Customer Reviews

Lady and the Tramp (Diamond Edition Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo in Blu-ray Packaging)

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

For True Film Collectors Of Classic Disney Animation, you can put your mind to rest. I have seen a review from someone on the internet that assures us that the Video Is In It's OAR of 2:35:1 cinemascope, not 1:85:1 like the the specs say at the top of this page. I had to search hard to find this information. I had to know. It had to be in its OAR of 2:35:1 cinamascope for me to consider perchasing it at all. The way I knew it was in Cinemascope was the fact the person mentioned that the aspect ratio had black bars on top and bottom of the picture even when it filled the screen due to being enhanced for 16:9 TV. I even saw previews of still frames from the Cinemascope version from the blu-ray showing proof that the film is indeed in its OAR version of 2:35:1 cinemascope. This is indeed great to find out because I am a movie purest. I want the best quality and I want the OAR shown in theaters or I wouldn't consider buying it all.

I had not seen this movie in some time so when I got this sent to me I was excited to see it again and to share it for the first time with my girls. The Blu-ray version of this movie was just remarkable. The colors and sounds just jump off the screen and you get drawn into the true love story which is Lady and the Tramp. On top of a great story there is also some great music shared in this movie too which is a hidden gem within the film. With talent such as Peggy Lee you can see that Disney had the pulse on their audience in trying to draw in the younger crowds back in the day. All-in-all though, this is definitely a movie that you should add to your collection or reintroduce your family too, you will not be disappointed!

Disney continues its near perfect track record with Diamond Edition blu-ray releases. Outside of few smudgy areas that look like Vaseline was smeared on the screen (check the scene where Lady chases the rat out of the yard, for a good example), the movie looks like it could have been completed yesterday! The lines are crisp. The colors are vibrant. And the wider aspect-ratio lets us see things no one -- outside of those at Disney -- have ever been able to see prior to this release. So, with the blu, you get a dazzling picture and more of that dazzling picture to love! On the audio side, things are a little weaker. There is a noticeable "tape hiss" throughout most of the movie. It's at its worst during dialogue scenes with gaps and no music to fill them. But it is there throughout (although my girlfriend didn't even notice until I pointed it out, so apparently I'm super-sensitive toward this sort of sound). I'm sure the hiss is due to the age of the film, but it's worth noting, nonetheless.

The movie itself? If you're here reading this review -- you already know. Lady and the Tramp is one of Disney's all-time greats! Its the pinnacle of animation and storytelling. It's movies like this that have made Walt Disney and the amazing team of animators he assembled legendary. It is a romance for the young and the young at heart. The movie never feels dated and always captivates new generations. My 4-year-old nephew loves it just as much as I did when I was his age. It was so much fun to watch him laugh and cheer at all the same places I did 25 years earlier. Lady and the Tramp is a winner and the blu-ray transfer more than does it justice. To sum it all up? This release is no dog! (Sorry ... couldn't resist.)

Disney has done it again! With the exception of Fox and the Hound, every single 1080p re-release of our favorite animated classics have been given the absolute GREATEST possible transfer imaginable!! This is not a restoration, it is a transformation. The amount of detail painted into all the glorious Main Street USA scenery is breath-taking! And, for the first time ever, you can see it all! I don't care how many times you've seen Lady and the Tramp, you have not seen it until you watch this blu ray. I thought Alice in Wonderland, Beauty and the Beast, and Fantasia got amazing transfers.. honestly, I think this one surpasses them all.

A few technical notes about the Blu Ray:

ASPECT RATIO:
- Yes, it is in the ORIGINAL aspect ratio of 2.55:1. No worries there!

AUDIO:
- Audiophiles rejoice! You have the option of either a phenomenal new 7.1 DTS-HD Master surround mix, or a freshly restored 3.0 option that is more representative of the original. I happen to prefer the new 7.1, but both are wonderful!

Bonus Content:
- If the new transfer doesn't sell you alone, I was actually quite impressed with the new bonus features! They include several deleted scenes, a never-recorded song, and an extremely insightful commentary track.

Overall: classic film lovers, painters, artists, romantics, movie collectors, and more - this is a required purchase. Lady and the Tramp is one of the greatest love stories ever told and, for the first time ever, given a jaw-dropping restoration that no generation has experienced before. I highly recommend it!

