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The Movie: Arguably one of the finest things Disney has done in recent years, the "Walt Disney Treasures" line has allowed consumers to be able to purchase rare archive live-action and animated material from the studio's early days, most of which has been restored to very pleasing condition. The series has offered everything from classic Mickey and Donald cartoons to the Davy Crockett TV series. In this case, we get the first season of the highly popular "Adventures of Spin and Marty", a series that was featured within the "Mickey Mouse Club", starting in 1955. The show followed the adventures of Spin (Tim Considine) and Marty (David Stollery), two very different kids - one a country boy and one a city boy - who spend their Summer at the Triple R Ranch camp. Although snobby Marty is dismissive of his new surroundings at first, he eventually warms up to the fun the camp offers and begins to become best friends with Spin. The series was so popular that it continued with "The Further Adventures of Spin and Marty" and "The New Adventures of Spin and Marty", not to mention an attempt at Spin and Marty for a new generation: "The New Adventures of Spin and Marty: Suspect Behavior" (which also featured the actors who played the originals), in 2000. As for the original "Spin and Marty", despite being understandably dated looking at this point, one can still appreciate the performances and the stories, which stand up fairly well. Once again, the Disney Treasures sets in this fifth wave are offered in a limited run of 125,000 each - a numbered certificate of authenticity is included inside the set itself. As with the other sets, these make terrific Christmas gifts and are certainly something the whole family can enjoy. The DVD VIDEO: "Adventures of Spin and Marty" are presented in their original 1.33:1 full-frame aspect ratio by Disney. The picture quality is perfectly acceptable, considering the age of the series. Sharpness and detail are consistently pretty pleasing, as while the picture appeared slightly soft at times, it mostly looked crisp and clear. Unfortunately, some wear was visible at times throughout the shows. These instances included some visible specks, marks, spots, dirt and the occasional "jumpy" moment. However, on the whole, the presentations appeared cleaner than expected and the dirt and debris seemed mostly isolated to certain sections. No pixelation, edge enhancement or other concerns appeared in this enjoyable effort from Disney. SOUND: The mono soundtrack sounded mostly crisp and clear. Some slight hiss was present at times, but overall, the audio sounded like what one would expect from a 50-year-old TV series. EXTRAS: The Mickey Mouse Club #25, November 4, 1955: An Introduction To The Adventures of Spin and Marty, an interview with actor Harry Carey, Jr., intro from Leonard Maltin, gallery, screen test for Tim Considine and "Triple R" tour. Final Thoughts: Those who grew up with "Spin and Marty" will likely be pleased to have (and possibly share with a new generation) the first season available in this fine "Walt Disney Treasures" set. Recommended. |