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 of the eighties. I can remember sitting in a movie theater as a young girl in the early eighties 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 films ability to stay focused on the future King’s life as a young boy. Much like Cinderella for girls, Sword in the Stone represents the fulfillment of many a young boys’ fantasy. 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 turn off by the idea of any shortcuts.
Classic or not, The Sword in the Stone – 45th Anniversary Edition is a wonderful movie for film fans of all ages and should be a welcome addition to any DVD library.
The DVD is presented in 1.33:1 aspect ratio and the picture is crisp and clean. The audio is an English, Spanish, or French Dolby Digital 5.1. Subtitles are in French and Spanish.
This 45th anniversary edition has the same features as the 2001 DVD release, plus a few more. Carried over from last time around are the following features:
* Two extra medieval-themed animated shorts: Knight for a Day with Goofy and Brave Little Tailor with Mickey Mouse
* Music Magic: The Sherman Brothers: a short documentary on the songwriting duo, who made their Disney debut with this feature. Includes the deleted song “The Magic Key”
* All About Magic: An excerpt from a 1957 episode of the Disney television show, with Walt Disney playing around with props and magic tricks in the studio archives.
* The Sword in the Stone Scrapbook: A short gallery of production art along with explanatory notes.
* Film Facts: A very brief text-based history of the development from book to screen.
The only new features on this DVD are some sing-a-longs and an interactive gamr for children
