Starring:
Old Yeller
Dorothy McGuire as Katie Coates
Fess Parker as Jim Coates
Jeff York as Bud Searcy
Chuck Connors as Burn Sanderson
Beverly Washburn as Lisbeth Searcy
Tommy Kirk as Travis Coates
Kevin Corcoran as Arliss Coates
Savage Sam
Brian Keith as Uncle Beck Coates
Tommy Kirk as Travis Coates
Kevin Corcoran as Arliss Coates
Dewey Martin as Lester White
Jeff York as Bud Searcy
Marta Kristen as Lisbeth Searcy
Rafael Campos as Young Warrior
Slim Pickens as Willy Crup
Rodolfo Acosta as Bandy Legs
Pat Hogan as Broken Nose
Dean Fredericks as Comanche Chief
Brad Weston as Ben Todd
Special Features:
Original Theatrical Animated Short “Bone Trouble”
“Old Yeller: Remembering A Classic”
Conversations With Tommy Kirk
“Dogs!”
Lost Treasures — “Ranch Of The Golden Oak”
Other Info:
Old Yeller: Widescreen (1.75:1)
Savage Sam: Fullscreen (1.33:1)
Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound
Old Yeller: French and Spanish Language Tracks
Savage Sam: French Subtitles
Old Yeller Running Time: 84 Minutes
Savage Sam Running Time: 104 Minutes
Synopsis:
Old Yeller was released in 1957 and Savage Sam was released in 1963. The following is from the DVD cover:
“Old Yeller: Walt Disney’s first and quintessential film about a boy’s love for his dog is now an American original as much as it is a Disney classic. No film better portrays the powerful emotions of hope, courage, and friendship. When his younger brother adopts a frisky lop-eared stray, 15-year-old Travis (Tommy Kirk), acting “man-of-the-house,” tries to shoo him away. But Old Yeller soon proves he is anything but “yellow” when he protects the family farm and saves Travis’ life. From its charming simplicity to its gripping conclusion, the drama, humor and heart of Old belong in everyone’s collection.
Savage Sam: Now discover what happens next in Savage Sam, the sequel to Walt Disney’s classic adventure Old Yeller, where adopting a new pup sets the stage for more thrills in the untamed West. With his two young masters Travis and Arliss Coates (Tommy Kirk, Kevin Corcoran), gentle and true-blue Sam faces even greater dangers than Yeller. From the ferocious attacks of wolves and wildcats to tracking renegade wrongdoers, our four-legged hero proves his pedigree. Savage Sam is a compelling story of love, devotion, and trust that is sure to win your heart.”
Old Yeller and Savage Sam are rated G.
Mini-Review:
Most people remember Old Yeller for the tragic ending where the dog is shot by his owner. But the infamous ending overshadows a really good Disney film. The scenes with the dog and the boys are classic and the film is also a great picture of life in the West in the 1800’s. I sat my kids in front of this movie and they loved Old Yeller. Admittedly, they didn’t sit still until the end to see the dog shot, but it seems to be a worthy addition to our kid movie collection. Also included is Savage Sam. I had no idea that Old Yeller had a sequel, but here it is. It’s nice to have them both in one set together.
There’s a pretty good selection of bonus features here. “Old Yeller: Remembering A Classic” is a great retrospective on the making of the film. From the writing of the book to the release of the film, they get into detail on how Old Yeller was made. The kids are also interviewed and it’s quite odd to see them all grown up. Also included is “Conversations With Tommy Kirk”. The featurette follows this former Disney star from his first job at Disney through all his feature films. The featurette doesn’t mention that he was let go from Disney for being outed as being gay, but it’s an otherwise candid look at his career and experiences there. “Lost Treasures — “Ranch Of The Golden Oak”” talks about a famous ranch outside of Hollywood that is used for filming all sorts of Westerns. It’s a great peek behind the scenes at a location used for so many productions. Rounding out the bonus features is the Pluto cartoon “Bone Trouble” and a montage of clips featuring Disney’s dog stars.
