Frank and Ollie

"Disney's Special Edition DVD release of Frank and Ollie is not only the perfect presentation for this 1995 documentary, but it also offers a nice compliment through the wealth of extras that the Mouse has been so kind to include. Technically, the picture and sound are brilliant, with a 1.85:1 widescreen image and Dolby Digital 5.1 driving the story of these two artistic greats. On the features front, as the package says, there's over 70 minutes of bonus material! First off is the ""Making the Movie"" featurette, narrated by director Theodore Thomas (son of Frank). Featuring a classic home movie from the family along with charming behind-the-scenes footage, this eight-minute extra succeeds in delivering additional insight into the production through the perspective of a family member growing up around such inspiring circumstances. Next up is the Early Days section, where both Frank and Ollie's debut animations await the viewer in addition to groundbreaking clips from both Winsor McCay and Walt Disney. Extras continue with the Their Art section, which starts with Frank discussing the acting involved with bringing a character to life. Next up are a few clips with Andreas Deja and Glen Keane, two of Disney's top animators, as they dissect the famous duo's work from original sketches to completed scenes. For a view into the filmmaking process, look no further the Evolution of a Sequence section, where you can dissect different key moments of pre-production animation from a scene from The Rescuers. Also included is a lengthy outtakes reel plus two more sections dedicated to the artists' respected loves -- Ollie's trains and Frank's band, Firehouse Five Plus Two (which includes an actual performance from Jazz Scene USA). Sadly, one feature that's fairly standard these days, which was not included, is a filmography for each animator; for a DVD package whose one goal is to celebrate their work, it's the only exclusion that seems to have been overlooked. Still, it's a fine disc from Disney, and one that will continue to inspire long after its release."