Heartwarming and a Disney classic that will continue to entertain generation after generation. “Lady and the Tramp: Diamond Edition” is hands down the definitive version of this film to own. A fantastic Blu-ray release that the whole family will enjoy! Highly recommended!
BLU-RAY TITLE: Lady and the Tramp: Diamond Edition
MOVIE RELEASE DATE: 1955
DURATION: 76 Minutes
BLU-RAY INFORMATION: 1080p High Definition, 2:55:1 Aspect Ratio, English 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, French and Spanish 5.1 Disney Enhanced Home Theater (DEHT), Originally Restored Feature Audio, Subtitles: Engliish SDH, French and Spanish
COMPANY: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
RATED: G
DVD RELEASE DATE: January 31, 2012
Directed by Clyde Geronimi, Wilfred Jackson, Hamilton Luske
Story by Ward Greene, Erdman Penner, Joe Rinaldi, Ralph Wright, Don DaGradi
Associate Producer: Erdman Penner
Music by Oliver Wallace
Edited by Donald Halliday
Featuring the Voices of:
Peggy Lee as Darling/Si/Am/Peg
Barbara Luddy as Lady
Larry Roberts as Tramp
Bill Thompson as Jock/Bull, Policeman and Joe
Bill Baucom as Trusty
Stan Freberg as Beaver
Verna Felton as Aunt Sarah
Alan Reed as Boris
George Givot as Tony
Dal McKennon as Toughy
Lee Millar as Jim Dear
The Mellomen as Dogs
A classic love story unfolds in the best Disney tradition as a lovely young pedigreed cocker spaniel named Lady, who lives a pampered life, finds herself falling romantically for Tramp, an amorous street-smart pooch without prospects. Although they have fun together on several dates, including a sentimental spaghetti dinner by moonlight at Tony’s restaurant, their relationship is strained not only by Lady’s loyalty to her human family and their newborn baby, but by Tramp’s devil-may-care attitude that eventually gets Lady in trouble and tossed into the dog pound. However, good-hearted Tramp redeems himself by saving the baby from potential harm and thus wins Lady’s love and the affection of her human family.
Walt Disney’s “Lady and the Tramp” is a classic animated film that has entertained generations upon generations since its theatrical release back in 1955.
But the idea for the film actually happened nearly 20-years prior when Disney writer Joe Grant came up with an idea to make a story built around an idea inspired by his Springer Spaniel named Lady, and how his dog was pushed aside upon the birth of his child.
Grant sketched his ideas and presented it to Walt Disney and sure enough, from 1937 through the ’40s, Grant and a few others have created stories which did not receive approval from Walt Disney because the story was too sweet and not enough action.
In the 1940’s, after Walt Disney read a story by Ward Greene titled “Happy Dan, the Whistling Dog” and was inspired by this story, along with the reaction his wife Lily had when he presented her a baby Chow on Christmas morning.
“Lady and the Tramp” would star American jazz singer Peggy Lee as Darling and would sing a few songs for the film’s soundtrack.
In 1955, the film made its theatrical debut and was a enormous success in the box office. The film was the first Disney animated film to utilize CinemaScope.
While Joe Grant left Disney Studios in 1949, the story and planning still continued. While Joe Grant was not credited for the original idea, he was given credit in a special feature on the Platinum Edition release of “Lady and the Tramp”.
And now in 2012, the 15th Walt Disney animated classic, “Lady and the Tramp” receives its Blu-ray release for the first time.
“Lady and the Tramp” takes place on Christmas morning of 1909 at the home of the wealthy Dear family.
Jim Dear presents his wife Darling with a baby Cocker Spaniel on Christmas morning. Darling names the dog “Lady” and the two treat the dog like their own child.
And we see how Lady has grown up with the family and they have grown attached to each other. And Lady is excited to get her first license and tells her friends Jock, the Scottish Terrier and Bull and a Bloodhound named Trusty.
We are then introduced to Tramp, a stray dog on the other side of town. Always getting into some trouble but always there for his friends. Tramp is always wanted by the dog catchers but has been able to allude them.
But not long after, Lady starts to notice that the Dear family has started to distance themselves away from her and she asks her two friends what could be the problem. The two explain that the Dear family are expecting a baby and when that happens, their attention turns towards baby.
Tramp hears their discussion and introduces himself to Lady and tells her that when humans have a baby, their attention towards their dog will lessen.
And eventually, Lady starts to learn quickly when the baby comes that Jim and Darling do not have as much time to spend with her. As Jim and Darling have to go to China, they leave the baby behind with Aunt Sarah.
But as Aunt Sarah is busy with the baby (and doesn’t like Lady to be around him), Sarah’s two Siamese cats cause trouble and start breaking things around the house, knowing that they are close with Aunt Sarah, Sarah blames Lady.
