Lilo & Stitch 2-Disc Big Wave Edition (2002) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)A heartwarming, moving and beautifully animated Walt Disney film get its special DVD treatment in a brand new 2-Disc Big Wave Edition.
In 2002, Walt Disney's 42nd animated feature from the Walt Disney Feature Animation Florida studio would become a commercial success with over $35 million in its first weekend and eventually would make over $273 million worldwide. Since 2002, the animated film has received several direct-to-video film releases and even a cartoon series.
With the original DVD release back in 2002, in 2003 a 2-disc DVD release was announced but was delayed. Fans of the film have waited for the 2-disc version for years and the question many who own the original DVD may be asking, is this 2-disc release worth it?
If you are a big fan of the animated film, then the answer is a resounding...YES!!!
VIDEO & AUDIO:
"Lilo & Stitch" is a beautiful, animated film that takes place in Hawaii. So, this animated film definitely showcases a variety of colors of the island and the Hawaiian clothing and lush lands and beautiful beach. Personally, I would love to see a Blu-ray Disc treatment of this film because it's a type of film that would benefit in 1080p. But overall, the picture quality of the DVD is vibrant with colors and the animation had a distinct character designs and overall, beautiful to look at.
The video is presented with an aspect ratio of (1:66:1) and is enhanced for 16×9 televisions.
As for the audio, audio is presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound and also includes French and Spanish language tracks. The audio utilizes the rear channels during the action segments and also musically, the music plays a big part in the film. Although not a musical but a dialogue-based film, overall, "Lilo & Stitch" utilizes the speaker channels with the front channel showcasing the dialogue and musical tracks with the rear channels utilizing various background sounds, ambient sounds and also booms and crashes during the action scenes.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
This is where the 2-Disc Big Wave Edition of "Lilo & Stitch" shines. There are tons of special features on disc 1 and a length documentary and deleted/edited scenes in disc 2. Included are:
Disc 1:
* Audio Commentary - Commentary featuring producer Clark Spencer and directors/writers Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois. A very informative commentary as Sanders and DeBlois talked about how there were some major changes from the original storyline and the final cut. Discussions of going to Hawaii, meeting with talent like Tia Carrere and how Hawaiian music came to play in the film and also the ending flight chase scenes and how it was changed due to 9/11. A lot of informative tid-bits on the creation of the film. Cool commentary!
* Deleted Scenes - This featurette features how the storyboard artists and artists teaching the viewer how to draw Po and each member of the Furious Five via sketching the characters one-by-one. For example, with Po, the artist would start off with two circles and explain by detail of drawing the rest of the body and features. Each segment varies in time but most are around 6 minutes long. Very informative.
* Your "Ohana" Music Video featuring the Hawaiian Chorus - A two minute music video featuring segments from the film and the Hawaiian Chorus singing "Ohana".
* Lilo & Stitch Island Adventure Games - An adventure game narrated by David and people can play three "Lilo & Stitch" games which include Gecko Race, Hamsterviel's Coconut Shell Game and Hamsterviel's Experiment Match Game.
* A Stitch in Time: Follow Stitch through the Disney Years - This three minute featurette showcases classic Disney films and how Stitch was in those films and how Stitch has shaken things up at Disney by trying to be part of the classic Walt Disney films but unfortunately he wasn't up to par for parts in those films and didn't make the final cut.
* "I Can't Help Falling in Love With You" music video performed by A-Teens - A short music video of a cover of the popular Elvis Presley song sung by A-Teens.
* Create Your Own Alien Experiment Game - A quiz based video game using your DVD remote.
* DisneyPedia: Hawaii - The Islands of Aloha: Explore the Hawaiian Islands - A featurette which Nani and Lilo explain what Hawaii is and the various islands and information on Molokai, Lana'i, Oahu, Kauai and Maui. Selecting an island showcases a video of the island featuring information on luau's, pineapples and whales in the warm waters, Captain Cook, King Kamehameha and more.
* Hula Lesson - A three minute featurette on how to learn hula.
* Burning Love - Behind the Scenes with Wynonna - Nearly two minutes long, a behind-the-scenes look at Wynonna Judd recording "Burning Love".
* Animating the Hula - A three minute featurette and Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois wanting to get the hula dances correctly in the animation, so they filmed the hula dancers and then their art department using the video to make sure they get the action and timing of the hula dance correctly by viewing the video.
* "Inter-Stitch-ials" Theatrical Trailers - Fun trailers for "Lilo & Stitch" but how Stitch was integrated in commercials utilizing "Beauty & the Beast", "Aladdin", "The Little Mermaid" and "The Lion King".
