Happy Feet (Full Screen Edition)
by George Miller, Judy Morris, Warren Coleman
List Price:
Our Price: $11.49
You Save: $8.49 (42%)
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Buy Used: from $2.03 (click here)
Category: DVD
See more DVD details
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
DVD details
Actor: Brittany Murphy, Carlos Alazraqui, Elijah Wood, Hugh Jackman, Robin WilliamsDirector: George Miller, Judy Morris, Warren Coleman
Brand: WOOD,ELIJAH
Writer: George Miller
Writer: Judy Morris
Writer: Warren Coleman
Producer: Bill Miller
Writer: John Collee
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 5.1 EX; Spanish (Original Language), Dolby Digital 5.1 EX; English (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); French (Subtitled)
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Full Screen, NTSC
Running Time: 109 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2007-03-27
Audience Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Warner Home Video
DVD Reviews of Happy Feet (Full Screen Edition)
DVD Review: Good movie, bad disk
Summary: 2 Stars
The HD DVD disk I got with this movie does not have the menu (extras, title, settings, etc. are all gone). I would have returned to Amazon but did not have time. DVD Review: Don't give bad reviews because you didn't follow the rating...
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a great movie for several reasons. It appeals to kids because of the dancing, music, and penguins. It appeals to adults because there are paths in the story that adults can appreciate (it goes over kids' heads most of the time). It is visually stunning and the acting is very good. Yes some characters are stereotypes but they are meant to be like that so the actors should not be criticized for what they were told to do. The story is not just a simple one-dimensional path from beginning to climax to end. There are several themes that are intertwined throughout the whole movie from discrimination, how environmental changes put stresses on animal populations, and how music and dance are both very deep forms of communication (Well... human communication but that's why it's a kid's film!). People unfairly criticize this film because they were not expecting such a detailed plot coming into a kid's movie. Don't be chained to your expectations and accept it for what it is--a very detailed movie that's really more for adults to understand than kids.
On this note--the rating systems for movies and video games are there for a reason. They give a parent or guardian a general idea what age group can handle it. Now I think that separation by age is not the answer, that it has to do with maturity which varies from child to child. But if your child is 4 YEARS OLD what the heck are you doing showing them a movie that's designed for kids at least 7 and older?! Wow... Give yourself a bad rating for ignoring ratings and not doing your research as a parent! On the other hand, kids under age ten probably have no idea that all this stuff is going on until you make a big deal about it. But the problem is that kids will see this material sooner or later so exposure with a parent is better than none but the movie is not offensive at all! If you watch any non-fiction tv channel like discovery or history channel you will see WAY worse stuff like, HEAVEN FORBID, animals mating or something. LOL. Even commercials on any channel are much worse than this stuff so it's really all exaggerated by really sheltering parents. I still don't know how the whole thing about penguins trying to find mates with absolutely no "bad" images and with lyrics that barely allude to sex (which kids hear EVERYWHERE unless you chain them to their bedroom door with no tv or radio or internet...or ANYTHING to do) is so bad... Maybe it made the parents uncomfortable!
Watch it and appreciate it for being a more mature kids' movie that breaks the mold to satisfy adults' need for a good story anyone can relate to.
DVD Review: This Movie Was A Much Needed Risk-Taking Venture in a Dismal Time for Kid FIlms.
Summary: 5 Stars
People who gave this film less than 3 stars anger me. This was one of the better children's movies released in the past few years. It has great classic messages that are lost in a lot of kids movies these days; themes that are very important and real for kids to learn that aren't fluffy and cute; themes such as sacrifice, danger and death. Children's movies protect our kids too much these days.
Our adult cinema has gone in the polar opposite direction. Most of it is littered with sex and violence. What we really need to learn is that moderation is key. I thought this film was perfect. Sex is a real topic - we needn't flaunt sex around children, but we also mustn't pretend it doesn't exist. This movie handles sex in an appropriate way.
One comment I read docked this film for appealing to multiple audiences. Hmmm. I don't really understand why that is a bad thing. The writer also said that the film lacked focus because it had multiple plot lines (the penguin dealing with his inability to sing, and then with the lack of fish caused by humans). I'd have to disagree there too. This person mustn't have taken any English in college. Many of the world's greatest stories venture away from the dull, slow and steady, up hill clime to the climax, and then down until the end. This film just follows a less traditional pattern, which is completely fine and refreshing. This movie ties many themes together, and in such an intricate and smooth way, that some of them go unnoticed to the untrained eye. One such, is the spank on religion which I will talk about in the next paragraph. But before I do, I just want to point out that the transition from the first conflict (the penguin not being able to sing) led perfectly into the second (no fish/scarcity and pollution). The factor that tied the plot together was the fact that the elders in the penguin culture were the common opponent. They didn't like that the little penguin couldn't sing and that he was a dancer, and they fought against the little penguin when he tried to solve the fish scarcity problem. The elders are the common element. This was a really well written script, despite what some uneducated people have written in other comments here. Proof in what I say can be found in the cast. Great actors and actresses chose to do this script - that should tell you something.
