In the 1960s, being a real housewife in the South didn’t involve hair pulling, car service or the Botox of today—but that doesn’t mean there wasn’t any drama.
The Help, based on the 2009 novel by Kathryn Stockett, tells the tale of Eugenia “Skeeter” Phelan (Emma Stone), a recent college graduate who has decided to pursue a writing career. Returning home to Jackson for the summer, she reconnects with friends who are now married and have households of their own. Skeeter’s ambitions lie more toward having a profession than a family, much to the chagrin of her cancer-stricken mother, Charlotte (Allison Janney).
While ghost writing a cleaning column for the local paper, Skeeter begins to look for something which will inspire her to write. Spurred by both the disappearance of her beloved family maid, Constantine (Cicely Tyson), and the way her friends treat their own household servants, she decides to write a book from the perspective of the help.
It soon becomes clear that her perspective won’t only be unpopular, but also illegal in the state of Mississippi. She perseveres, quietly convincing the stoic Aibileen (Viola Davis) and sassy Minny (brilliantly portrayed by Octavia Spencer) to join her project. One by one, maids and nannies open up, telling their stories and stirring up trouble.
Writer-director Tate Taylor (Pretty Ugly People), a Jackson, Mississippi native, deftly adapts the screenplay from Stockett’s novel. His vision of the South is from an actual Southerner’s point of view and, as such, rings true in every detail, from the manicured front lawns and shady porches to the fried chicken and okra.
The warm, homey atmosphere juxtaposes nicely with the darker elements of the story, such as the casual racism and implied domestic violence. Although the story is mainly about the trials and tribulations of colored servants, it also exposes the dilemma of certain members of Jackson society who were torn between their love of long-time employees and the need to keep up appearances.
The cast is full of talented actors, but a few really shine in their roles. Bryce Dallas Howard, who typically plays very sympathetic characters, is positively loathsome as Hilly, the segregationist socialite with a vicious mean streak. Octavia Spencer, meanwhile, gives the film both humor and pathos as the beleaguered Minny, and Allison Janney’s arc from stubborn Southern matriarch to regretful, yet spirited, invalid is inspiring.
It’s Stone’s Skeeter, however, who grabs the heart of the audience as she transitions from a naïve girl to a woman of principle while bridging both sides of the civil rights movement.
Despite the main characters facing job loss and worse, the movie ends on an upbeat tone. Viewers get the sense that things will get better for most of these women, and history more or less bears this conclusion out. But the true joy of The Help isn’t so much knowing a happy ending is coming, but in seeing how the various characters get the courage to fight for one in the first place.
Now available as a two-disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack (Buena Vista Home Entertainment, MSRP: $39.99; three-disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack with digital copy, MSRP: $44.99), The Help features a few well thought out extras, some of which are also included on the single-disc DVD release (MSRP: $29.99).
Deleted scenes are a staple of most Blu-ray and DVD releases these days, and The Help is no exception. The DVD version contains the two most powerful bits trimmed from the feature introduced by Taylor, while the Blu-ray release holds an additional three scenes. While the scenes do indeed flesh out the characters in the movie, as Taylor often points out, none of them moved the action along or were necessary to the storytelling. They are, however, gems and, on their own, are lovely character studies.
Also common to both the Blu-ray and DVD editions is the Mary J. Blige music video for “The Living Proof.”
In Hollywood, there’s friendship and there’s business. The two states aren’t often combined, which makes this film a rarity on many levels. In “The Making of The Help: From Friendship to Film,” a Blu-ray exclusive, viewers get to witness how friendship and loyalty are woven throughout more than just the storyline. Stockett and Taylor, friends since childhood, reveal their history, and the remarkable series of events that led to making exactly the film they wanted to make.
If The Help had been a documentary set in modern times instead of a feature film, it might have looked a lot like the final exclusive Blu-ray bonus feature, “In Their Own Words: A Tribute to the Maids of Mississippi.” Taylor and Spencer sit down with a few ladies and their daughters to see if times were truly as they were portrayed in the movie. While a few chose to ignore the turmoil of the times (“If you never brought it up, you never had to have a conversation,” one woman serenely offered), there were others whose friends or family lost jobs for being involved with the civil rights movement. As difficult as times were, however, it is clear that the bonds between families and their help went deep, and have continued over generations.
