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Dr. Dolittle
List Price: Unknown [Buy now and save at Amazon]
The Movie:
Although the one that remains fresh in most minds is the Eddie Murphy remake, this 1967 film was the one that certainly came first. Starring Rex Harrison as the doctor who could talk to the animals, the film was a flop at the time, grossing half of it's 18 million dollar budget, but still remains well-liked by many.
I found the film to be fun, light entertainment as we join the doctor on his adventures, but I can see where the running time may have been a bit long for some to enjoy. The nearly two and a half hour picture has points that do begin to drag on. The music is entertaining though, and the songs are well-written and performed - the cast rips into the songs with good cheer and energy. And although the effects aren't particularly exciting, for a film done around this time, they are quite good, and deserving of the awards that they did win.
While a fine effort with good performances by the leads, the film could have been cut down a bit to improve the pacing. Although children today who like "Pokemon" will probably be bored by this, adults who are fans can certainly appreciate the work that Fox has obviously done to make this DVD presentation very enjoyable.
The DVD
VIDEO: Fox's presentation of "Dr. Dolittle" is remarkable for a film of its age. The 2.35:1 presentation does fall short in some respects, but for a picture as old as it is, sharpness and detail in the 2.35:1 presentation is impressive. The picture is clean and clear in all respects, which makes for a particularly pleasing viewing experience.
This extends to all of the usual problems, which seem minor at most here. The print used is beautifully clean for an older picture; there are maybe one or two very tiny speckles, if any. Grain is hardly apparent in a few brief appearances. A little bit of shimmer appears once or twice, but this is also not at all distracting. Colors are often wonderful with few exceptions where they don't look quite as bold. Usually though, colors are well-saturated and vibrant, looking very fresh and lively for a 33 year old picture. And that's a good summary for the entire presentation - for a picture thats over 30 years old, Fox has done a fantastic job as bringing it to new life for this DVD edition.
SOUND: The Dolby Digital 4.0 soundtrack is not as impressive as the picture quality for the film, but considering its age as well, it sounds very good. The majority of the audio comes from the front, and I was pleased with the audio quality for the movie. Although it didn't sound remarkably rich - for a film of its age, the sound is clear and crisp, with no distortion or other problems for a very enjoyable listen.
MENUS:: Menus are not animated, but do have music in the background.
EXTRAS: Just the trailer.
Final Thoughts: For fans of "Dr. Dolittle", the film is recommended; they'll be very pleased with how great the film looks, although it's unfortunate that there's no extras.
Although the one that remains fresh in most minds is the Eddie Murphy remake, this 1967 film was the one that certainly came first. Starring Rex Harrison as the doctor who could talk to the animals, the film was a flop at the time, grossing half of it's 18 million dollar budget, but still remains well-liked by many.
I found the film to be fun, light entertainment as we join the doctor on his adventures, but I can see where the running time may have been a bit long for some to enjoy. The nearly two and a half hour picture has points that do begin to drag on. The music is entertaining though, and the songs are well-written and performed - the cast rips into the songs with good cheer and energy. And although the effects aren't particularly exciting, for a film done around this time, they are quite good, and deserving of the awards that they did win.
While a fine effort with good performances by the leads, the film could have been cut down a bit to improve the pacing. Although children today who like "Pokemon" will probably be bored by this, adults who are fans can certainly appreciate the work that Fox has obviously done to make this DVD presentation very enjoyable.
The DVD
VIDEO: Fox's presentation of "Dr. Dolittle" is remarkable for a film of its age. The 2.35:1 presentation does fall short in some respects, but for a picture as old as it is, sharpness and detail in the 2.35:1 presentation is impressive. The picture is clean and clear in all respects, which makes for a particularly pleasing viewing experience.
This extends to all of the usual problems, which seem minor at most here. The print used is beautifully clean for an older picture; there are maybe one or two very tiny speckles, if any. Grain is hardly apparent in a few brief appearances. A little bit of shimmer appears once or twice, but this is also not at all distracting. Colors are often wonderful with few exceptions where they don't look quite as bold. Usually though, colors are well-saturated and vibrant, looking very fresh and lively for a 33 year old picture. And that's a good summary for the entire presentation - for a picture thats over 30 years old, Fox has done a fantastic job as bringing it to new life for this DVD edition.
SOUND: The Dolby Digital 4.0 soundtrack is not as impressive as the picture quality for the film, but considering its age as well, it sounds very good. The majority of the audio comes from the front, and I was pleased with the audio quality for the movie. Although it didn't sound remarkably rich - for a film of its age, the sound is clear and crisp, with no distortion or other problems for a very enjoyable listen.
MENUS:: Menus are not animated, but do have music in the background.
EXTRAS: Just the trailer.
Final Thoughts: For fans of "Dr. Dolittle", the film is recommended; they'll be very pleased with how great the film looks, although it's unfortunate that there's no extras.
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