The MirrorARCHIVES: Jan 22 - Jan 28 2009 Vol. 24 No. 31  
Vidiot's Box

 


Since its release in 1964, Mary Poppins has become one of the most popular children’s classics of all time, winning five Oscars, popularizing Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious and being immortalized, along with Alien and Star Wars, in Disney World’s The Great Movie Ride.

Based on a collection of children’s books by P.L. Travers, Disney took the stern, vain and fairly unlikeable title-character and transformed her into a fantasy nanny who was “practically perfect in every way.” Played by the then relatively unknown Julie Andrews, in what was her first film role and one that would define her career, Poppins became the ideal guardian—charming, witty and full of surprises.

There’s no denying the performance, for which Andrews won a best actress Oscar, has always been heavy on the sweet side, but it’s to the film’s credit (and a healthy dose of nostalgia) that its naiveté is still digestible. Dick Van Dyke is no small help as charismatic chimney sweep Burt, whose Cockney accent and rubber face add a well-needed dose of comedy and supposed reality to the nanny’s whimsical life.

David Tomlinson is still perfect as the no-nonsense father, as is Glynis Johns as the children’s raspy-voiced Suffragette mother, busy marching for the cause.

Last released five years ago, the latest incarnation celebrates the film’s 45th anniversary with downloadable MP3s (you can now load “Step in Time” onto your iPod), deleted songs and pop-up facts. The edition also caters to the hordes of fans won over by the Broadway musical, which debuted in London’s West End before hopping across the pond at the end of 2006 and features a from-page-to-the-stage story and the usual behind the scenes footage.

Also out on DVD this week, 9to5: Days in Porn, a documentary that looks into the lives of those in the adult entertainment industry. Written and directed by Jens Hoffmann, the film tells the stories of a few well-know porn actresses including BellaDonna and Sasha Grey and examines the industry from different geographical vantage points from the Czech Republic to the San Fernando Valley.

-SACHA JACKSON
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