Mary Poppins (2 Disc 40th Anniversary Special Edition)

On the DVD: Mary Poppins has certainly cleaned up a treat, restoring her to 1.85:1 widescreen glory and 5.1 Dolby digital sound--which is guaranteed to be music to your ears. The special features are "supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" with the "Sing Along with the Movie" subtitles for all your favourite songs when they appear in the movie and the "I Love to Laugh" game offering Uncle Albert flying high in his parlour once more. "The Movie Magic of Mary Poppins" lets you look behind the scenes at how the magic was done and is fun, informative and easily understandable--pity the same cannot be said about the narrator. "Hollywood goes to a World Premiere" is a warm and amusing reminder about how premieres and stars used to be in 1964. The only disappointment is the lack of commentary--Dick Van Dyke would surely have offered a gem of a cockney voice-over! --Nikki Disney

The "pop up" facts available on this version are interesting, if not a bit distracting (save them for your second viewing) and the karaoke option is great fun! All the extras, in fact, are very much worth seeing.

I thoroughly recommend this version if you are a Poppins fan!


The movie every kid on earth should wacth   October 31, 2006
 17 out of 17 found this review helpful

Mary Poppins is undoubtedly among the most terrific stories ever told on celluloid for children. It has it all: comedy, music, values, colours, dreams all packed in 2 hours together with the beautiful Julie Andrews. If you wacthed it when you were young the memory will stay with you for the rest of your life, if you didn't you still have the chanche to come back in time and enjoy it for the first time. GO AND GET A COPY.

Someone wrote that they found it boring, lacking in plot and full of cheesy music. My opinion is that you would have liked it as a kid, but growing up you simply lost your capability of astonishment.


Mary Poppins; practically perfect in every way.   April 23, 2005
 29 out of 30 found this review helpful

This is one of those films that has stood the test of time and is still entertaining now as it was 40 years ago. Everyone knows the tale of the magical nanny that blows in on the east wind and into the lives of the Banks family of 17 Cherry Tree Lane. Jane and Michael Banks have had a succession of strict nannies as well as a very strict father and a mother who is always out with her fellow suffragettes. Mary Poppins brings magic and fun into the children's lives, something that has been sorely lacking prior to her arrival.
Julie Andrews stars as the nanny and Dick Van Dyke as the lovable cockney Bert, (just forgive his dreadful accent) who always seems to be around at the right time for an adventure. The children find themselves having outings such as jumping into a chalk picture into a cartoon world, having a tea-party on a ceiling and dancing across the rooftops of London. Stuffed to the gills with songs such as 'Spoonful of Sugar', 'Chim Chim Cheree', 'Feed the Birds' and 'Jolly Holiday', this will have you tapping your foot throughout.
This 40th anniversary edition is on 2 discs and features lots of extras such as a documentary, commentary, footage of the premieres etc. The quality of print is very high, the colours have never looked so vibrant and the picture is razor sharp. Wonderful stuff.


A classic   February 11, 2002
 10 out of 10 found this review helpful

Everything about Mary Poppins is brilliant. The music is legendary and it is certainly no surprise that songs such as A Spoon Full of Sugar have become household whistling tunes!
The best part has to be the trip Mary takes the children to the country. But forget wearing wellingtons and wrapping up in duvet-thick coats - the country is animated with a host of loveable animal characters that each contribute to a fanastic musical sequence. Also, don't miss 'Feed the Birds' - the whole song is just excellent and from the little ornament of St Paul's Mary starts singing with at the start of the song to wher she tucks in the now sleeping children while finishing the number can get you quite emotional and is a classic.

You never forget the film's different scenes and at the end where Mary leaves the Bank's house on Cherrytree Lane, you really are downhearted that she's leaving.

Just enjoy the film.


It's supercalifraglisticexpialidocious!!   August 9, 2004
 10 out of 10 found this review helpful

In this film, the Banks family suffer from the typical problems of a family in 1910. Mr George Banks (David Thomlinson) is too wrapped up in his work at the bank to notice his children, Jane and Michael, who always seems to be in trouble. He thinks that his life is perfect and at one. Then Mary Poppins (Julie Andrews) shows up and proves him wrong.
From jumping through chalk pavement pictures to bringing life to the Banks household, Mary Poppins is the best nanny.
The animated sequence is pure Disney (I like the cute Irish fox, myself.) The penguin dance is particularly memorable.
And you'll be all over the ceiling as you laugh with funny Uncle Albert (Ed Wyn)!
Julie Andrews is brilliant as Mary Poppins. She has a great voice and some of the musical numbers are quite moving.
Now, there have been many criticisms about Mr Van Dyke's attempt at cockney, but I'd suggest not to take it too seriously. Compared to some people I've heard, his is a noble attempt.
Taken altogether, this classic Disney is little more than just a children's movie. It's a film for the family and one of Disney's best live-action flicks!