Kakaku：11131 saved$111.31
Calphalon
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (Needed a big boy...) 『Pasta or chili, this pot is great. Nice and tall with plenty of room to avoid boil-overs when cooking pasta. I can slow cook enough chili to feed game-watching guests and still have leftovers. Quality materials should last forever. Nice even heating. Amazon price was great. (hint: add more spices at end of cooking to get the most from your chili con carne)』
(Another good piece of Calphalon) 『This stock pot was purchased for making chili for a large party- it made a great batch of chili and looked good enough to sit on the stove to simmer. When browning the onions, I did burn the bottom of the pot, which made it difficult to clean completely and did leave a few marks at the bottom. I love the size since it can be used for other large batches of soups and sauces. I suppose you could boil a lobster in there, too.』
(Excellent Soup Pot - Regular "Friday Sale" Item) 『This is a great soup pot - cooks evenly, and the lid fits nicely and lets you either close it tightly or let steam escape. I make chicken soup that I let simmer overnight, and I never worry about it burning or boiling out. It also cleans nicely.
This item frequently shows up in the Friday sale, and at that price, it's a steal. I've bought them as gifts. If you know people who wouldn't think it was weird to get a pot as a holiday gift, keep an eye out at the Friday sales and buy this. You will likely be told that it's your giftee's favorite pot. And they'll also think you spent more than you did.』
(Great Price) 『The pot came in perfect condition , the lid has 3 very small spots where the shiny metal was showing. I have had to send back more items recently then in all the years I have shopped with Amazon. I decided that I wasn't going to send it back and found that I had another lid that fit the pot perfectly. I got the item on a Friday sale for 39.99 so I guess I cant complain... I'm just getting a little concerned about all the products coming to me damaged or getting lost in the free super saver shipping.』
(Love It!!) 『Hey, it's Calphalon - there's nothing better. I have used Calphalon for more than 10 years, and it cooks better than anything else. The Calphalon Commercial seems thicker and stronger than other Calphalon. While few things stick to any Calphalon, even fewer things stick to Calphalon Commercial. I don't expect to use this 12-quart stockpot every day or even every week, but when I have a lot of people to feed, it will be worth its weight in gold.』 『The best stocks are simmered slowly over steady, low heat. Calphalon's 12-qt. Stock Pot is crafted of heavy-gauge aluminum to cook ingredients evenly, at just the right temperature. Stick-resistant surface won't react with most foods. Includes flat, anodized lid.』 『Calphalon Commercial hard-anodized pans are made for the more serious cook who is looking for kitchenware built to last a lifetime. This large-size, 12-quart stockpot is good for soup, stews, and pasta, and its heavy-gauge aluminum construction also stands up to deep frying. The looped handles are easy to grip and stay cooler than you might expect, thanks to V-shaped splits where they meet the pan, but it's still a good idea to keep hot pads nearby. The nonporous and nonreactive hard-anodized surface resists sticking and doesn't affect the flavor or color of food. It's also tough enough to handle stainless-steel utensils and vigorous whisking. Unlike pans with plastic or wood handles, the extremely sturdy all-metal construction provides you the flexibility to take the pan to the oven or broiler. But do remember to hand wash your Calphalon pans--dishwasher detergents are bad for the finish and their use voids the lifetime warranty. --Dale Steinke』
IPhone 3G used's review (Don't Buy One for Grandma) 『I was hoping for a fair quality, simple to use picture frame to give to a relative for Xmas.
Unfortunately, this frame was cumbersome to navigate and setup (buttons are on the back and display menus on lcd on the front so you kind of have to feel your way around) and just generally not very intuitive.
The 16:9 aspect ratio means that anyone who owns this should be excellent in photoshop, and able to crop those 4:3 images taken on older cameras. The alternative is black bars showing on the sides of your photo, which is not very attractive. If you have only digital images taken in widescreen format you should be fine, I don't...and I was hoping to fill an SD card with old family photos. (Christmas gift and all...)
After two hours of scan then crop of the family photos, I put this thing back in the box, and bought one of the kodak easyshare frames.
In summary, I would not recommend this device to anyone who is not an expert at manipulating photos, and even then be ready for the time commitment.
Update: The easy share frame is working out great! Highly recommended as an alternative.