The next day, when Lady goes to check on the baby who is crying, Aunt Sarah thinks that Lady is trying to bite the baby and takes her to the pet store for a muzzle. But when the pet store owner tries to muzzle her, Lady is shocked and runs away. She runs and ends up in another part of town and three large, mean dogs start chasing after her. As Lady reaches a dead end, Tramp comes to her rescue and fights off the three mean dogs.
Wanting to show how much adventure lies outside of her home, Tramp shows her how life can be if she stays with him. But throughout their adventures together, Lady is caught by a dog catcher and now Tramp must try to rescue her.
VIDEO:
“Lady and the Tramp: Diamond Edition” is presented in 1080p High Definition (2:55:1 Aspect Ratio). And for anyone who has been following the Disney Animated Classics Blu-ray releases have seen how fantastic Walt Disney Studios has been with these releases. Remastering and restoring the video to a lot of their classics to pristine quality. No matter how old these animated films are, they have been cleaned from any blemishes and the “Lady and the Tramp” on Blu-ray is no exception. This film looks magnificent in HD!
The film is absolutely vibrant. The colors and the black outline of the characters are clear and the painted art backgrounds are well-detailed and look amazing.
There are no artifacts, banding, no softness… this is the definitive version of “Lady and the Tramp” on video.
AUDIO & SUBTITLES:
Just like its video counterpart, Disney presents “Lady and the Tramp: Diamond Edition” with an English 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio lossless soundtrack, French and Spanish 5.1 Disney Enhanced Home Theater (DEHT), original restored featured audio.
The 7.1 lossless track is absolutely immersive. First, the dialogue is crisp and clear, the music can be heard through the front and surround channels. There is also a good amount of ambience, especially good use of audio during moments where Tramp goes to rescue Lady from other mean dogs to the scene where Jock and Trusty try to stop the dog catcher.
Like the video portion, when it comes to audio, this is the definitive version of “Lady and the Tramp” to own thus far!
Subtitles are in English SDH, French and Spanish.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
“Lady and the Tramp: Diamond Edition” comes with the following special features:
- Disney Second Screen featuring “Inside Walt’s Story Meetings” – For those with an iPad or PC can sync their computer while watching “Lady and the Tramp: Diamond Edition” on Blu-ray.
- Inside Walt’s Story Meetings – An audio commentary featuring a recreation of Walt Disney’s story meetings utilizing archived transcripts.
- Diane Disney Miller – (8 min.) Remembering Dad – Diane Disney Miller shares stories about her father, Disneyland, his legacy and more.
- Deleted Scenes – (19 min.) Featuring three deleted scenes via storyboards: “Introduction of Boris”, “Waiting for Baby” and “Dog Show”.
- Never Recorded Song: “I’m Free as the Breeze” – A Ray Gilbert and Elliot Daniel song never used in the final cut of the film and now presented on this Blu-ray release.
- Classic DVD Bonus Features – (157 Minutes) A length in-depth look at the making of “Lady and the Tramp” plus the original Platinum Edition seven-part making of featurette titled “Lady’s Pedigree: The Making of ‘Lady and the Tramp’, “The Siamese Cat Song: Finding a Voice for the Cats”, PuppyPedia: Going to the Dogs”, “Bella Notte Music video”, theatrical trailers and more.
- Trailers – Walt Disney trailers.
EXTRAS:
“Lady and the Tramp: Diamond Edition” comes with a slipcover case and also a DVD version of the film presented in widescreen (2:55:1), English, French and Spanish 5.1 DEHT, original restored feature audio. Subtitles are in English SDH, French and Spanish.
Many of us who have grown up with “Lady and the Tramp” will always remember the famous scene where Lady and Tramp are eating spaghetti together and end up kissing, remember this film as a heartwarming tale of two dogs that fall in love and overcoming challenges.
It’s a Disney film that my parents watched, I’ve watched and my own child has watched and quite simply, this is another Disney classic that families will enjoy and an animated film that will keep entertaining generation after generation.
Watching this Blu-ray release of “Lady and the Tramp: Diamond Edition”, the one thing that I’ve wondered was how can they improve from the awesome “Platinum Edition”. Well, for one, the quality of the video and audio is the first thing that is noticeable. This is one film that while made in 1955, you can’t really tell this film is over 55-years-old, the restoration is that good and even the artwork holds up today.
There is also a good amount of special features included on this Blu-ray release which includes the second-screen and the “Inside Walt’s Story Meetings”, plus deleted scenes and a never-before-seen song. But still, in terms of special features, the original making of-featurette “Lady’s Pedigree: The Making of Lady and the Tramp” is still fascinating, in-depth and you learn a good deal about what it took to make this film a reality, especially the changes that were made (courtesy of Walt Disney’s wife, who spoke out about not making this film too dark).
Overall, “Lady and the Trap: Diamond Edition” is a wonderful Blu-ray release that fans will love and newer fans will just enjoy. It’s a timeless Disney animated classic but this time, it looks and sounds better than ever and worth the upgrade from DVD.
Highly recommended!
