CED Central

Last updated 3/24/05

FAMILY & CHILDREN’S FILMS

One of the nice things about CED’s is that they are easy to use. My eight year old son Brendan has operated our players very easily for a couple of years now. The CED demonstration discs actually tout the ease of use for children as one of the major advantages of the format. Additionally, the large sleeves with big pictures make it easier for the kids to know what movie they want to see. The caddies, or sleeves, are like a large book to them and it gives them the power to look at the pictures on it to get some idea of what the movie is about. My boys prefer the large artwork of CED’s over the much smaller artwork on VHS tapes and DVD’s. These reviews are written by James.

20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA

Kirk Douglas, Peter Lorre, James Mason, and Paul Lukas round out an all star cast in this classic Jules Verne adventure. Battling the giant squid, singing songs with a seal and tortoise shell banjo, and the crown jewel submarine, the Nautilus make this film fun to watch. Some violence with exploding ships, and some scary moments for the toddler set.

THE ABSENT-MINDED PROFESSOR

A black and white film with loads of laughs and gaffs includes a cast of Fred MacMurray, Nancy Olson, Keenan Wynn, and Tommy Kirk. The Professor stumbles onto the invention of gravity defying flubber, and then the fun begins. Super bouncing basketball players and a model T going by a jet fighter make up some of the zany moments.

THE APPLE DUMPLING GANG

Three orphans are put under the tutelage of a roving gambler, Bill Bixby, who over the course of mishaps and adventures transforms into a caring parental figure. Don Knotts and Tim Conway do wonders with limited roles making this movie the little film that could.

THE BEARS AND I

A minor commercial hit for Disney, this is a small picture with a big heart. It stars Patrick Wayne and Chief Dan George with music by John Denver, including Sweet Surrender. Wayne plays a war veteran visiting his army buddy’s grandfather in the wilderness. Wayne decides to stay and adopts three orphaned bear cubs. Some of the scenes with the cubs getting into all kinds of messes are hilarious. My boys and I watch the scene where the cubs get on a sled over and over again. Don’t overlook this fun little movie.

BILLION DOLLAR HOBO

Don’t ask me why my kids like this film, but they do. Parents might find it somewhat amusing, but the kids love it. Tim Conway plays a dimwitted heir to a fortune that must cross the country as a Hobo to get his inheritance in spite of a ruthless gang trying to stop him. Conway bumbles through, but is always saved by his traveling companion, a German shepherd that is more savvy than James Bond. The kids love this road picture of the dimwit and the dog outsmarting the bad business gang and getting the fortune in the end.

BORN FREE

Virginia McKenna and Bill Travers star in this delightful true story of park rangers in Africa adopting lion cubs. The beauty of the hit theme song is matched by the exquisite cinematography. Solid story of life cycles and friendship. My boys give it the thumbs up. Funny, poignant, and touching.

CANDLESHOE

Disney film starring Jodie Foster, Helen Hayes, and David Niven. Jodie Foster is the tough street kid that is high jacked into a scheme to have her pose as the long lost grand daughter to the wealthy Lady St. Edmund, played by Helen Hayes. Leo McKern plays the bad guy who wants Jodie Foster to search for clues to the missing gold that is hidden somewhere in the Candleshoe Castle owned by Lady St. Edmund. David Niven plays the comic, loyal butler. Nice family film, and a gem that has been largely overlooked by cable and the public. Highly recommended.

THE COURT JESTER

Danny Kaye at his best in a zany romp in merry old England. Includes classic scenes with the Jester song, Chalice from the Palace dialogue, the hypnotic fencing duel, and more. A must have. Delicious dialogue for the adults and goofy hilarity for all. Cast includes Glynis Johns, Basil Rathbone, and Angela Lansbury. A win-win situation for the entire family.

HANSEL AND GRETEL

This movie is only available on CED! This film is a true find! The most successful children’s film in the 1950’s and 1960’s, it is one of the cinema’s grandest achievements in animation. It features electronic puppets that took more than a decade to perfect. The only full length movie ever to use this sophisticated technology, it is a visual extravaganza. NEVER released on any other video format, it is ONLY available on CED. A must have!

HERBIE RIDES AGAIN

A very good sequel to the original Love Bug, Helen Hayes now lives in the firehouse with the little Volkswagon. Keenan Wynn plays the evil developer that only needs that last piece of property, the old firehouse, to begin building his high rise nightmare, Hawk Towers. Buddy Hackett is not in this film, and the counter culture-authority jokes are missing, but there is still plenty of humor in the tension between humanity and commercialism.

THE LAST UNICORN

Animated feature film from the Rankin Bass team featuring the voices of Alan Arkin, Jeff Bridges, Mia Farrow, Robert Klein, Angela Lansbury, Keenan Wynn, and more. Good animation, music by America, story is fantasy of the last unicorn trying to free other unicorns from a powerful, disgruntled King. My boys enjoyed this, and I have seen it twice with them.

THE LOVE BUG

This is the film that started it all for the Herbie the love bug. Set in groovy 1960’s San Francisco, Buddy Hackett steals the film with a cast that includes Dean Jones, Michelle Lee, and David Tomlinson. Some very funny scenes between the hippies and the cops trying to figure out Herbie the irrepressible Volkswagon.

