I’ve said it before: Disney is brilliant.
Confession: before Saturday I had never seen Lady and the Tramp. I have always collected the “Princess” movies and some of the more recent releases, but this is one that never really appealed to me. Of course I knew all about the famous spaghetti scene, but animal movies usually don’t do it for me.
However, when I was invited to bring my family to a special screening of Lady and the Tramp in honour the February 7th Diamond Edition Blu-ray Combo Pack release, I just couldn’t say no. I love the big screen and the whole cinema experience, as do my girls, so we were all on board, and Daddy was dragged tagged along.
As most of you already know, the movie, originally released in 1955, is the love story between refined cocker spaniel Lady and stray mutt Tramp. Sweet and entertaining, my daughters thoroughly enjoyed it, and already want the DVD.
Following the screening, moviegoers headed to Toronto’s The Old Spaghetti Factory (oh, how appropriate) for a fantastic lunch of soup, salad, bread, spaghetti and meatballs, and Spumoni ice cream. (Hubby and I did not mortify our daughters with a romantic movie reenactment with the spaghetti.) There was a superb accordian player, face painting, and a spot for a professional photo. We were also treated to a parting gift of movie posters and some other great Lady and The Tramp loot (book with CD, double straws, Valentines, etc.) It was a fantastic family outing…and on top of that, we even snagged a downtown Toronto parking spot with a flat rate of $10!
So…connecting back to a post I did recently about being “PR Friendly”…was I bought off here? I will gladly admit that snatching up the movie and writing about it probably wouldn’t have been high on my to-do list if I hadn’t been given this opportunity to see it on the big screen and enjoy a great meal with other Disney fans. (That’s where Disney’s brilliance comes in.) However, every word I have written here is my honest opinion, and there was never any obligation to post positively about the movie, or to write about it at all.
If you’re a Lady and the Tramp fan, you might also be interested in clicking here for some downloadable Valentines and activity (dot-to-dot, colouring, spot-the-differences) sheets. (I clicked “download all”, saved and opened them, and I can promise the files are safe!)
This film can’t come close to matching Beauty and the Beast or Hercules as my favourite animated features, but if you’re looking to add something to your children’s collection, this is certainly a worthwhile classic, and one that my daughters are still raving about. (They’re also still arguing over how to divvy up the Lady and The Tramp valentines.) Plus, it’s always nice to have a few movies that don’t involve castles, crowns and ballgowns.
Disclosure: My family was provided with the experience described above for review purposes. Opinions are, as always, my own. I cannot be bought with free pasta.
We love Lady and the Tramp. You'll have to try the Aristocats next…