Film historians will continue to debate whether The Sword in the Stone deserves classic status in the Disney animation cannon, but one thing is certain: the film had a profound impact on many children when it was re-released theatrically in 1983. I can remember sitting in a movie theater as a young girl and being absolutely enraptured by the story of young Arthur, (known as “Wart” to his family and friends) and his quest to be King.
The Sword in the Stone is about a young orphan named Wart (voiced by Rickie Sorenson) who has been taken in by the kind but strict Sir Ector (Sebastian Cabot), who makes him help around the house and watch his older foster brother, Kay (Norman Alden.) Through a strange twist of fate, the wizard Merlin (Karl Swenson) and his talking owl Archimedes (Junius Matthews) see great potential in Wart and commit themselves to his education which consists of reading, science, and magical transformations. All of this is done to prepare Wart for his future role as King Arthur.
The thing that made The Sword in the Stone so appealing to me all those years ago, and should continue to entice young viewers, is the film’s ability to stay focused on the future King’s life as a young boy. Much like Cinderella for girls, The Sword in the Stone represents the fulfillment of many a young boys’ fantasy. The Sword in the Stone even has a similar structure to that of Cinderella. Instead of step-sisters Wart is the orphan who’s pushed around by his stepbrother and stepfather and forced to do household chores. Instead of the glass-slipper, Wart pulls the sword from the stone and gets his own entry into the castle and an escape from his dreary life.
The Sword in the Stone has an impressive pedigree. The film was the second directorial effort of one of Disney’s “nine old men,” Wolfgang Reitherman. Reitherman worked as an animator on Snow White and was directing animator for Pinocchio (1940), Dumbo (1941), Cinderella (1950), Alice in Wonderland (1951), Lady and the Tramp (1955) and had directed 101 Dalmatians which was released in 1961. Screenwriter Bill Peet had already written such favorites as Pinocchio, Sleeping Beauty, and 101 Dalmatians, and once again wrote a great script based on the book by T.H. White.
It’s not the story that has caused The Sword in the Stone to be denied the ‘classic’ stamp given to so many earlier Disney animated features, but likely the changes that were afoot in the world of animation in the sixties. Starting with 101 Dalmatians, Disney studios decided to replace hand-inking with Xerography, a technology shortcut adapted by animator Ub Iwerks to print the animators’ drawings directly to cels. This gave pictures a more sketched look, and some historians were turned off by the idea of any shortcuts.
Classic or not, The Sword in the Stone: 50th Anniversary Edition is a wonderful movie for film fans of all ages and should be a welcome addition to any Disney fans Blu-ray library.
Presented in the 1.75:1 aspect ratio, Disney’s 1080p transfer shows a nice level of sharpness, though there’s some motion blur that would indicate the possible use of DNR. Color is vivid and rich with no blooming. There is some slight banding, but it’s never overpowering. The line structures of the animation are solid and show no sign of aliasing.
The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 sound mix is frontcentric, with not a lot happening in the rear channels. Dialogue has been well recorded and resides in the center channel. The sound effects and music never interfere with the dialogue.
English, English SDH, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and Russian subtitles are available.
The following special features are included:
- Alternate Opening (HD, 4:02) Walt meets Merlin in this alternate opening, presented via black and white storyboards.
- Music Magic: The Sherman Brothers (SD, 8:00) Robert and Richard Sherman talk briefly about the songs in the score and play parts of two songs written for the movie but were later dropped.
- All About Magic Excerpt (SD, 7:19) An excerpt from All About Magic, hosted by Walt Disney.
- A Knight for a Day (SD, 7:06) A 1945 Goofy cartoon.
- The Brave Little Tailor (SD, 9:01) 1938 Oscar-nominated Mickey Mouse cartoon.
- Disney Sing-Along (HD) Sing along with the movie, karaoke style.
- DVD/Digital copy: Disc plus a code pamphlet for the digital copy.
