Walt Disney Home Video presents

Mickey Mouse Club: The Best of Britney, Justin, and Christina (1993)

"Wow, Ted, your mom is so strict."- Britney Spears, showcasing her acting in a comedy skit

Stars: Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, Christina Aguilera
Other Stars: Fred Newman, Terri Misner, Josh Ackerman, Lindsey Alley, Rhona Bennett, Nita Booth, J.C. Chasez, Nikki DeLoach, T.J. Fantini, Dale Godboldo, Ryan Gosling, Tony Lucca, Ricky Luna, Tate Lynche, Jennifer McGill, Ilana Miller, Matt Morris, Keri Russell, Marc Worden, Joel Slaven, Anna Lee Burly, Brian McKnight, Erin Bryley, Melissa Montgomery, Robert Bukoski, Mary Lou Retton
Director: Various

MPAA Rating: Not Rated for (nothing objectionable)
Run Time: 01h:37m:43s
Release Date: 2005-07-12
Genre: television

Style Grade	Substance Grade	Image Transfer Grade	Audio Transfer Grade	Extras Grade
D-	D	B	B	D-

 

DVD Review

I have no recollections from my childhood about Disney's resurrection of The Mickey Mouse Club. Frankly, on the basis of watching Mickey Mouse Club Presents The Best of Britney, Justin, & Christina, it doesn't merit a spot in my memory. However, it's interesting to think that multiple members of its cast (in addition to the three title cast members, Keri Russell also performed on the program) went on to become superstars in their own right. If for no other reason, watching the child versions of Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, and Christina Aguilera serves to show that they are the embodiment of the American dream—for better or worse.

It's difficult to gauge who would enjoy this program, because its sets and clothing are reminders of the tackiness of the early 1990s that today's kids probably won't relate to it and the rest of us try to forget. Of course, the reason anybody would want to watch this is to see Britney, Justin, and Christina in concert. Unfortunately, the vast majority of the 97 minutes (comprised of four episodes from the 1993 season) don't pay attention to them. Instead we are treated to animal handler Joel Slaven's lesson on alligators, a special segment on teen depression, a tour of Mary Lou Retton's training routine, and numerous skits that rarely feature our burgeoning stars. The only one of these skits that left me with a smile on my face is a mock ad for Basset Hounds, mimicking quite cunningly the formula of TV commercials for cars.

Sprinkled throughout are biography profiles of the three children, all of which show them as all-American dream stories. Each of them comes from small towns, enjoys basketball and other outdoor activities, and seems down to earth. Of course I view these scenes skeptically, particularly in light of all the drama the tabloids publish about their various romantic endeavors and the troubles within their family histories. The highlight of the disc comes from Christina Aguilera, when she sings the song I Have Nothing. Even at a young age, her voice is unbelievably powerful and it's stunning to think her tiny vocal chords could produce such a sound.

Yet, I still found myself mostly bored and irritated by the whole thing. The comedy skits are largely flat and dated (who really cares to see references to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle action figures nowadays?), so I doubt that today's youth will find much valuable in this either. The image and sound transfers are adequate, but nothing spectacular. Thus, there's really nothing to lure us in.

Rating for Style: D-
Rating for Substance: D

 

Image Transfer

	One
Aspect Ratio	1.33:1 - Full Frame
Original Aspect Ratio	yes
Anamorphic	no

Image Transfer Grade: B
 

Audio Transfer

	Language	Remote Access
DS 2.0	English	no

Audio Transfer Grade: B 

Disc Extras

Full Motion menu with music
Scene Access with 4 cues and remote access
Subtitles/Captions in English with remote access
4 Other Trailer(s) featuring Cinderella: Platinum Edition DVD, Chicken Little, Old Yeller: Two-Disc DVD, Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch DVD
Packaging: Amaray
Picture Disc
1 Disc
1-Sided disc(s)
Layers: single

Extra Extras:

1. Highlights—direct access to the biography profiles and music performances of Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, and Justin Timberlake.

Extras Review: For those who want to skip the dreadful material devoid of our trio of superstars, the biography profiles and musical performances can be accessed by a special Highlights feature. Additionally, the trailers for Cinderella: Platinum Edition DVD, Chicken Little, Old Yeller: Two-Disc DVD, and Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch DVD play before the menu comes up and can be accessed through the main menu as well.

Extras Grade: D-
 

Final Comments

For a "best of" collection, there's very little attention paid to Britney, Justin, and Christina. The limited supplemental material makes it impossible for me to recommend this title.

Nate Meyers 2005-07-12