Now that DVD has become the consumer standard format for home video, Disney is opening its vaults and releasing much of their old pieces on DVD. The problem with a house like Disney is that many of their pieces are short - as short as 7 minutes or so, the standard length of cartoons.

Add to the fact that they also have an entire library of older works that were never long enough to be features but were also not short enough for cartoons before movies. These films, running 20 to 40 minutes, had been released in theaters in compilation films. In fact, I remember going to the theaters and seeing a re-release of one of them - “The Wind in the Willows” paired up with “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.”

Over the years, Disney has adapted many of the classics into these formats, either the short subject or the mid-length pieces. Now, they are compiling the classic stories together in “Timeless Tales.” The first two volumes of this series have been released.

Volume One includes the short subjects “The Grasshopper and the Ants” and “The Pied Piper.” It also includes the Academy Award winning shorts “Three Little Pigs” and “The Tortoise and the Hare.” The best cartoon of this bunch is easily “Three Little Pigs,” which was a defining cartoon in my family (a family of pig fans).

Rounding out Volume One is “The Prince and the Pauper,” a retelling of the Dickens’ classic with Mickey Mouse as the title roles. The short film also stars Disney stand-bys Donald and Goofy, as well as Pluto as Mickey’s faithful companion and Pete as his adversary.

Volume Two includes only three short subjects. Both “Ugly Duckling” and “The Country Cousin” won Oscars in the 30s. The third cartoon is “Ferdinand the Bull,” about a bull that would rather smell flowers than fight in a ring.

However, the treasure on this volume is “The Wind in the Willows” featuring the manic antics of Mr. Toad. Running at almost 40 minutes, this short film never could make it in the theaters alone. It’s one of Disney’s more interesting adaptations, and it’s a shame it never got more notice.

“Timeless Tales” is a chance to relive some cartoons of your childhood. Aside from the highlighting cartoons, however, some of these aren’t as good as I remember. “The Tortoise and the Hare” isn’t as smart and snappy as the Warner Bros. version with a conniving turtle causing problems for Bugs Bunny. And the Disney version of “Ugly Duckling” seems to convey a message of intolerance rather than pride.

Still, “Timeless Tales” will bring a smile to the fans of old-school Disney cartoons.



Specifications: Fullscreen (1.33:1). French language track. English subtitles for the hearing impaired.