The Help is now available on DVD and Blu-ray.
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Most every kid who knows the story of Santa delivering presents to good boys and girls on Christmas Eve has probably, at some point, questioned the logistics of it all. How does Kris Kringle manage to make all of those stops in one night? How does he find the houses when it snows? And, most importantly, how does he get in and out without being seen?
ABC attempted to help parents answer a few of these inevitable questions in 2009 with the animated special “Prep & Landing.” Now available exclusively on DVD (Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment, MSRP: $19.99), the story follows Wayne (voiced by Dave Foley), an elf with the elite Prep & Landing division at the North Pole. This special force of elves is deployed to houses ahead of Santa to secure the location with military precision, ensuring that the tree and stockings are ready for gifts, the milk is at the optimal temperature and, most importantly, no creatures are stirring.
After 200 years of dousing fires and putting curious pets to sleep, Wayne is ready to move ahead in his career, but instead of the hoped-for promotion to Director of the Naughty List, he gets a new partner freshly graduated from the Kringle Academy.
Where Wayne is jaded and disillusioned, Lanny (voiced by Derek Richardson) is full of Christmas spirit. He’s raring to go, excited to start “the most tinsel job ever.” Upset at being passed over, Wayne decides to let the exuberant newbie handle all the prep work at little Timmy’s house while he indulges in some uncharacteristically naughty behavior. Disaster inevitably strikes, and Santa is about to miss the house entirely when Lanny helps Wayne rediscover his love of the season and they save the day.
Full of charming characters (coffee-fueled Magee, efficient Miss Holly) and witty turns of phrase mixed in with some cool high-tech gadgetry, “Prep & Landing” provides a fresh view of life at the North Pole and is destined to be one of those holiday specials that becomes a tradition, falling somewhere between It’s a Wonderful Life and How the Grinch Stole Christmas.
Fans who might be leery of spending their Christmas cash on a DVD lasting only 22 minutes shouldn’t despair: there are plenty of bonus features to flesh out the disc. First off, “Operation Secret Santa” is a short that follows Lanny and Wayne on a mission filled with secret-agent thrills and sentimentality, made even more awesome by the unmistakable vocal talent of Betty White as Mrs. Claus. About half as long as the movie, “Operation Secret Santa” adds more depth to the story of Santa as well as the two main characters.
By comparison, the short “Tiny’s Big Adventure” is only a few minutes long and mostly one long sight gag. There are a few giggles to be had, but, compared to “Operation Secret Santa,” “Tiny’s Big Adventure” is mostly forgettable.
The other two bonus features—the Kringle Academy Training Videos and North Pole Commercials—are interesting but odd. The training videos are meant to look like they were run on projectors, a concept which is probably confusing to those under the age of 20, and feature artwork reminiscent of old World War II-era recruitment efforts, though they feature very modern technology. The nostalgic flavor will probably appeal more to parents (or grandparents!) than children, but the videos may open up a dialogue about how things were “in the old days” that will bond generations.
The commercials are more modern in tone, but don’t make much sense. A dating service for elves? An eatery called The Fruitcake Factory? A spa retreat for tired elves? None of these seem like they would interest kids (or even adults). They would be cute spaced into the commercial break spots in the main feature, but on their own are a little silly.
Like most Disney releases, there are also the requisite commercials (a teaser for the upcoming Disney Studio All Access service, Lady and the Tramp: Diamond Edition, Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas) and the FastPlay option.
Overall, “Prep & Landing” is a worthy addition to any holiday movie collection. Fans of the original should keep their eyes peeled for the sequel, “Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice,” in which Lanny and Wayne must recover top-secret North Pole technology that has fallen into the hands of a naughty kid hacker. The animated special airs Mon., Dec. 5 at 8:30 p.m. on ABC.
“Prep & Landing” is now available on DVD.
Published on SoCal.com
Published on SoCal.com
Ten years ago, a bespectacled orphan by the name of Harry Potter made his debut on the silver screen and won the hearts of children and adults across the world. With the Blu-ray release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (Warner Home Video; three-disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack with UltraViolet digital copy MSRP: $35.99), enthusiasts have not only been given the final installment of the saga that followed actors Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint as they grew from awkward kids into confident young adults, but also a number of special features that truly make this set a love letter to fans of both the movies and the original books by author J.K. Rowling.
