Disney deservedly won an Oscar for this mostly well-executed documentary. Visually breathtaking, the narration has a kind of monotone, almost flat-lined quality that would practically served as a cure for insomnia in most instances. This is an Achilles heel for a great number of Disney documentaries-narration. All too often, it either drones or is too cute by at least half. Still quite good here for the visuals. Recommended.
Edit: I've been meaning to get back to this comment for some time now, for more than a couple of years now, because I watched it again back in 2003 or so, when watching the tape I recorded it on from a broadcast off the Disney Channel and realized (to my embarrassment) that I'd been mistaken in recalling it as having narration-it has only a musical score with no voice-over. I want to correct the mistake, but I choose to leave the original comment in place, as I made the mistake and it's been here for five years. Wiping it out would be self-serving. An explanation and addition is called for. I will say that I've seen this in widescreen on the Special Edition release of Sleeping Beauty and it's even more impressive in the proper ratio than it is in pan-and-scan. It isn't perfect, but it is one of Disney's better live-action short films and deserved to win its Oscar. It and Sleeping Beauty are well worth getting. Recommended.
Edit: I've been meaning to get back to this comment for some time now, for more than a couple of years now, because I watched it again back in 2003 or so, when watching the tape I recorded it on from a broadcast off the Disney Channel and realized (to my embarrassment) that I'd been mistaken in recalling it as having narration-it has only a musical score with no voice-over. I want to correct the mistake, but I choose to leave the original comment in place, as I made the mistake and it's been here for five years. Wiping it out would be self-serving. An explanation and addition is called for. I will say that I've seen this in widescreen on the Special Edition release of Sleeping Beauty and it's even more impressive in the proper ratio than it is in pan-and-scan. It isn't perfect, but it is one of Disney's better live-action short films and deserved to win its Oscar. It and Sleeping Beauty are well worth getting. Recommended.