Walt Disney Treasures: Zorro: Season 1

I,m almost 50 years old and this 1957 Zorro series is somewhat new to me. Oh I was aware of its existence, but being a child that preferred cartoons, giant monsters, and space adventures, Zorro was not much of a consideration for me. It was Guy Williams' other series Lost In Space that appealed to me much more. Without going into a lengthy how I suddenly became interested in Zorro, let's just say I suddenly became interested in Zorro. But unfortunately the pricing on these sets kept them out of my reach for a long time. I just couldn't see dropping over a hundred dollars a season just on the nostalgiac opinions of a few people. So I got season 2 first because of it's questionable "fair" price of under 60 dollars. So as I watched the episodes I thought to myself this show's good I guess, nothing great, but pretty good. So being the fair person that I try to be, when this Season 1 set was under 80 dollars I jumped at it. Now I know what people are talking about. Guy Williams IS Zorro. Zorro Season 1 is an outstanding show of drama, adventure, comedy, and suspense. In fact many episodes could be edited into several movies worthy of theatrical release. I also want to mention that there are no extra features, but the colorization looks very good. The fun thing is you can watch this whole set in color then go back and watch it over again in black and white by turning off the color on your TV. Coming Soon: A review for Walt Disney's Zorro the complete second season.

This special edition of Zorro Season 1 on DVD is just as entertaining and exciting as I remember it from my childhood; it has lost none of its charm or its extraordinary value as an iconic treasure. Guy Williams is a spectacular Don Diego and an even more triumphant Zorro. Henry Calvin and Gene Sheldon appear as inspired players as Sergeant Demetrio López García and Bernardo respectively. For those who enjoyed this show in their youth and who are willing to justify the price, I highly recommend this purchase; I was not disappointed in the least. You get thirty-nine episodes, all fully restored with Zorro's theme song and, of course, his faithful steed - Tornado!

From 1957 to 1959 Walt Disney's half-hour television show ZORRO was so popular that, if Disney and the ABC network hadn't had that legal skirmish, it would've kept on chugging along for a long, long time. I've seen the show off and on ever since I was a kid, but it wasn't really until I saw the episodes on DVD, one after another, that I really appreciated just how consistent and how very good Guy Williams was in his dual roles as Don Diego de la Vega and his swashbuckling alter ego. Guy Williams made it a point to portray Don Diego more as an average, somewhat spineless guy rather than as a swishy fop (you know, guys who tend to sniff perfumed hankies). Williams believed that playing Don Diego as past actors like Douglas Fairbanks and Tyrone Power had had would've eventually become tiresome for the viewing audience, and I think he was spot on.

Although there are a few stand-alone episodes, most of the first season can be carved up into three story arcs, although, okay, the last two arcs share a direct through line. The first thirteen episodes pit Zorro against Capitán Monastario, the sneery, underhanded, yet sort of elegant Comandante of the pueblo of Los Angeles (Britt Lomond was great in this role). It's against Monastario that Zorro would begin to build his legend. To keep it somewhat realistic, Monastario finally does overcome his Clark Kent syndrome and, in "Zorro, the Luckiest Swordsman Alive" and "The Fall of Monastario," he figures out Zorro's true identity. In these same two episodes, by the way, Guy Williams gets a rare chance to fight (clumsily on purpose) as the inept Don Diego. The fallout to this is one exasperated evil swordsman remarking to him in their duel: "You are the luckiest swordsman alive! I have never seen a man so awkward who lived so long." Heh.

The second arc concerns Zorro's efforts to thwart the secret society wielding the sign of the eagle feather, or to quote a pensive Don Diego: "And this eagle feather... Why does it spell death for one man and lower taxes for another? Someone has set up a deliberate campaign to spread misery and suffering, and it is up to us to find out who and why."

Thanks to Zorro, one after the other, the Eagle's minions fall short of furthering the Eagle's goal - which is to sow seeds of discontent throughout California, thus paving the way for an uprising. Finally, with the fate of Spanish California hanging in the balance, El Aguilla himself takes a direct hand, and his appearance comprises a significant part of the third arc. I do think that Monastario in the first arc is the better villain, because the drawn out set-up to the Eagle's finally stepping in just doesn't live up to the actual presentation of the Eagle. Charles Korvin as the Eagle certainly looks very distinguished, with that chiseled jaw of his and that arrogant sense of entitlement. But the Eagle, despite his lofty, lofty ambitions, loses his cool way too often and turns out to be this shrill and petty fella, skilled with a sword but ridden with neuroses. Zorro has a great good time bedeviling him.