Kodak EasyShare P720 Digital Picture Frame with Home Decor Kit
』
(Great Product for a reasonable price...) 『I have to say - I love this frame. The quality of the display is excellent. I didn't expect my pictures to look so good! I had purchased a digital frame last year from a different manufacturer and I ended up returning it because the pictures looked distorted and the color was not that great. This frame really suprised me with the quality of the pictures and the vibrant colors that it displays.
I love taking pictures with my digital camera but I am not so good about getting them printed in a timely manner. This solves my problem because I can just snap some shots and then insert the memory card into the frame and enjoy my pictures instantly! It is also great because I can bring up old pictures that I haven't seen in a while and put them on display. There are so many possibilities!
This would make an excellent gift for a grandparent - you can either download photos or insert a memory card. I recommend giving the frame to a grandparent and then sending updated memory cards every so often for new pictures! It would also be great to put up on your desk at work so you can always have something new to look at.
The set up is so quick and easy - you don't really even need the directions (although if you do, they are very detailed). Great buy, can't go wrong with this one!』
(This is so cool!) 『This is my first digital photo frame, even tho I've looked at them and thought they would be neat to have. I love the black and clear frame and the frame stand is classy. The whole frame looks elegant.
It took me a while to figure out the setup and how to work the controls to get where I wanted. It has settings for brightness, language, alarm clock, time and date, and auto on/off. After I got it set up I put a 1gb SD card in my PC and installed photos on it and then put the SD card into the photo frame (it also takes other types of memory cards). Fortunately all my photos are JPG and that's the format that's used. As soon as I inserted the SD card the photo slide show started; it was so cool! I ended up changing the brightness to mid way because some of the photos looked too bright. Smaller photos are framed in a letterbox and they look good to me.
I'm excited to show off our photos on Thanksgiving and Christmas when the family is here! :-)』
(Decent Photo Frame a Tad Pricey) 『Strange as it seems, I often find myself pricing digital photo frames when at local big-box retailers. They seem like such a great gift idea, but I'm hard pressed to spend $130+ to display my photos.
This frame, while in the $90 range, is certainly more affordable, but not quite the performance-for-bargain I was hoping for.
Though I have one digital frame at home (a Westinghouse), I was keen for a second to put on display downstairs.
For argument's sake, let's say I'm the type of person who doesn't like to read directions. That being said, I fidgeted with the frame's interface for about five minutes before I figured out how to move through all the menus, change the clock, delete the 'Philips' photos and set my photos to a slide-show mode. It was a little awkward, but not unbelievably difficult.
What I like most:
~The frame's actual design. It's very sleek looking and compact, which is a huge improvement on some of the bulkier frames out there (like my Westinghouse).
~Also, I'd have to say this frame's SmartPower feature is its one stand out feature as I'm a conscientious power user and like that this frame will only turn on during the time when someone is around to see it.
What I liked least:
~I am disappointed that the resolution isn't as crisp as my other frame, nor are the colors as vivid. This despite Philips Imagen promise for automatic photo enhancement.
In general, this frame's very basic in that ALL it does is display and play through photos, as compare to other frames out there that have additional fancy options such as video and music.
