Customer Reviews

The Absent-Minded Professor (Full Screen Colorized)

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(13)

 

 

When this film was made in 1961, a material almost identical to Flubber was being developed by NASA for the Gemini Space Program. To avoid a threat to our national security, the release of "The Absent-Minded Professor" was delayed for six months until Walt Disney agreed to delete two scenes showing Fred MacMurray discussing its applications and uses. The missing scenes have been restored in magnificent color, and the movie seems to have a better flow than the theatrical version.

Somehow, the people in amazon mixed reviews from the B&W version and the colorized version of this film... this is causing some confusion between some consumers, so, this is a review from the B&W version.

Some time ago, Disney Company releases this movie in Full Screen and colorized... a lot of people complained because nobody (except, perhaps my mom)wants colorized version of movies in B&W; recently, they re-released it in its original form (B&W and Widescreen)

Video: Amazing!! I can't believe that this movie is almost 50th years old!, you can't notice any age related issues (stripes, grain, etc), just look perfect.

Sound: Very good, and with Dolby Surround.

Extras: D'uh!, nothing, nada, zip, zippola! :(

Foreign language support: Not very good... in the audio section, it contains English and Spanish Track... subtitles just in english.

Conclusion: If you like this movie, you'll love the transfer (and at least, there is a Spanish track for those that speak in this language)... if you are looking for this movie because the extras, better wait, because you'll get frustrated by this disc.

If ever there were a film that took a silly idea and milked every possible gag out of it, this is it. Four stars as a film, but five stars for being a classic.

The "science-fiction comedy" is a movie genre with few entries. (I'm thinking of films in which an SF premise and its development is the film's focal point. "Back to the Future," for example, doesn't count.) I can think of only two significant others -- "It Happens Every Spring," in which Ray Milland synthesizes a chemical that repels wood (don't ask), and "The Man in the White Suit," the classic-but-not-really-very-good Alec Guinness vehicle in which his invention of an indestructible, never-needs-cleaning fabric threatens to ruin the clothing industry.

Disney continued the genre with "The Misadventures of Merlin Jones" and "The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes," but none of them is remotely as good as "The Absent Minded Professor." It's a classic of visual humor. Not only is there the famous flying Model T, but the professor's attempts to woo his ex-fiance by dancing in flubber-heeled shoes, and a flubber-enhanced basketball game that's an encylopaedia of "What can you do with flying basketball players?" gags. Style-wise, this classic sequence looks as if it were lifted directly from MAD.

Bill Walsh's smart script has some good satirical jabs ("I hear Medfield's athletes make as much as their teachers") and they hold up. One of the best anticipates Congress's destruction in "Mars Attacks!" And the professor's attempt to prove he's a loyal, patriotic American cuts even more sharply today than it did 40+ years ago.

One of the few good things about Disney comedies is that almost all the secondary roles are populated with talented character actors -- Keenan Wynn (who'd repeat his Alonzo Hawk villain in other Disney flicks), Ed Wynn (his father), Elliott Reid (at his greasy, pompous best). Special kudos go to Belle Montrose (Steve Allen's mother! -- note the resemblance) as the professor's housekeeper.

Nancy Olson -- an Oscar-winner for "Sunset Blvd." -- delivers a smart, heads-up performance that falls apart only when she stops being mad at Fred MacMurry and becomes a bit of a bubble-head.

Robert Stevenson (grandson of Robert Louis Stevenson) had a directorial career ("Jane Eyre") before he became a Disney house director, but I've never thought much of his talent ("Mary Poppins" is slack and sluggish). "The Absent Minded Professor" shows him at his best -- brisk and light, almost as weightless as flubber renders the Model T.

"The Absent Minded Professor" was shot in B&W, because the special effects were too difficult (and too expensive) to do well in color. Had Disney known what a major hit TAMP would be (it played first-run for months), he might have sprung for color. The previous attempt to colorize it was a disaster.

We finally have this little gem in its original form -- an exquisite B&W enhanced-widescreen transfer. (Amazon editor -- please have the negative reviews for the awful colorized version moved or removed. These are fundamentally different releases.) The rich blacks and sharp detail are outstanding -- far superior to even the old LV release. This is close-to-demo-quality B&W.