PS: You might also want to add these to your shopping cart ;) - Mueller's Spaghetti, 16-Ounce Boxes (Pack of 20) and Ragu Pasta Sauce, Old World Style, Traditional, 45-Ounce Bottles (Pack of 4)

First of all, YES, it is in its original aspect ratio, 2:55:1, just like Sleeping Beauty was. Second this film is a must own for Disney or Animation fans, so if that's the case you can stop reading and buy this (or more likely you already have).

So the main reason I'm reviewing this item is I actually found something funny about the release and I had to point it out. You put the disc in the player, the nostalgia inducing Disney intro plays and the trailers begin. Then they say "stay tuned for EXCITING previews...", I don't think the next words should be "...including Beverly Hills Chihuahua 3", lol. Films like Cinderella, Aladdin, Pocahontas, Aristocats and The Rescuers all coming to blu-ray and they want to lead off with BHC? Okay, lol, other than that this is an experience the child in anyone will thoroughly enjoy.

Story: This is a great story, it's very simple but so well done. The characters are well crafted, the story progresses naturally and it's a story that hadn't been told from this point of view before, and I argue has never been told as well in this way since. It holds up amazingly even after 57 years, the period setting of an idyllic town in the early 20th century helps give it that ageless fairytale feeling that most Disney classics maintain. This is one of Disney's animated classics that you fondly remember but you appreciate it all the more when you finally rewatch it. Given a well timed release right before Valentines Day, this is a sweet romance that is suitable for the entire family and told from the unique perspective of two dogs.

Picture: It doesn't get better. Like Bambi I find this remaster to be spectacular, I don't see how anyone could complain. Nary a spot of grain (I personally didn't spot any in in my first of what will be many viewings) and not a single blemish otherwise. The colors are true to the original but as vibrant and pure as one imagines they've ever been. It's like watching the hand painted cells move before your eyes and nothing seems to have been negatively tampered with at all. This HD transfer makes Lady and the Tramp look as if it could've been animated yesterday, the only tip off is that they don't put this much care into hand drawn animation anymore. The backgrounds are gorgeously done and the characters are realistic but stylistically animated, the human characters being purposefully the most simplistic. This film has the style of the other 50's era Disney films, it is kindred to Cinderella but the dogs are so realistically captured that they remind me of the animal designs in Bambi.

Audio: The audio is just as good as the animation with a 7.1 DTS-HD track. This isn't a film that is full of sound but all the sounds that are present are clear and distinguished, I couldn't ask for more.

Special Features: Is it me or in general has Disney not been putting as much new content on their Diamond Editions as they did on their Platinums? Perhaps I've just been spoiled but it may also be in part as they've released the films so many times by now. I will say I am very happy with the new supplements provided for this particular release. Here fans will be happy not just with the High Definition but with Disney's attempt at providing new and interesting extras that clearly took some time.

Audio Commentary: Inside Walt's Story Meetings - The best extra by far, these have been included on many recent Disney films both Diamond and not. It is informative and clearly took some time. Not only have they assigned recurring actors to play the same parts but here they have found pieces of discussion that apply directly to what you are viewing on the screen, simply amazing. These are great for those interested in film, listening to these conversations you really get a sense of Walt Disney, his team and their story crafting genius and animation know-how. They discuss every detail and always have some interesting angle for approaching each scene. They really considered the audience the entire time they created these amazing classics and by the time they made Lady and the Tramp you can see they really know what they're doing. They also make reference to several other films (Bambi, Sleeping Beauty) and discuss the state of the business briefly.

Deleted Scenes: There are three new deleted scenes. As I think people know by now most of the scenes are abandoned storyboards turned into animatics and not actual animation. There is a narrator and voice actors playing the characters. I enjoy these, here viewers get twenty minutes worth of new material (though I probably won't watch them very often).

