Customer Reviews

Old Yeller (Walt Disney Studio Film Collection)

5 star:		(43)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

I first saw this as a kid and nearly never saw another movie again. Especially one with an animal in it. For anyone who has ever bonded with an animal (especially a dog), "Old Yeller" strikes a nerve or two. The was also the first time I ever heard the phrase "It's only a movie!" after I saw "Old Yeller" because I cried so hard. This is probably one of the finest family films ever made by the Walt Disney people. It's a simple tale of a frontier boy who bonds with a stray dog (that more than proves it's loyalty) and the boy's final realization that he has to grow up. Dorothy McGuire is the steadfast mother and Tommy Kirk is the boy who must make a gut-wrenching decision that will start him on the road to maturity. I hated this movie for years but as an adult I more than see the beauty of it now and highly recommend it all round. But keep those kleenex handy because if you're like me, you'll need 'em.

The DVD treatment of this film is also the way a classic should be treated. Disney pulled out all the stops for the DVD's in their new "Vault Disney Collection" which has 4 different releases as of 1/29/03. I have always loved this movie, and you can read all the great things about the film itslef from other reviewers and from the vhs reviews. I want to talk about the DVD treatment. First and most importantly it's WIDESCREEN, maybe for the first time outside of a theatre. What a difference it makes, the film is beautiful in its scope as it was originally intended.

EXTRAS!! Read all about it!
There are about 3 hours worth of incredible extra material here. To find all of the extras is not easy, so make sure you poke around and push on every icon (especially arrows) you can and be sure to even pursue the items that do not sound interesting to you since they can in turn lead to yet another submenu of goodies.
The 2 disc set has much more than is listed here or even on the packaging itself. One of the best bonus features is a complete vintage episode of the Walt Disney television show from 1957, the episode called, "Best Doggone Dog in the West". It has half the episode devoted to a behind the scenes promotion of the film, featuring Dorothy McGuire as our narrator. The other half had a great old featurette called "Arizona Sheepdog", that ran in theatres in 1955 before a main feature. (TRIVIA not on this set - this episode was altered in 1961 for its rerun, and the Old Yeller segment was replaced with a 101 Dalmations segment.)

Several featurettes and archive Galleries with studio fan cards, costume design sketches, lobby cards, invitations, film production letterhead, posters, magazine ads, screenplay, and the complete exhibitors campaign book; Audio features with production photos and behind the scenes shots with the sounds of Radio Spots from the original release, two songs, a foley sound effects demonstration, and 2 interactive "Sound Studio" demonstrations. Also more production archives; included is the fan letters sent to Gibson the author; a news story from TV about the unveiling of the memorial to Old Yeller in Gibsons home town, which Disney studio participated in; a documeentary on the writer; a short new video called "Dogs" ; recent interviews with cast members;

My favorite, a nice featurette giving us a first ever rare glimpse of the famous "Golden Oak Movie Ranch" owned by Disney where this film and so many others were filmed. I had always wanted to see it and my wish finally came true. Another feature is the 1961 Disney Studio Album which is a photo album/video showcasing everything the Disney Studio created in 1957 from Parks, to TV, to film. A really neat extra is the actual complete recording of the original "Old Yeller" storybook LP album released as merchandising, narrated by Fess Parker. Next there is yet another documentary on the making of the film.

Also included here as a big bonus is the original theatrical Pluto cartoon "Bone Trouble" released along with the Old Yeller in 1957, so you can see it the way you did back when. Show the kids the way it used to be, when you went to the movies and you saw more fun stuff than just commercials before the main feature.

I challenge anyone to watch this without getting caught up in the story, or to keep from singing the great title song. All ages truly love this family film. The book that the story is based on by Gibson will long be remembered as a classic. Disney respected the book in their film, and made a movie that is many great things.

Thank you!, whoever at Disney pushed to treat this DVD like this. The extras have caused me to rave about the Vault Disney series to everyone I know and buy extra copies for my loved ones as Christmas presents. I hope all Disney fans buy tons of these so Disney understands it is worth putting the extra work into a DVD. If I could give it 10 stars I would, well worth the price!

This is one of those Disney classic movies that stands the test of time. Brilliant direction, casting, and sets. The sets were done by the same man that did the sets for "Shane". Along with this wonderful story of a pioneer family and its incredible dog. You get a second disc filled with extra features. You get a Pluto cartoon on the first disc that shows before the feature. The movie will appeal the most to dog lovers but has something for the whole family. Old Yeller along with being a wonderful companion risks his life three times to save family members. The fight with the bear, wild pigs, and wolf are intense and not recommmended for young children to see. Furthermore when Old Yeller gets hydrophobia what has to be done will upset the little ones. The scenery is beautiful and the set shots are excellent. The movie is in letterbox format and the restoration is perfect. I highly recommend this to anyone that wants a good family movie for all but the very young.

