Teacher's Pet

An animated Disney musical comedy inspired by the popular TV series, Teacher's Pet is a weird, off-the-wall piece of surrealistic nonsense that will keep kids transfixed with its colorful characters and slapstick mayhem, while amusing adults with its surprising degree of sophistication. Nathan Lane voices the title mutt, a canine named Spot whose fondest Pinocchio-like wish is to become a real boy (Spot has even succeeded in posing as a human tyke in elementary school--thus the title). After hearing about a crackpot Florida scientist (Kelsey Grammer) who claims to be able to change animals into people, Spot hitches a ride to the Sunshine State with his young master and the boy's mother. Naturally, things don't go as expected, but all turns out for the best, and younger viewers receive a model lesson in being careful what they wish for. Featuring a strong cast of supporting characters, a handful of clever songs, and splashily stylized animation (based on the imaginative work of illustrator Gary Baseman), Teacher's Pet might not sport a truly revelatory message, but its brashly inventive spirit and dazzling look make it an enjoyable frolic for young and old alike. Highly recommended. [Note: DVD extras include the bonus series premiere episode “Muttamorphosis,” (22 min.), two rough deleted scenes (3 min. total), a six-minute featurette on “The Art of Gary Baseman,” the music video “Teacher's Pet” by Christy Carlson Romano, and a “Disney's Song Selection” feature which provides chapters and onscreen lyrics for 12 songs (16 min.). Bottom line: a winning extras package for a charming family film.] (F. Swietek)