Overall, this may be on the pricey side if you simply want to have a few of your favorite digital photos cycling through when guests come over. However if you're looking for a little more in a frame you might find Philips' design and power saving feature all the extras you want.』
(Big things come in small packages!!!!!) 『As I said "Big things come in small packages" This is great. I opened it up and set up within minutes and had a beautiful slideshow. It has excellent quality pictures and looking at it brings back the years of my childrens youth. The pictures are so clear they look real i the frame. I love it and will buy for my family so they can enjoy as much as I have.』
Kakaku：25099 saved$250.99
Roomba
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (Scooba is handy but a not hassle free) 『I love the fact that you can start it and walk away. It is a little trouble to get ready though, because it has to be charged each time before you use it, so you can't just decide to use it at the last minute. Also, it is a little bit of work to clean it all up afterwards. You have to purchase special cleaner for it too, which isn't very convienent. You will need more than one virtaul wall though, so that will be an additional $30/wall. It is nice just to press a button and come back later to a clean floor!!』
(Regret Purchase) 『I purchased this after a friend strongly recommended it. Unfortunately, I have had a completely different experience. When I tried to use the scooba for the first time it would not move at all. The recommendation from their tech support worked. Yet, it is still a disappoint. One of the benefits of the scooba, is that it picks up the dirty water. Mine doesn't. This problem has not been resolved by tech support. I recommend you save your money and get your husband to do it. 』
(works) 『the remanufactured scooba works well. no problems. however it didn't look new. scooba didn't work to my expectation, and would not pay retail for it. scooba don't seems to be as smart as the roomba, which i also have. 4 stars for jobs it does at the price, 160.00 i paid, but if i paid full price for it i would return it.』
(Scooby-Does) 『We've been wanting the Scooba (we named ours 'Scooby' of course-what else?) floor cleaning 'bot since getting our Roomba and we're not disappointed. Although noisy during TV time, it works great and cleans well, especially considering what our two active and always shedding Texas Healers track in from the backyard. Its easy to prep and simple to clean after each job. The only issue that keeps our rating from being a 5-star is battery run time; our Scooby seems to run out of gas while there's still half a tank full of cleaning solution. We'd would've liked to see it go the distance, at least until the solution is almost out. In any case, great job Roomba - you've done it again!』
(not great for larger areas) 『We have a very large 'great room', and I found the scooba misses too many areas. To remedy, we use the electronic wall or furniture to keep it in a more confined space so it can clean that area, then I move it to another quadrant, then another, ect. It doesn't clean quite as good as a mop w/ a scrubbber, but it definitely works because the output water is filthy! I hate mopping, so it's a good enough product for me.』 『
Remanufactured floor-washing robot that washes, scrubs, and dries in one pass
Cleans under furniture, tables, and other hard-to-reach places
Safe to use on most hard floors, including sealed hardwood, linoleum, tile, and marble
Simple to operate--fill tank, press "Clean," and empty tank when finished
Kakaku：1496 saved$14.96
Sesame Street
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (daughter loves elmo) 『my 11 month old daughter loves these dvd's. It is perfect to put on while I am trying to dress her and get her ready for daycare.』
(My son needs a 12 step Elmo program) 『Great videos if your kid lkes Elmo. It can be rather annoying for the parent, but I don't mind. He LOVEs these videos. Could sit for hours if we let him. It's actually a struggle to get him away.』
(Too risque for children!) 『I was babysitting my two year old cousin Cake and she insisted we watch this. I was appalled her parents let he watch this! I was offended by the graphic sex talk, sexual innuendo, graphic scenes and of course the disgusting "Mr. Noodle". But since this movie is full of colourful design and cute little characters, it was somehow rated TV-Y. What is society coming to? I think I saw my five year old cousin Fawn watch "Last Tango in Paris" a couple weeks ago. It's sickening! Avoid this disgusting film, for the sake of the children!』
(ELMO dvd) 『Dreat DVD. My twins are 2 years old. They just loved it. They want to watch it over and over again. Its also educational for them and i have seen an enhacement in their vocabulary after watching this DVD. I have already bought 4 more ELMO's world DVD since this one in the last 3 months.』
(My Grandson Loves Elmo) 『I live in Barbados and my daughter told me to send some dvds for my grandson, they live in South Africa. I went online and find elmo on Amazon, i made the purchase and my daughter said that she receive the package in 6 days and when she took the dvds home, he started to watch them and he just loves them. He got up the next morning saying that he wants elmo. Almost every thing he has is of elmo. He will be 2 years old in November, and i will purchase some more dvds for him.』 『Studio: Genius Products Inc Release Date: 08/01/2006 Run time: 150 minutes』
IPhone 3G used's review (coliseum show 5 stars; kilburn 3) 『Kilburn is a good show. But as previously noted it is a little sloppy, and Pete needs to be much further up in the mix. I don't mind sloppy, hey it's rock and roll. But the boys sound a little lethargic. (Especially when compared to the 69 show.) Pete is jumping around and dancing and windmilling like a madman, but the musical energy to back up the antics is just not there for good portions of the show. Keith is fine, but he does a lot of mugging for the camera, and I think his playing at the 69 show is far superior to Kilburn. I'm sure a lot of fans will disagree, but I am just not as amped up about this show as other reviews.
The Coliseum show from 1969 is another matter. The sound mix is worse than Kilburn but the band sounds better! Pete does less dancing but much more *playing*; there is more technique and more leads -and just awesome jaw dropping moments (sparks, my generation especially fiery). He is all over the fretboard and his use of feedback and distortion masterful. Keith, for me, is far better than the Kilburn show. He does less pandering and just plays the hell out of every song. Roger is fine at both shows; but I guess I am just on old fogey - something about him in that fringed vest is Roger, and he seems looser at the Coliseum show. Ox is Ox, beyond great at both shows; was there ever a better bass player?
