Oliver and Company (20th Anniversary Edition)

Based on Charles Dickens' "Oliver Twist," Disney's Oliver and Company was one of the first animated features to incorporate computer images with traditional hand-drawn animation and features the music and voice talents of pop-music giants like Billy Joel, Huey Lewis, and Bette Midler. A traditional story set in the modern world, Oliver and Company is the story of a stray kitten who wanders the streets of New York in search of a loving family. When Oliver encounters a street-wise dog named Dodger, the dog begins to teach him about life in the big city and takes him home to his family of street dogs and their master Fagan. Fagan and his dogs Dodger, Tito, Einstein, Francis, and Rita must often resort to thievery just to survive and during a particularly daring caper, Oliver gets separated from the other dogs and winds up meeting Jenny, a young rich girl with a big heart. As Oliver revels in Jenny's affection and begins to feel like part of her family, the dogs set out to rescue Oliver thinking he's been kidnapped. Eventually both Oliver and Jenny end up in grave danger and the only way Fagan and his dogs can save them is by doing what's right. As fresh on its 20th anniversary as it was when it premiered in 1988, this time-tested film appeals to children and adults of all ages. Bonus features include the Mickey Mouse and Pluto shorts "Lend a Paw" and "Puss Café" as well as a 5-1/2-minute making of featurette in which director George Scribner and animator Glen Kean describe the then brand new technique of blending computer and hand-drawn animation. Also included are sing-along versions of "Why Should I Worry? and "Streets of Gold," an interactive game, fun film facts, and an Oliver and Company scrapbook featuring concept art, storyboards, and publicity materials. --Tami Horiuchi