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When critics write about "the Disney versions" of famous fables, particularly those made when Walt Disney was alive and supervising them, it's usually with derision.
It's true that many of the classic children's stories by Aesop or Hans Christian Andersen, etc., were softened, and the endings were sometimes changed to make them less dark and more, as we say today, "family-friendly." But it's also true that these animated shorts are among the more timeless efforts of Disney's lengthy legacy.
And sometimes they were still quite dark. If you take a close look at "Bambi" or "Pinocchio," it's hard to deny that they have their scary moments for small fry.
So looking back on some of Disney's short-cartoon adaptations of beloved bedtime tales, it's with both a hint of nostalgia and an attempt at a clear-eyed view that suggests they hold up pretty well.
For the most part, these wonderful short animated films are charming, funny and, in a couple of cases, even have memorable songs.
They are in other collections, of course, but now Disney has released
DVDs of many of these, packaged as "Walt Disney's Timeless Tales," Volumes One and Two, priced at $19.99 (but selling for less).
And if...