Lady and the Tramp (50th Anniversary Edition)

If you haven’t seen "Lady and the Tramp" in a while -- or haven't introduced it to your children yet -- there’s never been a better time. It’s one of Disney’s most charming movies, and some say one of the greatest love stories of all time. Not only that, this digitally-remastered version is bright and beautiful and includes tons of special features.

Our story begins in a picturesque Victorian neighborhood, the sound of Christmas carols floating gently through the crisp, cold air. Inside one of the comfy homes, Mr. Darling is presenting his young wife with a present -- a lovely Cocker Spaniel puppy named Lady. At first, Lady is the apple of their eye and the center of attention, but she soon learns that a new tiny Darling will be joining the household. Knowing nothing of babies, Lady (voiced by Barbara Luddy) isn’t concerned -- until her new friend, Tramp (Larry Roberts), paints a dire picture of her future with a human baby. "Baby moves in, dog moves out," says the street-smart scoundrel. His remark sends Lady into a panic.

Not long after the baby is born, the household is left in the care of Aunt Sarah, who brings along her two cats, Si and Am. The devious felines immediately get Lady into serious trouble, and Aunt Sarah banishes her -- complete with a muzzle! -- to the backyard. Lady escapes and encounters a pack of wild dogs, but Tramp leaps to her rescue, fends off the dogs, then takes her to the zoo, where a busy beaver happily chews through the hated muzzle, freeing her.

With darkness coming on, the two dogs take shelter in Tony’s Italian restaurant, where Tramp’s a regular visitor. Together, the pooches share a candle-lit dinner of spaghetti and meatballs in the back room, falling in love by sharing a strand of pasta with "Bella Notte" being sung to them. Magic! And one of the most romantic scenes in cinema history.

When they finally arrive back at Lady's house, the dogs discover a huge rat trying to climb into the baby’s crib. Tramp kills it, but once again, Aunt Sarah leaps to the wrong conclusion and has Tramp picked up by the dogcatcher. Is there a happy ending in store for these pooches? I think we all know the answer to that, but it doesn’t stop us from watching this first-rate movie year after year, and sharing it with our own children.

Special features include:

• 1943 original storyboard version of the film: These newly discovered storyboards reveal a different approach to the movie, which did not include Tramp, pals Trusty and Jock, and the famous spaghetti scene!
• Disney Virtual Puppy: This DVD-ROM feature that lets you adopt and care for your own virtual puppy, complete with its own printable adoption and biography papers.
• Disney Dog Trivia: A virtual board game where you can test your knowledge of Disney dogs
• PuppyPedia: Learn about the real-life breeds that inspired the characters in the movie, with comedian Fred Willard.
• New music featurette: "The Siamese Cat Song," a rare, recently-discovered recording of the song, performed by two male singers before it was decided that Peggy Lee would provide the voices of the cats.

PRE-SCHOOLER (ages 2-5): Kids love talking animals, especially talking animals with lots of personality. Told from a dog’s point of view, this movie is perfect for preschoolers, and with a running time of just 76 minutes, they won’t get bored. Yes, there are a few perilous scenes -- like when Lady is banished to the yard with a muzzle and later when Tramp gets dragged off by the dogcatcher -- but they’re not traumatic enough to wake kids up at 3 a.m. with nightmares. In fact, because the story is resolved so nicely, kids leave this movie with happy thoughts. The animation is top-notch and the songs wonderful -- especially Peggy Lee’s timeless “He’s a Tramp.” (Lee also voices the characters of Mrs. Darling, Peg, Si and Am). But this movie’s best attribute might be the fact that it appeals to kids of all ages, solving that age-old dilemma of who gets to watch what.

GRADE-SCHOOLER (ages 6-10): This movie has enough fast action and funny characters to keep grade-schoolers interested from start to finish (even if they think it’s too baby-ish!) And they just might learn something along the way -- namely, that the truth will endure, true friends are everything, and life is better if you have someone to share it with.

TWEEN/TEEN (ages 11+): It’s amazing to think this movie is more than 50 years old, yet it endures generation after generation. Its themes of friendship and romance are timeless, and they work, whether you’re 2 or 92. At first glance, this movie is geared towards younger kids, but even teens and adults who are willing to slow down for a little while will love this animated classic -- truly one of Disney’s best.