Winston Hibler Movies

The Best of Walt Disney's True-Life Adventures assembles the cream of Disney's "live action" short subjects crop. Since Disney usually equated "best" with what won at Academy Award time, this collection highlights the studio's Oscar-winning nature shorts. We are thus treated to the first of the "True Life Adventures" series, 1949's Seal Island, filmed in Alaska by nonprofessionals Alfred and Elma Milotte. Others in this compendium include Beaver Valley (1950), Nature's Half Acre (1951) and Water Birds (1952). The feature-length True-Life Adventures of the mid-1950s and 1960s have been packaged for video on a title-by-title basis. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

This Disney family adventure, directed by Robert Stevenson in his Jules Verne mode, concern a group of explorers who travel to the Arctic Circle in 1908 to explore the uncharted wastes of the North Pole. Sir Anthony Ross (Donald Sinden), a rich Londoner, organizes an Arctic exploration team in hopes of locating his missing son. Providing expert advice is Prof. John Ivarson (David Hartman), a professor of Nordic history. As the group explores the frozen tundra, they come across an unknown valley, skirting the borders of a giant volcano, that turns out to be a lost Viking kingdom. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi

In this comical Disney western, a cavalry rider goes AWOL in the midst of a raid to save the lives of a band of Indian women and children. He then takes off across the New Mexican desert astride a camel. En route, he meets a young white boy who was raised by an Indian. The Indian is trying to find his tribe and so enlists the aid of the wayward soldier. Later they encounter a widow and her daughter. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

In this heartwarming family-oriented adventure from Disney, an adorable orphan named Napoleon (Johnny Whitaker) is sent to live on his grandfather's Oregon farm. There he is befriended by a college student (Michael Douglas) who has come to the spread to work as a goat herder during the summer. One day a traveling circus comes to town and before it leaves, the lion trainer gives the grandfather an aging lion named Major to care for. This makes Napoleon happy until his grandpa suddenly dies. Not wanting to be sent to an orphanage, the boy convinces the goat herder to help him bury the old man. The goat boy then returns to the wilderness while the youngster and his lion try to get by. Eventually the authorities get wind of the death and come to investigate. The boy panics, and he and the lion set off into the wilds to find the goat herder. A young girl named Samantha (Jody Foster making her feature film debut) joins them and they have many exciting adventures. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

Moki (John Yesno) is the Indian foreman at a ranch owned by The Colonel (Chris Higgins). He watches as a baby grizzly bear becomes his playful friend before going off on his own. Years later, the bear returns as a menacing adult and threatens the cattle protected by Moki. When the Colonel wants to kill the bear, Moki interferes. The bear remembers his old friend Moki and seeks another way to satisfy his ravenous hunger in this tepid Walt Disney feature narrated by Winston Hibler. ~ Dan Pavlides, Rovi

A wayward cougar in the Northwoods wanders into a lumber camp in this animal adventure story from Disney Studios. Charlie is torn between his affection for humans and the call of the wild. Rex Allen provides his usual folksy narration in this documentary-styled feature directed by Winston Hibler. Charlie is rescued as an abandoned orphan by a concerned forester. He becomes the mascot of the lumber camp, but his growing size necessitates his return to life in the wild for the human-friendly cat. ~ Dan Pavlides, Rovi