Tommy, as others mention, is included as bonus material (with A Quick One). I would have liked it in sequence of the show, but at least it is here. They are both great, but I will always have a special love for Tommy and watching it here shows the power and energy of a live Who show. I mean they just kill it start to finish without a breath or break.
Any Who fan is going to buy this and it seems I am in a minority in being lukewarm over the Kilburn show. I would pay twice the price of this set for the Coliseum show alone, it is that good. Then throw in a good not great performance from 77 and you can't go wrong! Also highly recommend the isle of wight dvd...』
(Unbelievable!) 『No long, drawn out reviews from me. If you're a Who fan, then you had better get this disc. Even if you're a peripheral Who fan, get the disc. Having both the 1977 Kilburn and 1969 London shows on one disc is great. I watched both shows start to finish without skipping to the next chapter, not even once!In both shows, they are in absolute top form. I also got a newfound appreciation for the spectacular drumming of Kieth Moon. The only con is that, at leastduring the Killburn performance, the cameras spent too much time on Pete and Roger and not nearly enough time on The Ox - the greatest rock bassist of all time bar none. I can only wonder why these shows sat in the vault for so many years?』
(All the Power and Glory that music promised and delivered here) 『I was aware, after watching what good garage bands could deliver, before Tommy was created, from Pictures of Lily and I can See For Miles and other music, operating limited equipment at its maximum, in the teen towns held in church basements and, before the festivals, street dances all across America pre 1970, stunning music, that Townsend and company, among others have created, was the music that the greats like Bach, Ravel and Holst did and would be proud of these great "sounds" that these 20 year olds were giving to the masses. I pity the poor, pale, contrived junk that continues to assault following generations. As they discover DSOTM, Spirits 12 Dreams, etc. were mostly made by young men in their 20's, created to last forever, for others to use as guide posts. This performance of the Opera Tommy in the extra area of disc 2 is the gold standard of what rock and roll is/was capable of. Look past the warts and flubs of the technical presentation and be a witness. I'm glad that I was alive during this period of time, it helped me, as a modern (young-now older) man living among so much madness, cope. As near to spiritial/religion as I was ever to find, it kept and keeps me going. Look, listen and rejoice as this old gem is capable of doing. It is what makes us human, brothers(and sisters) in a world that has lost its mind.』
(An incredible "off" night...) 『So, this was an off night? A sloppy, vicious and completely chaotic Who, late in the game and vital as always. Not for the faint of heart, or for casual Who enthusiasts (is there such a thing as a 'casual' Who fan?!) I love it and I think Keith is way sharper than the footage from Shepparton ultimately used in The Kids are Alright. The 2nd disc is wonderful as well, from 1969, but could not be issued as a stand alone title as it is technically flawed. Who cares! A magnificent 'bonus!' I agree with the reviewers that Tommy should have run as a continuous program, but that's record company logic for you. Buy and behold the Who's twin peaks.』
(Awesome DVD!!!!) 『I watched the main section of this DVD last night. There is still "the extras" section that I will view soon.
The concert is awesome!! I am a huge The Who fan and this concert shows how great these guys were playing together. There were mistakes such as when Roger Daltrey forgets most of a verse in the song Dreaming From the Waste, and a few songs into the show Pete Townshend comments that he didn't think the performance was worth filming but I think he was saying that to goad the other musicians. This DVD is a must have for any The Who fan or anyone interested in power rock and roll.
My biggest gripe about the film is the same I have with all of The Who videos that I have seen: the lack of time the director shows John Entwistle and John's amazing playing. It seems music film directors that film The Who know nothing about rock music. Here is arguably the greatest rock bass guitarist to ever walk the face of this Earth who had changed rock music as we know it forever, and you'll be lucky to see 8 minutes of concert footage devoted to John in a 2-hour film. Sometimes I felt Keith Moon's kick drum got more film time than John did. For example during the phenomenal bass soloing in Dreaming From the Waste, this idiot director elects to show Townshend standing playing rhythm guitar.
The sound is awesome. The tone that we hear from all of the musicians is amazing, especially John Entwistle's bass.