The movie begins immediately where Part 1 left off, with Voldemort’s (Ralph Fiennes) triumph at finding the elder wand, the last of the coveted Deathly Hallows. Harry and his friends, having narrowly escaped Malfoy Manor alive, question Griphook the goblin (Warwick Davis) and Ollivander the wandmaker (John Hurt) for clues to the finding the last of the horcruxes.
A shaky plan is formed to break into Bellatrix Lestrange’s vault at the wizard bank Gringotts, which quickly goes awry. Some great acting by Helena Bonham Carter playing-Hermione-playing-Bellatrix provides some humor in an otherwise grim sequence, including almost being buried alive by expanding treasure and a narrow escape on the back of a wildly unpredictable dragon. The CGI blends beautifully with live actors and props to give the scene a very real, intense feeling. As the heroes cling to the back of the frightened dragon, rising through the floor of the bank to soar gracelessly over the rooftops of London, viewers catch their breath, never doubting the reality of what they’re seeing onscreen.
That reality extends to battle scenes at Hogwarts, where students and teachers band together with the last members of the Order of the Phoenix to fight fantastical creatures, such as giants and spiders, amidst the Death Eaters. The good guys have their share of magical help as well, in the form of stone guardians which McGonagall (Maggie Smith) animates to protect the castle, and a huge protective shield which defenders cast around the property.
Digital effects don’t stand a chance next to the human element, however. It’s amazing to see Hogwarts students, teachers and members of the Order reunited in battle, even if there are only glimpses of favorites such as Lupin (David Thewlis), Hagrid (Robbie Coltrane), Tonks (Natalia Tena) and Trelawney (Emma Thompson). Many beloved characters also meet their end throughout the course of the film, bringing home the reality that they’re fighting a war.
In the end, it should come as no surprise that good triumphs over evil and love conquers all. What may be surprising is how emotional the ending might be for many who have followed the series from the beginning. While the movie’s coda takes place 19 years in the future (and includes the most tear-jerking scene in the entire movie), it almost feels like an anti-climax. The real end seems to be after the battle, when the three friends stand overlooking the rubble of Hogwarts. It’s the end of their quest, and the future is uncertain. Where do they go from here? It’s a question to which Harry Potter fans can certainly relate.
For an even richer viewing experience, forget the traditional audio commentary—Maximum Movie Mode is the way to experience this movie. Hosted by Matthew Lewis (Neville Longbottom), this mode treats viewers to the theatrical version of the film intercut with cast commentary, deleted scenes, director’s notes and, best of all, select readings from the book Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows performed by various cast members. Far from being a distraction, the clips and the movie flow together, adding touches of humor and sentiment to what is already an emotionally charged film.
There is also the option to click through to the nine Focus Points featurettes during the Maximum Movie mode, or they are available to view individually on the Blu-ray disc. Featuring in-depth looks at characters like Aberforth Dumbledore and Neville Longbottom, these mini-documentaries give some insights into character motivations, backstories and actor challenges.
The special features disc includes even more treats for fans, including more than six minutes of deleted footage (also available in the Maximum Movie Mode as well as on the single-disc DVD release, MSRP: $28.98). While fun to watch, these scenes ultimately slowed the momentum of the movie and were better left on the cutting room floor.
Other filmmakers might use CGI effects to populate Gringotts with its supernatural workforce (after all, all of their scenes combined last less than 10 minutes onscreen), but “The Goblins of Gringotts” offers a behind-the-scenes look at the casting, makeup design and timing it took to coordinate stylists and makeup artists to create 40-plus goblins in just 4 hours. It’s nothing short of amazing.
Hermione Granger wasn’t the only strong female character in J.K. Rowling’s arsenal. In “The Women of Harry Potter,” viewers learn more about the witches behind the wizards, the inspirations for the characters and Rowling’s theory on why mother love could have legitimately saved Harry’s life, while lack thereof caused Voldemort’s ultimate downfall.
