DVD Review: Pete’s Dragon (High-Flying Edition)

Before Disney got in the habit of cranking out feature length animated musicals like “The Lion King,” “The Little Mermaid,” and “Beauty and the Beast,” the studio built up a reputation for creating musical films that blended live-action with animation. Many long-time Disney-film watchers will remember movies like “Bedknobs and Broomsticks” and, of course, “Mary Poppins.”

“Pete’s Dragon” is one of the movies in that genre that never quite got the acclaim of “Mary Poppins” or “Bedknobs and Broomsticks.” It’s an “Oliver Twist” type story with an animated dragon that doesn’t talk. The plot focuses on Pete, an orphan with a habit for getting into trouble. The movie begins with Pete on the run from his a family of lowlifes who somehow own the “deed” to his life. He ends up in the town of Passamaquoddy, and is befriended by the loving family of Nora and her father Lampie.

This movie is one of those musicals where the creative team couldn’t decide if it was for kids or for adults. “Pete’s Dragon,” at its heart, is a kid’s movie, but most of the songs are melodramatic adult songs. Hardly any attention was put into making this child-fun first. There are also several adult themes, like lost love, not to mention a moment when Pete’s dragon gets drunk and hiccups fire. This may explain why “Pete’s Dragon” was one of the Disney movies that have been lost in the passage of time. The long exposition quickly loses the interest of children. While the Dragon, Elliot (who just happens to look like Sir Kay from “The Sword in the Stone”), hardly speaks except in mumbles.

“Pete’s Dragon” isn’t the best of the Disney musicals, but if you by chance caught it growing up, then this may be a nice addition to your library. Like most Disney features, with a short shelf life, if you want it you had better act fast before it disappears again – just like Pete’s invisible dragon.

Bonus Features:
- Brazzle Dazzle Effects: Behind Disney’s Movie Magic: Learn about the history of Disney’s magical mix of live-action and animation. Narrated by Star Sean Marshall (Pete)
- Deleted Storyboard Sequence: “Terminus & Hoagy Hunt Elliott” : Listen to a rare demo dialogue track as you view original storyboard sketches
- Original Song Concept: “Boo Bop Bopbop Bop (I Love You, Too)” : Hear the first demo recording from 1976 with early concept sketches of Pete singing to Elliott
- Original Demo Recordings: “Brazzle Dazzle Day,” “Every Little Piece,” and “The Greatest Star of All.” A deleted song for a deleted character
- Promotional Record of 4 “Pop” Versions of the Songs : Including the Academy Award Nominated “Candle on the Water”