Barnes & Noble

This must-own "Vault Disney" edition adds a wealth of extra material to the already significant lure of Swiss Family Robinson, the 1960 family classic based on the book by Johann Wyss. John Mills, Dorothy McGuire, James MacArthur, Tommy Kirk, and Kevin Corcoran star as the shipwrecked Robinsons, who make a new home and life for themselves as the sole human occupants of an island swarming with animal life, including elephants, ostriches, and tigers. As if taming these beasts weren't enough of a challenge, a band of pirates led by Sessue Hayakawa threaten the Robinsons (but prove no match for the family's ingenious booby traps). One of Disney's biggest hits and most enduring films, Swiss Family Robinson was directed by Ken Annakin (and yes, that is where the boy who would be Darth Vader got his name). This DVD set boasts a wealth of archival treasures, including the cartoon "Sea Salts," segments about the making of the film, a tour of the Swiss Family Treehouse, and fond audio commentary by Annakin, Kirk, MacArthur, and Corcoran. Other titles in the "Vault Disney" collection include Old Yeller, Pollyanna, and The Parent Trap. With themes of survival, adventure, and the importance of working together, this Disney classic remains a favorite with every family. Donald Liebenson

All Movie Guide

None of the many cinemadaptations of Johan Wyss' The Swiss Family Robinson are as relentlessly enjoyable as this 1960 Disney feature. The film wastes no time getting down to business, with the shipwreck of the Robinson family occurring as the credits flash across the screen. Fashioning a raft, the family heads to a lush tropical island. While the mother (Dorothy McGuire) isn't too happy about being a castaway, the father (John Mills) and the sons (James MacArthur, Tommy Kirk, Kevin Corcoran) are thrilled at the prospect of carving out a new life for themselves. In short order, the industrious Robinsons have constructed a treehouse with all the creature comforts and "utilities" of their home in Switzerland. Later on, the little party is joined by Janet Munro, the daughter of a sea captain who has been captured by pirate Sessue Hayakawa and his band. After a series of adventures calculated to arouse the envy of every man, woman and child in the audience, the film comes to a rousing conclusion as the Robinsons resourcefully fend off Hayakawa and his pirates with a variety of jerry-built booby traps. A box-office winner to the tune of $30 million, The Swiss Family Robinson proved beyond doubt that Disney's decision to emphasize the humor and adventure of the Wyss original, while downplaying the sociopolitical undertones, was a sound one. Hal Erickson

Product Details

• UPC: 786936143836
• Source: WALT DISNEY VIDEO
• Region Code: 1
• Aspect Ratio: Cinemascope (2.35:1)
• Presentation: Wide Screen
• Sound: THX-Supervised Mastering, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround
• Language: English, Español
• Subtitles: English
• Time: 2:06:00
• Sales Rank: 1,192

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