Go buy this DVD. The Who was an amazing band that changed music forever and this concert DVD emphasizes that fact. Probably your only issue will be your disgust in the lack of time devoted to John Entwistle. So maybe you won't see much of him in this film but you will certainly hear his amazing playing. The Who were an awesome live band and here's your chance to see them prove it. 』 『They are one of the greatest rock and roll bands of all time. For over four decades, they have changed modern music as we know it. But some of their most famous performances have never been released... until now. On December 15, 1977, The Who performed before a select invited audience at the Gaumont State Theatre in Kilburn, North London, to record a concert for Jeff Stein's film, The Kids Are Alright, which turned out to be one of the last live performances by drummer Keith Moon. Shot in 35mm, this holy grail for fans has been digitally restored and remastered in high-definitiion for the ultimate The Who experience. This set also includes The Who's powerhouse London Coliseum gig from 1969, a never-before-seen rarity and one of the band's personal favorites. Take an amazing journey with The Who like you've never seen or heard them before, featuring their greatest hits and hours of incredible footage! It's the rock discovery of the year! Two incredible concerts - totaling 138 minutes! Kilburn Songs: "Can't Explain," "Substitute," "Baba O'Reilly (Teenage Wasteland)," "My Wife / Going Mobile," "Behind Blue Eyes," "Dreaming from the Waist," "Pinball Wizard," "I'm Free," "Tommy's Holiday Camp," "Summertime Blues," "Shakin' All Over," "My Generation," "Join Together," "Who Are You?," "Won't Get Fooled Again." London Coliseum Songs: "Heaven and Hell," "Can't Explain," "Fortune Teller," "Tattoo," "Young Man Blues," "A Quick One While He's Away," "Happy Jack," "I'm a Boy," "I'm Free," "Tommy's Holiday Camp," "See Me, Feel Me," "Summertime Blues," "Shakin' All Over," "My Generation" Plus 70 minutes of rare Coliseum bonus tracks and extended versions including the first-ever long performance of“Tommy.” Includes an extensive collectible booklet featuring liner notes by The Who: Maximum R&B author Richard Barnes, The Who art director and designer Richard Evans, former Spin and Vibe editor Alan Light, and Nigel Sinclair.』
Kakaku：1300 saved$13.00
Walt Disney Video
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (Five Stars, Baby!) 『For anyone wondering what is so special about these tin sets known as Walt Disney Treasures, allow me. They offer the complete series of cartoons and the menu screens offer chronological and alphabetical order. Want to own ever Donal Duck cartoon ever made? Buy all four tin sets and you're done! This volume is the fourth and final volume and completes the series. Again, bonus mini documentaries, optional audio commentary for a couple and wow! Bonus features worth the purchase price.
I would to point out two important factors for those collecting these tin sets. 1. There is a hidden Easter Egg on each disc for each set. If you don't know what an Easter Egg is on a DVD, do a google search. I have managed to find an Easter Egg on each disc. Bonus includes rare footage and rare bonus goodies. 2. This is every Donald Duck starring cartoon. Remember that Donald crossed over into Mickey Mouse cartoons and you will not find those in these tin sets. Why? Because Disney didn't want you to buy duplicates of what you already have in a different tin set. Remember the Mickey Mouse cartoon where Donald and Goofy are chasing ghosts? Do you really want that same cartoon on three different DVD releases? Of course not.
What the studio did was offer every Mickey Mouse cartoon on four tin sets. Followed by every Donald Duck cartoon except for the few that Donald crossed over into a Mickey Mouse cartoon. (Difference between Donald and Mickey 'toons is the opening head shot in the beginning of each cartoon.) The Goofy set contains every Goofy cartoon not found in any Mickey Mouse or Donald Duck DVD release. So... buy all four Mickey Mouse tins sets, all four Donald Duck tin sets, both Pluto and the one Goofy and you have 'em all!!!
Oh, someone asked about there not being a Chip and Dale collection. Chip and Dale never had their own cartoon that I know of. They appeared in Pluto and Donald and Mickey cartoons so if you have these sets, you have all the Chip and Dales.
