I'd wanted to see this rather badly for years - maybe that was the reason, when I finally got my hands on the DVD, that it was a let-down. Too-high expectations. It's nice to see the Rankin/Bass team NOT cashing in on a holiday, of course. We're treated to an all-to-brief bit of Jack Gilford's "imitation of a pot of pea soup coming to a boil" that was one of his signature pieces, early in his career. The vocal talents are, for the most part, a delight: Tallulah Bankhead as the Sea Witch has a field day with the little she has to work with; Ed Wynn, as the unclothed Emperor, is very funny, though at times he sounds like he's reading from the script, while Terry-Thomas is perfect as the first tailor; Victor Borge, though, seems a bit subdued as his partner; Boris Karloff, perfect as the Rat, makes full use of his mellifluous voice and long experience in radio and voice-over work.
But those are the real hi-lights. The rest sort of fade out of memory. There are some extremely effective sequences - the Little Mermaid's journey to the lair of the Sea Witch, for example, would have had me under my seat, if I'd seen it in the theater as a child - but many of the other voice actors (well, all of them really) seem wasted in their roles. The performances are fine, but it's like being at a buffet where you only get a small taste of the delicacies - you want more.
I think that's part of the problem here. Another is the number of Anderson stories drawn upon - none of them has the time to build any depth, and none of them provides a real sense of resolution. Added to that is the parade of stars. Ray Bolger as the Pieman - the point of this was... what? He doesn't get to do much of what made him a great performer.
All of which is to say that THE DAYDREAMER isn't a bad little film - but it isn't a very good little film either.
But those are the real hi-lights. The rest sort of fade out of memory. There are some extremely effective sequences - the Little Mermaid's journey to the lair of the Sea Witch, for example, would have had me under my seat, if I'd seen it in the theater as a child - but many of the other voice actors (well, all of them really) seem wasted in their roles. The performances are fine, but it's like being at a buffet where you only get a small taste of the delicacies - you want more.
I think that's part of the problem here. Another is the number of Anderson stories drawn upon - none of them has the time to build any depth, and none of them provides a real sense of resolution. Added to that is the parade of stars. Ray Bolger as the Pieman - the point of this was... what? He doesn't get to do much of what made him a great performer.
All of which is to say that THE DAYDREAMER isn't a bad little film - but it isn't a very good little film either.