The best of the special features by far is the nearly hour-long “A Conversation with J.K. Rowling and Daniel Radcliffe.” Harry Potter’s creator and the young man who brought him to life talk about their experiences from the beginning, and it is poignant and touching to watch—and also quite funny. The author debunks some famous rumors (did she really have the last chapter written before the first book was published?), and the actor reminisces about some of the more painful aspects of playing Harry (such as an allergy to the original glasses). Each of the two are certainly fans of the other, and it is wonderful to witness the closure they both come to with regards to the end of the series.
Viewers are also given a sneak peek behind the scenes of the upcoming Harry Potter attraction at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London, opening in the spring of 2012. Visitors will be able to walk on the actual movie sets (including the Great Hall, the Gryffindor common room and Dumbledore’s office), learn secrets of filming and examine props up close.
Rounding out the extras is a PlayStation 3 game demo for LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7 and an advertisement for the new Pottermore Web site (currently in Beta), created in part by J.K. Rowling. The Web site promises readers the chance to experience the story like never before, with new writings by the author and interactive areas, games and a shop where audiobook and e-book versions will be sold.
Fans looking to add this (or any of the other seven movies) to their collection will want to act fast: Warner Bros. has said it will stop shipping DVDs and Blu-rays of the entire Harry Potter franchise as of Dec. 29 (digital sales and Video on Demand will not be affected), allegedly to focus on putting together the limited edition Harry Potter Blu-ray boxed set, teased on the movie disc for a 2012 release.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 is now available on DVD and Blu-ray.
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For many years, the only image most people had of Tinker Bell was of the headstrong, bell-voiced fairy who loved Peter Pan and held a major grudge against Wendy Darling. She was rude, impudent and had a major attitude: in short, she was a real brat.
Despite her flaws, Tinker Bell remained hugely popular. It was no surprise then, following the success of the Disney Princess franchise, that the next move was to launch Disney Fairies with 2008’s DVD release Tinker Bell, followed by 2009’s Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure.
The third DVD in this series, Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue (Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment, MSRP: $29.99 or 2-disc Blu-ray/DVD combo pack, MSRP: $39.99) finds the fairies headed to the mainland as summer arrives. Soon after arriving in fairy camp (hidden from human eyes inside a huge tree), Tinker Bell (voiced by Mae Whitman) is warned to stay away from humans. The sight of an automobile rolling down the road proves too irresistible, however, and Tink is off to investigate.
Her frenemy Vidia (Pamela Adlon) follows along, both trying to talk Tinker Bell out of her adventure and relishing her disobedience. Tinker Bell’s curiosity eventually leads to her capture by a little girl named Lizzy (Lauren Mote), who is summering in the cottage across the field from fairy camp.
Lizzy has believed in fairies her entire life, much to the chagrin of her scientifically-minded father, Dr. Griffiths (Michael Sheen). When the young girl proudly tries to show her father the real live fairy she’s captured, she finds him studying a butterfly specimen and realizes that if he knew about Tink, he’d put her on display in a museum. Instead, she takes her to her room, and Tink is placed in an old birdcage to avoid becoming a meal for a fat housecat. Watching from outside, Vidia is horrified and races back to camp to round up help.
Meanwhile, Tinker Bell warms up to Lizzy, whose great belief in fairies is evident by the many figurines and drawings covering her walls. The fairy soon feels compelled to correct some misconceptions about her kind, despite a few minor communication challenges (every time Tinker Bell speaks, Lizzy only hears ringing bells). Over a rainy afternoon, the two fill a field journal full of “scientific facts” about fairies.
In the meantime, Vidia reaches fairy camp and gathers the others to mount a rescue attempt. The pouring rain makes it impossible to fly, and the meadow is flooded, so it takes some real inspiration to find a solution--fueled, of course, by “faith, trust and pixie dust.”
What follows is an adventure that is bolder than any of the previous Tinker Bell movies, and more fraught with danger. While Tinker Bell is befriending a human, her fairy friends are navigating waterfalls, dodging car tires and playing a literal game of cat-and-mouse with Mr. Twitches. There are also scenes of Tinker Bell flying around inside a moving car that might cause some anxiety.