This DVD, along with the other Disney releases this month, (Moon Spinners, Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again, Computer Wore Tennis Shoes, etc.) is only being released in fullscreen, *not* anamorphic widescreen...

Walt Disney's 1961 live-action comedy "The Absent-Minded Professor" gets the DVD treatment and although the film itself is a gem, the DVD producers were a little "absent-minded" in their execution. To be true to its original theatrical presentation the film needs to be presented in widescreen format and in its original hues of glorious black and white.

Disney Home Video needs to discover a happy balance between targeting the general "kid" audience and the mature film fans. The recent "Back to the Future" DVD accomplishes this task beautifully - - without insulting either audience. It seems to me that Disney doesn't have a great deal of respect for many of its classic live-action films when it comes to DVD. Although "Pollyanna," Swiss Family Robinson" and "The Parent Trap" received very nice treatments, "Babes in Toyland" and "Blackbeard's Ghost" were just downright slapped-together and thrown on the shelf (why wasn't "Babes in Toyland" presented in widescreen and stereo?)

So, par for the course, there are no extras whatsoever on the DVD version of "The Absent-Minded Professor," which is a shame. Disney has plenty of material in the vaults to give this film at least a moderate special treatment. Granted, it's not a masterpiece like "Mary Poppins," but it's at least deserving of equal DVD treatment to modern films like "The Santa Clause" and "The Rookie."

Aside from that, stick any fun-loving child or nostalgic baby-boomer in front of this film and they will be thoroughly entertained. The casting is perfect, the effects still hold-up and the script is charming. For any faults this film might have, it is still far superior to ill-fated and very un-funny "Flubber," starring Robin Williams.

DVD QUALITY: The site here will not let you change your stars, so to clarify - I feel the movie itself deserves 5 stars, and the DVD available at the time of this review deserved 2 stars because it artificially colorized the film and reduced it to full screen. A new and improved version of the DVD has been released that is in original black and white and is in widescreen (this is the one I recommend), but Amazon posted the reviews of the first DVD onto the new one as well. Are you confused yet? The black & white version has been re-mastered and has a cleaner image, but unfortunately is still without extras. Not even some outtakes, gallery stuff, theatrical trailers, or cartoons? It is still a terrific movie...

THE STORY: live action comedy/fantasy. Professor Brainard (played to perfection by Fred MacMurray) is a forgetful scientist who is so absorbed in his work that he ignores his personal life, much to the chagrin of his girlfriend Betsy (Nancy Olson). So involved in fact that he cannot even remember to show up for his own wedding, and he loses his girl to a rival suitor. But that day he causes a mishap in the lab that accidentally creates a new anti-gravity substance that is basically floating rubber. He tries to convince his girl he has this new miracle, but she thinks he is a crackpot at this point. He tries to impress her by using his invention to help the feeble college basketball team finally win a big game, but she gets madder at his attempt to get credit for it. He then tries to convince the Defense Department that the substance works, but something seems to go wrong with the tests. For example he rigs his "Model T" car to fly, but someone switches cars unbeknown to him and he looks like a lunatic claiming his car can fly. The scenes of the various armed forces commanders trying to outmaneuver each other are rich. The professor is then pursued by criminal boss Alonzo Hawk and his thugs, seemingly the only one who believes he has the substance and wants it for himself. Great satire on college administration, the military, and other institutions, this movie has hilarious antics, crazy stunts, and it is good clean fun for kids and adults.

