Well, they can’t all be masterpieces or classics.
Let me guess. You’re one of those Disneyana fans who bought the “Platinum Editions” of “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” “Beauty and the Beast” and “The Lion King.” And you probably already have plans to pick up the special 2-disc version of “Aladdin” when this DVD becomes available on October 5th.
But I bet you don’t have a copy of every single film that Buena Vista Home Entertainment has put on on DVD. But — then again — why should you? After all, the Walt Disney Company has turned out some real dogs in its time.
And — no — I’m not talking about “The Shaggy Dog” (Which — FYI — Walt Disney Pictures is getting ready to remake. With Tim Allen in the title role, no less. Production is supposed to get underway in LA next month. Anyway … ). But — rather — that long string of mediocre movies that Walt Disney Productions made back in the 1970s. Back when it seemed like Disney had really lost its way, creatively.
You know the time I’m talking about. Those years right after George Lucas directed the first “Star Wars” film and Steven Spielberg created the original version of “Close Encounters of the Third Kind.” Two motion pictures that changed forever how audiences looked visual effects in films.
And there was Walt Disney Productions. The studio that had once truly dazzled movie-goers with its eye-popping effects in 1964’s “Mary Poppins.” So how the Mouse react when Lucas & Spielberg did such a brilliant job of raising the bar for the entire industry? By churning out forgettable fare like 1978’s “The Cat from Outer Space“ and 1979’s “Unidentified Flying Oddball.”
Okay. Calling these two Disney films “forgettable” is perhaps being unnecessarily harsh. After all, I just spent the afternoon watching these two pictures. And you know … I actually sort of enjoyed “Cat” and “Oddball.”
But — then again — I’m one of those folks who can always find ways to entertain themselves when things start going south. Take — for example — “The Cat from Outer Space.” Whenever I found this film’s story to be less than engaging, I could always marvel at “Cat” ‘s casting.
I mean, have you seen who appears in this picture? “The Cat from Outer Space” is like watching “Nick at Nite” on acid. In just one movie, you’ve got:
- McLean Stevenson & Harry Morgan from “M*A*S*H”
- Ken Berry & James Hampton from “F Troop”
- Alan Young from “Mr. Ed.”
- Ronnie Schell from “Gomer Pyle U.S.M.C.”
- Sorrell Brooke from “The Dukes of Hazard”
- Sandy Duncan from “The Hogan Family”
“Cat” also features great veteran performers like Hans Conried, Dallas McKennon and Pete Renady. People who usually — when they’re working for the Mouse — perform off-camera, alone behind a microphone. But — this time around — Hans, Dallas & Pete get to play to a camera. Which (for me, anyway) was a bit of a treat.
Plus what other recent DVD release is going to allow you see Roddy McDowell (The star of all those “Planet of the Apes” movies) in action? Or make you smile when you suddenly realize that Earnest Ernie, “Cat” ‘s Damon Runyon-eque character, is actually played by Jesse White. The noted character actor who’s probably best remembered as the guy who first played the lonely Maytag repairman in all those TV commercials.
Yeah, in a weird sort of way, “The Cat from Outer Space” is kind of like a time capsule. Particularly if you’re a baby boomer. As you watch this movie, you get to see all these sitcom stars from the 1960s & 1970s. Plus you get these brief glimpses of what the Disney backlot & Golden Oaks Ranch were like ‘way back when. And — if you keep a sharp eye out — you can see the Roy O. Disney building standing in for the Energy Research Lab.
Yeah, I guess I actually did enjoy watching “The Cat from Outer Space.” Not because the film’s story was all that compelling. (Speaking of “Cat” ‘s screenplay, here’s an interesting bit of trivia for all you classic TV fans out there: “The Cat from Outer Space” was written by Ted Key, a man whose main claim to fame is that he created “Hazel.” You know, the cartoon character that Shirley Booth used to play on TV? Additionally, Key is credited with creating the “Mr. Peabody & Sherman” sequence for “The Bullwinkle Show.” Ted also wrote the screen stories for two other Disney films: 1971’s “Million Dollar Duck” and 1976’s “Gus.”) But — rather — because “Cat” was kind of cute.
I mean … I don’t exactly know why I enjoyed this movie’s hokey special effects. Those bad blue screen sequences where Ken Berry is supposedly flying this battered old biplane and there’s this obviously stuffed feline (filling for the film’s title character) glued to the plane’s dashboard. Or the scene where McLean Stevenson (due to some out-of-this-world hocus pocus that “The Cat from Outer Space” is supposedly working on the sitcom star) is magically floating around Berry’s apartment. Only you can clearly see the wires holding Mclean aloft.
