Written by Jennifer
March 14, 2009
Though it's interesting as a slice of Disney history, it's not exactly getting better with age.
I've always been a sucker for the vintage Disney films that we would have watched on a rickety old film projector in elementary school. They always featured Walt Disney himself, and they were dated even when I was a kid. The Classic Caballeros Collection (including Saludos Amigos and The Three Caballeros) definitely falls into that category. The collection is now in its sixties, and though it's interesting as a slice of Disney history, it's not exactly getting better with age.
After the U.S. government asked Walt Disney to visit South America on a goodwill mission, he put together a team of writers, animators, and musicians and made the trip on his terms. The team observed the customs in several Latin American countries, carefully documenting their findings as a springboard for future projects. The first product of their expedition is Saludos Amigos, a jaunty travel documentary that combines live action footage with animation. It allows you to experience Latin America as the Disney team did, then shows how the trip inspired their animation. It's quaint in a 1940s kind of way, and it's funny to see how old fashioned it is. There is mention of the "exotic" music favored in one of the countries, at which point they cue some perfectly ordinary sounding Latin song. We're also given an introduction to a strange creature called a "llama", which must not have been quite so common in the U.S. at the time. It's interesting to see how times have changed, and for me, Saludos Amigos is the most enjoyable of the two films.
The Three Caballeros finds Donald Duck opening birthday presents from the Latin American countries we visited in Saludos Amigos. The presents take the form of animated shorts which give Donald a glimpse at life in each of these countries. They're colorful, upbeat, and cute, but after awhile, Donald Duck can really wear a person out. It's not long before his slobbery, quacking voice gets on your nerves, and it seems he's always in a fit of frustration over something stemming from his own stupidity. Thing is, he never seems to realize his that own ignorance and impatience are the source of his misery. Little kids might do better with The Three Caballeros than I did, but if you're going to watch both films, I'd recommend doing it in two sittings.
This DVD edition comes with an alternate Spanish audio track, as well as extra features that allow you to extend your viewing experience. Backstage Disney takes us "South of the Border" and the bonus shorts "Don Donald" and "Contrary Condor" are also included. There's also an excerpt from a CBC interview with Walt Disney—one of the more intriguing tidbits for true Disney fans.
