“Lady and the Tramp” Now part of Disney’s Signature Collection

 

 

 

 

Review by John Delia, Sr.

One of the most memorable animated movies ever, Lady and the Tramp is now available as part of Disney’s Signature Collection. Joining the ranks with only five others that have been honored by Disney studios, “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “Pinocchio,” “Bambi” and “The Lion King” the film adds an adventure with dogs for the whole family.

The story begins with Jim giving his wife Darling a cocker spaniel as a Christmas gift. She names her Lady and the playful puppy joins the family and wins their hearts. Six months later Lady has grown to be a beautiful dog and has gathered two neighbor best friends, Jock, an energetic scotch terroir and Trusty, a relaxed bloodhound. All’s right with her world until the baby arrives.

Although still having the run of the house Lady finds it tough going when Aunt Sara comes to babysit for Jim and Darling so they can take a vacation. Her two Siamese cats start to cause trouble driving Lady into the street. Nowhere to turn she roams the streets and alleys running into a pack of mongrel dogs.

In the meantime, Tramp, a mongrel living on the wrong side of the tracks, wanders around getting a meal from local restaurants including his favorite Italian café. When he runs into Lady who’s trying to escape the vicious dogs, Tramp is determined to protect her. So begins a romantic adventure that has a few twists and turns to make it intriguing.

While the film is a classic Romeo and Juliet, it has a lot of heart and some very good virtues like family and friendship. Lady and the Tramp Signature Collection has a lot to offer including “3 Ways to Watch”. The first is the “Original Theatrical Edition” in full HD color. The second way is the “Sing-Along Mode” – Sing along with all your favorite songs as you watch the movie. And finally “Inside Walt’s Story Meetings” – As you view the film, hear reenactments of Walt’s story sessions with animators and see how their ideas were realized on-screen.

SPECIAL BONUSES: In addition to the 3 Ways to Play the Blu-ray Disc in the Multi Screen Addition includes the following.

BLU-RAY & DIGITAL*:

New Signature Bonus
“Walt & His Dogs” – Through archival recordings and photos, hear the tales of the dogs Walt Disney owned and loved over his lifetime.
“Stories from Walt’s Office” – Take a tour of Walt’s office suite on the Studio lot, carefully re-created to look just as it did when he occupied it.
“How to Make a Meatball and Other Fun Facts About “Lady and The Tramp” – Watch a delicious lesson on how to make perfect meatballs with teen chef Amber Kelley and Oh My Disney Show Host Alexys Gabrielle.

Songs
“Peace on Earth”
“What Is a Baby/La La Lu”
“The Siamese Cat Song”
“Bella Notte”
“He’s a Tramp”

Classic Bonus Features
“Diane Disney Miller: Remembering Dad” – Walt’s daughter shares memories of her father and Disneyland’s early days, as well as a look at his apartment above the firehouse.
“Never-Recorded Song” – “I’m Free as the Breeze” – Take a listen to a song originally meant to be sung by Tramp.

Deleted Scenes
“Introduction of Boris” – Tramp wasn’t always meant to be Lady’s only suitor. Meet Boris the aristocrat and Homer the peasant in this deleted scene.
“Waiting for Baby” – Lady watches as Jim Dear plans out his new son’s future in this early storyboard.
“Dog Show” – See the storyboards for this deleted scene in which Lady and Tramp unexpectedly find themselves in the middle of a dog show.

Classic Bonus Features on Digital Only*
“Lady’s Pedigree: The Making of “Lady and the Tramp” – A behind-the-scenes look at the making of Walt Disney’s first feature-length animated film based on an original story.
“Finding Lady: The Art of the Storyboard” – Explore the origins of the storyboard and how they’re used by filmmakers today.
“Original 1943 Storyboard Version of the Film” – View a unique presentation of the original 1943 storyboards for “Lady and the Tramp.”
“PuppyPedia: Going to the Dogs” – Wild and wacky comedian Fred Willard takes us on an outing to the dog park to learn all about dogs and their owners.

“Deleted Scenes”
Turning the Tables – In this story-reel presentation, Tramp dreams of a world where dogs run the show and humans are on the other end of the leash.
The Arrival of Baby – In this alternate scene re-created from original storyboards and with original voice talent as Lady makes way for a new arrival.
Baby Arrives – Lady is baffled by the strange goings-on in the house—the arrival of a squealing bundle only deepens the mystery.
Lady’s Sweater – Lady gets a new sweater for her birthday and must figure out an ingenious way to lose it for good.

“Trailers”
1955 Original Theatrical Trailer – More than just a trailer, this preview features several minutes of footage from the film and introduces each major character.
1972 Theatrical Re-Issue Trailer – This trailer from the 1972 rerelease heralds Disney’s “happiest motion picture.”
1986 Theatrical Re-Issue Trailer – Released theatrically for the 1986 holiday season, this trailer highlights the love story between Lady and the handsome Tramp.

*Bonus features may vary by retailer

Lady and the Tramp has been rated G by the MPAA. You may want to watch the film to refresh your memory as there are a couple of scenes that may frighten the very young. The attack of the mongrel dogs gets very vicious with sneers, growls and biting. There is also a scene with a big rat that tries to get to the baby that may cause concerns to the young viewers. Both scenes can be easily by-passed with your fast forward button on your remote.

FINAL ANALYSIS: A Classic that entertains and instils good values. (4.5 out of 5 Stars)

Specifications and additional video information:
Cast: Barbara Luddy, Larry Roberts, Peggy Lee
Director: Clyde Geronimi, Wilfred Jackson
MPAA Rating: G for general audiences
Genre: Family, Animated
Running Time: 1 hr. 16 min.
Video Release Date: February 27, 2018
Language: English (changeable to Spanish or French)
Reviewed Format: Blu-ray
Audio: 7.1 & 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio,
Video: 1080p Widescreen, Aspect Ratio 2:55.1
Subtitles: French, Spanish, English SDH, English ESL
Number of Discs: 2 Discs, Three Ways to watch the movie
Distributed by: Buena Vista Home Entertainment
Released in: Multi-Screen Edition