Though Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue is a straight-to-DVD release, it is theatrical quality and worthy of its Disney heritage. Of the three Tinker Bell features, this one offers the biggest emotional payoff, as Lizzy’s father turns from “Without proof, it’s just a fairy tale” to “I do believe!,” connecting with his daughter in a way many children of overscheduled parents might appreciate.
Disney is a company that definitely embraces special features, and The Great Fairy Rescue doesn’t disappoint. Among the many sneak peeks and previews offered is one for the upcoming Rapunzel film, Tangled. The Tangled bonus feature takes viewers behind the scenes of the animated Disney film as co-director Nathan Greno and actors Mandy Moore (Rapunzel) and Zachary Levi (Flynn Ryder) share their experiences along with clips of the movie, due out in theaters Nov. 24.
There is also a preview of the upcoming Tinker Bell and the Mysterious Winter Woods, which is scheduled for release in early 2011. This will complete the four seasons portrayed in the Tinker Bell movies, and brings viewers one step closer to Tink’s meeting with Peter Pan. But fans of the fairy shouldn’t despair: a fifth movie, Tinker Bell: Race Through the Seasons, is slated for mid-2012.
The deleted scenes section offers three scenes that were cut for time or story reasons. As usual with animated features, the scenes are mainly storyboarded (think: those flip books you used to make as a kid), but one scene (“Cat Attack”) was so beloved by the crew that they completed it in full color. “Lizzy’s Bedtime Story” is portrayed both in the storyboard style and in an intermediate “gray scale” version, where some of the scene is colored in. It’s a fascinating peek at the many levels of production that animated movies go through. Finally, “A Real Live Fairy” offers a reason for Lizzy’s father’s firm insistence in scientific fact: when he was a young boy, he encountered a fairy of his own--with disastrous consequences. Though the scene was cut because producers believed that it took away from some of the magic of Lizzy meeting Tinker Bell for the first time, it’s a very strong scene that helps put a new perspective on Dr. Griffiths’ actions.
As with the other two Tinker Bell movies, The Great Fairy Rescue features a polished soundtrack, including the inspiring "How To Believe" by Bridgit Mendler. The video for her song is included as one of the bonus features, and it’s every bit as colorful and frothy as you’d expect it to be.
A feature called “Design a Fairy House” shows director Bradley Raymond talking about a contest that challenged children to design…well, you know. The short documents winner Zoe Periale’s journey from California to Florida, where she lived every little girl’s dream and built a fairy house that was put on display during the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival.
The final bonus feature, “Fairy Field Guide Builder,” is a game that reviews fairy trivia and offers a simple quiz in order to help viewers build their own field guide of scientific facts. Those who buy the DVD/Blu-ray release can also mail in for a Tinker Bell charm and bracelet with purchase.
Faith, trust and pixie dust. Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue proves that seeing is believing. Without proof, it’s just a fairy tale.
Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue is now available on DVD and Blu-ray.
Published on SoCal.com
Your family is not that funny. Seriously. Even Uncle Bob, who pulls quarters from behind your ear and spouts limericks that feature the word “Nantucket.” If someone followed you and your family around for a year with a video camera, you would know this for a fact.
But if someone were to take your family’s quirks, flaws and best stories, added a brilliant comedic cast and some world-class writers? Then you’d have ABC’s Emmy-award winning hit comedy “Modern Family.”
The story of three families, the mockumentary-style sitcom follows patriarch Jay (played with finesse by Ed O’Neill), his beautiful Columbian second wife Gloria (Sofia Vergara) and her young son Manny (the very funny Rico Rodriguez); Jay’s daughter, the uber-controlled Claire (Julie Bowen), her lovably clueless husband Phil (Ty Burrell) and their three children, Haley, Alex and Luke (Sarah Hyland, Ariel Winter and Nolan Gould), are the second group; the third is comprised of Jay’s gay son Mitchell (Jesse Tyler Ferguson), his dramatically-inclined partner Cameron (Eric Stonestreet, who also picked up an Emmy for his performance) and their newly-adopted Vietnamese baby, Lily (played by twins Ella and Jaden Hiller).