Speaking of wires … “Unidentified Flying Oddball” is loaded with them. I’m not exactly sure what happened with this particular Walt Disney Productions picture. But the special effects in this Russ Mayberry movie aren’t anything approaching special.
And yet … I also sort of enjoyed this very mild motion picture. Which must be the 1500th film based on Mark Twain’s classic novel, “A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court.
Of course, this time around, it isn’t a Connecticut Yankee who turns Camelot on its ear this time. But — rather — Tom Trimble (Dennis Dugan) an earnest NASA nerd. Who — thanks to a lucky lightning strike — finds himself blasting off into space aboard a space shuttle. Which (for reasons that the movie never quite makes clear) winds up traveling backwards through time. Eventually arriving back on Earth in 508 A.D., back when King Arthur (Kenneth More) was still lording it over the Knights of the Round Table.
Of course, given that “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” had been released to theaters four years previous to this picture, it’s sometimes kind of hard to watch “Unidentified Flying Oddball” and its rather toothless take on the tales of King Arthur. After it’s been a particularly long time between chuckles, you may find yourself longing for the knights who say “Ni!” to drop by. Or — better yet — that Arthur’s faithful servant, Patsy, will pop up, coconut shells in hand. Ready to take the King off on a quest.
Unfortunately, that never happens in this movie. “Unidentified Flying Oddball” just ambles along in a very predictable manner. There’s no real sense of peril or excitement to the film. Which is why I keep describing this Walt Disney Productions release as mild. As if it really were a piece of cheese.
Mind you, I got a few laughs out of Kenneth More’s take on Arthur. Who chose to play the King not as a noble leader. But — rather — as sort of a fussy old bureaucrat. Likewise, it was fun to watch Jim Dale show off his famous flare for slapstick in the sequence where Sir Mordred tries to slay Tom Trimble with a magnetized sword.
And I also really enjoyed Ron Moody’s performance as the villainous Merlin. Moody played the fabled magician as this feeble old show business hack who’s become kind of ham-handed when it comes to performing tricks. Whose idea of a mystic incantation nowadays is just to say “Rat vanish! Become wine!” in pig latin.
I guess I should also mention that “Unidentified Flying Oddball” ‘s production values are really top notch. A lot of this film was actually shot on location at Alnwick Castle in Northumberland. And this Walt Disney Production really did have a cast of thousands. Over a thousand costumed extras can be seen in the film’s comic climax, where Sir Mordred’s forces attempt to take Camelot. Only to be defeated by Tom Trimble’s hi-tech tricks.
But — in spite of the extras, the costumes and the authentic setting — something’s still not right about “Unidentified Flying Oddball.” The film’s scenes seem to lack energy. The picture just gently ambles from scene to scene.
One wonders what “Unidentified Flying Oddball” would have been like if it had been produced when Walt was still running his studios. Back in the 1960s, when the space race still was in full swing. When a story idea like this would have seemed witty & exciting. And Disney could have assigned his A-Team (I.E. director Robert Stevenson, producer Bill Walsh & writer Don DaGradi) to this picture. To make sure that this rather promising premise lived up to its full potential.
Of course, given that “Unidentifed Flying Oddball” ‘s star, Dennis Dugan, has gone on to have a pretty impressive directorial career (Dugan directed Adam Sandler in both 1996’s “Happy Gilmore” and 1999’s “Big Daddy”), I have to wonder what Dennis would have done to pep up this picture. Perhaps persuade Sandler to step in as Tom Trimble. Have the “Saturday Night Live” vet explain to King Arthur in song what’s so great about Hanukkah.
That said, it’s hard to totally dislike a movie where the hero’s idea of wooing a fair maiden to say something like:
“I really groove on you. And my idea (of the perfect date) would be to split a pizza and a six pack while watching the Super Bowl on television. Maybe smooch a little at the half. Well, whaddaya say?”
You have to admit, folks, that is some really cheesy dialogue.
Anyway, if you’re feeling nostalgic for the way things really used to be at Disney (I.E. Back in the ’70s, when the studio churned out those cheesy live action features), maybe you should pick up a copy of “The Cat from Outer Space” and/or “Unidentified Flying Oddball.” Two motion pictures that prove that the good old days weren’t always as good as we remember.
Your thoughts?