This film is also amazing because it tackles some, rather, modern themes eg pollution, religion, and the need for humans to become more ecologically aware. First, the pollution references are obvious. Second, this film is AMAZING because it detests the ridiculousness of religion. The movie brings to light the superstition inherent in all religion. You ever find yourself praying to God to help you through a rough time? Well, that sort of activity is just as nonsensical as penguins praying to a penguin-god to deliver fish. Also, this film underscores how religion has been the enemy of progressive thought over the ages. Those in power have used religion as a tool to control the masses. Dancing is a metaphor in this film. It represents breaking away from traditional ways when they prove to be untrue. There are many others little hacks at religion, that I feel are completely necessary for children to be exposed to. Children need to hear both sides of the argument. I am so happy that a film had the guts to take that step.
Last, the film does a wonderful job, again through metaphor, of emphasizing the need for humans to take their place in the circle of life. The scene at the end, where the humans and penguins dance together represents a message: that we can all live together, in harmony, on this earth.
Honorable mention comments: this film was filled with great music, great actors, and amazing animation. AND, it wasn't filled with cheesy one liners like most children's films these days. AND the final message: LOVE = LOVE is something we all need to pay attention to. John Lennon would be proud...
DVD Review: Cool Graphics - An EXELLENT piece of film making!
Summary: 5 Stars
I THOUGHT IT WAS AMAZING HOW THEY COULD GET TAP DANCING AND SYNC IT WITH COMPUTER AMIMATION! AWESOME STORY TOO! DVD Review: Good Entertainment and a worthwhile message, but mediocre in so many ways!
Summary: 2 Stars
Happy Feet has lots of music, good animation, and many famous actors supplying voices for its characters, with a theme of concern for the environment. If all you are looking for is a cute film with an environmental message to park young kids in front of, it's an acceptable, though mediocre, choice.
The film makers get into trouble by virtue of their attempt to redeem a poorly written and inconsistent film by overlaying it with a veneer of the importance of protecting the environment - admittedly a worthwhile message in itself, but one that is applied with a large and inconsistent club, instead of with any sort of artistry or quality.
The film misses the mark in so many ways: First, it fails us by constantly bashing us with images and narrative bemoaning the terrible consequences of pollution and unrestrained exploitation of resources.
Second, I found the movie to be overly violent in a couple of spots for younger children, even though the majority of the film seemed to be intended for them.
Third, there were some odd gaps in the narrative, combined with changes in the target audience that need much better explanation: even though mostly aimed at children, at times the film seems to assume an adult audience, at others (especially the more violent scenes) a teenage audience. While this can be done in an artful and cohesive fashion (Shrek (Two-Disc Special Edition) and The Incredibles (Two-Disc Collector's Edition) spring to mind), any such artistry or cohesiveness is absent here.
All in all, although the intended message is admirable and the animation and music were quite good; the poorly written plot line and dialog, inability to decide who the audience was, and a heavy handed "preachy" approach, spoil the film. It seems to be an agenda-driven rush job intended to capitalize on the popularity of March of the Penguins (Widescreen Edition).
On the whole, I cannot give Happy Feet a strong positive recommendation for any audience. Yet, given that it is entertaining for younger children, and does speak to the seriousness of the environmental challenges we face, I'll give it a reluctant two stars: worthwhile to watch for the younger set despite the film's clearly being an attempt to exploit its audience and its subject by capitalizing on another film's success. It is not a serious attempt to create a movie with any educational or artistic merit, and has limited entertainment value. I would recommend seeing March of the Penguins instead - a film which values its subject and values its audience, rather than exploiting both.
