Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #103 in DVD
• Released on: 2005-03-07
• Rating: Universal, suitable for all
• Formats: Box set, PAL, Widescreen
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 2
• Running time: 133 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
There is only one word that comes close to accurately describing the enchanting Mary Poppins, and that term was coined by the movie itself: supercalifragilisticexpialidocious! Even at 2 hours and 20 minutes, Disney's pioneering mixture of live action and animation (based on the books by P.L. Travers) still holds kids spellbound. Julie Andrews won an Oscar as the world's most magically idealized nanny ("practically perfect in every way," and complete with lighter-than-air umbrella), and Dick Van Dyke is her clownishly charming beau, Bert the chimney sweep. The songs are also terrific, ranging from bright and cheery ("A Spoonful of Sugar") to dark and cheery (the Oscar-winning "Chim-Chim Cheree") to touchingly melancholy ("Feed the Birds"). Many consider Mary Poppins to be the crowning achievement of Walt Disney's career--and it was the only one of his features to be nominated for a best picture Academy Award until Beauty and the Beast in 1991. --Jim Emerson

Amazon.co.uk Review
A pioneering film within Animation, Musicals and Fantasy, Walt Disney's Mary Poppins is possibly one of the warmest and dearest films ever made. Based on a story by PL Travers we find Julie Andrews on fine form in her debut lead role (for which she would win the "Best Actress" Oscar). She is practically perfectly teamed with Dick Van Dyke as the lovable chimney sweep Burt, whose cockney accent is endearingly inaccurate. Along with a fine supporting cast, where even the child actors hold their own without appearing like stage school wannabes, Poppins and her crew take you on a magical ride through chalk pictures, the roof tops of London and show you that laughter is not always the best medicine (even with a spoon full of sugar) when you can't get down. In total Mary Poppins clocked up five Academy Awards including Best Song and Best Visual Effects and has made it into the staple diet of family viewing across the world.

On the DVD: Mary Poppins has certainly cleaned up a treat, restoring her to 1.85:1 widescreen glory and 5.1 Dolby digital sound--which is guaranteed to be music to your ears. The special features are "supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" with the "Sing Along with the Movie" subtitles for all your favourite songs when they appear in the movie and the "I Love to Laugh" game offering Uncle Albert flying high in his parlour once more. "The Movie Magic of Mary Poppins" lets you look behind the scenes at how the magic was done and is fun, informative and easily understandable--pity the same cannot be said about the narrator. "Hollywood goes to a World Premiere" is a warm and amusing reminder about how premieres and stars used to be in 1964. The only disappointment is the lack of commentary--Dick Van Dyke would surely have offered a gem of a cockney voice-over! --Nikki Disney

Synopsis
A magical, musical nanny brings a breath of fresh air into the stuffy Banks household in turn-of-the-century England. Overstuffed with gaiety, this children's fantasy is filled to the brim with wonderful dance numbers and outrageous songs (such as the seemingly unpronounceable 'Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious'). The film's seamless blending of live-action with animation was a marvel in its day. This is Andrews' film debut and Darwell's last film appearance. Academy Award Nominations: 13, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best (Adapted) Screenplay. Academy Awards: 5, including Best Actress--Julie Andrews, Best Original Score, Best Song ('Chim Chim Cher-ee'), Best Editing, Best Special Visual Effects. Gold Collection Edition features 'Hollywood Goes to a World Premiere'.

Customer Reviews

A Spoon full of pure delight !
This film follows the character of Mary Poppins the nanny who's practically perfect in every way. This timeless classic has magical and unforgettable songs for the whole family to enjoy. And this special 40th anniversary edition has some brilliant extras from a new short story with Julie Andrews, cut songs and a documentary of the making of the film.

"Most delightful in every way"
This 40th Anniversary Edition on Mary Poppins is a credit all the re-releases that have both boggled (with odd cuts/features) and enhanced our experiences. Packed with extras and the restored film, its a bargain!
The first thing you'll notice, if like me you've been stingy enough to stick to your VHS version when it was on TV, is that the sheer clarity makes it appear like it was filmed yesterday. Bright, bold colours, not a single defect in clarity, it could easily pass as a new release. Theirs no 'cell' shake like on original features too, were it would appear as if the screen was a bit shakey at times.
If you've taken an interest into this film (and you've never seen it) then it's likely you've gathered the storyline by now, so I won't pound on with what happens. But as far as Disneys go, this is on level with Bed Knobs and Broomsticks when it comes to superior technicality and animation.
I have to admit, this is the first time i've seen the film for over 10 years, and it's never looked so good. As a kid, we hammered the video it was so magical, and as an adult you only appreciate the work that's been put in it further. The merging of cell animation with the acting is truly seamless, and entertaining in its own right because is just so clever. Though this is actually a rare Disney in that the animation is spread through the film - its only used for a few scenes in the first half of the film. And perhaps this allowed Disney to concentrate their time better on producing such tight and accurate merges with the actors, from Dick van Dyk seemingly dancing around the penguins (while they dance around him) to the incredible horse chase scene. But in an of the instances, most credit goes to the actors for their sheer ability to percieve how they're going interact with the animation, in the latter stages of production. This must have been incredibly time consuming, but it was worth it, because this is something no computer generated film can copy. The combining of art and acting.
The dance scenes are perfect as usual - in time, and incredibly (almost cringingly!) impossible, as the chimney sweepers smoothly dart about all over the place. The musical score ties in nicely, and gives the extra edge to the animated sequences.
Favourite scene? Has to be Berts (Dick van dyk) and May Poppins (Julie Andrews) jolly outing as they group enter the summery animated world. The way they interact with their surroundings is truly amazing, from Bert picking a bunch of cell animated flowers and giving them to Mary, to the general composition and landscape, to which both actors ramble about in the perfect directions that don't look un-real at all. You may think I'm hapring on about this theme, but it has to be seen, thought of, and the realised that this is film making at its creative peak.
This 2 disc edition contains fantastic extras that explain in great detail how the many wonderful effects were created, and a fab commentary in the film too. I can't recommend this DVD enough. I had to laugh though at the only 1 star review for this film.. why not check it out for yourself!

The movie every kid on earth should wacth
Mary Poppins is undoubtedly among the most terrific stories ever told on celluloid for children. It has it all: comedy, music, values, colours, dreams all packed in 2 hours together with the beautiful Julie Andrews. If you wacthed it when you were young the memory will stay with you for the rest of your life, if you didn't you still have the chanche to come back in time and enjoy it for the first time. GO AND GET A COPY.

Someone wrote that they found it boring, lacking in plot and full of cheesy music. My opinion is that you would have liked it as a kid, but growing up you simply lost your capability of astonishment.