Disc Details
Special Features:	Theatrical trailer(s) New introduction by Don Knotts Original behind-the-scenes featurette Henry Limpet's Fishtank set-top game "Operation Limpet" DVD-ROM action adventure game Full-screen and widescreen anamorphic formats
Video Format:	front side: Anamorphic Widescreen (1.85:1); back side: Full Screen (1.33:1) [DS-SL]
Languages:	English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono) Spanish (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono)
Subtitles:	English, Spanish, French
Captions:	Yes
Casing:	1-Disc Snap Case

Starring Don Knotts as perennial dweebster Mr. Limpet, the film puts us in the heart of WWII, where able men enlisted to patriotically defend the nation, while women and those too fragile to fight stayed at home, manning desk jobs and the like. With poor vision and muscles that…well, frankly could only belong to Barney Fife, Limpet’s call to duty puts him behind a desk, where his love of aquatic life supercedes all other relationships, including that of his overbearing wife.

The catch? On a visit to Coney Island, Limpet’s accidental plunge and drowning serendipitously turns him into a fish (completely animated), leaving his wife and best bud back on shore, mourning his loss. Limpet, eventually discovering that his underwater status and powerful sonar bellowing can potentially help the US Navy thwart deadly German U-boat attacks, attempts communication with a battleship. The plot makes absolutely no sense whatsoever, but the goofiness completely works in its favor.

Wacky German foes, realizing that a secret weapon called “Limpet” is aiding the US in sinking their U-boats, decide to go after “Das Limpet,” and total zaniness ensues. In fact, in a sequence that could never be greenlit nowadays, we are transported to a Nazi war room, where nothing but German is spoken for atleast 5 minutes, with no subtitles. It’s a wild scene, and because of the sheer hilarity of the physical comedy, we know exactly what is being spoken without having to know a single word of Deutsch.

Knotts is perfect as both Limpet the man and Limpet the talking animated fish, while the few musical numbers are also memorable. The animation isn’t spectacular, but the sheer fact that it was all done before the days of computer aided compositing is nearly inconceivable. Refreshing, goofy and completely likeable, this childhood favorite remains a timeless treasure for the whole family.

Picture Quality: 7/10
"The Incredible Mr. Limpet" is presented in both 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen and a poorly cropped 4:3 pan & scan version. While the live action portions of the picture look fabulous (thanks to the wonders of Technicolor), the animation/live-action hybrid sequences have some major problems, none of which could have been avoided.

The live-action sequences have vibrant color and extremely good contrast, but there is considerable grain and somewhat noticeable halo effects during those scenes. The hybrid sequences suffer from what I can only assume were primitive compositing techniques of the time. The purely animated scenes look a little soft, but still far better than its videotape counterpart. A commendable job by Warner Home Video.

Sound Quality: 7/10
Presented in two mono language tracks (English and Spanish), the sound quality is actually better than you might think. The audio track seems to have been cleaned up a bit, but obviously lacks the range found in more recent films. Still, it is quite a serviceable audio track.

Also included are English, French and Spanish subtitles, and English Closed Captions.

Menu: 9/10
A very cool "underwater" animated menu system. Playing in the background is the catchy "I Wish I Were a Fish" tune. Woohoo.
No Easter Eggs found during review.

Extra Features: 7/10
Kudos to Warner Bros. for putting together a very nice supplemental package.

Those looking to experience a wacky time-warp back to the early 60s should take note.

First off is the Introduction by Don Knotts, which is an excerpt from a full interview with the actor.

The 10-minute featurette Weekend at Weeki Wachee is the gem of the disc. Produced in 1963 for the film's debut, it's like watching one of those goofy “Duck and Cover” clips of old. It is the predecessor to those super fluffy featurettes currently bloating most DVDs. It chronicles what they call the "first-ever underwater premiere" of a motion picture. Among the wacky antics you’ll find here -- all narrated by one of those typical propoganda-style voices – are what the narrator calls a “galaxy of beauty queens,” a.k.a. bikini-clad 60s chicks posing as mermaids. It’s all a hilarious time-warp back to the early 60s, and well worth your time.

Mr. Limpet's Fish Tank is basically a submenu linking to more interview excerpts with Knotts, none of which are very exciting to sit through. Get in the Swim is a Simon-like memory game with the lovable Henry. Lastly, the film's original theatrical trailer in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen and mono sound is included, as is a preview of "A Big New Color Movie!" hosted by Arthur Godfrey.

The DVD-Rom features consist mainly of a few interactive games the kids should enjoy.

The Final Word:
A childhood favorite of mine, "The Incredible Mr. Limpet" still remains as charming and delightful as ever. Kudos to Warner Bros. for going out on a limb and putting together such a nicely packaged DVD for this classic family film. For those with young children, it's definitely worth taking a look at!

Stephen Wong