Cinderella (Two-Disc Special Edition)
by Clyde Geronimi, Hamilton Luske, Wilfred Jackson
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DVD details
Actor: Eleanor Audley, Ilene Woods, James MacDonald, Rhoda Williams, Verna FeltonDirector: Clyde Geronimi, Hamilton Luske, Wilfred Jackson
Brand: Walt Disney Home Entertainment
Writer: Bill Peet
Writer: Charles Perrault
Writer: Erdman Penner
Writer: Harry Reeves
Writer: Homer Brightman
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 5.1; English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 5.1; Spanish (Original Language), Dolby Digital 5.1; French (Original Language), Dolby Digital 5.1
Format: Animated, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, NTSC, Special Edition
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 74 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2005-10-04
Audience Rating: G (General Audience)
Studio: Walt Disney Home Entertainment
Product features:
- Platinum EditionNew Digital Restoration2 Disc Special Edition
DVD Reviews of Cinderella (Two-Disc Special Edition)
DVD Review: The Finest Animated Masterpiece of Walt's Day
Summary: 5 Stars
Cinderella is the classic fairytale about a sweet and beautiful young girl who grows up like a servant in her own home after her kind father dies and her stepmother squanders his money on her own spoiled daughters. However, Cinderella does her best to keep everyone happy, toiling endlessly with only her animal friends to comfort and look out for her, and with unfaltering hope that someday her dreams of happiness will come true. Of course, this story has a handsome prince as well, and he has problems of his own. His father, the king, wants his son to be married immediately so that he can see his grandchildren before his time runs out. But the prince doesn't want to marry just anyone, so the king orders a ball to be held, and every eligible maiden in the kingdom is required to attend. Suddenly, Cinderella sees a chance for at least one night of happiness, but her wicked stepmother and ugly stepsisters keep her too busy to prepare for the event. Luckily, her mice friends help her out by fixing up her mother's old dress to be fit for the ball. Of course, that's not enough to thwart the vicious stepmother, and she craftily manipulates her daughters into destroying the dress. Enter the Fairy Godmother (where has she been for the past 10 years?), who, through one of Disney's most beloved and memorable songs (though this film has more than one), turns a pumpkin into a coach, mice into horses, a dog and a horse into a driver and footman, and Cinderella's rags into the most lovely gown there ever was, complete with slippers made of glass to fit Cinderella's remarkably tiny feet. Cinderella attends the ball and is too dolled up for her stepfamily to recognize, but she immediately catches the eye of the prince, and the two fall madly in love. When the clock strikes 12 though, the spell over Cinderella's dress, pumpkin, and friends is set to be broken, and she soon finds herself having to make a sudden run for her coach. Cinderella manages to escape the pursuing guards (she didn't even know it was the prince she had danced with), leaving only one of her glass slippers behind on the palace steps. With only that one clue to the woman of his dreams, the prince sends the Grand Duke on a search throughout the kingdom and promises to marry whomever the tiny glass slipper fits!
In 1950 (just before widescreen became the norm, hence the appropriate full-screen format on this DVD), Walt Disney Studios released one of their best loved animated features to this day, the romantic fairytale classic, "Cinderella." The film was a huge success, and it's well known that it single-handedly saved the studio after years of losing money making films for the war effort and entertaining but forgettable (to the non-Disney-fanatic, anyway) animated anthologies. One need only walk into a Disney Store, or almost any other store, to see how popular this 57 year old film still is. And it shouldn't be surprising, with it's wonderful characters, enchanting music, classic story, and some of Disney's greatest talents behind its production. Walt Disney backed his legendary group of animators, "the 9 Old Men," with the whimsical style of artist Mary Blair and magical "Tin Pan Alley" songs to make an animated film that is often considered perfection. The animation, based at least in-part on live-action footage (almost the entire film was shot in live-action first, for reference), but with plenty of doses of imagination, is gorgeous, as is Cinderella herself; easily one of Disney's most beautiful and graceful princesses. Ilene Woods provides her heavenly voice, with Eleanor Audley voicing the sinister stepmother, Lady Tremaine, who is surely one of Disney's meanest baddies ever. In fact, I personally consider her far more intimidating than Cruella De Vil (who is wildly entertaining, but I always thought was more humorous than scary). Verna Felton is entirely lovable as the Fairy Godmother, and the rarely seen Prince Charming is voiced by William Phipps and Mike Douglas (singing voice). It's important to note that Prince Charming is rarely seen, as this film has been billed as "The greatest love story ever told." Yes, it's got that feeling, it definitely is a "romantic" picture, but the story itself is really more about perseverance, kindness, fortitude, loyalty, understanding, humility, hope, faith, courage, confidence, self-respect, determination, inner-beauty, and all those other character traits that make the Cinderella character popular folklore's ideal woman. The film doesn't go light on the comic relief, of course, not with the King and Grand Duke, Cinderella's bratty stepsisters, and some of the most memorable "animal sidekicks" in animation history, but the cat and mouse games usually do progress the story, as do the magical songs that are some of Disney's best, like "Bibbidi-Bobbidi, Boo," "A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes," "Sing Sweet Nightingale," "So This Is Love," and the lighthearted treat, "The Work Song," sung by the mice as they work on Cinderella's dress. The power of this film is the way it draws out genuine feelings of sympathy, suspense, fear, wonder, and ultimately joy. On the whole, Cinderella is a masterpiece just as much because of the strong emotions each scene can invoke as the glorious art it is composed of.
