Country Bears

Overview

The Country Bears comes to DVD with a standard full-frame transfer. English and French soundtracks are rendered in Dolby Digital 5.1. There are no subtitles, but the English soundtrack is closed-captioned. Supplemental materials include a commentary track recorded by director Peter Hastings and the characters Ted and Zeb, a music video, karaoke capabilities, a television special featuring the Bears, and a mockumentary about them as well. This is a fine family friendly release from Disney/Buena Vista.

Product Details

Release Date:	12/17/2002
UPC:	0786936202137
Original Release:	2002
Rating:	G
Source:	Walt Disney Video
Region Code:	1
Sound:	[Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround, THX-Supervised Mastering]
Language:	English
Time:	1:28:00
Sales rank:	7,832

Special Features

Closed Caption; Director's commentary with special guests Ted and Zeb; The Country Bears: Out of the Woods" featurette; Music video MixMaster Jamboree; The Country Bears Concert for America (ABC Special); Sing-along viewing option; Krystal music video; Dolby digital 5.1 surround sound; THX-certified; Fullscreen (1.33:1); French language track

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Haley Joel Osment	Beary Barrington
Diedrich Bader	Off. Cheets/Ted Bedderhead
Candy Ford	Trixie
James Gammon	Big Al
Brad Garrett	Fred
Toby Huss	Tennessee
Kevin Michael Richardson	Henry,Henry Dixon Taylor
Stephen Root	Zeb
Christopher Walken	Reed Thimple
Stephen Tobolowsky	Norbert Barrington
Daryl Mitchell	Off. Hamm
M.C. Gainey	Roadie
Alex Rocco	Rip Holland
Megan Fay	Mrs. Barrington
Eli Marienthal	Dex Barrington
Queen Latifah	Cha-Cha
Krystal Harris	Herself
Don Henley	Himself,Composer
Wyclef Jean	Himself
Elton John	Himself
Willie Nelson	Himself
Bonnie Raitt	Herself
Brian Setzer	Himself
Don Was	Himself
Xzibit	Xzibit
Richard Kind	Actor
Charles Dutton	Actor
John Hiatt	Actor
Christopher Young	Composer

Technical Credits

Mark Perez

Peter Hastings	Director
Mark Perez	Screenwriter
Jeffrey Chernov	Producer
Tim Davison	Stunts
Andrew Gunn	Producer
David Kelsey	Special Effects
Ruth Lambert	Casting
Steve Nelson	Sound/Sound Designer

Scene Index

Side #1 --
1. Opening Credits/Who Am I Different?
2. We Gotta Save Country Bear Hall
3. Hitting the Road
4. Picking Up Fred & Zeb
5. Keeping the Dream Alive
6. The Chase Is On
7. Finding Trixie
8. What About Ted?
9. Beary Comes Home
10. To the Rescue
11. The Big Show
12. Artist Interviews/End Credits

Menu

Side #1 --
   Scene Selection
   Set Up
      Audio Options
         English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround
         French Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround
      Captions
         English for the Hearing Impaired
      THX
         Audio Tests
            Play Test
         Video Tests
            Play Test
   Bonus Material
      The Country Bears: Out of the Woods
      Video Mix Master Jamboree
      The Country Bears Concert for America
      Jawin' With the Bears: Audio Commentary With Director Peter Hastings and Special Guests 2EB
      Sing With the Movie
         On
         Off
      "The Kid in You" Music Video, Performed By Krystal Marie Harris
      Register Your DVD
   Sneak Peeks
      The Jungle Book 2
      Beauty and the Beast: Belle's Magical World
      Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams
      101 Dalmatians II: Patch's London Adventure
      Inspector Gadget 2
   Play

Editorial Reviews

Paws down, The Country Bears is the best live-action comedy ever based on a Disney theme-park attraction -- a sweet, cleverly cast surprise that's a subversively funny cross between The Jerk and The Blues Brothers. Taking its cue from the Disneyland original, the film relies on costumed characters rather than ursine computer-generation. Haley Joel Osment is the voice of Beary Berrington, a cub who worships the Country Bears, a legendary band that broke up a decade earlier following its "Hiber Nation" tour. When Beary, who has been adopted by humans, leaves home to find his birth parents, his pilgrimage takes him to venerable Country Bear Hall, the venue where his beloved band got their start. Discovering that it's about to be destroyed by a banker (a hilarious Christopher Walken) with a surprising old score to settle, Beary has an inspiration: reunite the long-estranged Country Bears for a benefit concert that will save their former stomping grounds. The film boasts a honey of a soundtrack: John Hiatt, Bonnie Raitt, and Don Henley all lend their voices, and Brian Setzer participates in a "Devil Went Down to Georgia"-type battle of the bands. From slapstick comedy to sly and surreal humor, The Country Bears is all-ages fun.

Barnes & Noble - Donald Liebenson

Don't believe the critics. With songs by John Hiatt, vocals by Hiatt, Don Henley, and Bonnie Raitt, and appearances by Christopher Walken, Queen Latifah, and rockabilly hero Brian Setzer, The Country Bears is far hipper than the animatronic troupe of fuzz balls from the old Disneyland theme show. The fantasy story plays out like a fur-covered The Commitments, with a bright dose of the old "let's put on a show" plot twist, but the young target audience won't find the familiar story line tiresome in the least, and parents will be relieved to see the Bears have soul, not just in their tunes but also in their intentions as well. Only the crustiest curmudgeon will complain that none of the humans in the film question the fact that the bears talk, walk upright, wear clothing, and can play guitar. This warm and fuzzy winner was drummed out of theaters by tepid reviews (a situation which unfortunately may preclude sequels), but the small screen at home may be the best place to watch this anyway. The Country Bears deserves an audience.

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