Description of Happy Feet (Full Screen Edition)
In the great nation of Emperor Penguins, deep in Antarctica, you're nobody unless you can sing - which is unfortunate for Mumble (ELIJAH WOOD), who is the worst singer in the world. He is born dancing to his own tune...tap dancing. As fate would have it, his one friend, Gloria (BRITTANY MURPHY), happens to be the best singer around. Mumble and Gloria have a connection from the moment they hatch, but she struggles with his strange "hippity- hoppity" ways. Away from home for the first time, Mumble meets a posse of decidedly un-Emperor-like penguins - the Adelie Amigos. Led by Ramon (ROBIN WILLIAMS), the Adelies instantly embrace Mumble's cool dance moves and invite him to party with them. In Adelie Land, Mumble seeks the counsel of Lovelace the Guru (also voiced by ROBIN WILLIAMS), a crazy-feathered Rockhopper penguin who will answer any of life's questions for the price of a pebble. Together with Lovelace and the Amigos, Mumble sets out across vast landscapes and, after some epic encounters, proves that by being true to yourself, you can make all the difference in the world.For anyone who thought the Oscar-winning documentary March of the Penguins was the most marvelous cinematic moment for these nomads of the south, you haven't seen nothing yet. Happy Feet is an animated wonder about a penguin named Mumble who can't sing, but can dance up a storm. George Miller, the driving force behind the Babe (and Mad Max) movies, takes another creative step in family entertainment with this big, beautiful, music-fueled film that will have kids and their parents dancing in the streets. From his first moment alive, Mumble (voiced Elijah Woods) feels the beat and can't stop dancing. Unfortunately, emperor penguins are all about finding their own heart song, and the dancing youngster--as cute as he is--is a misfit. Luckily, he bumps into little blue penguins and a Spanish-infused group (led by Robin Williams) and begins a series of adventures. Miller has an exceptional variety of entertainment: Busby Berkley musical numbers, amusement-park thrills, exciting chase sequences (seals and orca lovers might like think otherwise), and even an environmental message that doesn't weigh you down. Best of all, you don't know where the movie is going in the last act, a rare occurrence these days in family entertainment. A fusion of rock songs, mashed-up and otherwise, are featured; this movie is as much a musical as a comedy. Mumble's solo dance to a new version of Stevie Wonder's "I Wish" by Fantasia, Patti, and Yolanda may be the most joyful moment on camera in 2006. --Doug Thomas
On the DVD
There are two new animated sequences, which aren't incorporated into the film. One's a half-minute hackysack-themed bit, but the other is a good-looking, two-minute scene featuring the late Steve Irwin as an albatross, who, with Mumble, encounters a blue whale. "Dance Like a Penguin: Stomp to the Beat" is hosted by Savion Glover, whose dancing was motion-captured for the film, but other than a couple basic tips, it's pretty much a demonstration rather than a lesson. In addition to the two music videos (Gia's "Hit Me Up" and Prince's "The Song of the Heart"), "I Love to Singa" is an appropriately matched 1936 Merrie Melodies cartoon in which a young owl ruffles feathers by wanting to sing jazz for his classical-music-loving family. --David Horiuchi
More Happy Feet
 Blu-ray |  Combo HD/DVD |  More Penguin DVDs |
Australia & New Zealand DVDs
DVD Video
- Action & Adventure
- African American Cinema
- Animation
- Anime & Manga
- Art House & International
- Classics
- Comedy
- Cult Movies
- Documentary
- Drama
- Educational
- Fitness & Yoga
- Gay & Lesbian
- Horror
- Kids & Family
- Military & War
- Music Video & Concerts
- Musicals & Performing Arts
- Mystery & Suspense
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Special Interests
- Sports
- Television
- Westerns
Bestsellers in Australia & New Zealand DVDs
Eagle vs. SharkEagle; Release date: 2008-01-08; DVD
Best price: $13.08
Price in other shops:
The CastleRelease date: 1999-11-16; DVD
Best price: $12.76
Control (The Miriam Collection)WELLSPRING/GENIUS; Release date: 2008-06-03; DVD
Best price: $16.24
Price in other shops:
ShineRelease date: 1997-07-16; DVD
Best price: $4.26
Price in other shops:
The Year of Living DangerouslyWarner Brothers; Release date: 2000-06-06; DVD
Best price: $4.49
Price in other shops:
The Wiggles: Sing a Song of Wiggles!Warner Brothers; Release date: 2008-10-07; DVD
Best price: $9.43
Price in other shops:
The Road WarriorWarner Brothers; Release date: 1997-03-26; DVD
Best price: $5.06
Price in other shops:
The PianoLions Gate; Release date: 1998-01-20; DVD
Best price: $7.00
Price in other shops:
Strictly BallroomRelease date: 2002-03-19; DVD
Best price: $4.75
Price in other shops:
Dead AliveLions Gate; Release date: 1998-09-09; DVD
Best price: $5.99
Price in other shops:
Similar DVDs, VHS Video, Audio CDs
The Polar Express (Full Screen Edition)Warner Brothers; Release date: 2005-12-26; DVD
Price in other shops:
Bee Movie (Widescreen Edition)PARAMOUNT PICTURES; Release date: 2008-03-11; DVD
Best price: $3.99
Price in other shops:
The Pursuit of Happyness (Widescreen Edition)Sony; Release date: 2007-03-27; DVD
Best price: $4.99
Price in other shops:
Charlotte's Web (Widescreen Edition)PARAMOUNT PICTURES; Release date: 2007-04-03; DVD
Best price: $7.81
Price in other shops:
Open Season (Widescreen Special Edition)Sony; Release date: 2007-01-30; DVD
Best price: $7.30
Price in other shops:
Ice Age - The Meltdown (Full Screen Edition)ROMANO,RAY; Release date: 2006-11-21; DVD
Best price: $4.94
Price in other shops:
Cars (Widescreen Edition)Disney; Release date: 2006-11-07; DVD
Best price: $14.95
Price in other shops:
Night at the Museum (Widescreen Edition)TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX HOME ENT; Release date: 2007-04-24; DVD
Best price: $5.99
Price in other shops:
Surf's Up (Widescreen Special Edition)Sony; Release date: 2007-10-09; DVD
Best price: $3.26
Price in other shops:
Madagascar (Widescreen Edition)Paramount; Release date: 2005-11-15; DVD
Best price: $11.98
Price in other shops: