40th Anniversary Edition / Blu-ray + DVD

Robin Hood Blu-ray Review

"10,000 Ingots for the Capture of the Outlaw Robin Hood!"

Reviewed by Kenneth Brown, August 1, 2013



Partners in crime...

Thanks to the August 6th Blu-ray debuts of(1963),(1973) and(1988), only fourteen theatrically released Disney Animated Classics remain, two of which --and-- are already set to arrive later this year. It's hard to believe that just five years ago the beautifully remastered release of(followed byin 2009) hinted at a then faraway, now closer than ever future in which Disney's entire animated features canon is available in high definition. No, the Mouse House hasn't always led fans and purists down the smoothest of restoration roads (), but it's been an exciting journey with far more peaks than valleys, and 2015 looks to be the year that it reaches its long-awaited end. For now, though, completists have a new batch of classics to enjoy, the most beloved being, a flawed but endearing bit of childhood nostalgia that holds a special place in many a fan's heart.Legendary hero to the common folk of Nottingham, Robin Hood (voiced by Brian Bedford) and his best friend, Little John (Phil Harris), are outlaws of the highest caliber, robbing from the rich and giving to the poor. (The sly fox just takes issue with the word "rob.") In hot pursuit of Hood is the corrupt Sheriff of Nottingham (Pat Buttram), charged by the scheming lion, Prince John (Peter Ustinov), and his counselor, Sir Hiss (Terry-Thomas), to restore order and bring Robin to... ahem, justice. Robin Hood isn't without allies, though. By the time the Sheriff closes in, Robin and Little John are aided by true love Maid Marian (Monica Evans), her lady-in-waiting Lady Kluck (Carole Shelley), the generous Friar Tuck (Andy Devine), a pair of church mice (John Fiedler and Barbara Luddy), storyteller Alan-a-Dale (Roger Miller), a young turtle (Richie Sanders), and a trio of young rabbits (Billy Whittaker, Dana Laurita and Dori Whittaker). Now it's up to Robin and Little John to stop the Sheriff, thwart Prince John and Sir Hiss's plans, and make sure King Richard (Ustinov) has a throne to claim when he returns home from the Crusades.The talking animals trope has long been a go-to device for Disney Animation, but it's no mere gimmick here. The denizens of Nottingham translate to the animal kingdom quite effortlessly, with most of director Wolfgang Reitherman and screenwriter Larry Clemmons' choices selling themselves. The Prince of Thieves as a cunning fox. His lovable, oversized companion, Little John, a bear ofproportions. The Sheriff a fiendish wolf (albeit one with a strangely specific backwoods-Kentucky drawl). King Richard and Prince John as lions. Kindly Friar Tuck a roly poly badger, and Maid Marian a vixen. The third tier supporting cast seems hurriedly conceived -- chicken Lady Kluck and crocodile Captain Crocodile, for starters -- but the central cast of characters fare well in the suddenly literal forests of Sherwood. (Not that Ken Anderson would agree. The veteran writer took issue with many of the decisions made by Reitherman and Clemmons, and voiced his displeasure with some of the departures they made from his original vision for the film.) The light, fanciful tone and colorful fairy tale adventure that accompanies the creatures seems a natural fit as well, even if it's easy to see why children embraced the film so wholeheartedly all those years ago. The same thing can be seen today, with the young (and young at heart) enjoyingdespite its shortcomings, as more seasoned newcomers judge it a lesser entry in Disney's classics canon.Alas, dear and loyal subjects of King Walt's realm,isn't nearly as agile and nimble an animated adventure as those who've grown up with the film so fondly remember. Animation elements recycled from other projects, toothless villainy, an over-reliance on slapstick and bumbling beasts, hit or miss voice casting, a troubling number of filler scenes (particularly for an 83-minute movie), a rushed third act... all is not well in Reitherman's Sherwood, and it's clear production nightmares and budgetary constraints took a toll on Disney's 21st animated feature. Most distressing is the narrative tug-of-war that yanks Robin and his Merry Men between each scene and the next, focusing more on supporting characters than the wily fox and his daring deeds. The confidence and consistency so vital to Reitherman's previous and subsequent Disney films is lacking here, at least in part, and the end never really justifies the means.isn't a grand scale adventure, or even a very clever adaptation of the Hood legends. It targets kids, captivates kids, gravitates to kids and doesn't show the sort of all-ages ambition and certainty of purpose the Disney Greats exhibit; those timeless classics and unforgettable masterpieces which have kept the studio evolving for more than seventy-five years. That's not to suggest there isn't a good deal of fun to be had in, mind you. Simply that nostalgia, not timelessness, will always be the driving force behind the film, now some four decades past a prime it never reached.