Lady and the Tramp

Lady and the Tramp: 50th Anniversary Edition (1955) | Approx. 76 min. | G | Reviewed by Lisa Perkis Click to Buy Ratings Summary (Scored out of a maximum of five) Audio Video Goodies Interface Value

The Movie

When Disney first released Lady and the Tramp on DVD in 1999, it included no bonus features and little restoration. This time around, the DVD is entitled Lady and the Tramp: 50th Anniversary Edition

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The story of Lady and the Tramp is familiar to almost everyone: Lady, the beloved cocker spaniel, is given to Darling as a Christmas present in the iconic hatbox, and enjoys an idyllic life until a new addition to the family upsets and confuses poor Lady. The jaunty Tramp is on hand to give Lady a new look at life from the other side of the tracks, and she must choose between a life of carefree freedom or traditional duty. Some of the most famous supporting Disney characters are on hand in Lady and the Tramp: Trusty, the faithful bloodhound, Jock the scolding terrier, and the beguiling Peg, voiced by Peggy Lee. Chickens are chased, beavers enlisted, and spaghetti eaten in beautiful digital remastering.

The Goodies

The second disc of the set is devoted to special features. Sadly, no audio commentary is offered for Lady and the Tramp, but hours of other features make up for that defiency.

Backstage Disney

The main section of Backstage Disney contains seven featurettes delving into the art, music, origins and voice work of Lady and the Tramp

Return to Marceline – Marceline, Missouri historians talk about the town’s influence on Walt Disney, and, in turn, Lady and the Tramp. The featurette contains some great footage of Walt Disney returning to Marceline in the prime of his career. Walt was nostalgic for simpler times, which led him to model the background art after his home town Marceline. Disneyland opened one month after Lady and the Tramp was released, and Main Street also reflects Marceline’s influence on the designer of both projects.

A Perfect Little Lady – the story of Lady and the Tramp–this featurette is a great tribute to the late Joe Grant–the animator who is responsible for the original story in the late 1930s based on his Springer spaniel (which was later changed to a cocker spaniel.) Joe Grant was never given credit for the idea; by the 1950s Grant was no longer working for Disney. Though the story went through many changes, Grant’s contributions are finally recognized. It’s a touching and fitting tribute.

Ruff Animation – Current animator Andreas Deja introduces the Nine Old Men and how each contributed to the look of Lady and the Tramp. Frank Thomas’ son and wife show home movies of neighborhood dogs that Thomas used to develop lifelike drawings.

Canine Chorus: the music of Lady and the Tramp–Short but interesting featurette about Peggy Lee and Oliver Wallace and their contributions to the score and songs. Peggy Lee performed four voices in the film and wrote the songs with her collaborator Sunny Burke.

Pretty as a picture: art and design – Another fascinating featurette explaining the use of Cinemascope in the film. Lady and the Tramp was originally intended to be shot in traditional format, but with the advent of the television, Walt Disney felt that something was needed to entice families back to the movie theatre. Background artists had to go back and redesign for Cinemascope, and in the end, two versions were released–since not every theatre was equipped to show movies in the new format.

Excerpts from Disneyland TV shows – These are two shows; first shown in black and white when the film was first released, then several years later in color when the movie was re-released. Some of the color footage was discovered in the Disney Vault and cut into the existing episode. It’s very enjoyable to see Disney introduce his animators and discuss the film that was getting ready for release.

Games and activities

The main highlight of this section is the amusing featurette Going to the Dogs with Fred Willard narrating an overview of the basic breeds of dogs with typical improvisational shtick from Willard. There’s also a virtual board game that tests your knowledge of famous Disney dogs which is a little more advanced than the typical DVD trivia game. *note* The Disney Virtual Puppy–DVD-ROM did not work on my computer for some reason so I was not able to test out this feature.

Video, Audio and Interface

Two versions of the film are available on the first disc: Widescreen (the full size Cinemascope version in theatres) and full screen. Both look pristine, but the widescreen version is by far the most enjoyable to view as the stunning background artistry is in full view, and is seen exactly as Cinemascope movie goers viewed the film back in 1955, and the first time it’s ever been presented on DVD. Every color and detail on each version looks exceptionally bright, clean, and vivid.

The sound is presented in four different options; the Spanish, English and French versions are in Dolby Digital 5.1. They also offer the sound as it would have originally sounded in the theatre replicated in Dolby Digital 3.0. It’s up to personal preference which style to choose, but the new 5.1 version is rich and full without changing the sound of the original soundtrack at all.

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The interface is very simple but appropriate, given the new emphasis on the background art in the widescreen format. A background from the movie such as Tony’s restaurant, is shown with the menu options imposed over it. Various sections of the score play as you make your selections, and help to introduce the atmosphere of the film. It’s very simple, and easy for even young children to navigate.

The Final Evaluation

Lady and the Tramp is yet another home run in the Platinum Series, and perhaps one of the best released so far. The quality and scope of the restoration, the thoughtful bonus features and the beloved characters themselves make Lady and the Tramp: 50th Anniversary Edition a must-own for every fan of classic Disney animation.