Quality is remastered and gorgeous. You cannot ask for better.』
(DON'T LET THIS HAPPEN TO YOU) 『One reviewer here mentioned ordering "The Chronological Donald Duck Volume 4" and receiving instead the "Annette" dvd. Welcome to the club! The same thing happened to me. I immediately e-mailed Amazon about this, and they sent me a replacement. What did I get? ANNETTE again! In my 2nd e-mail, I said, "Have you considered the possibility that the click-buttons for ordering these two items have become switched? I'll bet there are other customers who are having similar difficulties." I live in Japan, and I order lots of dvds from Amazon. Over 99% of the time, they send me good merchandise very promptly, and are very cooperative. But I recall that once before, there was a glitch like this, and it was never resolved, my e-mails notwithstanding. I guess in a gigantic company, it's hard to get things communicated. Anyway, Amazon cheerfully refunded my money, and I have ordered the Donald Duck dvd from another place.』
(When Mickey sees Donald, he yells "Duck!") 『Even if you didn't get the first three volumes of The Chronological Donald, there's a good reason to get this last one. Along with thirty other cartoons from 1951-1961 is what's universally regarded as the best educational cartoon ever made, "Donald in Mathmagic Land" (1959). In this featurette animated by Hamilton Luske and other Disney animators, the Spirit of Adventure leads Donald to discover mathmatical wonders of music, the Golden Section, the secret of billiards, and other intriguing ideas against lush backgrounds of '50s era Disney at its modernist best. To their credit, the animators don't modernize Donald, who's his irrascible, impetuous self on this mystery tour far from Duckburg.
As Amid Amidi details in his book, Cartoon Modern, Cartoon Modern: Style and Design in 1950s Animation, the '50s marked a high point in animation design, with the Disney studio borrowing some of the stark, modern look of UPA. Some of the other cartoons in this collection rank among Donald's best: the most memorable Chip and Dale 'toons, including "Out of Scale" (1951) and "Donald Applecore" (1952). Some of the best of the duck's nephews are also included: "Lucky Number" (1951) and Don's Fountain of Youth (1953). As Leonard Maltin notes in his audio commentary, most theatrical cartoons had been discontinued due to mounting costs, but Walt still insisted on full-quality Donald cartoons for theaters throughout the '50s. "Chips Ahoy" (1956) was the last theatrical feature, after which Walt moved to TV, beginning with the Disneyland TV show.
Speaking of Maltin, his intros on the Disney treasures usually consist of short disclaimers as to the politically incorrect nature of some cartoons, usually listed separately as "From the Vault". Here, however, he gives longer, engaging introductions, perhaps because he's as much a Donald fan as we are, and there's also commentary from animation historian Jerry Beck, making this set an animation fan's delight. "Donald in Mathmagic Land" originally aired on The Wonderful World of Color with an intro by Ludwig Von Drake about light and color in which he continually notes that viewers with black and white sets will have to imagine what he's talking about, as they can't experience "living color". This was clearly propaganda to sell TV sets (as was the show's title), but which is very interesting in retrospect. Hopefully it makes it out in a Ludwig Von Drake collection.
Reviewers have been suggesting that the quality of the packaging of the Disney Treasures sets is falling, and this one is no exception. The Chronological Donald Vol. Two had a swing out flap for one of the two discs. On Vol. Four, the discs are merely snapped, one overlapping the other, on the inside back of the case, and there's barely room to do that. This is one time when registering for the Disney disc replacement program might come in handy. Another annoying feature that has not gone away is a schlocky Disney ad that opens the disc. It really is unwatchable, but there's a booklet slipped in the case about Blu-ray, what it is, why you should get it, and, it follows, go get all the Disney Blu-ray releases, that is actually helpful. All in all. The Chronological Donald Vol. Four easily lives up to the name "Disney Treasure".』
(The final collection with perhaps the most familiar Donald cartoons - PLUS "Donald in Mathemagic Land!") 『The fourth and final entry in this series allows us to live in a wondrous era in which we can own a comprehensive Donald Duck short cartoon collection. Ain't life grand? Especially when you can share the glory of these classics with new generations. My son watched every cartoon and is now watching the earlier volumes. We must instill the love of fine things in our youth.
These cartoons might be the most familiar of all, since they are the ones most often shown on Disney TV shows, but you didn't always get to see the titles. I discovered that many great Disney music masters composed for these shorts when I assumed most of them came from Oliver Wallace.
