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There was a time when Disney animation wasn’t about cheapskate direct-to-video sequels to their true classics. There was a time when the something of quality coming out of their studios didn’t have to have “Pixar” stamped on it. Those days are long over it seems, but at least we still have DVD to remind us. One thing about truly classic Disney is that Walt and his crew were never afraid to take chances and be innovative. If they’d rested on their laurels, we never would have had Fantasia or even the original Snow White. It was with this view of new and exciting things that they ventured into one of their least-appreciated times in filmmaking. During and after the war years in the mid-20th century, Disney plunged headlong into helping out the Good Neighbor Policy to help build relations with South American countries, and two of his feature film efforts greatly reflect that. On the new Classic Caballeros Collection, Disney collects those two films, Saludos Amigos and Three Caballeros in one package.

Saludos Amigos, shot in 1942, features a wraparound story/documentary showcasing the culture of South America and what Disney artists encountered on trips there, with four animated shorts interspersed throughout. In one, Donald Duck has to deal with a snooty llama; in another Goofy takes up cowboy duty south of the border. A third is the story of a young mail airplane that takes on its father’s job during a bad storm. The final story has parrot Jose Carioca taking Donald on a tour of Rio de Janiero.

Two years later, Disney made Three Caballeros, in which Donald is given a lesson in the cultures of Mexico and Brazil by his friends Ponchito and Jose Carioca. This time, there’s several attempts throughout to combine the animated characters and live-action actors (often Carmen Miranda) into the same scenes.

Are these two films as deserving of classic status as Dumbo and Lady and the Tramp? Of course not. But they’re still very enjoyable exercises in something different from the company and still classics nonetheless.

The prints utilized are quite nice and pretty. There’s also a few really neat extras included. A promo reel featuring the artists and Walt Disney himself visiting the continent is giddy fun, especially upon viewing Walt trying to dance the local styles. A short excerpt from an interview Walt did regarding the films is included, as are two more bonus cartoons featuring Donald that have a Latin flavor.

All in all, it’s a very nice package for two of Disney’s most under-appreciated films, and they’re both certainly worth rediscovering.

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