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DVD Features
- DVD Release Date: March 31, 2009
- Original Theatrical Release: Not applicable
- 1.33:1 Full Screen
- Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound
- French Language Track
- Subtitles: Closed Captioned
- Suggested Retail Price: $26.99
The Movie
In advance of the upcoming Earth Day (April 22, 2009) observance, Disney has released two environmentally-focused DVDs. The first of these, Schoolhouse Rock! Earth, is a compilation of new songs from the same creative minds behind the long-running series that aired Saturday mornings on ABC in between cartoons from 1973-1985.
The series of short music videos is hosted by a trio of polar bears and covers a range of environmental topics including global warming, pollution prevention, and recycling. Most are in the same style as the original series with some old characters even making appearances, including Interplanet Janet and Mr. Morton. Although reminiscent of the original series, the 11 new videos focus on the environmental messages of the 21st century, especially global warming and reducing our carbon footprint. “Don’t be a Carbon Sasquatch” gives simple examples of how an average person can reduce his or her carbon emissions, including buying locally grown food and walking or biking instead of driving.
Some of the highlights include the music video about the rainforest that is done in a creative style reminiscent of watercolors, and “Tiny Urban Zoo” which has a catchy, upbeat tune.
The Goodies
There is really nothing on this disc that I would consider a goody, however Disney does hype the inclusion of a music video by Mitchel Musso (of Hannah Montana and Phineas and Ferb fame) as one goody, along with the digitally remastered version of the classic School House Rock song, “The Energy Blues.” Neither item is particularly special in my opinion, although the inclusion of the classic tune was a nice nod to the past. It was interesting to see how a similar issue of energy use and conservation was dealt with approximately 25 years ago when the short first debuted on ABC Saturday morning television.
Audio, Video and Interface
The audio quality is good, although the material really doesn’t require surround sound as part of its presentation. The video quality is good, but again the simplicity of the material doesn’t require a sophisticated home theater system to view it. The interface is a basic menu, without any special bells or whistles.
The Final Evaluation
The simplicity of this disc and the basic content doesn’t really warrant purchasing this disc, especially at the list price. However, the material is a great jumping-off point for discussion of environmental topics with younger children. It might be worth renting, especially for parents who remember the Schoolhouse Rock series from their own childhoods.
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DVD Features
- DVD Release Date: March 31, 2009
- Original Theatrical Release: Not applicable
- 1.33:1 Full Screen
- Dolby Digital Sound
- Spanish Language Track
- Subtitles: Closed Captioned
- Suggested Retail Price: $19.99
The Movie
The second “green” title from Disney is a compilation of episodes from the popular Playhouse Disney series, Handy MannyManny’s Green Team focuses on environmental messages, such as energy conservation, alternative energy and protecting habitats.
The series of five episodes starts off with the never-before-seen “Saving the Turtles,” where Manny is asked to build a bike path, but runs into problems when the proposed route runs right through a turtle nesting area. Manny and the tools have to find a solution that will help people enjoy the lake while protecting the turtle habitat. Like all Handy Manny episodes, this one has a happy ending, where the emphasis is on problem-solving, cooperation, and helping others.
Although it starts out strong, highlighting species conservation and alternative energy, some of the included titles seem like a bit of a stretch for highlighting “green” issues. “Manny Goes Solar” provides a very simple introduction to the concept of solar power, and “Science Fair” highlights ingenuity and briefly shows several science projects including a model wind turbine.
The last two titles on the disc are where it starts to lose steam. In “Light Work” Manny has to fix a friend’s chandelier and must use his creativity to redirect light from another room. The green message of this episwas not obvious to me, unless it was how to do electrical work without receiving a shock. The final title, “Bloomin’ Issues” is slightly less of a stretch, with Manny helping out a friend to build a small window box that could be considered a tiny urban zoo, like that discussed on the Schoolhouse Rock disc.
The Goodies
There are very few extras on this disc, but it’s slightly better than the previous offering’s zero.
“Livin’ La Vida Verde” Recycling Challenge Game
In this extra, the viewer navigates around Manny’s workshop using the remote control, finding a series of true-false questions about recycling and energy use. I suppose the material in the questions is presented in the episodes on the disc, I’m not sure that the average child would have picked up on all of the information that is asked. However, a wrong guess is greeted with a suggestion to try again, and since there are only two choices it won’t be long before you arrive at the correct answer. A brief explanation is always presented after a correct answer, so hopefully it will prove instructional to anyone taking the time to listen
Green Tips
The second extra can only be accessed by inserting the disc into a DVD drive on a home computer. The file presents a series of tips that help you join Manny’s Green Team. I find it particularly ironic that you are encouraged to print the tips out while the document itself encourages the viewer to reduce as part of the “Three Rs.”
Audio, Video and Interface
Both the audio and video are of expected quality from a contemporary release, however they are commensurate with presentation on a television cartoon program so are not particularly spectacular. The interface is basic and easily navigated, with simple Handy Manny animations to accompany the menus.
The Final Evaluation
Like the Schoolhouse Rock! Earth DVD, Manny’s Green Team is a great introduction to environmental issues for young children, and would be a great starting point for additional research. This disc might be worth a purchase if your child is a fan of Handy Manny and you want to have a few episodes on hand, but do some shopping around to find one at a reduced price.
