Old Yeller

"Who cried at the end of Old Yeller?" Bill Murray memorably rallied his ragtag squad in Stripes. Everyone cries at the end of Old Yeller, but the tears are earned honestly in this quintessential, boy-and-his-dog frontier adventure based on Fred Gipson's coming-of-age novel. Set in 1860s Texas, Disney's 1957 family classic stars Tommy Kirk as Travis, a 15-year-old left in charge of the homestead while his father (Fess Parker) joins a cattle drive. Into his life strays Yeller, the "best doggone dog in the West," who becomes a faithful friend and family protector. Freckle-faced Kevin Corcoran, one of the great Disney kid actors, costars as Travis's rambunctious brother. Disc one of this definitive two-disc set contains a pristine, restored version of the film presented in the widescreen format, with cast members Kirk, Parker and Corcoran providing commentary, and the Pluto cartoon Bone Trouble preceding the movie. Disc two contains a wealth of archival goodies that make this DVD a breed apart. Baby boomers will especially enjoy walking down memory lane with Kirk, who affectionately recalls making such beloved Disney classics as Swiss Family Robinson, The Absent-Minded Professor, and The Shaggy Dog. Highly recommended. (K. Lee Benson)[DVD Review—Nov. 15, 2005—Walt Disney, 2 discs, 84 and 104 min., G, $29.99—With the original making its second appearance on DVD, Old Yeller/Savage Sam 2-Movie Collection finds 1957's Old Yeller packaged with the 1963 sequel Savage Sam, and both look pretty sharp considering their respective ages, and are backed with Dolby Digital 5.1 surround soundtracks. DVD extras are the same as those on the previous Vault Disney Collection edition of Old Yeller, although this release drops the audio commentary track. Bottom line: a nice two-fer for those who don't already own the far superior original in a standalone version.]