Cinderella (Two-Disc Special Edition)
The most celebrated of all the Disney classics, CINDERELLA, is also known as one of Walt Disney’s all-time favorite films. CINDERELLA has enchanted generations with its rhythmic tale, charming music, and endearing characters that live in your heart forever. The beloved fairy tale becomes pure Disney magic as gorgeous Cinderella shares her dreams of romance and a better life with the lovable mice Gus and Jaq. When Cinderella’s cruel stepmother prevents her from attending the Royal Ball, the delightful Fairy Godmother appears! With a wave of her wondrous wand and a bouncy “Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo,” the Fairy Godmother transforms a simple pumpkin into a magical coach — and Cinderella’s rags into a gorgeous gown. At the ball, Cinderella cascade in like with Prince Charming, but must flee before the stroke of midnight breaks the spell! Now with an all-new digital restoration, Disney’s Enhanced Home Theater Mix, and all-new games and music videos, this 2-Disc Special Edition of Cinderella is the perfect fit for everyone who believes dreams really do come right. Also available on Video.Worry not, Disney fans–this special edition DVD of the beloved Cinderella won’t turn into a pumpkin at the strike of midnight. One of the most enduring animated films of all time, the Disney-fied adaptation of the gory Brothers Grimm fairy tale became a classic in its own right, thanks to some memorable tunes (including “A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes,” “Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo,” and the title song) and some endearingly cute comic relief.
 The well-known slipper (click for larger image) |
We all know the tale–the wicked stepmother and stepsisters simply won’t have it, this uppity Cinderella thinking she’s going to a ball designed to find the handsome prince an appropriate sweetheart, but perseverance, animal buddies, and a well-timed entrance by a fairy godmother make sure things turn out all right. There are a few arresting sequences of pure vigor–for example, Cinderella is reflected in bubbles nomadic through the air–and the point is rich and evocative throughout. It’s a simple tale padded here agreeably with comic business, particularly Cinderella’s rodent pals (dressed up conspicuously like the dwarf sidekicks of a further well-known Disney heroine) and their misadventures with a wretched cat named Lucifer. There’s also much harrumphing and exposition spouting by the King and the Grand Duke. It’s a much simpler and more graceful work than the more frenetically paced animated films of today, which makes it simultaneously quaint and highly gratifying. –David Kronke
DVD Features
For a further of its classic films, Disney delivers a further dazzling DVD with a gorgeous, razor-sharp picture and 5.1 sound. (Note: the 1949 film is properly presented in full-screen format, 1.33 aspect ratio, because widescreen films weren’t made until the ’50s.) The best part of the supplemental features is the archival material, the absolute highlight of which is two unused songs, “Cinderella’s Work Song” (in which Cinderella imagines multiplying herself à la the Sorcerer’s Apprentice) and “Dancing on a Cloud.”
 Bippity-boppity-boo! (click for larger image) |
Because these numbers were never animated, they’re accompanied by stylish illustrations from the Disney artists, and they’re simply marvelous to look at. The artist of much of that material, Mary Blair, gets her due in a 15-minute featurette, while the better known “Nine Ancient Men” are the subject of a round-table discussion among some of today’s top animators. In addition, a 38-minute documentary covers their contributions to specific characters of Cinderella as well as the film in general and the vocal cast. Also on the historical side is “The Cinderella That Nearly Was,” tracking the development of the project through decades of original Disney concepts, characters, and songs, including the 1922 silent “Laugh-o-Gram,” which is also included in its entirety.
 The pumpkin transformed (click for larger image) |
Additional musical material includes three radio programs and a small promo of the movie by Perry Como, in which he summarizes the plot amid some songs by the Fontaine Sisters, star Ilene Woods, and the host himself. Seven other unused songs (17 summary total) are available in audio-only. The material for kids is on the sparse side, consisting of two music videos, Disney Channel personality Sortie (from “Mike’s Super Small Show”) learning how to become a princess with the help of the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition crew and others, a minor dancing-princess feature, and a DVD-ROM point studio. Oddest superfluous: ESPN’s “top Cinderella tales,” including the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team and Joe Namath’s New York Jets, although tales on Mia Hamm and tennis’s Williams sisters should appeal to the film’s primary target audience of young girls. –David Horiuchi
Cinderella Throughout the Being
 Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella (1957 Television Production) |  Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella (1965) |  The Slipper and the Rose (1976) |
 Faerie Tale Theatre – Cinderella (1982) |  Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella (1997) |  Ever With – A Cinderella Tale(1998) |
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