Pooh’s Heffalump Halloween Movie
Picture: C+
Sound: B- Extras: C- Main Program: C
The original animated Winnie The Pooh was as charming as
the early Peanuts animated specials, but later installments have lost some of
that charm. Since Disney took over the
franchise (leaving any legal controversies aside), the animation has taken a
step further away form the charm and gentleness of the original works and
trying to make the characters part of the “happy family” of Disney characters
has sort of backfired. Pooh’s
Heffalump Halloween Movie is a good example of why. First of all, what are they doing
celebrating Halloween?
Not that the characters should not, but having watched
even parts of the many productions that followed, I have never seen this group
of characters so out of their element and I do find them appealing
otherwise. The script is odd and really
offers nothing new. The chemistry
between the characters is fading and the talk between the characters even seems
shrill at times. I even enjoy
Halloween, but this just does not work.
The anamorphically enhanced 1.78 X 1 image is softer than
expected, despite the simple animation, which is too simple for my tastes. I do not like the color either, which seems
less natural than past animated programs with the Pooh characters. It makes them seem overly processed, when
their connection to nature is so key to this material working. The Dolby Digital 5.1 mix is fairly good,
but is it me, or are these musical numbers getting worse? Extras include some DVD-ROM materials, games
and a booklet for kids with coupons to buy more stuff. If this is trick or treat, we sadly get too
much of the former in this case.
- Nicholas Sheffo