BEHIND THE SCENES AND TRIVIA: The role of Alonzo Hawk is played by Keenan Wynn, who reprises the role of Hawk for the sequel "Son of Flubber" and again in "Herbie Rides Again." Also stars Tommy Kirk as Hawks college son, Ed Wynn as the fire chief. You may not recognize the TV newsman, but millions of visitors to Disneyland did, as he was played by Wally Boag who performed daily at Disneyland's Golden Horseshoe Review. The films special effects were nominated for an Academy Award®. Disney brought in a science professor to help them design the flubber substance and make the science in the movie more authentic. Produced by Bill Walsh, who also worked on "The Shaggy Dog". Walsh also wrote the screenplay and pushed the studio and the director to do the aerial basketball game, that really make the film. The story originated from three short stories by Samuel Taylor that Walt Disney had purchased from Liberty Magazine during the war. Directed by Robert Stevenson, the movie was originally released to theaters in March 16, 1961, one of the biggest box office years for the Disney Studio. The same year saw release of "The Parent Trap", and "Swiss Family Robinson". All three films were in the top ten grossing films of the industry for the year. The movie returned to theaters in '67 and '74, something unheard of today. The movie was televised as a special on November 11, 1975 and it later aired in two parts on NBC's "The Wonderful World of Disney" on September 9 and 16, 1979. The story was adapted to a made for television series in 1988, but only two episodes were ever aired. The sequel to the movie was equally popular in the box office, and utilized most of the same actors and production team. The original movie was released on video for the first time in 1981. It was colorized after an airing on the Disney Channel in 1986. A theatrical version of the original story was remade starring Robin Williams in "Flubber" was released on November 26, 1997. The song in the opening credits is known as the "Medfield Fight Song" and was written by the Sherman Brothers in their first feature film screen credit. The background music score was written by Disney Studio composer George Bruns. Running time is 96 minutes.

This movie lacks the special effects of current movies, and it may be hard for today's youth to relate to it, but it's a lovely bit of nostalgia that has stood the test of time. I was born more than 20 years after this movie was made, but I take delight in Fred MacMurray, who always puts his heart into a performance, but does a particularly nice job here as Professor Ned Brainard. He portrays the role spledidly and brings enthusiasm and inoccence to the character.
You can also find stellar performances from the supporting cast. Disney has always had a nack for establishing minor characters so that you get sucked into their world, and all of these people become real.
When watching this movie you have to take into consideration the era it was made in, and the limits they had to work with, if you go into it looking for special effects you will be sorely dissapointed. Instead watch it with a certain degree of imagination at the ready, and have fun rooting for Professor Brainard as he tries to win back his lady-love and displaying his true American Patriotism, and still finding time to outsmart the villains. The rivalry between Ned and Shelby Ashton is highly entertaining, and you'll laugh out loud when watching Alonzo Hawk get his come-upance.
I never had the opportunity to see the black and white version, but I think it would be the better alternative. The colorization in this VHS version is rather obvious and somewhat distracting, but it doesn't detract from the content of the movie itself, and the film is still highly enjoyable.

I first saw "The Absentminded Professor" while at camp Matollionequay as little girl years ago and fell on the floor laughing. When I saw it was available on DVD, I quickly purchased it to have it for my family so my 5 ˝ year old daughter, husband and I could enjoy it together. The movie is simply infectious and has humor for all ages.

The story is chock-full and has many veins and sub-plots, which add to the fun. Basically, the story revolves around the main character, the "Absentminded Professor" himself, Dr. Brainard following the time around his wedding (the third time staged, as he "forgot" to go to the first two...I wonder what the outlook is for the third time?), and his unexpected discovery of a metastable compound he dubs, "flying rubber", or "Flubber".

Throughout the movie, we see several stories playing out - the missed wedding, the discovery of Flubber's properties, Dr. Brainard's attempt to win back his love, and the effort to keep Medfield College afloat financially. Add to that, the run-ins with the police, and the way Dr. Brainard helps Medfield College win an important basketball game, and you've got yourself a winning ticket.

Overall, this is film is great fun with really timeless humor. You can watch it again and again. There's no cursing or crude humor, so you don't have to be embarrassed to watch it with your kids or even your grandparents. I think this film would be ideal for kids today, from about age 4-15 or so, but it's good for adults, as well.

Not only is this and many of the other live action DVDs released by Disney in January of 2003 being butchered to full frame instead of shown in their original widescreen ratio, but this movie is also being released in a colorized version.

I thought we learned in the 80's just how evil colorization is, but I guess Disney hasn't learned. Avoid this horrible version at all costs and pray Disney learns how to properly release DVDs.

This DVD is a full framed, colorized version of a black and white film.

Someday when widescreen is the mainstream broadcast available (DTV mandated by FCC by 2007 timeframe) and most of us viewers have switched to new 16:9 televisions; movie watchers will have to be buy another copy of these movies in widescreen format all over again. Boy those movie studios sure know how to keep getting that money out of our pockets. It is sad that the movie studios are slowly destroying the DVD format.

And colorizing the film is silly. Seeing the smooth tones of a black and white film is part of the enjoyment of old films.

We want our DVD movies in there original format!