The Chronological Donald Volume 4 includes Walt Disney's first animation for CinemaScope, "Grand Canyonscope," which predates "Lady and the Tramp." You have to see this just to marvel at the Eyvind Earle art direction that would later grace Sleeping Beauty. Also, there is the final -- and perhaps funniest -- Daisy and Donald theatrical cartoon, "Donald Diary," in which the Duck dreams he marries his fair love and sees what she looks like first thing in the morning ("What'sa maddah?").
When the cartoon shorts run out, the educational shorts and two-reelers kick in, beginning with the landmark "Donald in Mathemagic Land," narrated by the great Paul Frees and boasting a credits list that easily matches that of a Disney feature-length film.
Less triumphant but nonetheless fascinating is "Donald and the Wheel," which labors under a wincingly silly set of "spirits" and a dated attempt at hipness, but benefits from vocal work from the MelloMen and a delightfully kitschy sequence featuring Donald and a live action dancing girl on a whirling phonograph record (did this inspire Woody and Jesse's similar moment in Toy Story 2?) Fans of the TV series "Mad Men" with surely be pleased to see that this comely young dancer, who like that show's Joan Holloway, captures the far more healthy standard of female plentitude of the early 60's than in today's pipe-cleaner pop culture icons.
"The Litterbug" rounds out this trio and is especially notable for the uncredited narration of John Dehner, one of those character actors who appeared in almost everything in the 60's and 70's but is perhaps best remembered as Doris Day's TV boss ("Yee-ello?") and the radio "Paladin." He also started his career as a Disney animator! Another narrator heard in some of the shorts in this set is radio and Capitol children's record announcer Art Gilmore.
Leonard Maltin is on hand, as on all the Walt Disney Treasures sets, to instruct, enthuse and enlighten, as well as provide a buffer to the shorts which have, for one reason or another, been considered inappropriate for the mainstream. They are in a separate category called "From the Vault."
One of the most notable of these is "No Hunting," likely relegated to the vault for gunplay and violence -- but such a searing satire of recreational hunting, it makes its point as clearly anti-gun and anti-hunting. It also is one of the few, if any, Disney cartoons from Walt's era that nod slyly to a revered animated feature: as loads of garbage flow down a stream and the sound of guns are heard, Bambi's mother says to her fawn, "Man in in the forest...let's dig out." Take that, Stitch-meets-Beauty and the Beast commercials!』
(Donald gets his due, Round 4!) 『"The Chronological Donald, Volume Four" (one of 3 Disney Treasure tin sets being released) stars everyone's favorite irascible duck, Donald Duck, in 31 films from 1951-961 and presented for the first time on DVD in the original widescreen format (where appropriate). The shorts look fantastic; bright, crisp, and colorful.
Disc 1 contains:
(1951) Dude Duck, Corn chips, Test Pilot Donald, Lucky Number, Out Of Scale, Bee On Guard
(1952) Donald Applecore, Let's Stick Together, Trick or Treat
(1953) Don's Fountain of Youth, The New Neighbor, Working For Peanus (Donald's 1954 3D short, which was shown at Disneyland for years in The Fantasyland Theater), Canvas Back Duck
From The Vault: This is what Disney calls the section where they put cartoons that have some content that viewers today may find objectionable. For both discs, there is the same Leonard Maltin intro that does not go into specficis (which is what some other Disney sets have done), but rather just asks the viewer to watch remembering that these were filmed in a different time and not to be judgmental. The 2 shorts on disc one "Uncle Donald's Ants" (1952) and "Rugged Bear" (1953). "Ants" is most likely in this section because the ants are based on a stereotypical african-american. "Rugged Bear" had me baffled; unless I missed something, the only reason I could figure out why it would be here is because it shows animals being hunted.
Bonus Material on Disc 1:
* Donald Goes To Press - A retrospective look at Donald's career in comic books.
* "The Unseen Donald Duck: Trouble Shooters": Storyboards for an unproduced Donald Duck cartoon pitched by famed Disney animator, Eric Goldberg. This is fascinating to watch, as Goldberg acts out the cartoon, using all the different voices. One can only imagine Walt doing this.
* Audio Commentary by Leonard Maltin and Jerry Beck for "Working for Peanuts." With all their talk about this 3D short and how great it looks, makes one wish that it had been put on this disc in a 3D version with the glasses!
