Santa Buddies – The Legend Of Santa
Paws (2009/Disney Blu-ray w/DVD)
Picture: B/C
Sound: B/C+ Extras: C- Film: C-
Disney’s never-ending Buddies talking dog series continues
with a holiday installment in Santa
Buddies – The Legend Of Santa Paws, a predictable-but-harmless 2009 children’s
title that is about as safe and digital as can be expected. They talk and the digital work is more
obvious than usual as the current group of dogs have to beat the holiday blues,
has a Scrooge angle and also deals with the pets being separated by humans.
However, illicit appeals to pity (with hopefully limited
damage) is what this corny exercise in comedy that rarely works and melodrama
that is more than usual for children is what this is all about and when all is
said and done, we have seen all of it before and then some. Unless you love dogs in huge ways and/or are
a big fan of previous installments of this series, there is no point to this
except to have a Christmas variant of the same thing. Drink non-alcoholic Egg Nog instead.
The 1080p 1.78 X 1 digital High Definition image was shot
in digital High Definition video and has more motion blur and detail issues
than expected, even with some shots looking good. The DVD’s anamorphically enhanced image is far
worse and softer, also more than expected.
The DTS-HD Master Audio (MA) 48/24 lossless 5.1 mix on the Blu-ray is
not great, but is superior to any of the Dolby Digital 5.1 mixes in either
format. This is not an inspired sound
mix either.
The only extras in both versions are a Music Video with a
remake of Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
that was not necessary and a sing-a-long section for kids to sing with the dogs.
- Nicholas Sheffo