Introduction of Boris - A long abandoned scene about two early concept neighbor dogs, Homer and Boris, who would vie for Lady's affection. This is neat to see but I'm glad they decided to go the Trusty and Jacques route, they are much better characters. (10mins Approx)

Waiting for Baby - The shortest scene finds Lady with Jim Dear awaiting the arrival of the baby. Jim Dear is seen wanting a baby boy and imagining all the things that will come. Another interesting scene but you can see how they moved pieces around and ultimately did without it. (2mins Approx)

Dog Show - Finds Lady and Tramp sneaking into a stage performance of dancing poodles where they accidentally cause havoc before making a run for it. This is mostly just bit gags. (8mins Approx)

Never Recorded Song: "I'm free as the breeze" - storyboards are again shot as a sort of animatic that plays as the song is heard. It is actually a great song that would have fit the tone of the film but was dropped only because they decided not to make Tramp a singing character. I'm glad to have heard it.

Diane Disney Miller: Remembering Dad - A featurette (just under 8 minutes) that finds Disney's daughter recollecting on her father, primarily an apartment he had above the fire station in Disneyland. This basically serves as a tour of that apartment as items she discusses are shown in detail as you hear her describe them and relate them to her father.

Introduction by Diane Disney-Miller - Disney's daughter gives a plug for the Disney museum in San Fransisco and tells why Lady and the Tramp was a special film for her father, runs just over a minute in length.

**Note: I have not yet used the Disney Second Screen on this item but have on past releases. I'm sure, just as on previous releases, it has copious amounts of behind the scenes drawings, animatics, storyboards, designs, etc., all of which can be accessed from your computer while watching the film (there's also games but I've never played them). On that note, I did miss on this release that they didn't incorporate any of that content directly into the Walt's Story Meeting feature on the disc, as they did on Bambi for example. I'll update the review when I get a chance to actually look through the feature.

Classic DVD Bonus Features: Carried over from the Platinum Edition are - Lady's Pedigree, a 52 minute long documentary on Lady and the Tramp. Finding Lady - a 13 minute long featurette about making a great storyboard. Original 1943 storyboard version of the film. The Siamese Cat Song, a 2 minute featurette. A Belle Notte music video, Theatrical Trailers and 2 more deleted scenes.

So ultimately this film, which was a financial success but originally overlooked by most critics, has become a classic. It is probably one of the most referenced love stories in film if only because of the simplistic genius of a shared plate of spaghetti on a first date, but it deserves much more credit than that. This is a Disney classic everyone should own and every child should watch. 5 star film making and a 5 star release.

If it weren't an animated feature, and was a contemporary live action romantic comedy/drama, Lady and the Tramp could very well star, for instance, Jake Gyllenhaal or Ryan Reynolds with Reese Witherspoon or Jennifer Aniston.

"She's a well-bred, meticulous looker but a little naive and a bit of a control freak! He's a sloppy, jaunty hunk who lives on a lots of friends' couches and has trouble committing to one person! Over the course of the movie, she learns to lighten up and he learns the value of a responsible relationship! A popular song plays as they head back to the city from Central Park or hop on the cable car with the Golden Gate bridge in the distance! Or any number of variations on the same story!"

Even though it was released over 50 years ago and occasionally betrays its era (the baby bottles in the window, stereotyped incidental characters that were "safer" in their day than now), Lady and the Tramp is, in many ways, more sophisticated, witty and -- dare I say -- sexier than some of today's wafer-thin incarnations.

Come on, that spaghetti scene. It predates the eating scene in Tom Jones by several years. Lady and Tramp awake in the morning after a night out, followed by a scene in which her neighbor dogs Jock and Trusty propose marriage to her. Sure, it's so she has a roof over her head (the annoying Aunt Sarah has put her outside) but it suggests they're trying to make her an honest woman.

I thought I was really stretching things by suggesting that last assumption, so you can imagine my surprise when several Disney artists and historians say just about the same thing on one of the bonus features! Movies were changing in 1955, and Walt might not have made Lady and the Tramp in quite the same way had the war not prevented it from going into production a decade or so sooner.

All underlying meanings aside, Lady and the Tramp is one of Disney's biggest consistent crowd pleasers, as is evidenced by the fact that this supposedly "old" movie is neck in neck with the latest Twilight movie for the number one sales spot (as if this writing the Blu-ray has edged out its rival). The story is brisk, relatable (the idea of being "replaced" in someone's heart worked so well for Toy Story, too) and it is visually stunning. Everything has a handsome sheen on it, capturing a Main Street, U.S.A. idyll that Walt was simultaneously creating for his Disneyland Park.

