Babes In Toyland [DVD]

I'm so thrilled they released this on Amazon...this was one of my favorite musicals as a kid and the opening dance number always brings me to tears. How I want to dance like that! I have seen other versions but they are terrible compared to this. I've been hunting down the soundtrack for years but was never able to find it- after purchasing this on Amazon I discovered iTunes had this version's soundtrack...but it's one of those instances where the soundtrack was recorded much differently than the movie itself and that's a huge bummer. I'm astounded at how beautifully the old colors converted to HD, it's quite stunning. I will be making sure my kids grow up with this movie as well when that time comes!

For those who claim that this Blu-Ray DVD (Disney digital restoration issued by DisneyBluray.com, with a cover of Annette standing between two wooden soldiers) isn't wide-screen, you may need to set your TV to "enhanced 16:9" to properly view the movie in the 16:9 format. It's a beautiful restoration of the 1961 movie (which I saw as a 12-year-old), and it was so funny Christmas night to have my 28-year-old daughter notice the movie playing and say "Wait! Isn't this the movie with 'This Is The Forest Of No Return!'? I loved that movie!". A little later my 25-year-old son walked in and noticed the movie and said "Wait! Isn't this the movie with 'This is the Forest Of No Return'?" They both remembered it from a VHS tape version (4:3 pan-and-scan back in the early 90s) that I used to have before DVDs.If you like this Disney reworking of Victor Herbert's operetta, you may want to find a copy of the 1934 Laurel and Hardy "March of the Wooden Soldiers" movie as a fun companion for holiday viewing.

Make no mistake, this is not "March Of The Wooden Soldiers", but it is a lot of fun for smaller children and the whole family. Decent music, lots of color and easy to follow story about Mother Goose characters. Annette Funicello was always cute to watch and Tommy Sands had his day in the sun. Fun to see the early Ann Jillian as Bo Peep singing. Ray Bolger played the evil Barnaby out to get rid of Tom Piper so that he could marry Mary Contrary and get her money. Fun to see Henry Calvin and Gene Shelton ( two alumni of the Disney Zorro TV series) as Barnaby's henchmen. You shouldn't expect more than entertaining musical numbers and colorful costumes, remember this was done for children and children of all ages enjoyed it.

Probably more nostalgia than anything else, but I love this movie. I hadn't seen it in 20 years, but when I got this in the mail, the movie held every bit as much charm as I remember it as a child.The video here is AMAZIING. If you have seen other Disney Blu-Rays, you should know what to expect. The movie has a fine amount of film grain, so it still has a film look, but i's not distracting, so it should even please people who like the scrubbed "documentary" type of look. I would have to say that, picture quality wise, it has a similar look to the Wizard of Oz Blu-Ray. Colors pop, detail is amazing (in some instances, you can make out seams and stitches on costumes, its just amazing.The aspect ratio of this movie may be a bit unusual for American audiances. The aspect ratio is 1.66:1, which Disney properly presents here on the disc. This wasn't a format used much in the US, in fact, I have only seen a couple of other movies with it, both by Kubrick. Basically, what this means is that, on your HDTV, the picture will fill about 90% of the screen, with VERY THIN black bars on the SIDES. Most people won't even notice it - but in case you do, know that the movie is SUPPOSED to look this way.Sadly, the Disney quality ends in the video department. In the audio department, we are presented with a Dolby Digital 2.0 soundtrack (yes, you read that right, no lossless audio). Disney has really spoiled us over the past couple of years with their DTS MA and Dolby TrueHD tracks on all their discs, with older movies remixed to 5.1 or 7.1. That being said, there is NOTHING WRONG with the Dolby Digital 2.0 track, despite what I have read on many review sites. The movie was released in the 60s, and I don't think was even shot in Stereo, much less surround. The soundtrack presented in this movie, while rich with sound effects and music, doesn't really push modern sound systems. So while I am a bit shocked by the DD 2.0 soundtrack, I doubt that adding a lossless track would have done anything to increase sound fidelity. I believe the soundtrack Disney included accurately represents how the filmmakers wanted the film to be heard.What is sad is that there is not a single special feature on the disc - not even a trailer. Incredibly unusual for a Disney disc.All in all, its a good movie, a great transfer, and it is reasonably priced, so I reccomend it.

Maybe ok if you're three years old and just like bright colors. Fifty-three years after it was first released (when I was a 17-year old), I finally watched this for the first time. As I enjoy the broad comic work of its main characters actors, I felt I couldn't go wrong on a wintery evening. So wrong. And so surprised. Uneven, often lethargic, cheesy production for a major studio and, except for Mother Goose's wisecracking goose and one delightful Tommy Sands scene, only Ray Bolger looks like he is having a good time. The usually vibrant Annette varies between just wooden and inexplicably sullen-faced. The rubbery-faced trees in the Forest of No Return have more energy going on in this film than she does. Was there some back-stage reason for this that I'm unaware of? Always liked Tommy Sands's voice and stage manner. If only he hadn't married Nancy Sinatra, he probably would have had a much longer career! He has a good, comic-song scene disguised as a gypsy fortune-telling crone. For me, it was the one bright spot of the film. Too bad. Even silly Ed Wynn couldn't save this one.

I can remember a film I saw as a child, but could not remember its name or who was in it. I went to see it with my father. I had been looking at some short films about how Walt Disney had wanted to make the Wizard of OZ, but only got as far as TV programmes with it, not a film. However he brought some OZ type ideas into some of his films. All I could remember was that there were trees in the film that were alive and could walk and talk, there was a man with a tall black hat, and there were guns shaped like trumpets that fired a red or green ray that could shrink things or people and restore them back to full size. When I saw excerpts from this film, I realised that this was the film I bought when I was a child. It is clearly based on a laurel and Hardy film. I now realise the man in the tall black hat was the character of Barnaby played by Ray Bolger best remembered for being the scare crow in the wizard of oz. For me, the film is a trip down memory lane, however I think present day children would enjoy it.

Sadly, despite the presence of the superb Ray "Scarecrow from Oz" Bolger, Annette Funicello and Ed Wynn Snr this film feels very dated and dull. I think its because of the numerous musical numbers which, instead of moving the story along, stop it dead in its tracks because they really are BAD songs. Also anyone who remembers the 30s version with Laurel and Hardy will notice how missed they are in this remake.Sadly the dvd is full screen and not widescreen so some picture lost and the picture quality is rarher grainy and unimpressive at times. The film does pick up as soon as Ed Wynn appears but on the whole it appears to be Walt Disneys attempt at making his own Oz classic...so many similarities.

"Babes in toyland" is the charming and magical Disney classic movie that never gets old.I have seen it countless times, and it always makes me smile.A reccomend "Babes in toyland" to every child; small and big.Some movies Stay with you for life, and this is one of them for me.

one of the worst films my wife made me watch , hasn't dated very well

I used to watch this with my grandchildren. I bought it for old times sake.

over priced

Loved this film for years

If you were a fan of the late Annette Funicello, as I was, then this is a lovely, gentle, stroll down memory-lane.

Good fun if a bit dated. My grand children seem to have enjoyed it and have watched it more than once. It's a lot more pleasant and less scary than many more recent "fairy tales". I enjoyed it.

Excellent

love this film,one of my child hood faves. arrived quick in perfect condition

All good, thanks!

I watched this as a child and loved it,i love all the oldies.Esy to watch and great acting back then

Great classic my kids use to watch this many years ago - now my grandchildren love it :)

No problems