MARY POPPINS

Walt Disney at his best mixing animation and live action in a joyous blend of music and comedy. Dick Van Dyke and Julie Andrews team up with David Tomlinson, Glynis Johns, and Ed Wynn with music by the Sherman brothers. Simply outstanding for all ages.

THE NUTTY PROFESSOR

Jerry Lewis solo and at the height of his comic genius. Written, directed, and starring the outrageous Lewis, the story revolves around a chemistry professor seeking to chemically alter his muscle mass. The Professor alters more than his muscles and the movie becomes a comedy classic in this story of human character and alter egos. Co-starring Stella Stevens.

THE PARENT TRAP

Stars Haley Mills in dual roles of twin sisters split apart divorced parents. The sisters meet at summer camp and devise a plan to switch places and get their parents back together, yah yah yah. Brian Keith and the fabulous Maureen O’Hara round out a superb comedy.

THE PRINCE AND THE PAUPER

1930’s movie starring the screen’s grandest swashbuckler ever, Erol Flynn. I thought my boys might not like this film in black and white, but the story is so charming that it grabbed their interest right away and the color factor was never an issue. This is a fun film for any age, a true classic. I really enjoyed this film about a young prince that trades places with a street waif, and I think you will too. The writing, directing, and acting are top notch.

THE SECRET OF NIMH

Loosely based on the famous book Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh, this animated feature was produced by Don Bluth Studios. It veers from the book tremendously into a fantasy tale of a power struggle between the rats over magical ring. Outstanding animation. Dom Deluise hits his mark and steals the film with his character of the bumbling Jeremy Crow. Very entertaining for the kids, amusement for the adults.

THE SHAGGY DOG

Another film with Tommy Kirk and Kevin Corcoran as brothers, this is their best work together as Tommy begins to transform into a sheep dog after slipping on a ring at a museum. Kevin the younger brother always wanted a dog, but his canine allergic dad, Fred MacMurray, won’t allow the paw crowd to set foot into the family household. Academy award winning actress Jean Hagen plays the mom, and Annette Funicello plays a cameo. In beautiful black and white, my boys think the chase scene with the dog driving the hot rod is hilarious.

SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON

Another Disney film that my boys can’t get enough of. The Robinsons get shipwrecked on an island in the South Pacific, and must use their wits and skills to turn a disaster into a paradise. Along the way they fight pirates, build a tree house fit for a queen, and have horse races where the horses are an elephant, an ostrich, and other animals. Lots of humor, drama, and exotic animals in a botanical paradise. Can’t go wrong here.

TREASURE ISLAND (1934)

The classic that has often been imitated, but never equaled. Incomparable cast includes Lionel Barrymoore, Jackie Cooper, and Wallace Beery in an phenomenal form as Long John Silver. Another film from the legendary Director Victor Fleming (he also did the Wizard of OZ and Gone With the Wind). In black and white, and sure gold all over.

THUNDERBIRDS ARE GO

Another import from famed animator Gerry Anderson, Thunderbirds Are Go is a high tech adventure in the James Bond tradition done in Supermarionation. Rockets and spacecraft are by academy award winning special effect master Derek Meddings. Includes the famous dream sequence with marionette versions of Cliff Richards and the Shadows performing.

THREE TALES OF LOVE & FRIENDSHIP

This disc has three famous international children’s films including The Unicorn, The Red Balloon, and The Lone Wolf. The Red Balloon is perhaps the most famous children’s film in history. The Unicorn is from England and travels into the land of fantasy when a boy finds a unicorn in London. The Lone Wolf is about the efforts of a boy to convince his village not to kill a former military dog that now lives on its own.

ACTION FILMS

BILLY JACK

The box-office champ from the early 70’s still shines. Tom Laughlin is the mixed blood marine that protects the kids at the Pacifist Freedom School from the bigoted small minds in the nearby small town. The depth of the film is surprising, and parallels the real life battle Tom Laughlin fought in getting the later Billy Jack films made and into the movie houses. This movie still jams and you’ll understand why so many kids flocked to see this movie. You’ll also see why corporations got so scared by the impact of this film that they tried to stop Tom Laughlin from making any more Billy Jack films.

THE BOAT (Das Boot)

Dubbed in English, this German film accurately portrays life aboard U-Boat submarine during WWII. Suspenseful and poetic, it will keep you glued to your seat.

THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO

Richard Chamberlain stars in the title role of the Dumas classic novel. This version is a distillation of the excellent mini-series on TV. Minimum of violence.

THE DIRTY DOZEN

Fictional WWII account of training 12 condemned military prisoners to go on a suicide mission behind enemy lines to kill as many German officers as they can. Lee Marvin steals the picture and takes the picture to higher level. Charles Bronson, George Kennedy, and Telly Savalas also help turn this potential cheese film into a gem.

FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE

The second of the James Bond films, Sean Connery is back as 007 reprising his role in fighting the evil Spectre organization. A young Robert Shaw plays the muscle bound assassin Red Grant. This film cast the 007 series with a solid foundation with wry humor and classic villains.

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