Now, as a Platinum Edition, 2-disc Disney DVD with a startlingly brilliant restoration done to the film itself (it looks GORGEOUS!), this set has some real jewels in the bonus features arena. However, it also seems to have more shameless Disney self-promotion than usual too. Disc one is particularly bad about this. Rather than giving us an audio commentary of any kind, we are given 2 modern (and weak) music videos, and Cinderella Sports Stories, presented by ESPN and hosted by Joe Namath. Okay, the sports thing does not belong in this set. `Nuff said about that. It was a cheap attempt to promote ESPN. As for the two videos, one is a Disney Channel Circle of Stars video, but without Hilary Duff, who cares? This one has a more recent cast: folks from "Phil of the Future" and "The Suite Life of Zack and Cody" (okay, those two shows aren't bad), along with cast members from "That's So Raven," and I forget if anyone else was in there. The group sings (some of them do at least) an upbeat version of "A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes," and we get to see Phil of the Future flirting shamelessly with the cutest one in the group, Ashley Tisdale. I suppose if you are a fan of these `tween celebs, you'll dig this, and I'm fine with having one or two extra features of this nature as long as there are plenty of "real" extras. Oh, there is also a "Making of" featurette for that video. The other video is "Every Girl Can Be a Princess," which is a new song "performed by Cinderella," though it only shows clips of Disney Princesses, no new animation. This is for even younger kids than the previous video.
Disc Two is where one would expect the real meat of the bonus features to be, and they'd be right, but they also might be disappointed, as there are far fewer than on previous Disney Platinum Editions and still more kiddie stuff taking up space there. There are four sections on Disc Two. Deleted Scenes is first, and it holds two very interesting musical numbers not used in the film. We get to see them presented as storyboards and concept art set to the intended music. Music and More is the next section, and it holds vintage broadcasts and song demos, all a real treat! I loved the excerpt from Perry Como's show with guest Ilene Woods and a cameo by Clarence "Ducky" Nash. There are 3 enjoyable radio show clips and 8 song demos in addition to the Como segment. Games and Activities is the section where we get more of that kids' stuff you expect on Disney direct-to-video sequels more than on Platinum Edition releases. The main bit is "House of Royalty," a three part commercial to push the Disney Princesses marketing machine. It's hosted by Disney Channel's Sally of "Mike's Super Short Show," actually actress Alyson Stoner, and follows her as she goes on a mission to learn how to look, live, and act like a princess with the help of designer Isaac Mizrahi, the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition people, and the lovely Yugoslavian Princess Catherine Oxenberg. If you like any of these people or their shows, you might get some enjoyment out of this. It is generally for kids and a big commercial, but it's watchable at least once. There's also a Royal Life DVD-Rom Design Studio in this section, but, naturally, you use this on your computer. Personally, I never bother with DVD-Rom extras. And then there's the "Princess Pajama Jam," which is dumb. It's a little video for kids that teaches them a weak princess dance, and it's actually imported over from the Disney Princess Party Volume 2 DVD. The last, and most important section on Disc Two is Backstage Disney. Here is where you'll spend most of your time on Cinderella extras. First, there's "From Rags to Riches: The Making of Cinderella," which is an excellent 4-part retrospective that even includes interviews with people who actually worked on the film. "The Cinderella That Almost Was," hosted by Disney producer Dan Hahn, gives us some great insight into unused ideas. "From Walt's Table: A Tribute to Disney's Nine Old Men" is a touching look back at Disney's legendary group of animators from the days of classic Disney animation. We are given personal accounts of these unique individuals from a group of high-end, modern Disney artists who knew and worked with them. Sitting around the very table of a Burbank pub that Walt and the 9 Old Men often sat at, Leonard Maltin joins the group for a lively interview focusing on remembering the masters and their work on Cinderella. It's truly a highlight of this DVD for those who are obsessed