Originally trade-previewed as Those Crazy Calloways, Disney's Those Calloways is a lengthy, anecdotal film about a highly individualistic New England family. Patriarch Cam Calloway (Brian Keith) is regarded as a crank by the local villagers because of his dream to build a bird sanctuary that will protect migratory geese from hunters. Cam uses all his savings to buy a lake, where he intends to establish his sanctuary. When a wealthy sportsman offers to turn the town into a booming resort community in exchange for hunting rights, Cam opposes the plan, which briefly puts him on the outs with everyone else. Only when Cam is accidentally shot by the sportsman do the locals rally around the "crazy" Calloways so that Cam's sanctuary can come to fruition. The plot of Those Calloways can best be described as picaresque; the film is most successful in establishing mood and atmosphere, and in offering a vast array of distinctive characterizations from such pros as Brian Keith, Vera Miles, Brandon de Wilde, Walter Brennan, Ed Wynn, John Larkin, Parley Baer, John Qualen, and Paul Hartman. Look for young Linda Evans as the girl friend of the oldest Calloway boy (DeWilde) and for future Picket Fences star Tom Skerritt as the town bully. Those Calloways was based on Swiftwater, a novel by Paul Annixter. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Originally released in 1963, this Disney nature documentary follows the charming adventures of Tuffy and Tubby, two cubs living in Yellowstone National Park. Separated from their mother, the two young bears roam the wilderness alone, and cause a stir when they come across groups of tourists and campers. ~ Carly Wray, Rovi

One of several feature-length collaborations between Disney Studios and Canada's Calgary productions (others include Big Red and The Incredible Journey), Nikki -- Wild Dog of the North concentrates on the adventures of the eponymous canine and his master, trapper Andre Dupas (Jean Coutu). Nikki, a wolf dog, comes across an orphaned bear cub. Oblivious to the fact that the two animals are supposed to be mortal enemies, Nikki befriends the cub and takes it back to Andre. When the master's boat overturns, Nikki and the cub are left to fend for themselves. Tied together, the two beasts have their share of disagreements, but soon discover that they must depend upon one another for survival. (The last time we saw this plot, it was called The Defiant Ones!) Captured by cruel hunter Jacques Lebeau (Émile Genest), Nikki is trained to attack anything that moves, but the dog's friendship for the now-grown bear transcends his new marching orders. Despite many deprivations, the animals have it pretty soft in Nikki compared to the humans, especially when taking into consideration the un-Disneylike climactic fight to the death between Andre and Lebeau. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Filmed almost entirely at a Wisconsin game preserve, this episode of Walt Disney Presents was based on a book by Emil Liers. The program chronicles the early life and adventures of two otters, Flash and Fleta, and their close-knit family. Upon reaching their rebellious teen years, Flash strikes out on his own, experiencing all manner of exciting and life-threatening exploits, especially when coming in contact with that predatory species known as Man. But as the "teaser" to this episode tipped off a week in advance, Flash is ultimately and happily reunited with his loved ones. "Flash, the Teenaged Otter" was released theatrically in 1964. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Another of Walt Disney Presents' "hybrid" episodes, this one is comprised of two previously released short subjects. The first is '60s Gala Day at Disneyland, a tour of the famous Anaheim theme park. For the purposes of this telecast, new footage is added to showcase Disneyland's most up-to-date attractions. The remainder of the episode consists of the "True-Life Adventure" entry The Olympic Elk, a saga of the annual elk migrations in Washington State's Olympic Peninsula. (This sequence was first telecast as part of the 1955 Disneyland installment Behind the True Life Cameras - Olympic Elk). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Based on Dusty's Return, a novel by Dorothy Childs Hogner, this episode of Walt Disney Presents is all about a homeless Mexican burro named Dusty. After a flirtation with wild burro leader Blackjack, Dusty is stolen by a pair of miners who use her to tote supplies and help round up stolen cattle. Severely mistreated by her captors, Dusty finally manages a daring escape. Ultimately, Dusty allows herself to be adopted by a grizzled old prospector (is there any other kind?), who wins over the burro with a mess of flapjacks and harmonica music. "Wild Burro of the West" was co-produced by Perkins Films. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

This episode of Walt Disney Presents details the uneasy relationship between human beings and mountain lions (and cougars, pumas, and panthers) in the Rockies. In typical Disney fashion, the story is told from the lion's viewpoint, as we follow cougar cubs Chimbica and Tawny as they learn to survive and in a treacherous terrain full of unexpected predators. Also seen, again from a animal-eye view, is a typical mountain lion hunt. "Killers of the High Country" was filmed on location in Utah. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi