Search - Doctor Dolittle on DVD

MPAA Rating: G Content Advisory: Excellent For Children Movie Release: 1967 DVD Release: 10/31/2000 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV Audio Tracks: English, French Subtitles: English, Spanish SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 2 hrs 31 mins Studio: 20th Century Fox Members Wishing: 30 Genres: Fantasy, Children's/Family, Period Film, Children's Fantasy, Musical Fantasy, Family-Oriented Adventure, Family-Oriented Comedy

Rex Harrison, although not at all like the portly man described in Hugh Lofting's charming series of children's stories, is sheer perfection as the kindly animal doctor in Leslie Bricusse's musical fantasy Doctor Dolittle. Sadly, Harrison is the only thing nearing perfection in this overstuffed and over-mounted fiasco that nearly brought down 20th Century Fox. Considered a lunatic because he can converse in 498 animal dialects, Dolittle gathers up his friends Matthew Mugg (Anthony Newley) and Emma Fairfax (Samantha Eggar) and heads off on a journey to the South Seas to find the elusive great pink snail and the giant lunar moth. Along the way, the group encounters a succession of bizarre human and animal characters -- most notably the legendary pushme-pullyou, an animal so freakish that it compels Albert Blossom (Richard Attenborough) to burst out into the exuberant song, "I've never Seen Anything Like It in My Life." Incredibly, the film was nominated for a Best Picture Oscar in 1967. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

Rex Harrison - Dr. John Dolittle
Samantha Eggar - Emma Fairfax
Anthony Newley - Matthew Mugg
Richard Attenborough - Albert Blossom
Peter Bull - Gen. Bellowes

While modern audiences are more familiar with Eddie Murphy in the role of Dr. Dolittle, this DVD should help to remind everyone that Rex Harrison played him first. Doctor Dolittle comes to DVD with a widescreen anamorphic transfer that preserves the original theatrical aspect ratio of 2.35:1. Closed-captioned English soundtracks are rendered in both Dolby Digital 4.0 and Dolby Digital Stereo, while a French soundtrack has been recorded in Dolby Digital Mono. English and Spanish subtitles are accessible. Supplemental materials are limited to a theatrical trailer. 20th Century Fox has done a fine job with this older title. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide