Holiday Family Collection

A Christmas Story (1983) / Happy Feet (2006) / The Polar Express (2004)

Studio: Warner Release Date: October 6, 2009

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Warner Bros. Home Video's extensive string of re-packagings has taken on a holiday theme recently. This Holiday Family Collection brings together three previously released family friendly titles, two centered around Christmas and one centered around, well, penguins.  I am not sure which Holiday celebrates penguins, but it sounds like fun to me and I am willing to take a day off of work for it.

The Films

A Christmas Story (1983 - MGM - 94 minutes)*****

Directed By: Bob Clark

Starring: Peter Billingsley, Darren McGavin, Melinda Dillon, Ian Petrella, Scott Schwartz, R.D. Robb, Tedde Moore, Zack Ward

Aspect Ratio: 16:9/4:3 Subtitles: English SDH, French, Spanish Audio: Dolby Digital 1.0: English, French Original DVD Release: October 7, 2003 (Disc One of a 2-disc Special Edition), also part of an Ultimate Collector's Edition released 11/4/2008

Happy Feet (2006 - Warner - PG - 108 Minutes)****

Director: George Miller

Starring: Elijah Wood, Robin Williams, Brittany Murphy, Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman, Hugo Weaving, E.G. Daily, and a motion captured Savion Glover

Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Subtitles: English SDH, French, Spanish Audio: Dolby Digital 5,1: English, Spanish, French Original DVD Release: March 27,2007

The Polar Express (2004 - Warner - G - 100 Minutes)****½

Director: Robert Zemeckis

Starring: Tom Hanks, Leslie Zemeckis, Eddie Deezen, Nona Gaye, Peter Scolari

Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Subtitles: English SDH, French, Spanish Audio: Dolby Digital 5.1: English, French Original DVD Release: November 22, 2005, It was also included as Disc One of a Two-Disc Special Edition released concurrently and as Disc Two of The Polar Express Presented in 3-D released on November 4, 2008

Extras

A Christmas Story features an audio commentary from Director Bob Clark and star Peter Billingsley.

Happy Feet contains the following special features:

• A fully animated deleted scene
• A fully animated "Happy Feet Moment" clip
• Private Dance Lesson with Savion Glover featurette
• Music video from Gia
• Music video from Prince
• Classic Tex Avery "Merrie Melodies" cartoon I Love to Singa
• Theatrical Trailer

The Polar Express includes the film's theatrical trailer.

Detailed Assessments

For a detailed assessment of the A/V Quality and extras for A Christmas Story please click on the following link for my forum review of the A Christmas Story Ultimate Collector's Edition.  This disc is bit identical to disc one from that collection.

For Happy Feet, my forum review can be found at this link.  This disc is bit identical to the widescreen release reviewed in that post.

For The Polar Express, Herb Kane's forum review of The Polar Express: Two-Disc Special Edition can be found at this link. This disc is bit-identical to disc one of that collection.

Packaging

The films are each presented on their own dual-layered DVD-9s that are enclosed in "slimcases" with similar cover art to the earlier standalone releases. The three slimcases are enclosed in a thin carboard box with the art representing the films set against holiday themed graphics.

Summary ****½

If by some chance you missed these three enjoyable titles during their previous DVD releases and are not interested in the second disc extras on the Two-Disc Special Editions of A Christmas Story and The Polar Express, this three-pack offers an excellent value proposition. If you already own them, rest assured that you are not missing out on anything other than new packaging.