Released in June of 2002, Lilo & Stitch marked the 42nd animated feature in the Disney animated features canon. Written and directed by Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois, the film made a splash at Cannes that year and was nominated for the 2002 Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. Co-director Chris Sanders, who had created the character of Stitch in 1985, provided the voice in the film. He also served as co-screenwriter and co-character designer.
When a multi-eyed mad scientist, Jumba Jookiba (voiced by David Ogden Stiers), is put on trial for creating a monster programmed to destroy things, the supreme space council banishes Experiment 626 to life on an asteroid prison. However, the mischievous creation has other plans and escapes. It steals a police spacecraft and heads to a planet called Earth. The planet has been designated a ‘wildlife preserve’ of sorts, by the intergalactic race now given the responsibility of capturing the rogue robot. Desperate to recapture Experiment 626, the Grand Councilwoman (Zoe Caldwell), orders the imprisoned Jumba to work with Agent Wendy Pleakley (Kevin McDonald) the Galactic Federation’s expert on Planet Earth, to recover 626 discreetly.
Unbeknownst to them, 626 crash landed in Hawaii. Dazed from the crash, the little creature is hit by a truck. He is taken to an animal shelter. At first he tries to escape but once he realizes Jookiba and his one-eyed assistant have been sent to bring him home, he pulls in his spine and extra set of arms, to try and pass as a dog.
Lilo (Daveigh Chase) is a quiet, sensitive girl who lives with her older sister, Nani (Tia Carrere). Since the death of their parents, Lilo has found herself a bit of a social outcast; none of the other children are willing to play with her. Of course she has been a bit odd: biting the few friends she had, and conjuring up voodoo dolls to “punish” them. Lilo’s older sister is finding it difficult to care for her younger sibling; Lilo goes out of her way to put up roadblocks. For example, Lilo works hard to make her living conditions seem unfit for children when a social worker named Cobra Bubbles (a very imposing man voiced by Ving Rhames) comes to inspect. In hopes of bringing her some happiness, Lilo is given permission to adopt a pet. Of course, that pet turns out to be the recently arrived creature, whom she names Stitch.
Lilo and Stitch quickly develop a very close bond. The two are kindred spirits of sorts; the provided each other with a renewed sense of hope and belonging to a family. The rest of the film deals with how Stitch interacts with the rest of his adoptive family–Nani and the older sister’s boyfriend, David (Jason Scott Lee)–and continues to dodge his pursuers. There are lots of issues they need to work out but as their father told them, Ohana means family, and family means that no one is left behind. And kids, you have to care about someone other than yourself. That’s the message. In the end, Lilo & Stitch is another feel good movie from the House of Mouse.
This disc is as good as DVDs get. The amount of grain is minimal, and the watercolor look is tonally in tune with the laid-back personality of the Hawaiian Islands. Lilo & Stitch is presented in 1.66:1 aspect ratio, and “enhanced” for 16×9 televisions to increase the viewing area.
The audio is a lively English, French, or Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround, which makes good use of the rear effects speakers and does a pretty good job of filling the room with sound. It’s a fairly dynamic soundtrack for a DVD, with a slightly rumbling bass and strong mid-tones driving it. Subtitles are in French and Spanish.
This DVD set has an impressive array of special features:
Disc One
Audio Commentary – Co-directors Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois provide some revealing production history, notably the change the opening sequence went through from its original treatment and the finale. Their care in presenting the culture of Hawaii correctly and accurately, through step for step dance moves animated from videos they shared and the use of traditional chants, is discussed.
“Your ‘Ohana'” Music Video Featuring the Hawaiian Chorus – (2:11)
Lilo & Stitch Island Adventure Games – Previous experiments (pre experiment 626) have been released across the island – to play, choose any of the three games samples to win and collect the escaped experiments.
DisneyPedia” Hawaii – The Islands of Aloha: Explore the Hawaiian Islands – An interactive feature that allows you to select any one of the Hawaiian Islands to learn more, or choose the select all feature for a full, uninterrupted tour.
Create You Own Alien Experiment Game – A cute game allowing you to build an Alien by answering questions that trigger the activation of solutions to be injected into your experiment then selecting the correct order to mix them.
A Stitch in Time: Follow Stitch Through The Disney Years – Narrated by David Odgen Stiers (of M*A*S*H fame), who voices Jumba in the film that tells the fictional story of Stitch trying to break into Disney films, inserting the Stitch character into classic Disney films, from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs through 101 Dalmatians and more.
Hula Lessons – (3:36) – Learn how to Hula with this brief instructional extra.
“Burning Love” – Behind The Scenes with Wynonna – (1:31) – Country music singer Wynonna provides the song playing over the closing credits – this feature shows some footage of the recording of this track.
“I Can’t Help Falling In Love With You” Music Video Performed by A-Teens – (1:02)
Animating the Hula – (3:04) – A respectful look at the cultural and spiritual significance of the Hula dance and the care and detail taken in the animation of that dance.
“Inter-Stitch-ials” Theatrical Teaser Trailers – Trailers for Beauty & The Beast, Aladdin, The Little Mermaid and The Lion King.
Disc Two
The Story Room: An Interactive Behind-The-Scenes Look At The Making Of The Film – (2:05:32) – A comprehensive making of documentary that covers just about every aspect of the production and release of this film. It begins with a look at the principles involved in the production, the co-writers and co-directors, who they are, how they got into animation and why.
Documentary Footnotes – Additional footage, comprehensive additional information that supports and completes the already great documentary.
Deleted Scenes and Early Versions – Eight deleted/early sequences, including two versions of the exciting 747 sequences that were altered in response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks of 2001.
