It almost seems like STRANGE WORLD had an unfair shake, the reception to the film was less than stellar and its quick jump to Disney+ seemingly sealed its fate as a Disney title to be quickly shelved amongst the likes of TREASURE PLANET or ATLANTIS. Still, we found STRANGE WORLD to have a fun story with a signature (although not terribly surprising) twist that surprised us not for narrative reasons but that it was disguised infotainment teaching us about biology that entire time!
We were provided the chance to review a complimentary advance copy and were surprised to find a very robust and exciting set of bonus features to make this film worth the physical purchase. Here’s a look at what we found…
Outtakes are always a fun offering and all the film’s stars feature here with flubs and fun moments from their time in the recording studio. Some stars, like Dennis Quaid (Jaeger Clade) are unmistakable but we’re still taken aback seeing Lucy Liu’s voice transformed for her character, Callisto Mal.
Deleted Scenes are an indubitable must on any self-respecting home release and Disney did it up right here with four scenes that feature introductions by heads of story Lissa Treiman and David G. Derrick Jr. The input from people closely involved with the narrative is always so great to hear, even if it’s just short little anecdotes. It’s a great peek into the world of filmmaking. The four deleted scenes included here are:
- The Ballad of Jaeger Clade
- Lightning Lynx
- Funerals and Promises
- Ethan and Searcher
Blending Science & Art for “Strange World” was a digital exclusive that we found on Movies Anywhere. The 2-minute clip features star Jaboukie Young-White (voice of Ethan Clade) talking about the medical research that went into the creative decisions for both story and design of the film to craft the fanciful biological ecosystem showcased in the film.
The rest of the features on this release work as bite-sized chunks of behind-the-scenes looks at the making of the film. In total they sum up to nearly 50 minutes of extra bingeable materials.
Anatomy of a Scene: Creating A Strange World is the first featurette and by far the most robust which, as its name suggests, is a full picture view of the filmmaking process. The scene in question is the bloodstream chase which filmmakers called potentially the most technically challenging scene ever attempted by Walt Disney Animation due to the number of disciplines put to use in bringing it to life. Director Don Hall features with a myriad of the crew including producers, animators, visual development artists, and more.
Strange Science is advertised from the get go as spoiler-heavy and that’s because it goes into the surprise twist at the end of the film that this Strange World has been the biological ecosystem of a much larger creature. Jaboukie is back again here taking a closer look at the real science that inspired the entire world of this film and how it functions.
Creature Feature is a great piece done in the style of a vintage health/news video reel with a look at the creatures in this film which were adapted from bodily organisms. If you were wondering what all the official names of all these creatures were, piece will turn you into an Avalonian biological studies expert in 6 minutes flat.
The Hidden Secrets of Strange World is a fun featurette aimed at the littles with more than 5 minutes of fun facts and Easter Eggs that you can search for on repeat viewings. And yes, that includes hidden Mickeys! Always love when these are included, the child in us is giddy to learn about all the fun little secrets.
And because we can, here’s one additional bonus extra that you won’t find on the home release, it’s a short clip on the voice actors of the film!
See it for Yourself
STRANGE WORLD is available now on all major digital platforms and on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD.