ROBIN HOOD: 40TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION
(1973, Blu-ray released August 6, 2013 – MSRP $36.99)
THE FILM:
- “To commemorate its 40th anniversary, Disney proudly presents the unforgettable animated classic Robin Hood on Blu-ray for the first time ever. Experience all the fun, thrills and celebrated music of this legendary adventure with perfect picture and sound! Join Robin Hood, his trusted companion Little John and his hilarious band of Merry Men as they outfox greedy Prince John to save the good people of Nottingham. Dashing from one daring deed to the next, Robin won’t rest until he wins the hand of Maid Marian and restores King Richard to the throne. One of Disney’s most beloved movies is even better on Blu-ray Combo Pack!“
WHO SHOULD BUY:
I was born the year Disney’s Robin Hood was released. I’m sure I didn’t see it that year but the film was my first exposure to the classic tale and has had a special place in my heart ever since. This new Blu-ray edition of the film is the first time I’ve screened it in a few decades. And I have to tell you it’s a much different beast than I recall.
Robin Hood hasn’t aged as well as some of its peers. It might technically suffer from its episodic nature but that’s fairly standard for a Robin Hood tale. There’s no escaping those bumps in the road without betraying the classic plot points associate with the character. Where the film most evidently shows its age is in its style. Visually, Robin Hood sits alongside other animated efforts of the time (The Sword in the Stone, The Fox and the Hound), with loose watercolour backgrounds and rough-lined characters. The style of the folksy audio is the real culprit here. Aside from calling out the obvious (musical choices, folksy dialogue and accents) voices have a soft, ribbon-mic sound to them which immediately dates the film.
But enough about the technical. Disney’s take on the tale remains classic, if not exactly timeless, sporting wonderful designs, catchy tunes and inspired animation. It continues to be the primary way children are introduced to the tale of Robin Hood and will be for some time to come.
THE BLU-RAY DISC:
Robin Hood is far from the best looking film the studio released and it’s also far from the best looking Blu-ray. But, when put in perspective, that means it’s a few notches just below perfection. Which really isn’t that bad. Noise and grain reduction is more obvious here but colours and clarity are incredible. This is a good looking disc. The re-imagined DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track betrays its mono origins but sounds solid enough to impress.
The real disappointment of this disc release is in the special features department. Maybe it’s just me, but, despite my adult taste taking the film down a notch, I still admire it and consider it one of the studios all time animated classics, deserving of more than a cursory set of deleted scenes and kids sing alongs. I mean, there’s more here than that but there are no featurettes or documentaries, no commentary track and no interviews with the creatives who brought Robin Hood to life. What a shame.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
- Deleted Storyline “Love Letters”
- Alternate Ending
- “Oo-de-lally” Disney Sing-Along Song
- Disney Song Selection
- Robin Hood Storybook
- Robin Hood Art Gallery
- “Ye Olden Days” Bonus Short
- Sing Along with the Movie
