`Tis the season for animated home videos....and plenty of them. From theatrical re-releases and re-packaged television content, to original direct-to-video fare, the relatively young home video market is booming. Distributors increasingly find themselves competing not only with each other, but with other venues of entertainment. With the veritable cornucopia of animated fare currently on cable television and in theaters, it's tough to get kids' attention at this time of year.

This fall, home video distributors will spend hundreds of millions of dollars on television and newspaper advertising, most of it aimed towards gift-buying parents. Tie-ins, rebates and cross-promotions catch consumers in daily life, with a wave of restaurant, grocery store, shopping mall, airline and even elementary school partnerships. Going for those point-of-purchase sales, many distributors are even offering toys attached to packaging, and elaborate in-store displays with coloring books, buttons and posters.

This month, we sat down with a crate full of video tapes and a bowl of popcorn to explore this market. Here's a sampling of the latest new animated home video offerings, and a sneak peek at what's coming soon to a video store near you.

What's New

Babes in Toyland. © 1997 MGM Home Entertainment.

Babes in Toyland
The first feature-length animated musical adaptation of the classic book, Babes in Toyland is a fun and charming twist on classic nursery rhyme tales. Based on the operetta by Victor Herbert and the book by Toby Bluth, Babes in Toyland tells the story of cherubic orphans Jack and Jill (of went-up-the-hill fame), and their adventure to save "Toyland" from their own Gargamel-esque, crotchety uncle Barnaby. With its surreal, vividly colorful animation of various anthropomorphic toys, machines, tableware and even a cow jumping over a talking moon, the film is worth watching for the visuals alone. If that's not enough of an incentive, get it to hear the character voices by James Belushi, Jonathan Dern and even Charles Nelson Reilly.

The film is a remarkable accomplishment, in that it is the first made for home video title from MGM's three year-old animation production division, MGM Animation. Their first two titles, All Dogs Go To Heaven I and II, had theatrical runs before their respective home video releases. Premiering on video last month, Babes in Toyland was co-directed by Charles Grosvernor, Toby Bluth and Paul Sabella (Sabella served as one of four co-producers as well). In addition, Toby Bluth served as production designer, and his book, Babes in Toyland, provided a style guide for the film; and, yes, he is the brother of director Don Bluth whose Anastasia is released theatrically this month.

Distribution MGM Home Entertainment
Available 10/24/93
Price $19.98
Run Time 80 min.
Rating G
Tie-Ins MGM Interactive, Mail-in offer for plush toy, Nathan's Restaurants