Product Details

• Actors: Roddy Maude-Roxby, Gary Dubin, Carole Shelley, Dean Clark (II), Scatman Crothers
• Format: Animated, Color, Dolby, DVD, NTSC, Special Edition
• Language: English, French, Spanish
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.75:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: G (General Audience)
• Studio: WALT DISNEY VIDEO
• DVD Release Date: February 5, 2008
• Run Time: 79 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (183 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000XUOIQ4
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,126 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "The Aristocats (Special Edition)" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

This enchanting tale begins in Paris, when a kind and eccentric millionairess wills her entire estate to her family a family of adorable high-society cats. But when Edgar, the greedy butler, overhears her plan, he catnaps Duchess, the elegant, soft-spoken mother, and her three mischievous kittens and abandons them in the French countryside. Soon, they re being escorted home by the charming Thomas O Malley, a rough-and-tumble alley cat, who takes them to his pad along the way, where Scat Cat and his band of swingin jazz cats perform the memorable Ev rybody Wants To Be A Cat. Enriched by highstyle Disney animation (The New Yorker) and toe-tapping music by Academy Award® winning songwriters the Sherman brothers, The Aristocats is a timeless treasure and the last animated feature to get the nod from Walt Disney himself.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

59 of 63 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Fine Family Fun, but: All Reviews for Previous Editions Lumped Together, February 7, 2008

By 

Baron Sardonicus (Pennsylvania) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Aristocats (Special Edition) (DVD)

There are over a hundred reviews for The Aristocats as of this date. They all refer to the previous edition (Disney Gold Classic Edition or whatever they called it years ago when it first came out on dvd).

So now we will have those reviews mixed up with new reviews for the Feb 5, 2008 version which offers more extras and a different aspect ratio. This may make things a bit confusing.

Moving on...

People compare this film to 101 Dalmations. This is Disney's "cat" movie, they say. You can't compare them; they're too similiar somehow.

But they are both decent, cute family films.

Yes, Cruella is scary compared to the bumbling butler Edgar. There is a sense of jeopardy but Dalmations is much stronger in that sense.

Both films were made using the 1960's Xerox method where the resulting animation is more sketchy looking and more close to the original animator's drawings.

The Aristocats is more of a musical, definitely. A few forgettable songs, but also the charming and infectious tune "Everybody Wants to Be a Cat". That is the tune I think of when I remember the adventures of Duchess and Thomas and the kittens. (101 Dalmations had the little "Cruella De Vil" song, but that's it.)

Overall this is a fun vehicle but it is not a classic such as Peter Pan, Cinderella, or Lady and the Tramp. It has a nice, relaxing pace and is probably most appealing to youngsters. The voice talent, as ever with Disney cartoon features, is great. Eva Gabor's Duchess is warm and maternal while Phil Harris as Thomas O'Malley is macho yet sweet (and sounds like a lifelong diehard smoker). He also lent his vocal prowess to The Jungle Book when he played Baloo the bear.

This special edition for 2008 has some cute extras. But unless you're a total stickler for aspect ratios or you collect every version they release, the previous edition should suffice. It was fine, with a clear and bright picture/sound presentation.

44 of 46 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful film!, April 24, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Aristocats (Disney Gold Classic Collection) (DVD)

I'm so glad that Disney made this film. I much prefer the more innocent Disney movies of the past. Movies like Lady and the Tramp and The Aristocats are truly fun, wholesome entertainment. Don't get me started on the new Disney films which are way too interested in pushing hit pop songs and attracting adults with more action, violence, and suggestive dialogue. I know things can't stay the same so I'm glad we have this film from a more innocent era. I particularly like the fact that the pacing is relaxed and the villain is not very scary. I'm always looking for what I call "calm" movies and videos for my 2 and a half year old. I don't want him seeing frightening or fast-paced images. Lady and the Tramp and Emmet Otter's Jug Band Christmas are other great shows for young viewers. Unlike the sterile environment of the Teletubbies, these movies are full of wonderful images and interesting music. I find the backdrop drawings extremely interesting and stylized. I also like the setting of the film (France) as opposed to the mainly exotic locations lately of Disney films.

44 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The approach Disney seems to have forgotten, May 26, 2000

By 

Mario Rodgers (Newport News, Virginia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Aristocats (Disney Gold Classic Collection) (DVD)

Considering Disney's recent track record, it would appear that they think the average kid is maturing faster than before. Thus, they seem to put out movies that are dark and inappropriate for the average kid. The only exceptions to this trend are the wonderful Toy Story movies and A Bug's Life. Flash back a decade or two, and you'll find a different Disney, a Disney that made movies everybody could enjoy. Aristocats comes from that era. True the animation from this decade is weak, and the story loses a few points in some areas. The villain is also quite tame. All of that, however, disappears under the movie's charm, upbeat attitude, and general fun. It's certainly more fun than Hercules. People looking for something intense should avoid this. Families with small children and those who love adorable cats will love this movie. From this era, I also recommend Robin Hood. As I've said before, you just can't beat old school Disney.