Disc 2:
* Documentary - Around 2 hours and five minutes long is a documentary from the beginning in 1997 (planning stages) up to the end of premiering at Cannes Film Festival and it's nationwide premiere in 2002. This documentary was great! Many interviews with the producer Clark Spencer, directors/writers Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois, Disney Chairman Roy E. Disney, Disney President Tom Schumaker, Executive Vice President Pam Coats, Animating Supervisor Alex Kundershchmidt, Visual Effects Supervisor Joe Giland, the voice talent, crew behind-the-scenes and much more. Years of footage of what took place during the planning stages of "Lilo & Stitch", recording audio, animating, changing scenes because of what transpired in 9/11, marketing including the "Lilo & Stitch" toys, the McDonalds Happy Meals toys and more.
* Documentary Footnotes: Aside from the documentary and deleted/early version scenes, the documentary footnotes includes more bonus footage such as scene that Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois worked on for "Mulan" titled "Mulan's Decision", Walking is Falling: Joe Grant in Conversation with Dean DeBlois, Chris' Pitch Book, Chris' Photo Gallery, Treatise on Stich, Andreas Deja's sketches of Lilo, Fishing with Ric, Ric Slutter Interviews Maurice Noble, Dumbo: The Train Arrives, Chalk Talk: Alex Kupershmidt on Stitch, Chalk Talk: Andreas Deja on Lilo, The Sanders Style book and the Disney "Lilo & Stitch" trailers.
* Deleted Scenes and Early Version Scenes - There were considerable amount of changes during "Lilo & Stitch" from its original treatment to the final cut. The deleted scenes include the airplane through the city scene which was scrapped due to the events that happened on 9/11 and thus the crew changing the chase scene to two space crafts in air. The following deleted scenes are featured: Stitch's Trail, Gantu's Challenge, The Untimely Death of Pudge the Fish, Bedtime Story, The 747 Sequence and three early version scenes: Model Citizen- Mayhem on the Beach, Jumba Attacks and The 747 Sequence with Stitch's Gang.
JUDGMENT CALL:
"Lilo and Stitch" was a wonderful animated film and who can't deny the cuteness and the wit of the latest duo from Disney, Hawaiian girl Lilo and her little alien pet Stitch. These two characters are so unlike any Disney characters with Lilo who comes from literally a broken home, her older sister Nani trying to make ends meet as the guardian of Lilo after the death of their parents and just to watch how their life has been personally affected. Stitch is unlike any Disney character that we have seen. He is quite mischievous and eats his snot, how crazy is that?
The character of Lilo is full of vitality but because her parents are deceased and having to stay at home while her sister works and the family not exactly having a lot of money, she wants to fit in with the other girls but it just doesn't happen that easily.
And the relationship between Lilo & Stitch was just enjoyable to watch. Stitch brings joy into her life despite being a bit troublesome, but Lilo is somewhat similar and thus starts to grow up now that she has the responsibility of taking care of her pet. As for Stitch, being raised to be this weapon of destruction, he learns from Lilo that being part of a family is very important and like the story of "Ugly Duckling", Lilo embraces him with open arms and he learns how relationships mean to him. Love rather than destruction.
Combined with a beautiful, colorful and lush setting of Hawaii, the art and animation department did a great job capturing Hawaii all the way up to the movements of the hulu dancing.Overall, this film was just fun to watch and it's also great to watch this film again and watching a Disney animated film that were hand drawn using CGI but a film not entirely 3D which many of the animated Disney films are of late.
When "Lilo & Stitch" was released into theaters, I have to admit that I was very happy because America would get a second animated film from Disney that would feature a lead and supporting character that is Asian. "Mulan" was fun but it was a period film taking place during the Chinese Dynasty, "Lilo & Stich" on the other hand, this is an entirely different animated film with it's own style thanks to the characters and the overall setting. This is just an enjoyably fun and entertaining film...Read more›

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Out of this world storytelling, stunning Disney animation, and wild and irresistible characters are at the heart of Disney's hilarious animated adventure. This worldwide box office sensation is a heartwarming comedy about the power of loyalty, friendship, and finding your place in the world. On the lush and tropical Hawaiian Islands, an independent little girl named Lilo adopts what she thinks is an innocent puppy, completely unaware that he is a mischievous creature who has escaped from a faraway planet. Stitch takes Hawaii by storm, wreaking havoc and hanging ten while he evades the alien bounty hunters who are bent on recapturing him. It's an action-packed comedy the whole family will enjoy over and over again. Bonus Features include Six of Elvis Presley's biggest hits, sung by the King himself, Heartbreak Hotel, Stuck On You, Blue Hawaii, Suspicious Minds, Devil In Disguise and Hound Dog, and deleted scenes

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