Plot: What’s it about?
I’ve never been a fan of Walt Disney’s Davy Crockett adventures, but I am still pleased to see this set released as part of the Walt Disney Treasures line. This is because the series was a massive success and had all sorts of people donning coonskin caps, so I know a lot of folks are eager to check out this material again. And fans should be thrilled with this package, as it contains all five episodes of the series, complete with Walt Disney’s introductions and a few nice extras tossed in for good measure. As I mentioned, I am not that taken with this series and never have been, but I can see the allure and don’t mind viewing the episodes again, by any means. I won’t revisit them down the road much, but it is good to Disney putting together sets like this, without a doubt. The series has some good performances, interesting situations, and is worth a look, even if you have a casual interest in Crockett’s adventures. This two disc set is housed with a very elegant silver tin case, which has been limited to 150,000 copies. Below is a list of the episodes and a brief synopsis, in case you’ll need those.
1. Davy Crockett, Indiana Fighter- This is the first episode and as such, is basically some introductions to the main characters, as well as some secondary ones. It sets the tone for the episodes to follow and as far as debut episodes go, this one is more than decent. Crockett and his best friend volunteer to join the Crete Indian War and run into some new friends, who will become regulars as the series progresses. Not the best the series has to offer, but a more than acceptable start to the adventures.
2. Davy Crockett Goes to Congress- In this episode, Crockett runs into all sorts of problems and finds himself on the side of the Indians, defending their rights. He plans to move West and slap down a new homestead, but a run in with a ruthless land baron throws a wrench in the gears, though Crockett intends to have the last laugh. After a tragic turn, Crockett decides to run for Congress and gets into office, but can he stand firm on his beliefs?
3. Davy Crockett at The Alamo- Crockett and his friend George head off to The Alamo, where they have to take up arms and stand fast in the epic battle. But before they reach their destination, they meet up with a couple of other fellows and before long, the road is walked by all four men, as opposed to the original two. We all know where the path around The Alamo leads, but what roles will these four men play in the conflict?
4. Davy Crockett’s Keelboat Race- In an odd turn of events, Crockett returns to action and this time around, he has an important race to win. The famous Crockett is joined as always by his friend George, but this race won’t be an easy one to win, not by any means. This is a race down the Mississippi River and the main competition is Mike Fink, nothing less than a legend when it comes to water based races. Can even Crockett upend the master of river races and will the race unfold as expected, or do surprises lurk down the river?
5. Davy Crockett and the River Pirates- This was the last episode and in it, Crockett runs back into the pirates who troubled him before, but their plans are more devious than ever. These pirates have been attacking and robbing ships that pass through, but they don’t take the credit and instead, place the blame on the Indians. So Crockett has to devise a plan to reveal the truth because if he doesn’t, a real battle could ensue and that’s bad news. It might take some help from Crockett’s new friend Mike Fink, but even with his hand, can the truth be shown?
Video: How does it look?
The episodes are presented in full frame transfers, as intended. As expected, the images vary between episodes and while they never look too bad, they never look good enough to impress, so some might be let down. The prints have frequent defects and since these shows do have some age on them, that has to expected. The contrast is stable and never dips too much, while colors seem a little faded, but more than acceptable. I’d assume fans know what to expect and will be satisfied, but newcomers could be disappointed.
Audio: How does it sound?
The audio is also less than impressive, as the materials have not aged well and as such, the audio suffers. The materials have some wear evident and you’ll notice some thin moments & scratchiness present, but the basics still come through. So just be glad these episodes sound this good, as all things considered, they could be in much worse condition. This set also includes English subtitles, in case you’ll need those.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This set includes a generous selection of still photos, a terrific interview with Fess Parker, and a featurette on The Crockett Craze, which runs about twenty minutes.
