The DVD

Video:
Presented in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen, The Parent Trap, despite its age, has been digitally mastered for your viewing pleasure, and the picture and colors are sharp and bright. Overall, it is a lovely viewing experience. A made-for-TV movie, The Parent Trap II is the standard full-screen presentation, and the experience is no improvement over what one would expect to see on television. The colors are muted and the picture is about as tired as the storyline.

Sound:
The Parent Trap features Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound, which sounds terrific, although a slight echo reminiscent of films of this period that were filmed entirely on soundstages rather than on location, can be heard at times. The Parent Trap II features Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround Sound, which is unremarkable.

Extras:
This collection is a 2-disc set, with the two films on Disc 1, and a generous selection of bonus features included on Disc 2. It does not appear to be an oversight that the features focus almost exclusively on the original film, and they're wonderful.

"Caught in the Act: The Making of The Parent Trap" features present-day interviews with the filmmakers, who discuss with some humor the difficulty of filming a movie about twins using one actress to play both. It is also interesting to hear a discussion of the fact that this was truly cutting-age filmmaking for the early 1960s. Be sure to also check out the "Seeing Double" and "Kimbal and Swift: The Disney Years" featurettes; the former provides further insight into the filmmaking process, and the latter features an interview with a prominent Disney animator who provides great insight into Walt Disney's vision.

"The Sherman Brothers" features an interview with the beloved Disney songwriters, as they discuss several songs for the film, including "Let's Get Together," which is sung by Hayley Mills. Mills was not known for her singing ability, so the Sherman brothers' discussion of how she pulled it off is quite fun. Annette Funicello and Tommy Sands sang the title song, which is played over the opening credits, and hearing the brothers reminisce about Funicello is like a walk down memory lane.

"Disney Legend: Hayley Mills" takes a look at the career of Hayley Mills, who was in some ways the Shirley Temple of the Disney live-action franchise in the 1960s. She also appeared in Disney films such as That Darn Cat!, Pollyanna, Summer Magic, and a lesser-known personal favorite, The Moon Spinners, which is a more grown-up tale of intrigue and crime on a Greek island. Although all the special features are excellent and a terrific investment of your time, the crowning glory is "The Lost Twin," in which actress Susan Henning, who was uncredited in the film, discusses playing opposite Mills, from the casting process, to the end of filming, when she received a special award for her efforts from Walt Disney himself. This present-day interview is fascinating, and Henning's sunny optimism and reflection on the experience is engaging. Although this is not mentioned in the interview, viewers may also be interested to know that Henning was prominently featured as an audience member in Elvis's '68 Comeback Special.

As someone who loved renting The Parent Trap as a child, I was surprised as an adult to find out about Henning. I had never considered the presence of an "unseen" twin, so the interview with Henning was enlightening, one of the benefits of DVD technology for those who wish to learn everything there is to know about the making of a film. Henning's revelations give viewers who have seen The Parent Trap many times to re-experience the film with a fresh perspective.

Final Thoughts:
The original film and the bonus disc make this collection a must-own for any Disney fan. Whether The Parent Trap is an old favorite or one you haven't yet seen, make it your next purchase. It is one of the rare films the entire family can truly enjoy together.