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The Movie:
Disney's retelling of the classic "Robin Hood" tale isn't one of the studio's most popular productions, but the 1974 film still remains a mildly entertaining adventure. The film focuses on the adventures of Robin Hood (Brian Bedford), a fox who, as the story goes, robs from the rich (in this case, the lion Prince John, voiced by Peter Ustinov) and gives to the poor. Joined by Little John (Phil Harris), Robin Hood must outwit Prince John and sidekick Sir Hiss (Terry Thomas), while trying to woo Maid Marian (Monica Evans).
The film's best asset are the performances, as Bedford brings a fine amount of charm to his vocal performance and Ustinov makes for a hissable villain (with a hissing sidekick, no less.) Harris largely offers a copy of his performance as Baloo from "The Jungle Book"; while the performance isn't as strong as that classic character, it still manages to be a good fit in the film.
On the other hand, the story can feel a tad aimless here, as the picture drags during a few of the rather uneventful stretches in the middle. Additionally, while the film is one of Disney's weaker efforts when it comes to animation quality, the visuals still remain watchable, with only a few moments that are noticably rougher. Some catchy musical numbers are also found within, as well. Despite a few issues, the film still does manage some lively scenes and the characters are memorable.
The DVD
VIDEO: "Robin Hood" is presented here by Disney in 1.75:1 anamorphic widescreen. For an animated picture that has passed its 30th birthday, the film looked surprisingly good. Sharpness and detail were perfectly good, as the picture looked consistently crisp and well-defined, showing off the film's animation well.
As for flaws, no edge enhancement or pixelation was spotted throughout the show. While there were some minor instances of specks and marks on the elements, the picture looked largely clean, considering the age of the film. Colors remained bold and bright, with nice saturation and no smearing or other concerns.
SOUND: The film's Dolby Digital 5.1 presentation is, as one might expect from a film of its age, primitive. Surrounds are very rarely put into play here, aside from a couple of slight instances of ambience. The great majority of the film's audio is rooted in the front speakers, and generally remains mono in nature. Audio quality was fine, with dialogue sounding clear, but rather flat.
EXTRAS: An alternate ending (rough form), song selection feature, art gallery, interactive gamed and a bonus animated short ("Ye Olden Days".)
Final Thoughts: "Robin Hood" does have some stretches that are slow going, but the film is given a boost by good voice performances. Overall, while not one of Disney's best, "Robin Hood" still has its moments. The DVD edition provides enjoyable audio/video quality and a minimal extras. Recommended for fans.
Film Grade
The Film B
DVD Grades
Video 85/B
Audio: 85/B
Extras: 82/B
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