with Disney animation, like myself. Equally fascinating is "The Art of Mary Blair," a new featurette that profiles one of Walt's favorite art directors/color stylists who brought the art of whimsy to Disney animation from the early `40s to the early `50s and was the artistic mind behind "It's a Small World's" unique look. When one gets a sense of her unique visual style, one can easily see how prevalent it is in the look of "Cinderella." The next feature is the most interesting "Storyboard to Film Comparison" you're likely to see on a DVD, because along with art you will see stills of the live-action reference footage that was used so heavily in this particular Disney film. Galleries are plentiful in this set too. In fact, there are nearly 400 still images to look through, and the DVD thankfully includes a slideshow feature to view them. All DVDs should have that option with their galleries. "Backstage Disney" rounds out with four more features. For those of us who are Disney maniacs, there's a pleasantly surprising indulgence: Walt's first shot at Cinderella. It's one of his Laugh-O-Gram films from 1922, and it is an amazing joy to watch if you are enthralled by animation history as much as animation today. Then, there's an excerpt from the Mickey Mouse Club (though I don't like excerpts, I like WHOLE episodes...) which features Helene Stanley, the live-action model for Cinderella and Davy Crockett's wife Polly, acting out a scene from Cinderella with the help of a few of the Mouseketeers. Six Cinderella trailers that can be viewed individually or with a "Play All" feature are the next offering, and the final one is "Dreams Come True," which is basically a public service announcement to spread the word about how charitable the Walt Disney Company is today.
So, overall, the "Cinderella" 2-disc Platinum Edition may be a little weak in the bonus features area, in comparison to past Platinums at least, but there are still some excellent inclusions, and the DVD is a "Must Own" on the merits of the film alone and the marvelous restoration job done on it. Based on probably the best known and loved fairytale of all time, Disney's "Cinderella" is a masterpiece and one of the studio's finest achievements to this day. Pick it up before it's gone! And, I also highly recommend "Cinderella 3: A Twist In Time." I know what you're thinking. "Cinderella 2" is highly regarded as one of the worst Disney direct-to-video releases ever. Well, regardless of how you feel about that one, "Cinderella 3" is a worthy sequel! It's got a few flaws, but anyone who loves the original should at least give "Cinderella 3" a chance and keep an eye out for my review on it, coming soon! Other recommendations for those who enjoy "Cinderella": "Ever After - A Cinderella Story," "The Slipper and the Rose," "Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella," "Cinderfella," "The Little Mermaid," "A Cinderella Story," "Sleeping Beauty," "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," "Anastasia," "Beauty and the Beast," "Aladdin," "Alice in Wonderland," "Snow White: A Tale of Terror," "the Cannon Movie-Tale film series," "The Swan Princess," "The Nutcracker Prince," "The Black Cauldron," "Shelley Duvall's Faerie Tale Theatre," "The Sword in the Stone," and "Disney's Adventures of the Gummi Bears."
Description of Cinderella (Two-Disc Special Edition)
When Cinderella's cruel stepmother prevents her from attending the Royal Ball, she gets some unexpected help from the lovable mice Gus and Jaq, and from her Fairy Godmother.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 famous slipper (click for larger image) |
DVD Features
For another of its classic films, Disney delivers another 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) |
 The pumpkin transformed (click for larger image) |
Additional musical material includes three radio programs and a short 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 minutes total) are available in audio-only. The material for kids is on the sparse side, consisting of two music videos, Disney Channel personality Sally (from "Mike's Super Short 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 design studio. Oddest extra: ESPN's "top Cinderella stories," including the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team and Joe Namath's New York Jets, although stories 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 Years
 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 After - A Cinderella Story(1998) |
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