Bedknobs & Broomsticks (1971) Available for Preorder (1 Viewer)

[MatthewA]

Richard Holliss and Brian Sibley's The Disney Studio Story was one of the few pre-1996 sources I have been able to find that discussed the subject with any substance. They said:

In an attempt to stop Bedknobs and Broomsticks reaching the tedious length of its disastrous predecessor, The Happiest Millionaire, the picture was ruthlessly edited — so much so that Roddy McDowall's performance, as an unctuous curate after Miss Lansbury's hand, was largely left on the cutting-room floor. Also lost were several key songs and most of the characters' motivation. It is perhaps surprising, therefore, that what remained was as good as it was.Reviews of what the Disney publicity men called a 'bewitching, bedazzling, magical musical!', were mixed; Films Illustrated dismissed it as 'a computer-built entertainment designed to pick up where ... wisely left off.' Others, like John Russell Taylor in The Times went so far as to say that 'the same as before is better than before'. One critic hazarded that Bedknobs and Broomsticks would 'take a mint of money'. On its initial release, it in fact took $17,500,000, a respectable sum had the film not cost almost $20 million.

I watched the short version many, many times as a child. But even then I got the sense I was watching the edited for TV version of a much better film. I only made it through the even shorter TV edit once. On my 14th birthday, when I received the 25th anniversary laserdisc as a present, I got the greatest gift of all: I was proven right. Things that were unclear in the theatrical cut were clarified, and the sloppy jump cuts in the score were gone, and I finally realized that "what effect a little smoke is with a dash of hocus pocus and the scent of burning sulphur in the air" was actually part of a song that wittily explained the difference between fantasy and reality.The way to please all fans of the film—a choice between the version the studio wanted you to see and the film the creators actually made—was in Disney's grasp, but they let it slip through their gloved fingers for no good reason at all.

 

[Brian Kidd]

This makes me sad. I'm canceling my pre-order.

 

[darkrock17]

I'm waiting to hear what Disney's excuse is going to be for why they went with the shorter cut?

 

[bryan4999]

The expanded laserdisc edition made me almost as happy as the expanded version of 1776. This is a huge disappointment. I may buy it later from a reseller, but my money is not going directly to Disney.

 

[darkrock17]

I'd love to own the laserdisc, but sadly their an endangered species now.

 

[MatthewA]

I still have the laserdisc at my Mom's house. The essay in the gatefold jacket had Scott MacQueen saying, "We had to edit Bedknobs like a brand new picture." How ironic that they're putting him back into the supplemental featurette, in which the last thing Richard M. Sherman says is "this particular version is something we're really proud of," while undoing all the work he did, the exact opposite of the last DVD.

Thinking of the things this disc might have been just depresses me now.

TRIVIA: Out of the three children, Cindy O'Callaghan has the most post-Bedknobs credits. One was on the UK soap EastEnders where she played a character named Andrea Price. I wonder if that's a coincidence.

 

[darkrock17]

TRIVIA: Out of the three children, Cindy O'Callaghan has the most post-Bedknobs credits. One was on the UK soap EastEnders where she played a character named Andrea Price. I wonder if that's a coincidence.

I didn't know Carrie (Cindy) was in EastEnders, I was watching that show on PBS around the time her character was on it. Why didn't she as well as the other two Charlie, and Paul contribute to the 25th/30th anniversary?

 

[MatthewA]

I didn't know Carrie (Cindy) was in EastEnders, I was watching that show on PBS around the time her character was on it. Why didn't she as well as the other two Charlie, and Paul contribute to the 25th/30th anniversary?

They weren't asked. But according to her Wikipedia page, she did appear with Angela Lansbury and Ian Weighill on a Channel 4 program called The 100 Greatest Family Films. I have found that clip nowhere online.

 

[darkrock17]

They weren't asked. But according to her Wikipedia page, she did appear with Angela Lansbury and Ian Weighill on a Channel 4 program called The 100 Greatest Family Films. I have found that clip nowhere online.

Looking around I found that Bedknobs came #38 on that list, Mary Poppins came in at #3, while Shrek took #2 and E.T. #1.

http://mcfly.forums.umusic.co.uk/t/48876.aspx

 

[MatthewA]

Shrek over The Wizard of Oz? I guess if Dorothy had farted in a muddy pool of water and the Cowardly Lion had done the Macarena, I suppose its ranking would be higher.

