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 S E A R C H    D V D B e a v e r

Directed by Jules Bass
 USA 1966

 

A Rankin/Bass Animagic Classic! Join young Hans Christian Andersen as he daydreams his way to adventure through his most famous fairytales. In The Little Mermaid, everyone's favorite girl of the sea (Hayley Mills) must triumph over the evil Sea Witch (Tallulah Bankhead) with a little help from Father Neptune (Burl Ives). In The Emperor's New Clothes, a pair of villainous tailors (Victor Borge and Terry-Thomas) create a surprising new outfit for a gullible king (Ed Wynn). The fun continues with Oscar-winner Patty Duke as Thumbelina, Ray Bolger as the Pieman, Boris Karloff as a sinister rat, Margaret Hamilton as the mean Mrs. Klopplebobbler and much more in this timeless kid's classic filmed in both live-action and 'Animagic' by Rankin/Bass, the creators of Frosty the Snowman, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and The Wacky World of Mother Goose.

***

A fictional account of a teen-aged Hans Christian Anderson. In this film, young Hans runs away from home and each time he falls asleep he experiences in his dreams the different characters he would later write about including The Little Mermaid, Thumbelina and The Ugly Duckling.

Posters

Theatrical Release: June 22nd, 1966

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Review: Scorpion Releasing - Region 'A' - Blu-ray

Box Cover

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Distribution Scorpion Releasing - Region 'A' - Blu-ray
Runtime 1:38:41.000        
Video

1.33:1 1080P Single-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 24,409,439,254 bytes

Feature: 23,332,257,792 bytes

Video Bitrate: 27.77 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate Blu-ray:

Audio

DTS-HD Master Audio English 1885 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1885 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)
Commentary:

Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps
Subtitles English, None
Features Release Information:
Studio: Scorpion Releasing

 

1.33:1 1080P Single-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 24,409,439,254 bytes

Feature: 23,332,257,792 bytes

Video Bitrate: 27.77 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

 

Edition Details:

• Audio Commentary by Rankin/Bass Historian and Author Rick Goldschmidt with Film Historian Lee Gambin
• Trailers (Time Travelers - 2:22 Slow Dancing Big City - 3:04/ Railway Children 4:05)


 Blu-ray Release Date: May 18th, 2021
 Standard Blu-ray Case

Chapters 12

 

 

Comments:

NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: Scorpion Releasing Blu-ray (May 2021): Scorpion Releasing have transferred Jules Bass's The Daydreamer to Blu-ray. It is on a single-layered disc with a supportive bitrate. The Animagic (Rankin/Bass' stop-motion visual style recognizable with doll-like characters) looks impressive (the underwater sequences are intentionally hazier) and the live action, in the original 1.37:1, also looks bright, crisp and show depth. Colors are strong and rich providing a suitable bridge to the Animagic.  

On their Blu-ray, Scorpion Releasing use a DTS-HD Master 2.0 channel (24-bit) in the original English language. It carries surprising depth and effects with a score by Maury Laws (The Bermuda Depths, 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, The Little Drummer Boy) - his first composure credit. It's a very good score adding a variety of bouncy, fun instruments (Glockenspiel etc.) It supports this enjoyable family film well in the lossless with songs sung by Robert Goulet, Hayley Mills, Ray Bolger, Patty Duke, Paul O'Keefe and choruses. Scorpion Releasing offer optional English subtitles on their Region 'A' Blu-ray.

The Scorpion Releasing Blu-ray offers a new commentary hosted by Lee Gambin with Rick Goldschmidt (author of The Enchanted World of Rankin/Bass: A Portfolio.) They cover so much from this Rankin/Bass production to many of their other works, Goldschmidt providing great background and anecdotal details. Fans of the film will enjoy it. There are also trailers for other Scorpion Releasing films on Blu-ray. 

Those who've grown up with other Rankin/Bass wholesome children's films (Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, The Little Drummer Boy) - many holiday themes, will also appreciate The Daydreamer, albeit one of their forgotten works. The vice characterizations are a 'Who's Who' of celebrities including Tallulah Bankhead, Victor Borge, Patty Duke, Jack Gilford, Sessue Hayakawa, Margaret Hamilton, Burl Ives, Boris Karloff, Hayley Mills, Terry-Thomas, Ray Bolger and more. It's worthwhile to have Scorpion Releasing's impressive Blu-ray in the library for your family's young-uns to the nostalgic big kid in you. Recommended!

Gary Tooze

 

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Box Cover

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Distribution Scorpion Releasing - Region 'A' - Blu-ray


 


 

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