Disney’s True Life Adventures Legacy Collection V.
1 – 4 (DVD)
Picture: C+ Sound: C+ Extras: B Episodes: B
Towards
the end of their relationship with RKO Pictures, Disney was very keen on a new
kind of live-action short that focused on nature and animals. RKO was not interested in distributing them,
yet Disney knew they were good, something different and even would feature some
of their animation. The True Life series
was an immediate hit, but even winning an Academy Award was not good enough for
RKO and Disney parted ways with the studio which ironically would fold within a
few years.
Produced
in Technicolor and featuring all kinds of nature subjects, cinematographers and
approaches, they were popular in theaters and later on TV, but have only been
seen on cable and in limited ways. Disney
has now issued no less than four volumes in their celebrated tin
packaging. The contents of each are as
follows:
V. 1:
White Wilderness (1958)
Water Birds (1952)
Beaver Valley (1950)
Prowlers Of The Everglades (1953)
Extras
for V. 1, DVD 2:
Introduction
by Roy Disney, Backstage with Roy & Birds, original theatrical trailers,
Collector’s Corner, Filmmaker’s Journal and shorts Mysteries Of The Deep, Wonders
Of The Water Worlds and The Crisler
Story.
V. 2:
The Living Desert (1953)
The Vanishing
Prairie (1954)
Seal Island (1948)
Extras
for V. 2, DVD 2:
Introduction
by Roy Disney, Prairie short, Islands Of The Sea short, Nature's Strangest Creatures short, Behind
the True-Life Cameras, Backstage with Roy Disney at Disney's Animal Kingdom:
Desert Insects, Backstage with Roy Disney at Disney's Animal Kingdom: Snakes. Filmmakers'
Journal, Collectors' Corner, trailers & promos.
V. 3:
The African Lion (1955)
Jungle Cat (1960)
Bear Country (1953)
V. 3, DVD
2, including extras:
Olympic Elk (1955)
Introduction
by Roy Disney, Cameras In Africa
short, The Yellowstone Story short, Tribute
To The Milottes short narrated by Buddy Ebsen, Backstage with Roy
Disney at Disney's Animal Kingdom: Elephants, Backstage with Roy Disney at
Disney's Animal Kingdom: Cheetah Medical Exam, Filmmakers' Journals, Collectors'
Corner, trailers & promos.
V. 4:
Secrets Of Life (1956)
Bonus Perri short
V. 4, DVD
2, including extras:
Nature’s Half Acre (1951)
Introduction
by Roy Disney, Backstage with Roy Disney at Disney's Animal Kingdom:
Butterflies, Searching For Nature’s
Mysteries short, Adventures In
Wildwood Heart short, Tribute To Winston Hibler, Filmmakers' Journals, Collectors'
Corner, trailers & promos.
As usual
with the tin series, the extras are extensive and often in good shape, with
some of the shorts in color for early color TV owners and others in black and
white from the earliest seasons of the Disney series. All are very watchable, with a sort of fun variation
of “voice of God” narration that has been spoofed and trashed so much,
especially as of late. There are only 13
main theatrical shorts, but they are good and Walt quit while they were ahead. The best thing is that they are solid science
works for children that are safe for viewing and respect their
intelligence. These are bound to be more
popular than many expect.
The 1.33
X 1 image on the main shorts look good for their age and sometimes, the
Technicolor really shines. In the case
of the black and white footage, Video Black and grey scale (except where color
is printed as black and white, of course) is fine. The newer extras are taped and look good,
though not as good as the Technicolor at its best. The Dolby Digital 2.0 throughout is monophonic
for the older shorts and TV spots, while the newer footage is simple stereo at
best.
Overall,
another high quality set of volumes we can all appreciate from Disney and no
doubt more are on the way.
- Nicholas Sheffo