Still, the most hateful character in this season, for me, anyway, is probably that sneering guy with the whip who shows up somewhere in the last third of the season. I couldn't wait for Zorro to teach him a lesson.

Guy Williams is such a terrific Zorro, and he's got that magnetism and flashes that daredevil grin so well. And, boy, was this show action-packed! Disney had gotten masterful fencing coach Fred Cavens on board, and this guy's resume included having tutored both Douglas Fairbanks and Tyrone Power in the past. Thanks to him (and his son) and to Williams' athleticism and flash, the action sequences boast thrilling, intricately choreographed sword fights.

Even though ostensibly a children's show, ZORRO doesn't shy from people getting killed in its episodes, although, from what I remember, Zorro himself doesn't kill anyone in the first season (except that in "The Unmasking of Zorro" I got the sense that Zorro doesn't really strain himself too much to save the bad guy who'd just learned his true identity).

ZORRO - THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON has the 39 episodes on five discs and it kicks off with film critic Leonard Maltin's in-depth introduction. Disc 6 devotes itself to the following bonus features: "The Life and Legend of Zorro," a documentary delving into the history of Zorro and his many screen incarnations, as well as behind-the-scenes stuff about Disney's Zorro series; the two-part special "Zorro: El Bandido" and "Adios, El Cuchilo" which was broadcast on the television anthology show WALT DISNEY PRESENTS more than a year after ZORRO had gone off the air - this special features Gilbert Roland as the audacious bandit El Cuchilo and Rita Moreno as a fiery tavern girl; and, finally, a segment from WALT DISNEY PRESENTS's "The Fourth Anniversary Show" with old Walt himself introducing Senor Zorro to his mouseketeers. The DVD case arrives in a cool black tin can which also contains a collectible Zorro pin, a black & white photo of Guy Williams as Don Diego, and a Certificate of Authenticity.

The wonderful supporting cast is anchored by Henry Calvin and Gene Sheldon. Calvin is awesome and hilarious as Zorro's fat, bumbling frienemy, Sergeant Garcia, and it's always neat whenever he gets a chance to apply his rich baritone in a song or two. He comes off as a more likable version of Oliver Hardy. Gene Sheldon uses his background in mime to flesh out Bernardo, Don Diego's mute man-servant who pretends to be also deaf so as to better serve Diego when out in public. The production values are lavish, Disney going all out with the huge sets and costumes and ensuring that everything was authentic to the Old California period. In fact Walt Disney wanted to eventually start shooting ZORRO in color, something which the ABC network was reluctant to do, and so began the prolonged legal battle which eventually killed off the series. And, omigosh, the memorable theme song! And the daring escapades and that sense of high adventure and Guy Williams elevating himself to instant superstardom. I am this close to calling him the best Zorro ever onscreen, except that Tyrone Power is so very, very good in The Mark of Zorro (Special Edition) (Colorized / Black and White). But Guy Williams, he was just terrific.

I really loved watching these before the demise of "Vault Disney" on the Disney channel.

The casting and characters were brilliant. Guy Williams is the ideal Zorro for me. He's dashing, charming and intelligent. Garcia is good hearted, but still one of the bad guys. If he wasn't always screwing up, he'd actually BE bad. The villans are well chosen and acted and the damsels are beautiful. I love seeing guest stars like Sebastion Cabot and so many other familiar faces.

Can you believe there was a time when you'd get 38-40 full episodes in a single season? Now it's what, 13 to 22? You get a lot of entertainment value when you buy some of these older series.

There is no gory or excessive violence, vulgarity or blatant sex, yet it still holds my attention well. I wonder if I am drawn to like it because it is genuniely good or just so nostalgic for me. I'm sure it's both.

Whether 8 (when I first warched) or 59 (enjoying watching again) years old, these episodes still draw me in. From the "Out of the night when the full moon is bright comes a horseman known as Zorro" start of theme song, to the happy ending, these episodes do not disappoint. They brought back many happy memories of sitting in front of the small screen watching every week with my family and friends. My first crush, Guy Williams, remains one of the best looking men to ever grace the tv screen. Others have played the part, but in my opinion, he is the ultimate Zorro. I'll be getting the second season soon. Thanks, Disney, for getting this treasure out there for us young at heart folks to enjoy. I can highly recommend this DVD set. You'll love it!