The Madeline Movie – Lost In Paris (2010/Shout! Factory Kids DVD)
Picture:
C+ Sound: C+ Extras: D
Main Program: C+
Ludwig
Bemelmans’ Madeline first appeared in 1952 as an animated short from the great
UPA Studios (Mr. Magoo), but a
series sadly did not develop as a result.
37 years later, she made her TV debut, animated again, and this time she
took hold as a franchise. 21 years later
still, The Madeline Movie – Lost In
Paris (2010) arrives and at 75 minutes, it is the first feature-length film
based on the character.
A
charming, child-friendly, child safe affair, the title character heroine lives
in an orphanage and a man (voiced by Jason Alexander) promises her a better
life and takes her away, but she is not as happy and decides the friends she
left behind are her only real family. It
is a simple story and one we have seen in Shirley Temple films, the Madeline
books going back 70 years and other places in such fiction aimed particularly
at young ladies in their pre-teens, but this is nicely done and not bad for
what it is and the participation of Lauren Bacall and Christopher Plummer
adding their voices are a plus.
The 1.33
X 1 image is clean and on the colorful side, with only minor detail issues and
a good print, while the Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo is a newer recording that is
not harsh or overdone. Music sounds good
too. There are no extras.
- Nicholas Sheffo