On the new diamond edition Blu-ray, this detail and color are nothing short of breathtaking -- even in seemingly simple scenes like one in which Lady walks upstairs and various carpet and wallpaper patterns go off in maddening directions, yet perfectly in perspective. It's the Alice in Wonderland look, but sane.

Perhaps no other Disney animated film features a larger cast of iconic voice talents who had shone in radio and were moving into television, including Grammy winning comedy giant Stan Freberg as the Beaver (Freberg shows us how he does the whistle voice in a bonus feature).

Alan Reed, soon to become immortalized as the original Fred Flintstone, is Boris the Russian wolfhound. Verna Felton, who would grace many a Disney feature, moving effortlessly from villainy to benevolence, would soon be Fred's mother-in-law. Dal McKennon (Gumby, The Archie Show, Epcot's American Adventure) plays several roles, one that sounds much like his Mr. Weatherbee at Riverdale High.

And doing the most voices of all, almost heard in every scene, is the underrated Bill Thompson, whose most famous voice embodied the White Rabbit and Jock for Disney, as well as Droopy for MGM and Touché Turtle for Hanna-Barbera.

This is also the first Disney animated feature with a starring lead. Before Billy Joel, Elton John or Phil Collins became part of Disney projects, pop goddess Peggy Lee was brought aboard to add a creative imprint unlike anything Walt had ever so graciously welcomed.

Even though Lady and the Tramp isn't a musical in the traditional sense, Lee's presence is felt throughout, either through songs she wrote with Sonny Burke or any of her four voices (the breakout being the torchy Peg, who's a cross between Mae West and Jimmy Cagney.

As per the usual custom, most of the classic DVD features from the 2006 Platinum Edition DVD have been moved to the Blu-ray. The Blu-ray now has an Audio Commentary (thank you!) and the nifty "second screen" feature that allows you to gather further behind the scenes treasures from your laptop while the disc plays on your player. There's also a deleted song that Tramp was going to sing called "Free as the Breeze."

By the way, if you're interested in such wonderful songs that were deleted from Disney classics, you'll want to check out Russell Schroeder's superb, illustrated Disney's Lost Chords, Volume One and Volume Two.

Let me start off by saying I used to own this movie on VHS. Now as most of you know I am sure, the version on VHS was more on the dull side as far as colors go. And the clarity of the details was not quite that sharp in appearance.

They then came out with the DVD, which was far better. The colors were definitely brighter.

Now with Blu-ray, on the other hand, not only are the colors bright but the details are so crisp and clear! I notice textures I could not originally see on the older versions of this film. It is absolutely amazing! The second I hit "play" on the menu and the opening credits began to roll I literally said "wow" because the textures that I never noticed before were suddenly noticed by me for the first time.

I love it. The blu-ray is definitely worth getting!

Over the years, Disney has gone from giving us quality to giving us garbage such as the stuff found on the Disney Channel (Shake It Up, Jessie, ANT Farm). This proves that Disney has not been as good as they used to be. Thankfully, however, some of the workers at Disney work their hardest to satisfy the fans of the older days such as myself, by re-releasing their animated movies for new generations, among other things. With the Diamond Edition of Lady and the Tramp, they are not only doing the fans of the classic Disney films justice once again, they are also doing ME some justice, as I am a huge fan of Lady and the Tramp. In fact, I was pretty hyped for this release.

The story revolves around Lady, who is a pampered Cocker Spaniel, and a streetwise Schnauzer named Tramp. One day, Lady's owners leave her with Aunt Sarah and her Siamese cats while they go on vacation. The Siamese Cats mess up the house and blame Lady for it. Aunt Sarah decides to get a muzzle for Lady at the pet shop, but then Lady runs out. Tramp spots Lady and helps her get the muzzle off. And the rest of the movie is done wonderfully.

As you can tell by the title of this review, I love this movie with all of my heart, and it happens to be my favorite Disney classic, and my second favorite movie of all time, next to Scamp's Adventure. The charm of the film is at a ridiculous high, and the quality of the sound and visual experience are at its very best.

