Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA Have never seen Disney's version of 'Babes in Toyland' It's a bit of a mess overall, isn't it? Fun to see Ray Bolger, Annette Funnicello, Ed Wynn and little Ann Jillian, but it lacks something. The songs are okay, George Bruns score is nicely put together (has that great Disney sound), and there are some fun moments, but again ... Anyone else have an opinion about this movie? Hard to realize that just 3 years later, 'Mary Poppins' was released. Not all movies Walt worked on were great.
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA Watching the 'March of the Wooden Soldiers' sequence which is quite good. Very cute.
Originally Posted By Tikiduck It has some nice moments, but overall it's a contrived mess. As much as I loved Annette, she was hopelessly miscast. The Gypsy dance is good, because they are obviously professional dancers. Everyone else just trips over each other. The sets are cheap and flimsy, and you never lose the sensation that everyone is on a studio sound stage. It really is odd, when you consider the depth and lushness of the Poppins sets, as both movies were filmed entirely in the studio.
Originally Posted By TheRedhead 'A bit of a mess' is a bit of an understatement. The movie is bloody awful. My two biggest gripes... 1. The musical is an operetta. It doesn't translate easily to film, especially considering how drastically the musical had changed up until the early sixties. The show needed some serious updating and trimming. And full-out deleting. 2. The opening is awful. The goose in front of the curtain stepping aside to invite you to watch this show. You are not transported to a magical land. You sit in an audience watching sets and talented people in community theatre tights. That is the opposite of what a film should do. Ugh. Disney is wise to ignore this turkey. It feels lazy.
Originally Posted By doombuggy It was just awful, that's why I'll stick with the Laurel&Hardy version. Far more entertaining and only the original songs were used. I NEVER found the two guys from Zorro funny as a kid I would go do some thing else while they were on.
Originally Posted By ecdc >>It's a bit of a mess overall, isn't it?<< My mom taped it off the Disney channel many moons ago, and so I watched it occasionally as a kid. Eager to reminisce and revisit my childhood, I watched it a few years ago. Or I should say, I tried to watch it. I threw in the towel after about 30 minutes. It's got some great Disney regulars, but even Gene Sheldon and Henry Calvin, so delightful in Zorro, couldn't get me on board.
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA 1982, I was in a community theater production of 'The Gazebo.' Gene Sheldon had a very small part. He was a super nice, modest guy. No one in the cast recognized him from 'Zorro' -- except the 19 year old Disney fan. Me. He died later that year.
Originally Posted By kennect I must be a few years too young since I don't remember Zorro.....was it done by Disney? I am assumimg it was...How long did it run and what year did it start?
Originally Posted By mawnck >>I must be a few years too young since I don't remember Zorro.....was it done by Disney?<< <a target="blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://lmgtfy.com/?q=disney+zorro">http://lmgtfy.com/?q=disney+zorro</a>
Originally Posted By ecdc I have an irrational love affair with Zorro. It's totally formulaic '50s TV. But that's a Disney Channel memory I'm all too happy to relive. If you have the means, I recommend picking up the Walt Disney Treasures DVDs of the show. Unfortunately, they skyrocketed in price after they went out of print, but I imagine some used copies not in the original tins can be grabbed for a reasonable price.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros They also showed it regularly on the Disney Channel in the early 90's (I think it was part of the now-defunct Vault Disney block in the evening). I definitely missed the original airing, but I remember watching it on TV that way
Originally Posted By TheRedhead "If you have the means, I recommend picking up the Walt Disney Treasures DVDs of the show." I verily second that emotion. The show is delightful. Some of those Treasures were true revelations. Zorro. Spin and Marty. Davy Crockett. The original naughty b&w Mickey cartoons. Good stuff.
Originally Posted By basil fan Still like Babes in Toyland. Can't help it. Phil's Hero Rules <a target="blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.whatsitsgalore.com/disney/hero.html">http://www.whatsitsgalore.com/...ero.html</a>
Originally Posted By Witches of Morva ORWEN: I like Babes in Toyland too! The music, alone, is enough to make it wonderful--although I'll admit it could have been just a bit better if the villain, Barnaby, had been played a bit scarier. ORDDU: This movie was a substitute for the failed Rainbow Road to Oz project that Walt Disney originally wanted to make. In some instances, the sets even remind us of M-G-M's Wizard of Oz. ORWEN: Back when it first came out there was a lot of excitement for Babes in Toyland. ORDDU: But we have to admit the film doesn't age very well. It's something you most likely adore if you're old enough to remember it's premier. More modern audiences must find if difficult to relate to. ORWEN: But I'm glad it was made. At least the Toy Soldiers from the movie can be seen in the Christmas parades at the Disney theme parks and they always thrill us when they march down the street. ORGOCH: Got toys?
Originally Posted By Witches of Morva ORDDU: Modern feminists would most likely find something offensive about this movie if it was more popular. There is one song in the movie called 'Just a Toy' in which Tommy Sands sings romantically to Annette, "You were planned and designed with one person in mind to hold you and keep you forever. And you'll live for the love and the happiness of this lonely boy. And each night he will say in a whimsical way...you're just a toy..." ORGOCH: Yup a lot a folks taday would have a heart attack after hearin' them lyrics. Might have ta banned like Song a the South was!
Originally Posted By doombuggy Last night March of the wooden solders was on and it will be 80yrs old this year. Just thought it was funny that it's still being shown to this day where Babes isn't.
Originally Posted By basil fan Just a Toy: the one song I dislike, though I'm not a feminist. Get Smart Glitches <a target="blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.whatsitsgalore.com/glitch/smartglitch.html">http://www.whatsitsgalore.com/...tch.html</a>
