“Babes in Toyland” BluRay Review

Done with your Holiday s shopping?  Watched ABC’s 25 Days of Christmas already?  Then head out on Tuesday, December 11th for your own copy of Disney’s 1961 classic “Babes in Toyland“.  It’s time to carve out a little time to watch a BluRay with the family.

A childhood tradition in my family, I was excited for the opportunity to review the digitally remastered release of “Babes in Toyland”.  Starring Annette Funicello and Tommy Sands, the  movie is Walt Disney’s first try at a live performance film.    Based on a 1903 operetta, the story had been told in a 1934 film with Laurel and Hardy.  In that version there is a mouse that looks a lot like Disney’s Mickey Mouse.  In an interesting twist, Walt’s production featured characters that looked a lot like Laurel and Hardy.

The film is 1960’s campy, but stands the test of time for a holiday movie.  The remastered Technicolor gives the set a Wizard of Oz look.  The premise of the film is that you are watching a stage production, so the sets and costumes are over the top.  I enjoyed the storyline and musical score as much as I did as a child.  As an adult, I was entranced by Ray Bolger (Wizard of Oz, scarecrow) as the evil Barnaby.  He pulled off the smarmy, bad guy with a comedic twist.  There are no special features with the BluRay, which is a disappointment.  This movie was heavily promoted by Walt Disney himself and even filmed the wrap party for his “Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color” program on NBC.  It would have been nice to see some old footage or some commentary from the actors.  That however, is all that is missing from this beautifully restored classic.

Here are some interesting trivia facts to consider when watching this wonderful family movie:

• Despite television success years later,  Babes in Toyland was a box office failure.  It was next released 8 years later as a television 2-part series.  Walt did not make another musical until “Mary Poppins”.
• Little Bo Peep was Ann Jilllian’s film debut.
• The voice of the Goose is the film’s director, Jack Donahue.
• Tommy Kirk, a Walt Disney favorite is Grumio.  Also in the film is Kevin Corcoran as Little Boy Blue.  They’ve starred as Big Brother/Little Brother in five Disney Films.  Old Yeller, Swiss Family Robinson, Savage Sam, The Shaggy Dog and Bon Voyage.
• The stop action scenes with the March of the Wooden soldiers took 6 months to film.
• Part of the sets were a walk through attraction at Disneyland.
• The 1934 films name was changed to “March of the Wooden Soldiers” to cut confusion with Disney’s film.  However that film most closely resembles the original script.
• “Babes in Toyland” was Annette Funicellos favorite film.

Is “Babes in Toyland” a tradition in your home for the holidays?  If so grab the restored film in Blu-Ray on December 11th and watch with some homemade (or bakery made, we don’t judge here at Chip & Co.) cookies and cocoa.  Immerse yourself in the nostalgia and Happy Holidays!

Running Time:  106 minutes

Suggested Retail: $20

For my October press release, click here.

Related articles

• “Finding Nemo” Blu-Ray Review (chipandco.com)
• Disney Developing Sequel to Tim Burton’s ‘Alice in Wonderland’ (chipandco.com)

Let our friends at Destinations to Travel help you book your next Disney Vacation. They are the preferred Travel Agency of Chip and Company and Disney Addicts, and who we use ourselves.

Get started below for your FREE No Obligation Quote.

Book With our friends at Destinations to Travel

Who is your Travel Agent?(Required)

Let us pick for youEric HilesStacy ReedAbbey JohnsonAlisa SullivanAlli WillisAmanda FolsomAmanda VannAmber BrillhartAmber FisherAmy SieburnAndrea SmithAngela AndersonAngie BaycuraAnna PetrilliAnnabelle DuboseApril StefanskiAshley RamseyBeth ParsonsBetsy SantoroBrandie McQueenBrian BuckleyBridget HatchBryan SchwartzCandice SneedCarrie ButlerCarson DockumCasey BoltCharleen HortonChelsea RoyChelsea WuebkerChris BoyerChristie GrubeChristina FratturaChristina SmithCourtney WhiteCraig YoderDan MercedDanielle NorcrossDarby MouritsenDavid ForrestDeborah AlvaradoEmilee BiegelEmily MorrisFaith HakesGail HatchGreg MatzkerHelen HummerHolly CurryJackie CavistonJaclyn PepitoneJamie SwansonJeanine JordanJeff CallahanJenni MaierJennifer BrownJennifer StephensonJennifer StoessnerJessica HatfieldJessica HuffJessica WunderJoe GuertinJon CarpentierJoseph SliwaJulie McCombJustin BrownKat AttridgeKathryn EberhartKathy AndersonKatie HarrellKatie PrevotKayla CookKelsey SullensKim HelmsKimberly HutchinsonKristi GallagherKyle RamsdenLauren DewlenLeanne MonterLinda DurhamLindsay AckermannLindsey VromanLissette BritoLori HardyMallory MorrisonMandi QuinnMaranda PerkinsMarisa AlvaradoMegan TeismannMeghan BlairMelissa ReedMichele KlineMike BeyerMissy McCormickMisty DickersonNancy CasteelNicole ThorntonPatrick O'ConnorPaul SulPeyton Ward-KubikRaylene CooganRegan OstranderRobbie BulusRobert ThomasSara SolbergSarah McCandlishShanna BrowningShelley BennettShelly MetzStacy CristStacy KrzyminskiStacy SmithStephanie DraganoStephanie FerencStephanie WalshSusannah McCordTara SlusserTerri MillerTiffany DobraskiTiffany DrenkhahnTina FarmerTonya LesiukTracy DaneTroy DuncanVeronica RenteriaVicki FesslerWendy CarllWendy HauserWendy KellehanWendy Shelley

Name(Required)

First Last

Email(Required)

Phone(Required)

Destination(Required)

Walt Disney WorldDisneyland ResortDisney Cruise LineAulani, A Disney Resort and SpaAulani, A Disney Resort and SpaUniversal FloridaUniversal HollywoodRoyal Caribbean, Carnival, Norwegian or other Cruise LineI don't know yet

# of Adults(Required)

# of Children(Required)

Check-in-Date(Required)

MM slash DD slash YYYY

Check-out-Date(Required)

MM slash DD slash YYYY

Comments, Questions or Special Requests

Phone

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Δ

For the BEST in Disney, Universal, Dollywood, and SeaWorld Theme Park News, Entertainment, Merchandise & More follow us on, Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube. Don't forget to check out the Chip and Company Radio Network too!