Particularly the voice acting is among some of the best in any animated movie. Barbara Luddy is the perfect voice for Lady, and it's one of the best voice overs I have ever heard in my life. Lady happens to be my favorite character in this movie, because of her voice, and she's just so freaking cute! How could you not love her? I love her personality, her design, and anything else that is good about this character. This is one of those characters that I could just reach into the screen and hug.

Tramp also has a very good voice actor by the name of Larry Roberts. Roberts is the perfect voice for Tramp, and also adds to the character's street-wise personality. Tramp also has a very positive attitude towards his life, especially since his life is poles apart from Lady's. It's also very fun to dub this character when watching this film, just like with Scamp in the sequel. Tramp is the perfect other-half for Lady.

The art value of this film could not be any more spellbinding. The animation is some of the freshest, most vibrant animation I have seen in a Disney classic. The sole Disney Classic about animals that I think has been able to do this is Bambi. The characters in Lady and the Tramp are animated very well, and move so stunningly, almost as if they were real. This is why I miss hand drawn animation, and why animators need to step up and use this kind of animation for their movies, not computer generated animation. Yes, I like some CGI animated movies, such as most from Pixar and Dreamworks, but CGI is not a very satisfying type of animation in my eyes. Hand drawn animation is much more emotional and moving than anything of CGI.

What else does there need to be discussed about the movie? This is Disney at its best, and I hope Disney doesn't stop making re-releases of their classic movies.

Also, another thing I have to point out is the trailer for the sequel that is featured on here. Best trailer for a movie I have ever seen... hands down. Go buy the Lady and the Tramp Blu Ray for any generation. You will save the world from falling into the pit.

Rating: 5 stars/5 stars

Since everybody on the planet probably knows the story of Lady and the Tramp all too well, my review is about the merits of this new Blu-ray rather than concentrating on the story. Disney has never failed to amaze me with the Blu-ray restorations of their animated classics. I've owned every Disney animated incarnation from VHS to DVD to Blu-ray, and the upgrades to Blu-ray have been totally worth every penny. With Lady and the Tramp, a 1955 film shot in CinemaScope, you get a pristine picture that looks as though it was made in 2012. I could not believe the beautiful colors and details that I was seeing. For example, you can see patterns in the carpets that are so detailed that they will astound you. The sound is also very clean. Everything was produced with such care and love (colors, minute details, correct aspect ratio & audio) that I simply can't wait until future Disney Blu-ray releases become available. I think Cinderella may be coming out soon, as it was one of the previews. Even if you own the DVD version of Lady and the Tramp, treat yourself to this Blu-ray experience. You won't regret it.

I won't say anything about the film itself. It's a Disney classic, you will either love it or not. I have some issues with the film in terms of pace and storyline, but as a film I would give it perhaps the same score. I simply thought it was OK. Besides this, the Blu-ray transfer has proven to be a bit controversial. Is the Tramp some various shades of brown throughout the film? Yes. Is there an issue with the sound quality? Yes. This being the biggest deterrant. What I mean is that throughout the film you may notice a hissing sound in the background as background music or dialogue is going on, almost sounding like your speakers are simply too loud and slightly rattling. I initially thought the problem was my television, as I own a thin flat-panel, but even with the volume lowered, the hiss was still apparaent. This I attribute to the age of the film print the production team must have been working with. This being such an old film, perhaps contains these hissing sounds and could not have been reworked out of the film, hence during music and dialogue (or when there's a high enough sound coming from the movie), this hiss will continue. I suggest you just try and ignore it. Now the movie is presented in widescreen format. A couple of reviewers are complaining that this is not the original Cinemscope widescreen format as seen in movie theaters way back when. Perhaps not, but what this movie is NOT is a standard "set-for-tv-movie" box aspect ratio. Any casual viewer will not notice anything but the great digital transfer put onto Blu-ray; lines are sharp and colors are as vibrant as they can be. As an animated feature of this many years old, this movie is a joy to look at. As for all the naysayers, don't hold your breath for Disney to rework the film AGAIN in order to preserve every single exact color and whatever original aspect ratio of yesteryear, it's not going to happen. So just be happy with the transfer the way it is now, because along with the great picture, handful of special features, and usual pristine Disney presentation and packaging, this movie is a must-have for any Disney fan. I just really wish they could have done something about that sound problem.