seven seas. But can the captive crew expose his evil plan before he destroys the world? Disney's brilliant Academy Award®-winning (1955, Best Art Direction and Best Special Effects) adaptation

of Jules Verne's gripping tale makes 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA a truly mesmerizing masterpiece!  

Lady and the Tramp 1955
Generations of fans have fallen in love with Walt Disney's 15th animated masterpiece -- an irresistible song-filled adventure about Lady, a lovingly pampered cocker spaniel, and Tramp, a roguish mutt from across the tracks. As one of Disney's most delightful and captivating classics, LADY AND THE TRAMP has earned praise as "a marvel of animation!" (Chicago Daily News). When Aunt Sarah moves in with her devious felines Si and Am to baby-sit, the very protective Lady soon finds herself being fitted for the

unthinkable - a muzzle! In her bid for freedom, she meets and is charmed by Tramp, dog-about-town. Together with friends Jock, Trusty, and Peg, they share thrilling adventures on a lovely bella notte as Lady learns what it means to be footloose and leash-free. Now the exquisite Disney animation, memorable music, and happiest of endings are available for the first time in this fully restored format, never-before-seen on video.

Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier 1955
Fess Parker captured the hearts of millions with his strong, confident portrayal of the legendary king of the wild frontier. There's never been a folk hero quite like Davy Crockett, and you'll see why when you watch him "grin" down a bear, battle an Indian chief in a tomahawk duel, and fight for freedom at the Alamo. Disney's popular action-adventure inspired millions of children to sport coonskin caps and sing "The Ballad Of Davy Crockett," which topped the nation's hit list for 13 weeks! As Walt Disney

himself proclaimed, the story of Davy Crockett, with its entertaining blend of drama, humour, and adventure, will always be a colourful reflection of the frontier spirit

The African Lion 1955
Discover what wildlife enthusiasts have clamoured for! The pioneering wildlife achievements of Walt Disney's team of filmmakers, brought to video by popular demand. The award-winning TRUE-LIFE ADVENTURES series will amaze and thrill you with dramatic stories and striking imagery -- unforgettable moments captured on film and now offered on video! Set in the shadow of magnificent Mount Kilimanjaro, this timeless and captivating film captures the sights and sounds of the African plateau region and all of

 its inhabitants. Follow a family of lions through the changing seasons, experience the thrill of the hunt, nature's wrath in a blinding dust storm, and an incredible locust invasion, and the heart-warming fun of a mother lion caring for her playful cubs. A world-favourite documentary.

The Littlest Outlaw 1955
Determined to save a magnificent but abused stallion from certain destruction, Pablito, a peasant boy, steals the beautiful animal and together, they ride off on an adventure-filled odyssey ... with the Mexican military in hot pursuit. From a harrowing encounter with armed banditos to a tense confrontation in the perilous confines of a bullring, the two runaways find danger at every turn in this captivating family drama filmed amid the rugged beauty of Mexico.