 

[darkrock17]

Shrek over The Wizard of Oz? I guess if Dorothy had farted in a muddy pool of water, I suppose its ranking would be higher.

that would of made Over The Rainbow....interesting. That special did come out in 2005, I'm sure if they did an update it be higher up, though Oz came #10 on AFI's 100 Years 10th Anniversary in 2008 where as before in 1998 it came in at #6. Oz did however did make #1 on their 10 Top 10 special in 2008 for Fantasy film.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

In case anyone was still hoping the Blu-ray would include the longer cut, give up! I have it and it's 117 minutes.

Perplexing to me that the set throws in a "bonus DVD" of the film but just uses the 117-minute version there too. If you're not gonna give us the 140-minute version on BD, why not at least include the already-existing DVD?

 

[Josh Steinberg]

In case anyone was still hoping the Blu-ray would include the longer cut, give up! I have it and it's 117 minutes.

Perplexing to me that the set throws in a "bonus DVD" of the film but just uses the 117-minute version there too. If you're not gonna give us the 140-minute version on BD, why not at least include the already-existing DVD?

Darn, I was kinda hoping the bonus DVD might've been a repressing of the older disc, and had the longer version.

I don't own this movie at all. I only ever saw it as a kid on VHS, but it was one that I practically wore out. I've only ever seen the shorter version, so the Blu-ray at least would be true to my childhood memories.. but after reading this thread about the longer version, I'm very disappointed that this release doesn't include it at all.

I'm on the fence about buying. Had this been the longer version, or a release that included both versions, it would have definitely been a sale.

Lately, Disney's home video policies have been turning a lot of "blind buys" and "must buys" into "no sales" and "wait until clearance price discounting" for me. It's a real shame.

 

[classicmovieguy]

Darn, I was kinda hoping the bonus DVD might've been a repressing of the older disc, and had the longer version.

I don't own this movie at all. I only ever saw it as a kid on VHS, but it was one that I practically wore out. I've only ever seen the shorter version, so the Blu-ray at least would be true to my childhood memories.. but after reading this thread about the longer version, I'm very disappointed that this release doesn't include it at all.

I'm on the fence about buying. Had this been the longer version, or a release that included both versions, it would have definitely been a sale.

Lately, Disney's home video policies have been turning a lot of "blind buys" and "must buys" into "no sales" and "wait until clearance price discounting" for me. It's a real shame.

Trust me, once you've seen the longer version, going back to the standard release will be impossible.

 

[FoxyMulder]

They keep messing up releases, i see no reason why Pocahontas as one example can't have both cuts of the film using seamless branching, many of their animated titles get the de-grained treatment too, they keep dropping extra content, i'm more than a little dismayed with Disney.

There was a whole bunch of other stuff i wanted to say but i have already said it all before and nothing changes, i thought when the Pixar guy took the reins at Disney he would ensure quality but instead it's been nothing but dross and even Pixar has suffered with endless sequels instead of originality, i guess it will take new management and people who love film to change things.*



*The chances of that happening are slim to none, bean counters run studio's these days.

 

[darkrock17]

I always try to watch the versions of films the way they are meant to be shown, it's the only way really.

 

[FoxyMulder]

I always try to watch the versions of films the way they are meant to be shown, it's the only way really.

Care to expand on your post and explain to everyone how the films are meant to be shown. ?

From my point of view the option to watch alternate versions should be provided where a precedent has been set and, if a dvd edition exists with an alternate cut of a film, then the blu ray, supposed to be superior technology, should also offer that alternate cut and all the extra content the dvd edition has, that is not happening, all too often the blu ray is dumbed down and, i would add it's not only Disney but it happens with other studio's too, for example where is the longer edition of Independence Day, Pearl Harbor, Armageddon or Tombstone, oh wait the last three are Disney, okay three out of four is pretty bad on this occasion.*


*I know i rigged it so i could say three out of four is bad, sue me. It's a point though that too many blu ray releases don't include what the dvd had.

 

[darkrock17]

Care to expand on your post and explain to everyone how the films are meant to be shown. ?

Full length and uncut.

 

[FoxyMulder]

Full length and uncut.

I agree but what would your position be on alternate cuts of the film where a longer version already exists on dvd but is omitted from the blu ray. Bearing in mind the longer version may not be the theatrical approved cut of the film. ?

 

[darkrock17]

Disney, should of released both cuts of the film, or at least put the Enchanted Musical Edition in their for the DVD.