Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #167 in DVD
• Released on: 2008-02-04
• Rating: Universal, suitable for all
• Aspect ratio: 1.75:1
• Format: PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 76 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
Often forgotten about in the Disney back catalogue, The Aristocats is actually a fun, lively feline adventure, with plenty of zest and some terrific tunes too. Arriving in the wake of The Jungle Book, it’s not vintage Disney, but it still sets itself a high standard.

The Aristocats is set in France in 1910, and tells the tale of a high society cat and her trio of kittens who are dumped into the backstreets of Paris by an angry Butler when they inherit a fortune from their owner. Here, they’re soon befriended by Thomas O’Malley (voiced by the unforgettable Phil Harris, who also lent his tones to Baloo in The Jungle Book) and a wild cast of characters, and it’s as much a cue as is needed for some jazzy tunes, fast-paced animation and a fun family adventure.

As the last film to have been supervised by Walt Disney before his death, The Aristocats inevitably has a significant place in the back catalogue at Disney HQ. Yet many still overlook it, and that’s a real shame. There are well-realised Parisian locations, a good few chuckles, and a genuinely strong soundtrack that’ll stick in your head long after the credits have rolled. It’s good, too, to see Disney finally give the film the special edition it richly deserves. --Simon Brew

Synopsis
Set in 1910, this Disney animated classic offers plenty of adventure, humor and music (especially performances by Chevalier). After high-society cat Duchess (Gabor) and her three kittens inherit a fortune from their mistress, a greedy butler plots to get rid of them--and collect the cash himself. The villainous servant kidnaps the entire feline family and takes them far away from their comfortable Paris home. A bunch of animal pals come to the rescue however, and help restore the cats to their proper place. The heroic rescuers include the friendly alley cat Thomas O'Malley, the gallant mouse Roquefort, and the hilarious hounds Lafayette and Napoleon. The last film personally supervised by Walt Disney himself.

Customer Reviews

The Aristocats Special Edition (Upgrading?)
I purchased this copy to replace my current copy of the original dvd release.
Please be aware that this version has not been "Digitaly restored". They claim "Digital Transfer", but I could still see film spots etc, which are removed in a "restoration" i.e. the quality was not as good as it is when they restore.
They have also converted the movie into Widescreen format using Pan and Scan.
If you are interested in the animation side of the movie, then you will find lots of original detail missing as the top and bottom are chopped off.
If you just want the movie to fill the whole screen, then this is the dvd version for you.

One of the best
There's so much to love about this movie- Phil Harris' delightful Thomas O Malley (-cat), the cute-as-anything-ever kittens Berlioz, Toulouse and Marie (best names ever), the trippy colours of the jazz scene, the racist Chinese cat, the dancing old man at the start of the film, the pair of (not French) dogs from the countryside, Roquefort the vigilant mouse (played by Stirling "Winnie The Pooh" Holloway), the designs, the music, everything, makes for a bona fide classic, less talked about than some of the other 70s Disney films.

Kids'll love it, as will any fan of brilliant animation (the process itself, as well as the genre). Highly recommended.

'Miaou-miaous'
Good hearted Disney film suitable for the smallest kids- my little 2 year old loves watching her 'Miaou-miaous'.

On the other hand it's quite amusing with some adult humour thrown in for 'grown-ups'.

It has the usual loveable characters too- even the baddy (Edgar the butler) isn't REALLY bad (just greedy). Phil Harris (Thomas O'Malley) plays his usual likeable part, and there's Scatman Crothers (Scat Cat) as well!

Charming animation, stylish and 'artistic' (not 'unfinished & sloppy' as some have moaned). Not the usual 'Disney feel' as it's in line with a French style and elegence. The backgrounds are particularly good. Apparently this was the last film to get the 'nod' from Disney himself and it was directed by the Disney regular Wolfgang Reitherman (Jungle book, The Rescuers, 101 Dalmations).

Not as many songs as some other Disney films, but at 1hr 15mins what do you expect?