A great family movie. Teaches a lot about life and the trials youth must face. The dog does die (from rabies contracted from a wolf, not his owners!), yet that is a fact of life. We live in an 'instant' society where the current generation seems to actually believe that the events programmed into video games - like getting more chances if you mess up - are real. They are not! Old Yeller shows that life is tough, but it is worth living.

this is best movie i have ever seen. a boy named Travis meets this old yeller dog. Travis finds out this isnt a regular dog. old yeller protects Travis from bears, hogs,and wolfs. But when old yeller is bit by a wolf he gets rabies. Travis wants old yeller to live but there is no hope for him. So Travis has to shoot old yeller. the next morning papa comes home with a horse for travis. Old yeller fatherd puppies before he died Travis came to love one of them and it was like old yeller lives again.

Without an upgrade to the family favorite Old Yeller on broadcast, the next best thing is to cuddle up to the security of knowing there once was the kind of enduring comfort of a boy and a dog who looked out only for him, and what child has not imagined his own special angel in the form of a dog he could actually feel, touch, and share time with. The symbolism of the dog friend, loyal and fearless, who deserves the honor of so emotional and close a friendship, a love, is beyond compare, and has helped millions of young boys appreciate the special relationship of having a personal confidant whose loyalty was without question, and beyond compare. The human qualities invested in so strong a heart, free from judgement is one of the greatest tales told that has captured the imagination and inspiration of so many boys, and girls alike. For children who need confidence to face the difficulties of life, this story is extraordinarily well suited to children who need heroes. The fact that the hero is a dog simply makes the story endearing and realistic. A wonderfully tender and important teaching tool for children to appreciate the value and extent of loyalty as it can be tested, and pass all tests.

Old Yeller is as wonderful and colorful here as ever, but what distinguishes this DVD for the real fans and for the new viewers alike are the extras. Older viewers who grew up with the cast in this movie as well as the Mickey Mouse Club (Tommy Kirk, Kevin "Moochie" Corcoran), Davy Crocket (Fess Parker), and other movies (Dorothy Maguire) will be thrilled to see their "friends" in outtakes and (all but Dorothy Maguire, who has passed on) reunion discussions. The making-of stuff is newly-produced and wonderfully insightful for old-time Disney fans.

Newer fans will like other features as well, including a featurette on the "Golden Oak Ranch," the Disney-owned ranch where it was filmed. It was cool to learn about all the movies (Disney and non-Disney alike) that have been filmed there, and continue to be.

They really went all-out on the DVD. I agree with all of the previous positive reviews of the film itself. It still stands up. But I just wanted to point out the wonderful extras on the DVD! Good show!

Disney has done outstanding films about a boy and his dog - Old Yeller tops them all, including Lassie w/Roddy McDowell. And this DVD set comes with a second disc filled with an array of quick dog flicks coupled with interviews of people in the dog flick business.

This 1957 movie is set in pre-Civil War America and centers around a frontier family whose "Pa" (played by Fess Parker) heads out on a cattle drive and leaves his eldest son, Travis, (is he only twelve?) in charge of "Ma" and his little brother Arliss. The boy feels like the odd one out with his little brother getting all the attention, until a stray yellow dog turns up. Travis and Old Yeller become best friends.

Old Yeller wins the rest of the family over too by saving Arliss from a bear, saving the sweet corn from raccoons, and protecting Travis from wild hogs. The hog fight leaves both boy and dog with flesh wounds from their frightful encounter and everyone worried whether either of the two would come down with rabies. However, they both recover without incident.

Then Old Yeller has a run-in with a wolf. Soon after, Old Yeller is frothing at the mouth trying to get out of the shed that Travis put him in as a precaution. Travis keeps telling his mother that Old Yeller will get better. But Old Yeller becomes so sick and so out his mind, that Travis has to become a man and put his best friend out of his misery.

This film made Sputnik look like a hot-air balloon!

this is best movie i have ever seen. a boy named Travis meets this old yeller dog. Travis finds out this isnt a regular dog. old yeller protects Travis from bears, hogs,and wolfs. But when old yeller is bit by a wolf he gets rabies. Travis wants old yeller to live but there is no hope for him. So Travis has to shoot old yeller. the next morning papa comes home with a horse for travis. Old yeller fatherd puppies before he died Travis came to love one of them and it was like old yeller lives again.

Back in about 1984, (I was 6) our family bought our first VCR. My dad loved "Old Yeller" as a child, and so it was the very first movie we ever rented after the big purchase. I loved it then. It did not emotionally scar me, although it made me cry. I love this movie still, and am still moved to tears everytime I see it.