Disc 2 contains:
(1954) Donald's Diary, Dragon Around, Grin&Bear It, The Flying Squirrel, Grand Canyonscope
(1955) Bearly Asleep, Beezy Bear, Up A Tree
(1956) Chips Ahoy, How To Have An Acident In The Home
(1959) Donald In Mathmagic Land
(1961) Donald And The Wheel, The Litterbug
Bonus Material for Disc 2:
* Audo commentary by Leonard Maltin&Jerry Beck for "Grand Canyonscope."
* Mouseworks Cartoons is a 10 cartoons from 1998, with surprisingly good animation, that were created in an attempt to look like their vintage predecessors.
* From the Vault: includes "Spare the Rod" (1954), "No Hunting" (1955), and "How To Have An Accident At Work" (1959)
Set contains a Certificate of Authenticity (set is limited to 39,500), a postcard size reproduction of the original movie poster for "Grin and Bear It" (1954), as well as the mini-booklet featuring a little background and the table of contents for this tin. Hopefully these sets will keep on!』 『In this final volume, our chronicle of Donald's solo-starring shorts wraps up with some of his rarely seen, feather ruffling adventures from 1951 through 1961. And, for the first time on DVD, Donald's CinemaScope cartoons are presented in their original widescreen format. This collection of classics includes two of Donald's Academy Awardr nominated Best Shorts -- "Rugged Bear" (1953) and "No Hunting" (1955); a retrospective of Donald's career in comic books; and a storyboard presentation for an unproduced Donald Duck cartoon pitched by famed Disney animator Eric Goldberg. From bit player to superstar, Donald gave voice to the frustrations of everyone and in the process endeared himself to the world. Featuring exclusive introductions by film historian Leonard Maltin, this is a timeless collection from generations past for generations to come.』
IPhone 3G used's review (Don't buy from this seller!!!!!!!!!!!) 『I purchased a DVD from this seller and failed to receive it by the shipped date. As requested through Amazon I have tried to contact the seller and never received a response. I currently have put a claim into amazon for this purchase and awaiting a full refund with cancellation of the order. All in all it has been a huge headache. I gave them 1 star because they wouldn't accept a no star rating.』
(Replaced) 『Our copy of The Lion King had gone missing and this one is just as good!』
(Lion King DVD) 『I recieved this new dvd in the mail and the corner of the box was damaged. The Dvd inside had been sliding around and there are some signs of scratches. I have not watched the dvd yet to see if has effected it.』
(scratched dvd in box) 『this lion king platinum edition was scratched and was useless to me. I found out once I opened the movie package. janet kaplan』
(lion king) 『i will never buy anything from this person again. my purchase was not brand new even though they tried to pass it off as one. the movie skipped the package was rewrapped. i will have to think twice before i order anything from amazon.com again』 『Not an ideal choice for younger kids, this hip and violent animated feature from Disney was nevertheless a huge smash in theaters and on video, and it continues to enjoy life in an acclaimed Broadway production. The story finds a lion cub, son of a king, sent into exile after his father is sabotaged by a rivalrous uncle. The little hero finds his way into the "circle of life" with some new friends and eventually comes back to reclaim his proper place. Characters are very strong, vocal performances by the likes of Jeremy Irons, Nathan Lane, and Whoopi Goldberg are terrific, the jokes are aimed as much (if not more) at adults than kids, the animation is sometimes breathtaking, and the music is more palatable than in many Disney features. But be cautious: this is too intense for theRugratcrowd.--Tom Keogh』 『Anybody who struts around with Simba's hard-won authority deserves this royal DVD read-along from Disney. Kids can recoil at Uncle Scar's dastardly deedsen españoland discover that "hakuna matata" sounds pretty much the same in Spanish, French, Italian, or German. And should the dynamic storytelling fail to thrill your 4- to 12-year-old fan, a flurry of other interactive options await. Toggle to "Songs" for sing-along renditions of movie hits, including "I Just Can't Wait to Be King," and on to "Music Videos," where Elton John roars soundtrack favorites "Circle of Life" and "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" and Jimmy Cliff and Lebo M groove to "Hakuna Matata." The "Vocabulary" feature allows for see-and-say mastery of a list of wildlife, while the "Game" section allows players to match paw and hoof prints to the proper beast and reassemble the scattered skeletal remains of an elephant. Original cast voices are featured, and grownups will be pleased by the package's reading component.--Tammy La Gorce』
