All Rise...

Judge David Johnson reflects fondly on his days in all-girl Parisian school. He's less fond of the arrest and trial.

Editor's Note

Our reviews of The Madeline Movie: Lost In Paris (published March 24th, 2010), Madeline On The Town (published April 3rd, 2011), Madeline's Christmas And Other Wintry Tales (published October 27th, 2010), and Madeline's Halloween And Other Spooky Tales (published September 19th, 2010) are also available.

The Charge

All that's missing is the bullwhip and fedora.

The Case

Here are six episodes from the vault of Madeline shows, which appear to span different incarnations of the series. The animation quality is different among episodes, as are the narrators, the opening titles and general feel. Still, it's all Madeline, meaning you can rely on 20-odd minutes of delightful misadventuring from a tiny French redhead girl, her tiny friends, and the nun who watches over them.

The basic premise of the show is that Madeline gets into mild trouble and ends up bringing joy to all she encounters. It's the standard-issue game plan for most kids shows, but Madeline is a classic and boasts a unique charm. She's often accompanied by her dog pal Genevieve, her neighbor Pepito, and the eleven classmates from Miss Clavel's school (the aforementioned nun).

On disc:
• "Madeline and the Magic Carpet"
• "Madeline On Safari"
• "Madeline and the Lost Crown"
• "Madeline and the Gypsies"
• "Madeline and the Pirates"
• "Madeline and the Forty Thieves"

Yes, those sound like titles to Indiana Jones movies or maybe volumes of the Hardy Boys. Madeline isn't content with gallivanting on boring adventures like going to the bakery to buy a roll, or learning how to play the cello. No, this girl is hard-core. She's tangling with genies. And facing off with pirates (who turn out to be singing and dancing entertainers, but they look like pirates). And finding a way off of a stuck Ferris wheel during a lightning storm. My favorite episode involves Madeline joining a group of gypsies and dressing up as a lion to work in their circus. Bizarre. Yet strangely adventurous!

All 132 minutes of the charming but simplistic animation are transferred in passable full frame, supported by a passable 2.0 stereo mix. No extras.

The Verdict

Not Guilty. The court is looking forward to "Madeline and the Temple of Doom."

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