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The Aristocats Special Edition [1970]

Artist: Walt Disney
Director: Wolfgang Reitherman
Actors: Phil Harris, Eva Gabor
Studio: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
Category: DVD

List Price: ~~Ł19.99~~
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New (26) Used (6) from Ł7.83

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

17 reviews
Sales Rank: 304

Format: Pal
Language: English (Original Language)
Rating: Universal, suitable for all
Number Of Items: 1
Running Time: 76
Aspect Ratio: 1.75:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.3 x 5.4 x 0.7

EAN: 8717418148928
ASIN: B000XUEX8M

Theatrical Release Date: December 16, 1971
Release Date: February 4, 2008
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
Condition: IN STOCK. USUALLY DISPATCHED SAME OR NEXT WORKING DAY (MON - FRI). PLEASE ALLOW 3 - 6 DAYS FOR DELIVERY. BRAND NEW AND FULLY GUARANTEED BY A WELL ESTABLISHED TRUSTED LTD COMPANY. EMAIL DISPATCH CONFIRMATIONS SENT. TRACK PROGRESS 24/7

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Editorial Reviews:

Amazon.co.uk Review
Often forgotten about in the Disney back catalogue, The Aristocats is actually a fun, lively feline adventure, with plenty of zest and some terrific tunes too. Arriving in the wake of The Jungle Book, it's not vintage Disney, but it still sets itself a high standard.

The Aristocats is set in France in 1910, and tells the tale of a high society cat and her trio of kittens who are dumped into the backstreets of Paris by an angry Butler when they inherit a fortune from their owner. Here, they're soon befriended by Thomas O'Malley (voiced by the unforgettable Phil Harris, who also lent his tones to Baloo in The Jungle Book) and a wild cast of characters, and it's as much a cue as is needed for some jazzy tunes, fast-paced animation and a fun family adventure.

As the last film to have been supervised by Walt Disney before his death, The Aristocats inevitably has a significant place in the back catalogue at Disney HQ. Yet many still overlook it, and that's a real shame. There are well-realised Parisian locations, a good few chuckles, and a genuinely strong soundtrack that'll stick in your head long after the credits have rolled. It's good, too, to see Disney finally give the film the special edition it richly deserves. --Simon Brew

Customer Reviews: Read 12 more reviews...

5 out of 5 stars

an amazing achievement to the art of animation May 24, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful

the film is great and it deserves a grammy. great actors in the film. i love the cats. good old documentary we have here. the making of snitsky's pineapple and many more.

buy it with paris hiltons album. paris hilton even promoted this on mtv. she is a great singer. buy her album to day. and tine tuner's album. buy all 3 for just 2 pence.

3 out of 5 stars

The Aristocats Special Edition (Upgrading?) February 19, 2008
5 out of 6 found this review helpful

I purchased this copy to replace my current copy of the original dvd release.
Please be aware that this version has not been "Digitaly restored". They claim "Digital Transfer", but I could still see film spots etc, which are removed in a "restoration" i.e. the quality was not as good as it is when they restore.
They have also converted the movie into Widescreen format using Pan and Scan.
If you are interested in the animation side of the movie, then you will find lots of original detail missing as the top and bottom are chopped off.
If you just want the movie to fill the whole screen, then this is the dvd version for you.

5 out of 5 stars

Charming February 12, 2008
0 out of 2 found this review helpful

This film is nearly 38 years old. Yet it still has charm, a good plot decent songs, and excellent voiceovers. Yes it can be a little one dimensional in terms of animation, but that is part of its charm. It still manages to entertain very well and that is entirely the point.
It remains a worthwhile purchase, even if it is only because your kids friends have never seen it!

4 out of 5 stars

A Mostly Swinging Good Time February 7, 2008
0 out of 2 found this review helpful

Madame Adelaide Bonfamille (Hermione Baddeley) is a wealthy former actress living in Paris in 1910. Since she has no family, she has come to view her cat Dutchess (Eva Gabor) and her kittens as her family. In fact, she has decided to leave her wealth to the cats as long as they live, then it will go to her butler Edgar (Roddy Maude-Roxby).

Edgar doesn't like the idea of having to wait, however, so he schemes to catnap the cats. After mixing sleeping pills into their favorite treat, he takes them into the country.

The cats aren't so easily gotten rid of, however. Teaming up with Thomas O'Malley (Phil Harris), they set out to return to Paris. Will they make it? What will Edgar do if they show up again?

This movie leans just slightly over average. There are parts of the story that are rather dull, like the introduction of the twin ducks. However, there are some wonderful bits as well, like the two country dogs to keep attacking Edgar. This will appeal to kids more then adults, and they will love it. While not all the songs are jazz, it certainly influenced the soundtrack. And you've got to love "Everybody Wants to be a Cat," the show stopping number that comes near the end. The animation is more stylized then we've seen before, with flat backgrounds and pencil like lines in the characters. It's definitely dated, but has a charm all its own.

This movie just got a new Special Edition. The widescreen picture and full surround are wonderful. The special they are most proud of is the "virtual kitten" game. I skipped right past that and went straight to the features about the movie. The one I really enjoyed was the information about "She Never Felt Alone," a song deleted from the movie. I was hoping the featurette on the Sherman Brothers would be more about their entire career at Disney, but there are some fun tidbits about their work on this film. And keep your eyes open for a bonus short that plenty of fun.

On the whole, this is a light film with some fun moments. It's probably not one the adults will pull out regularly, but it should keep the kids entertained with the funny action scenes.

5 out of 5 stars

Jazzy Classic! January 5, 2008
20 out of 21 found this review helpful

This is one of my favourite Disney films. It has everything you could hope for in a Disney animation: cute animals, great songs, a nasty villain and lots of adventure. The story begins in Paris, where aristocat Duchess and her three kittens live with their Mistress in a mansion. Life is perfect for them until the Mistress' fiendish butler Edgar discovers that she plans to leave her entire fortune to the cats. He realises that if he even stands a chance of claiming the fortune, the cats will be out of the way. An excellent, often forgotten masterpiece from the 1970's - a time when the Disney studio made few animations - which features songs such as the title number "The Aristocats" as well as "Ev'rybody Wants To Be A Cat", this will enchant viewers young and old with its enduring jazziness.