weekend tv

With the non-stop presence of cable television, DVDs and streaming internet, no one should be starved for entertainment or their favorite television shows. Just because it's say, a rainy Saturday afternoon, no kid should be sighing that there is nothing to do. To say that kids are over-indulged today is perhaps an understatement. I'm guilty of it and so are many other parents. In many ways it's just a result of technology and the times in which we live. However, the burden lies on the parent. Turn off the game console, the internet or TV and kick them outside and introduce them to the light. Television and such is great, especially enjoyed in moderation. That being said, I remember my childhood days - the weekends were great, at least Saturday. The regimen was simple: get up early, break out the sugary cereal, watch hours of cartoons, then after a quick lunch, hit the door running for playtime outside.

Yeah- I said hours of cartoons. Many moons ago, it wasn't very often that you got a chance to watch a cartoon. Maybe a weekday afternoon, or during the holidays, perhaps an evening special on TV. But for the most part, Saturday was the high holy day of animation for kids. But what about Sunday? Sure Sunday was church for a lot of families, perhaps even visiting even more family, but for the most part it was the kids last ticking hours until school on Monday. And there wasn't much that could releive the stress from that impending doom on television either. Except....

Well, when I was a kid Sunday late afternoon meant two things: Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom and The Wonderful World of Disney (or what ever titled incarnation thereof). Two shows I very much looked forward to. And then on occasion, during the holidays, we got to stay up to watch whatever primetime holiday special that was being aired on television. It was fun and exciting. Partly because it was the chance to watch cartoons or wild animals on TV, but also because of the fact that it wasn't an everyday, available at your fingertips existence. I sometimes lament that my own children don't have that same excitement when it comes to holiday specials. After all, we have them on DVD- they could watch Christmas specials in July if they wanted.

So, what got me to thinking about all that "excitement"? Well, I read this neat article, A Tribute to Discontinued Cereals, and wanted to share it with all the Shelfers out there, which I did by hotlinking the title. Go on check it out- I'll wait. Do da de, da dum.....Oh, back already? Ok, good. Well seeing some of those boxes (like the one above, which said picture came from said article), I also got to think about those Sunday afternoons as well. So I thought I would bring a little of the past for all of us to enjoy- well, at least those of us who grew up with this stuff. And as a bonus- since it is close to another holiday- I had to include some of those ubiquitous classic commercials that were always shown during these shows. So I present to you the classic Sunday one-two punch (or at least the openings, plus a bonus):

First up: Marlon Perkins in Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom:


Commercial Break!


Next the Wonderful World of Disney:


Commercial Break!


Finally, I always got excited when the Wonderful World of Disney had a Donald Duck cartoon- especially if it was one with the Bee or my favorite, Humphrey Bear. So let's take a look at one that was on the show many times: Rugged Bear!


Well I hope you've enjoyed this little trip down memory lane. Perhaps we can turn off the television now and then, not only to get the kids out into the sunshine or into a book, but to also make the entertainment that much more special. Have a great weekend!



People like to think their world is somehow more grown up than Papa's was.

when you wish upon a star...

This week sees the 70th Anniversary release of the DVD Platinum edition of Walt Disney's follow up to Snow White: Pinocchio. If you have the previous incarnations of this film on VHS or DVD, you might think- Why bother? If you are a Disney-phile, you are thinking: I hope they did it right this time, and where can I pick it up. The one thing that Disney has understood for many years is the value of it's history and the endless recycling of it's product. From rereleasing it's films in theaters on a rotating basis to the creation of the mysterious "Disney Vault", fans have had many opportunities to see these films. In recent years with the refinement of DVD, the internet and Blu-Ray more Disney films have been including more features and behind the scenes material, etc. And this newest re-release of Pinocchio is no exception.

Whether you are merely a fan of the parks, or maybe the animation or even like me - an all-around Disney fan, you probably have a collection of DVDs or books and are interested in the various aspects of Walt Disney's imagination come to life.(I recently finished a recent book on the creation and building of Walt Disney World called Realityland, which I do recommend for a well balanced portrait of the realities of running WDW) I love reading everything on the parks, the animation, live action films and especially the man himself. However the Disney corporate office itself has had a mixed history in understanding the heritage and the love that fans have for it and Walt's legacy. I have found that that has changed in recent years, at least in the support of the archival output- everything from the Walt Disney Treasures series on DVD to now some material showing up on the web.

So when I found this Disney run site, D23, I was somewhat skeptical but encouraged that there would be some good stuff. Billing itself as "The Official Community for Disney Fans", D23 is a website, a quarterly publication and fan community. Why "D23"? It references the founding year of Disney's studio: 1923. The focus seems to be on the dedicated fan looking for archival information, behind the scenes look and nostalgic material. The is even a print edition that will be available every quarter (including at Barnes and Noble stores). The site seems to be is available to everyone, but there is a charter membership available, but you can check that out on the site yourself. My favorite aspect so far is the Archive page with historic material and articles, but also a daily page of old Disney comic strips including Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck (my fave) and Scamp (Lady and the Tramp). The scans aren't the greatest quality, but hopefully will improve. Also fun is the link to clips and videos of classic cartoons and behind the scenes videos. All in all it's a cool site and gives a Disney-phile like myself more material to enjoy. Check it out- it's being added to the Shelf Links list, and you might want to put it on your favorites as well. Oh- and don't forget to pick up Pinocchio if you haven't already.

Also: Here is an article from Jim Hill Media about the launch of D23- honestly, I didn't realize that the launch was a big media event. Apparently there was and while some critics are complaining that this is yet another Disney method to wring money out of fans, the website has the backing of everyone from Bob Iger and corporate to the actually dyed in the wool Disney Legends like Dave Smith (legendary historian and archivist - who knew they could be legendary) to Marty Sklar (legendary Imagineer) and John Lasseter (head of Disney and Pixar animation studios). Hmmm- am I out of the loop or ahead of the curve? Who cares? Check it out.





I'm not interested in pleasing the critics. I'll take my chances pleasing the audiences.