Another respectable entry in the Scholastic Storybook Treasures series from Weston Woods.
I, Crocodile is another odd one. Written and illustrated by Fred Marcellino and narrated by Tim Curry, it's kind of a reptilian version of "I, Claudius," with a crocodile penning his history and going back into the history of crocodiles in general. It starts out pretty strong, with a fun, guiltless voice and a history lesson in ancient Egyptian gods, but by the time Napoleon enters the picture it starts to get a little complicated for this age range, and the narrative sags until the croc becomes a fixture in a Parisian pond and becomes introduced to the City of Light's famous sewers.
Video:
The videos quality for this series has generally been strong, and this disc is no exception. The films were made at all different times, and the older the film the rougher the picture quality. The live-action bonus feature is the roughest. The rest of them have pretty true-looking colors--some of them more vibrant than others, but according to the book's design. These are presented in 1.33:1 aspect ratio.
Audio:
The audio has been even more reliable, with a Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo predominantly used for the picture-book adaptations, and mono often the fallback for live-action. The same is true here.
Extras:
In addition to a Spanish language version of the title story, three bonus stories are included.
Hot Hippo is an African tale by Mwenye Hadithi, illustrated by Adrienne Kennaway and narrated by Terry Alexander. It's a cute story that very small children might find frightening because this hippo wants to use the river but has to consult a god whose visage appears on a mountain. The god doesn't want the hippo eating all his fish, but when the hippo promises not to chow down he's finally allowed to live in the water . . . with conditions that characterize and explain real-life hippo behavior. Overall, a nice addition, with heavily stylized drawings.
Waiting for Wings is one of those that won't be for everyone, because there's no narrative to speak of. It's mostly music and butterflies going through "the change," written and illustrated by Lois Ehlert in a style that's reminiscent of multi-media collage. Crystal Taliefero narrates.
Let's Give Kitty a Bath may have been a hit in its day, but the short live-action film about a little boy and girl who conspire to give the family cat a bath (but have to catch him first) might seem a little too cutesy, dated, and slow-moving for today's kids. Then again, they might be able to identify with the live children. It's going to be a coin toss. My daughter is at the high end of the age range, and pronounced it "okay." The film is based on the book by Stephen Lindbloom and True Kelly.
Bottom Line:
Counting the bonus features, "Click, Clack, Moo" offers three strong stories, one that's pretty solid, and three more that might not be for everyone. But it's another respectable entry in the Scholastic Storybook Treasures series from Weston Woods.
Video:
The videos quality for this series has generally been strong, and this disc is no exception. The films were made at all different times, and the older the film the rougher the picture quality. The live-action bonus feature is the roughest. The rest of them have pretty true-looking colors--some of them more vibrant than others, but according to the book's design. These are presented in 1.33:1 aspect ratio.
Audio:
The audio has been even more reliable, with a Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo predominantly used for the picture-book adaptations, and mono often the fallback for live-action. The same is true here.
Extras:
In addition to a Spanish language version of the title story, three bonus stories are included.
Hot Hippo is an African tale by Mwenye Hadithi, illustrated by Adrienne Kennaway and narrated by Terry Alexander. It's a cute story that very small children might find frightening because this hippo wants to use the river but has to consult a god whose visage appears on a mountain. The god doesn't want the hippo eating all his fish, but when the hippo promises not to chow down he's finally allowed to live in the water . . . with conditions that characterize and explain real-life hippo behavior. Overall, a nice addition, with heavily stylized drawings.
Waiting for Wings is one of those that won't be for everyone, because there's no narrative to speak of. It's mostly music and butterflies going through "the change," written and illustrated by Lois Ehlert in a style that's reminiscent of multi-media collage. Crystal Taliefero narrates.
Let's Give Kitty a Bath may have been a hit in its day, but the short live-action film about a little boy and girl who conspire to give the family cat a bath (but have to catch him first) might seem a little too cutesy, dated, and slow-moving for today's kids. Then again, they might be able to identify with the live children. It's going to be a coin toss. My daughter is at the high end of the age range, and pronounced it "okay." The film is based on the book by Stephen Lindbloom and True Kelly.
Bottom Line:
Counting the bonus features, "Click, Clack, Moo" offers three strong stories, one that's pretty solid, and three more that might not be for everyone. But it's another respectable entry in the Scholastic Storybook Treasures series from Weston Woods.
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[release]23518[/release]