“Modern Family” turned everyday life into something divine, finding the funny in overscheduled families (Claire and Phil trying to find time for dad to shoot son Luke with a BB gun), sibling rivalry (Mitchell and Claire’s unresolved figure-skating drama) and blended families (Jay’s attempts to incorporate Columbian holiday traditions into their American Christmas).
Though viewers never really know whose camera this family’s life is being documented by, the “film crew” device makes this comedy something a little more special than the typical live-audience sitcom. Kind of a sitcom-reality show hybrid, “Modern Family” works because it is both over the top and completely relatable. Every character is so perfectly cast, even high-octane guest stars (such as Minnie Driver, Elizabeth Banks, Edward Norton, Fred Willard and especially Shelley Long as Jay’s Sedona-dwelling first wife) seem to step up their game.
Now available as a four-disc DVD set (Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, MSRP: $49.98) or a three-disc Blu-ray set (MSRP: $59.99), “Modern Family: The Complete First Season” features all 24 episodes, plus some enticing extras. Like many DVD/Blu-ray releases, there are deleted, extended and alternate scenes. Divided among the discs, there are some hidden gems in these extras, such as Cameron’s scenes with Barkley the dog butler and Manny getting Claire and Mitchell to come over early Christmas morning for a family portrait. There are also some deleted family interviews that are pretty funny, especially Phil’s list of (to him) great band names.
The real payoff is on the last disc, though, with six featurettes that truly enhance the series. “Real Modern Family Moments” goes behind the curtain to show which episodes featured stories from the lives of the series’ writers, producers and creators. Far from filler material, some of the most unlikely scenarios are the ones inspired by real-life events (such as Mitchell’s pigeon-in-the-house freak out and Phil and Luke’s adventure in the crawlspace under their house). Viewers actually get to take a journey under series’ creator Steven Levitan’s house to see firsthand the inspiration for the episode “Fears.”
Many people are familiar with the roles stars Ed O’Neill and Julie Bowen have played, but in “Before ‘Modern Family,’” viewers learn where we may have seen the other cast members, whether on TV, at an amusement park or in the mall. There are also snippets of cast screen tests, where the chemistry is pitch-perfect.
One of the most unexpected surprises is “Fizbo the Clown,” which shows how Eric Stonestreet’s teenage clown was lifted from reality and written into the show. As a teen, Stonestreet already had much of the charisma and stage presence that earned him the Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. Don’t be afraid of this clown feature!
Two episodes (“Family Portrait” and “Hawaii”) get their own behind-the-scenes treatment. Each episode is exposed from table reads to final scenes. Viewers see the inspiration for their storylines, hear the actors’ opinions of certain scenes or their characters and witness the chemistry of the cast and the director. In the words of Mitchell, “Sweet Lady Gaga, that’s good!”
Finally, a gag reel rounds out the collection. It’s fine, as gag reels go, but nothing as funny as watching an episode of this series. If you like watching actors flub lines or make faces, then this is for you. Otherwise, skip this and go to one of the other more memorable bonus features instead.
If you weren’t lucky enough to catch this series as it aired, this 24-episode set is the perfect way to immerse yourself in comedy gold. Even if you did see every episode, “Modern Family” is the kind of show that only gets better with repeat viewings. Watch it once for the hilarious storylines; watch it again for the in-jokes and subtle background comedy. Then watch it a third time because, unlike your family, these guys are really funny.
“Modern Family: The Complete First Season” is now available on DVD and Blu-ray.
Don't miss season two of “Modern Family,” airing Wednesday nights at 9 p.m. on ABC.
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The Black Cauldron is an animated Disney classic, but not exactly one of those animated Disney classics. Yes, it features a princess (Eilonwy, voiced by Susan Sheridan), but not one you’ll find on any sleepwear or fruit snacks. It has a dark villain (The Horned King, a menacing John Hurt), but this one is truly terrifying, more reminiscent of Sauron from The Lord of the Rings than Cruella De Vil. And while the movie does features that classic Disney device, magical beings, these creatures do little to make the film the sort of lighthearted family-friendly movie the House of the Mouse is revered for. Plus, there isn’t a single bit of song to stick in viewers’ heads days afterward.
