Plot: What’s it about?
The Patch of Heaven ranch is a haven for the animals there, a place where life is good and above all else, safe. As other ranches sell their cattle and other livestock, Patch of Heaven doesn’t, because the owner has a soft spot for her animals. Pearl couldn’t part with her babies, as she considers them to be close, as if they were her family. But that has caused some financial woes, ones which have resulted in a notice of foreclosure. If she sold her beloved cows, she could have all the needed funds and then some, but she just couldn’t let the girls loose. The cows each have a special place in the trio, the proper Mrs. Calloway (voiced by Judi Dench), the laid back Grace (voiced by Jennifer Tilly), and the pushy Maggie (voiced by Roseanne Barr), the latest addition and already the self proclaimed leader. A buff, martial arts expert horse named Buck (voiced by Cuba Gooding, Jr.) rounds out the main farm players, though the ranch is home to numerous other memorable livestock friends. In order to save Patch of Heaven, the cows decide to hunt down a notorious rustler and collect the handsome ransom. But the road to such an adventure is laden with danger, which means the chickens have to stay on the ranch. Can the cows somehow capture the bounty and save the farm, or are they as good as cooked?
The tradition of Disney’s animated features is long and lush, with numerous classics and even more beloved motion pictures. But after four decades and an empire constructed on the back of hand drawn animation, that tradition came to an end. The success of computer animated films like Finding Nemo and Shrek have pushed Disney to shutter its old school animation, in order to move with the times and go digital. That is sad, as hand drawn animation is still potent, but the story has to be there, which Disney’s last few efforts have lacked. The final old school animated feature is Home on the Range, a film which allows the tradition to end with a splat. Home on the Range is a return to lighter, more brisk material, after the dramatic disaster of Brother Bear. This is a better movie than that one, but Home on the Range is no instant classic. I would call the film mild, as it isn’t bad, but it isn’t what we’ve come to expect from Disney. A few humorous lines are tucked in here and there, but not enough for consistent laughs. I do think the kids will have more fun, thanks to the silly tone, but I still don’t think this will be their first choice to revisit. I admit, this wasn’t as bad as I expected, but Disney can do so much better than this. Its a shame this was the curtain call for their old school animation, but we can still hope for a return down the road.
Video: How does it look?
Home on the Range is presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen. This movie is loaded with bright colors and quirky visuals, so I wanted a flawless visual effort, which is a standard this treatment almost lived up to. The transfer is what you’d expect from a new Disney release, which is top notch in most respects. An all digital treatment yields a pristine print, so grain and debris are never an issue. I have to admit, the image looked a little soft at times, not a lot, but enough to stand out. I found detail to still be more than solid, but given that this is a new release, I expected a more refined visual presence. But in the end, the movie still looked quite good and aside from the softness, I have no complaints.
Audio: How does it sound?
I hoped for a DTS option, given the lack of substantial bonus materials, but no such luck in this case. This might not be the most dynamic material in town, but it has some pep and both tracks sound terrific. The surrounds don’t pulse at all times, because of the dialogue driven nature of the material, but rest assured, all the speakers get put through the paces. The songs have a lot of presence and depth, which makes them more powerful to listen to, while sound effects are more prominent than expected. I didn’t expect a lot of background noise, but this track has superb subtle presence, which adds to the experience. I still wouldn’t call this a power driven soundtrack, but it puts the speakers to good use, to be sure. No problems with dialogue though, as all the vocals sound loud and clear here. This disc also includes a French language track, as well as English subtitles, just in case you might need those.
Supplements: What are the extras?
Not a lot to cover here, which is a shame, given this film’s mark as Disney’s final traditional animated feature. A set of four deleted scenes and a behind the scenes featurette are passable, but not that substantial. No audio commentary or in depth material, so perhaps a Special Edition is in the works. You’ll also find a collection of games & activities, a Beau Sisters music video, and a bonus animated short titled A Dairy Tale: The Three Little Pigs.
