Official Synopsis:
Embark on thrilling adventures to South America and Mexico in two full-length movies, Saludos Amigos and its sequel The Three Caballeros - together for the first time in one DVD collection! Join Goofy, Donald Duck and Walt Disney himself as they experience all the music, beauty and excitement Latin America has to offer. Walt and his team of artists, musicians, writers and animators says "Adios!" to the U.S. to explore the heart and soul of Latin America. In Saludos Amigos they travel to fun and exciting places and capture their adventures along the way. Next, it's Donald's turn to take a fantastic journey through these colorful lands with his friends Joe Carioca and Panchito in The Three Caballeros. With lighthearted dance and lively music, it's a celebration the whole family will enjoy!

  
Our Take:
I’d never really heard of Joe Carioca or Panchito before watching The Classic Caballeros Collection, but they play a pretty big role in both of the movies included on this DVD. I’m not quite sure why they never really spun off into any other Disney projects (aside from the fact that they’re not really that great of characters), but they get their due here. I’m also surprised that Pedro the Plane never really broke out beyond Saludos Amigos; he’s a great, scrappy little character, and I’m pretty sure I had a toy of him as a kid that I played with 24/7.

I’m fairly impressed with Disney’s DVD of The Classic Caballeros Collection. Combining two films into one DVD, both Saludos Amigos and The Three Caballeros are infotainment; educational Disney programs that are fun and enjoyable, especially for kids. The first film, Amigos, is much more of a travelogue, combining live action segments with Donald Duck and Goofy cartoons. The sequel, Caballeros, takes on a much more traditional cartoon role. Both are pretty good, even if neither is what I’d consider classic Disney.

There are also a few solid extra features included on the DVD, such as:

* Backstage Disney: South of The Border – More documentary footage. Yawn.
*  Walt Disney CBC Interviews – Some brief interview excerpts with the Man himself.
* Bonus Shorts:
- Don Donald
- Contrary Condor

While not necessarily must-have Disney material, The Classic Caballeros Collection is both a pretty fun viewing experience and a good value in terms of amount of material included. Disney completists will be thrilled to finally have this one on DVD.

Overall Picture:
Movie: B
DVD: B

- Mike Spring

Editor