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Lilo & Stitch
Studio: Walt Disney
Year: 2002
Rated: PG
Film Length: 85 minutes
Aspect Ratio: 16X9 Enhanced Widescreen (1.66:1)
Subtitles: English and Spanish
There's one in every family
Walt Disney is a studio that has consistently
reinvented themselves with every new animated
release over the past two decades. With its
latest animated feature, Lilo & Stitch, it
would seem odd that the studio would take a
departure from its recent trend towards CGI
animation in favor of a hand-drawn cartoon. You
need only to watch the results to appreciate how
charming and heartwarming this film is. It may
actually touch your heart.
Our story begins on the Planet Turo where we
meet "Experiment 626," a vicious genetic creature
designed by Jumba, a deranged scientist. The
creature's purpose is to destroy everything in sight.
Deemed far too dangerous, the creature is exiled to
a distant planet. During the transport, the creature
escapes in a space pod and lands on the Hawaiian
island of Kauai. In order to blend into the
surroundings, the creature poses as a lost dog.
He is found and adopted by a Lilo, an orphaned and
troubled little girl who names her new pet "Stitch."
Together, Lilo and Stitch learn the true meaning of
"Ohana" (which means "family"), sharing some
memorable times together while keeping one step
ahead of Jumba and a social worker bent on taking
Lilo away.
How is the transfer?
You guys are in for a real treat here. For the
past few months I have been salivating over transfers
of Monsters Inc., and Attack Of The Clones.
Nothing equals a direct-digital transfer.....or at
least I thought so until I saw Lilo & Stitch.
Hands down, this is the most amazing hand
animated transfer I have seen. In fact, I personally
guarantee that everyone who buys this DVD is going
to be equally as impressed. The WOW factor is very
high here -- especially when you find yourself
looking at the most amazing assortment of eye-popping
tropical colors ever to be brought together in one
film. This transfer is so vividly colorful and well
detailed that you quickly forget you are watching
film or video. There is so much texture within
this transfer thanks to its deep black levels. The
clarity is so immense that you can't help but to get
lost in it for its entire 85 minute run. Pop in
this DVD and be prepared to be impressed!
The Dolby Digital 5.1 surround is equally as
impressive as its transfer. You know you are in for
a hell of a ride when the opening Disney logo is
accompanied by thunderous LFE rumble. In fact, this
mix is so bass-heavy that I would advise viewers to
be careful of their subwoofer levels. The beginning
of the film contains some highly impressive "electrical
surge thumps" that sent deep reverbs across the floor.
There's an impressive amount of effects activity in
this mix, all masterfully directed to individual
channels. A space chase in the beginning of the
film will rival any STAR WARS type chase you have
ever heard. The sounds of Spaceships, with deep
LFE rumble, soar across the entire listening area
with roaring gunfire that emanates from every
direction. Alan Silvestri's score is well
distributed across every channel, with a wonderful
chorus of singers bringing up the rears. In the
quiter moments of the film, you'll no doubt appreciate
the sounds of crashing waves while you watch the
tropical paradise before you.
Special Features
DisneyPedia: Hawaii - The islands of Aloha
lets children and adults learn more about the
islands that make up Hawaii. By clicking on any
one of the five islands, you get a first-hand look
at the landscape, foods, animal and sea life, as
well as volcanic activity.
A Stitch in time: Follow Stitch through the
Disney Years is a cute little featurette that
explains how our little blue friend has managed to
unexpectedly appear in nearly a dozen Disney features
over the years prior to his rise to stardom. I think
kids will get a big kick out of seeing scenes from
their favorite Disney films in a way they never
have before.
(length: approx. 3 minutes)
Truth be it -- if I didn't become a DVD reviewer,
my next choice would have been to be a Hula consultant.
We actually meet such a person in Hula Lesson,
a featurette that looks at the art of a dance that
has been handed down from generation to generation.
Watch and learn some of the very basic steps that
make up this body swaying art.
(length: approx. 3 minutes)
Young voices of Hawaii is a look at the 40
kids (ages 9-13) who made up the choir of singers
who brought such powerful musical intensity to the
film's soundtrack. You won't be able to resist a
smile as you watch these young singers sing beautiful
Hawaiian music. My feet were tapping along the
entire time!
(length: approx. 3.5 minutes)
Burning Love - behind the scenes with Wynonna
is a little scary -- and don't say I didn't warn
you first. This Hunka-Hunka leather-clad singer
reffered to as the female "Elvis" belts out the
film's title song.
The Look of Lilo & Stitch introduces us to
animator Chris Taylor's style of animation and the
challenges to those within the art department who
had to duplicate that style. The end result is
quite impressive as it sort of backs away from the
more traditional animation style that the studio
has been known for.
(length: approx. 4 minutes)
Animating the Hula is a look at how the
animators were respectful to the dance art by
attempting to present the Hula dancing as
authentically as possible. This meant taking a
lot of live film of actual dancing and then
replicating it as accurately as possible through
hand drawing. Split windows of the live hula
dancing and final animated feature will show
you how well the animators did.
(length: approx. 3 minutes)
On Location With The Directors is a very
interesting piece for the fact that it brings out
the laughter and creativity amongst the animators
within the Disney animation department. Instead of
giving us one of those boring "fluff" pieces where
everyone congratulates each other, this featurette
consists of a single camera that captures candid
moments from the film's entire production. We
watch storyboard pitches, various voice sessions
with David Ogden Stiers and Zoe Caldwell, and
various stages of animation leading up to the final
product. The interaction between everyone is
totally upbeat, and the candidness of this entire
featurette makes it well worth a watch.
(length: approx. 19 minutes)
Three deleted scenes are very interesting to
watch for the fact that they are crude pencil
animations combined with completed color animation.
It's the kind of wondrous "work-in-progress" stuff
that animation fans just eat up. There's Stitch's
Trial, a slightly different opening of the film
with the absence of Jumba. There's Gantu
Challenges, an extended sequence following the
escape of Experiment 626, and the original Bedtime
Story that had to be changed because it created
a little confusion amongst test audiences.
Each of these deleted sequences feature an
introduction by director Dean Deblois, who helps
you better understand what you are about to watch.
Now THESE are fun! Do yourself a favor and
watch every single one of the teaser trailers
presented on this DVD. They feature Stitch invading
four different Walt Disney classic features. Real
funny stuff here!
Create Your own alien experiment game gives
your kids a list of questions based on the film that
they must properly answer in order to build their
own genetic creature. Answering the questions is
the easy part -- putting the elements together in the
right order is a bit trickier.
DVD-ROM content seems to be limited to
Disney weblinks that you access via the Internet.
Final Thoughts
Refreshingly different -- refreshingly entertaining!
Anyone who has not seen Lilo & Stitch is in
for a treat. Anyone who has not yet seen Lilo &
Stitch on DVD is in for the Home Theater
experience of a lifetime!
Release Date: December 3, 2002
