Mary Poppins

Starring: Dick Van Dyke, Julie Andrews Dvd Release: 7th March, 2005 Number Of Discs: 2 Format: Box set, PAL, Widescreen, Region 2 Encoding

Article Index: [Background Info] [DVD Review] [Biographies] [Articles/Resources] [Link To This Article] Looking To Buy? Buy This DVD Here

Mary Poppins is a childrens book written by P L Travers & originally published in 1934 with illustrations by Mary Shepard. Jane, Michael & twin babies John & Barbara. In the film, Mary Poppins best friend is Bert, a Cockney who seems to have a number of jobs, including chimney sweep, pavement artist, etc, but otherwise is the one normal adult friend of Mary who is completely accustomed to her magic. Some Mary Poppins books may have been influenced by the authors relationship with G I Gurdjieff, the Greek Armenian mystic & teacher of dancing, whom she met in 1938. Mary Poppins Opens the Door, published 1943. Mary Poppins in the Park, published 1952. Mary Poppins From A to Z, published 1962. Mary Poppins in the Kitchen, published 1975. Mary Poppins in Cherry Tree Lane, published 1982. Mary Poppins & the House Next Door, published 1988. The first book was the main basis for the Walt Disney film Mary Poppins, a musical which mixed live action & animation & was released on August 29, 1964.

This is one of those films that has stood the test of time & is still entertaining now as it was 40 years ago. Everyone knows the tale of the magical nanny that blows in on the east wind & into the lives of the Banks family of 17 Cherry Tree Lane. Jane & Michael Banks have had a succession of strict nannies as well as a very strict father & a mother who is always out with her fellow suffragettes. Mary Poppins brings magic & fun into the childrens lives, something that has been sorely lacking prior to her arrival.

Julie Andrews stars as the nanny & Dick Van Dyke as the lovable cockney Bert, who always seems to be around at the right time for an adventure. The children find themselves having outings such as jumping into a chalk picture into a cartoon world, having a tea-party on a ceiling & dancing across the rooftops of London. Stuffed to the gills with songs such as Spoonful of Sugar, Chim Chim Cheree, Feed the Birds & Jolly Holiday, this will have you tapping your foot throughout.

This 40th anniversary edition is on 2 discs & features lots of extras such as a documentary, commentary, footage of the premieres etc. The quality of print is very high, the colours have never looked so vibrant & the picture is razor sharp. Wonderful stuff.

Richard Wayne Van Dyke, usually credited as Dick Van Dyke, is a noted American television & movie actor. Murder as Dr Sloan in the 1990s. Van Dykes first major role was on stage in Bye Bye Birdie in 1960, for which he won a Tony Award. He then starred in his own sitcom, The Dick Van Dyke Show, which ran for five seasons – in the lead role of Rob Petrie, Van Dyke won three Emmy Awards. He slowly transitioned out of television into movie acting in Bye Bye, Birdie, What a Way to Go! and, most notably, Walt Disney s Mary Poppins, in which he played Bert, a Cockney chimney sweep & also played, in heavy disguise, the elderly owner of the bank. Van Dykes attempt at a Cockney accent was widely ridiculed, but the film also showed his versatility as a singer & dancer. Dick Van Dyke was a great admirer of Stan Laurel & even gave the eulogy at his funeral. He once met Laurel & told him he had copied a great deal from him. He said Laurel only laughed & said Ive noticed that. After the mid-1960s, Van Dyke was in a number of relatively unsuccessful movies. Posters Of Dick Van Dyke

Editors Choice: Dick Tracy, Mary Poppins, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, The Dick Van Dyke Show, View DVDology

Dame Julie Andrews is a British actress, singer & author, best known for her starring roles in the musical films Mary Poppins & The Sound of Music. She was born Julia Elizabeth Wells in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey on October 1, 1935. Her earliest public performances were during World War II, entertaining troops throughout the UK with fellow child star Petula Clark. She made her stage debut at an early age, appearing in London s West End in 1947. She graduated through radio & theatre to starring in stage productions of musicals such as The Boyfriend, My Fair Lady & Camelot. When she lost the starring role in the film of My Fair Lady to Audrey Hepburn, she received the consolation of the starring role in Walt Disney s musical version of Mary Poppins, winning a Best Actress Academy Award as a result. She was nominated again, the following year, for her role as Maria von Trapp in The Sound of Music & thus became, briefly, one of the most sought-after stars in Hollywood. Posters Of The Princess Diaries 2

Editors Choice: The Princess Diaries 2, The Princess Diaries, Relative Values, Victor Victoria, The Man Who Loved Women, Mary Poppins, The Tamarind Seed, The Sound Of Music, View DVDology

©2004-2008 DVDArk.co.uk