Pocahontas (DVD)

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As we might expect, the Native Americans are portrayed as living an idyllic life in a kind of paradise or Eden in the New World. Rightfully, the English settlers are portrayed, at least at first, as usurpers, plunderers eager to take by force what clearly doesn't belong to them. Along the way to a peace accord, Pocahontas, Smith, and Ratcliffe sing a series of tunes that thankfully punctuate what could have been a tedious narrative without them.

The original music and score are by Alan Menken ("The Little Mermaid," "Beauty and the Beast," "Aladdin," "The Hunchback of Notre Dame") and the lyrics are by Stephen Schwartz ("The Hunchback of Notre Dame," "The Prince of Egypt"). Things begin with "The Virginia Company," a nice rousing song by the English adventurers. That's followed by a fascinating rhythmic tune, "Steady As a Beating Drum," a picturesque view of the Native-American pastoral scene. "Just Around the River Bend" and "Listen With Your Heart" are sung by Pocahontas as she looks forward to her life and following the guidance of her instincts. "Mine, Mine, Mine" is a playful ditty revealing the Governor in all his greed, followed by the showstopping "Colors of the Wind," an appealing song on the virtues of diversity. "If I Never Knew You" is a romantic ballad initially cut from the theatrical version of the film, restored and sung by Smith and Pocahontas. "Savages" is the final tune, in which Ratcliffe's hatred knows no bounds. Reprises of "If I Never Knew You" and "Colors of the Wind" are played over the closing credits.

"Pocahontas" is a touching tribute to the power of loyalty, courage, cooperation, and, more than anything else, sympathetic understanding. It will not raise our consciousness of history any better, but it may inspire us to get along with one another all the more. Fair enough.

Video:
Kevin complained in his review of Disney's first DVD release of "Pocahontas" that the picture quality was excessively grainy, grainier than his laser-disc copy of the movie. As he put it, "the grain was so bad at some points that I began to wonder if it was pixilation and artifacting at work. The laser may be softer in details (and the reds and blues may be a bit too intense compared to the DVD), but the softness tends to tone down the graininess, making it much easier on the eyes."

I'm pleased to say this fully remastered, THX-certified edition of the movie has rectified those problems. The picture has been transferred to disc at a very high bit rate and enhanced for 16x9 televisions to good effect. The colors are beautifully vibrant, and there is virtually no grain to be seen that isn't normal to good film stock. There are occasional instances of almost unnoticeable line shimmer, but it's hardly an issue. Also, while the keep case proclaims the screen size to be in a 1.66:1 ratio, it measures out at a wider, nearly 1.78:1, anamorphic ratio. Kevin will be happy.

Audio:
The sound, too, has been remastered to THX specifications, this time in Dolby Digital 5.1. The results are smooth, well-detailed, and well-balanced sonics in the front channels, as well as a good stereo spread. The surround channels are used almost entirely to support a subtle musical ambiance, so expect no big, theatrical effects. Nor expect any ultra-strong dynamic impact or deep, thunderous bass. The soundtrack goes for ultimate listenability and eschews dramatic spectacle.

Extras:
The first disc in the set contains two editions of the film, the 10th Anniversary version and the original theatrical version. The difference is that the Anniversary version contains the previously deleted song "If I Never Knew You." Note, however, that the Anniversary version is the default and to play the original theatrical version you have to access it via the Main Menu's "Setup" screen. Also note that the optional audio commentary by producer Jim Penecost and co-directors Mike Gabriel and Eric Goldberg is only available on the Anniversary version. The Anniversary version is eighty-four minutes long, the original version is eighty-one minutes, and both versions come with twenty-eight scene selections. English, French, and Spanish are available as spoken language choices, with English captions for the hearing impaired.

In addition to the two versions of the movie, disc one contains a Disney art project, in which children can learn to make several Native-American items from common household objects; and a "Follow Your Heart" set-top game, in which children answer questions about the story and mark their choices. Then, there are two sing-along songs with on-screen lyrics, "Colors of the Wind" and "Just Around the Corner," both in fullscreen. The first disc concludes with a THX Optimizer set of audiovisual calibrations and Sneak Peeks at nine other Disney titles, including "Cinderella" and "Tarzan II."

If the extras on disc one are aimed mostly at kids (the commentary excepted), the ones on disc two are more mature. First, there's a twenty-eight-minute documentary, "The Making of Pocahontas," made in 1995 and hosted by Irene Bedard, the voice of Pocahontas and clearly the inspiration for the animated character's appearance. The documentary tries to explain some of the real events behind the romanticized legend, as well as provide behind-the-scenes glimpses at the characters, the story, and the music. This is followed by three general sections: (1) Production: "Early Production," three minutes; "Storyboard-to-film Comparison," one-and-a-half minutes; and "Production Progression," three minutes. (2) Design: a series of bits on each of the main characters, showing how they were created, with narration, animation, and still photos. (3) The Music of Pocahontas: A featurette, seven minutes; a music video, "If I Never Knew You," four minutes; and the making of "If I Never Knew You," four minutes explaining why the song was cut and why it was eventually restored. After those are eight specific deleted scenes and one miscellaneous collection of deleted scenes, mostly in rough sketches, some of them with optional audio commentary. Finally, there are featurettes on the picture's release, including two fullscreen theatrical trailers; the film's première in Central Park; a multi-language reel showing bits of the film in Norwegian, Italian, Swedish, Korean, Turkish, etc.; and a publicity gallery of stills that can be blown up for closer study. For those who want more, check out the DVD Town interview with Bedard, who shares her feelings about giving voice to the famous Native American.

The two discs come housed in a slim-line keep case, further enclosed in a slick, fancy slipcover. An informational insert contains chapter titles and a guide to the many features on each disc.

Parting Thoughts:
"Pocahontas" won two Academy Awards: for Best Original Music and for Best Original Song, "Colors of the Wind." The movie may not be one of the top-ten greatest animated features ever made, but it is beautiful to behold, sentimental, and affecting. Frankly, I don't think Disney has topped it since as a traditional animation, not even with "Tarzan" or "Mulan," and the way things look with CGI, they may not top it any time soon.

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