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Pete's Dragon
[Blu-ray]
Blu-ray ALL - United Kingdom - Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment Review written by and copyright: Samuel Scott (26th November 2014). |
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The Film
 ***This is an A/V and Extras review only. For reviews on the movie from various critics, we recommend visiting HERE.*** Brazzle Dazzle Brilliance! When an orphan named Pete and his best friend Elliott – an invisible dragon – wander into the seaside village of Passamaquoddy, the townspeople think he is behind the hilarious "accidents" that keep happening. But after a daring rescue, everyone starts to believe in Pete's fire-breathing buddy. Get ready for the magical adventure filled with friendship, fun and heart-warming songs.
Video
Disney have released the animation / live-action hybrid "Pete's Dragon" on to Blu-ray in the United Kingdom, using the original aspect ratio of 1.66:1. The transfer is 1080p and receives an AVC MPEG-4 encode. Overall, this is a good presentation, though it isn't flawless. When watching the film, it becomes obvious where Disney put three layers of image together using a sodium vapour process, however we can't really complain as it is a product of its time, and the technology to hide it like the studios have now just didn't exist in the late seventies. That isn't to say it looks messy though, the mix of animation and live action is of high quality overall. The animation is good, but the colours used in the animation - particularly the shades of green for Elliott - can vary quite wildly scene to scene. Black levels in live action footage are surprisingly deep with minimal crush. Details are favourable, but sometimes do suffer from a lack of sharpness. Some of the mid-range shots, such as the sweeping scan of the lighthouse at 32:09, are among the highlights, with a good sense of depth, strong colours, and noticeable details. Some facial close-ups do show very slight signs of possible digital noise reduction, but not to the point where it is too much of a concern. Overall, this is a clean print, with no major signs of damage, or any noticeable aliasing or edge enhancement. Unlike the American release, which got the 128 minute Second Video Version, the UK receives the First Video Version which runs 105:47. Note, five different versions of the movie exist. Details on each are as follows: - The original theatrical version running 134 mins. - The second theatrical version, running 121 mins, released after the opening roadshow engagement. - The first video version, time-compressed and edited down to 105 mins, with its signature song, "Candle On The Water", cut out. - The second video version, with "Candle On The Water" restored and running 128 mins. - The third theatrical version came out in 1984, running 124 mins.
Audio
The following options are available: - English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 - French DTS-HD High Resolution 5.1 - Dutch Dolby Digital 5.1 - Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1 I made the obvious choice of watching the movie with the English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track, and it was a pleasant, if tame experience. This movie was the first time Disney used Dolby Stereo audio in cinemas, so it should come as no surprise that this track is very much heavily concentrated towards the front of the sound field, with the rears coming alive for parts of the score only, and the LFE for the occasional effect that can make use of a subtle rumble. The clarity of this track is great, and although the surrounds are quiet, a good level of depth is shown. The musical numbers are where the track shines through, with dialogue clear at all times and the score and singing at consistent levels that don't overshadow each other. There are no problems with drop outs, scratches, or background hiss. Subtitles are available in Dutch, English, English HoH, French, Portuguese and Spanish.
Extras
The main extra included here is the "Brazzle Dazzle Effects: Behind Disney's Movie Magic" featurette (25:25). Presented by Sean Marshall who played Pete all those years ago, it takes a look at how the special effect of mixing both live action and animation was not only done, but how it has progressed over the years. There is plenty of footage of old Disney animation, as well as interview footage with the likes of Roy Disney. For animation fans, this is essential viewing, even if the information has been simplified for a younger audience. There are two storyboard sequences: - "Terminus & Hoagy Hunt Elliott" deleted storyboard sequence (2:27) - "Boo Bop Bopbop Bob (I Love You, Too)" original song concept (2:35) These are interesting to watch, though could have done with some narration, or perhaps a text screen explaining why neither made it to the final cut, or was animated at all. There is some archival audio for the first, and some music accompanying the second. The rest of the extras are self explanatory: 2 Theatrical Trailers (2:31 in total) Start-up trailers for "Monsters University" and "Planes" (2:24) Sneak peaks for "Disney Parks", "Sofia the First", "Mulan", and "Tinkerbell"
Overall
This didn't fare very well on original release, and I've never been sure why. Sure, it lacks that extra bit of magic Disney's similarly made films have (Bedknobs and Broomsticks), but the story is fun, and the songs are a pleasure to watch. The technical presentation here is favourable, and the extras worthy of a watch.
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