The movie takes place in the fictional land of Prydain and is based on Lloyd Alexander’s The Chronicles of Prydain series (which, in turn, was based on Welsh mythology). Viewers begin by meeting a young assistant pig keeper named Taran (Grant Bardsley), whose first words are a lament that the war might end before he has a chance to fight. His master, Dallben (Freddie Jones), tries to temper his bravado with tales of the fearsome Horned King, but Taran seems more fired up than ever, especially when he learns that his pig, Hen Wen, has powers beyond rooting in the dirt. Unfortunately, Taran discovers that she has the ability to deliver hidden knowledge in the form of visions just as The Horned King becomes aware of it.
Taran is entrusted with taking the pig to a safe location, then promptly loses track of her as he daydreams of being a great warrior and defeating The Horned King. As he searches for his lost charge, Taran encounters Gurgi, sort of a cross between a Shih Tzu and a human, who tries to steal the apple Taran is using as bait for Hen Wen. Gurgi tells Taran that he knows where the pig has gone, only to run in fear when they discover Hen Wen being chased (and ultimately grabbed by) two black, dragon-like creatures and taken to a dark castle.
A quick side note: this sequence, just 10 minutes into the movie, is every bit as terrifying as the final scene in Sleeping Beauty, where the prince must fight his way through thorns and a dragon to reach the castle, and it is just the first of many such scary scenes throughout the runtime of this film. There are gnashing rats, brutish henchmen, narrow escapes and the reanimation of corpses, all of which combine to give The Black Cauldron a PG rating, though it actually seems more like PG-13.
Inside the castle, Taran rescues the pig but is captured himself and thrown into the dungeon, where he meets Princess Eilonwy and minstrel Fflewddur Fflam (Nigel Hawthorne). After a daring (and hair-raising) escape, the trio embark on a quest to find (and destroy) the ancient Black Cauldron, which The Horned King seeks in order to create an army of reanimated corpses and rule the world…definitely not the typical Disney plotline!
Along with the animated film, which features a new digital transfer, The Black Cauldron: 25th Anniversary Special Edition DVD (Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment, MSRP: $19.99) also includes a new, never-before-seen deleted scene entitled “The Fairfolk,” which is actually just a different version of a scene that made it into the final cut. Watching deleted scenes in animated features, though, always carries an extra bit of fun, as they are mostly line drawings and rough sketches, with even some of the main characters’ looks shifting from cel to cel. It’s a fascinating peek at the storytelling process, but ultimately not as interesting as the scene that made it into the film.
A gallery of behind-the-scenes photos and the original movie trailer are nice, but a more interesting addition might have been a feature on the fact that The Black Cauldron was the first Disney animated feature to use a new system known as computer-generated imagery (better known today as CGI) as well as the APT process, which replaced xerography and hand-coloring of cels in the animation process (and later was used on The Great Mouse Detective, Oliver & Company and The Little Mermaid). Such a significant historical moment should have been recognized.
Two games are also included on the 25th Anniversary Special Edition DVD; the first, “Quest for the Black Cauldron,” is a trivia game in which viewers race The Horned King to reach the titular Cauldron and was carried over from the original 2000 DVD release. The second, “The Witches’ Challenge Game,” dares viewers to solve riddles posed by the Witches of Morva in order to claim a magical sword. Both are easy to play and require only the DVD player and a remote.
Finally, classic Disney fans will get a kick out of the 1952 short “Trick or Treat” featuring Donald Duck and his nephews Huey, Dewey and Louie. However, just like the still frame gallery and “Quest for the Black Cauldron,” those who already own The Black Cauldron on DVD will have this bonus feature, too.
The Black Cauldron, the 25th animated feature produced by Disney, was notable for more than its dark feel (which, reputedly, was toned down by new studio head Jeffrey Katzenberger before its release). It was also the most expensive movie Disney had produced to date at $25 million. But does The Black Cauldron, which only earned $21 million domestically at the box office, deserve the 25th anniversary treatment? On its own, the movie is just middle-of-the-road in terms of memorability and appeal, although its dark overtones and lack of a peppy soundtrack make it stand out from other frothy fare. But it’s the historical aspect of the film that marks the beginning of a new era in animation and CGI that ultimately earns the recognition this DVD release provides.
The Black Cauldron: 25th Anniversary Special Edition is now available on DVD.
