Search - Country Bears on DVD

MPAA Rating: G Content Advisory: Excellent For Children Movie Release: 2002 DVD Release: 12/17/2002 Format: DVD - Closed Captioned Edition: Dual Layered Audio Tracks: English, French Subtitles: English SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 1 hrs 28 mins Studio: Walt Disney Video Total Copies: 10 Genres: Children's/Family, Musical Comedy, Family-Oriented Comedy

This family musical enjoys the dubious distinction of being the first film ever based on a theme park attraction, the "Country Bears Jamboree" at Disneyworld. Beary Barrington (voice of Haley Joel Osment) is an adolescent bruin raised by a human family after he was found by a park ranger, abandoned in the forest. Curious about his biological roots, Beary travels to Tennessee to seek out his birth parents while attempting to locate the members of his favorite musical group -- a defunct country music act called the Country Bears -- along the way. Country Bear Hall, the famed venue where the band was launched, is facing imminent destruction at the hands of greedy banker Reed Thimple (Christopher Walken), but young Beary has a plan to save the hall by staging a reunion benefit concert. Beary's path takes him through a guitar duel, a vintage coffee house, and a car wash, as he's pursued by a pair of bumbling cops (Diedrich Bader and Daryl "Chill" Mitchell) trying to reunite him with his adoptive parents. Meanwhile, a panoply of musical legends including Willie Nelson, Bonnie Raitt, Elton John, and Queen Latifah appear Behind the Music-style to comment on the Country Bears' alleged artistic influence on their work. The Country Bears, the first in a pair of planned Disney projects based on the company's theme park rides (the second is slated to be based on "Pirates of the Caribbean"), co-stars Stephen Tobolowsky, Brad Garrett, Alex Rocco, and Stephen Root. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide

Christopher Walken - Reed Thimple
Stephen Tobolowsky - Norbert Barrington
Daryl Mitchell - Officer Hamm
M.C. Gainey - Roadie
Diedrich Bader - Officer Cheets

The Country Bears comes to DVD with a standard full-frame transfer. English and French soundtracks are rendered in Dolby Digital 5.1. There are no subtitles, but the English soundtrack is closed-captioned. Supplemental materials include a commentary track recorded by director Peter Hastings and the characters Ted and Zeb, a music video, karaoke capabilities, a television special featuring the Bears, and a mockumentary about them as well. This is a fine family friendly release from Disney/Buena Vista. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide