Wallace and Gromit have run out of cheese and this provides an execellent excuse for the animated duo to take their holiday on the moon.

Fun adventure, with the arguably the most famous cartoon character in the world. A complete family entertainer.

Though its mantle as the dominant force in animation may have slipped a little of late, Walt Disney Fables, Volume 1 recalls the golden age when the studio was capable of producing pure magic. Of the two volumes released this is the strongest, interpreting two well-known tales in inimitable Disney fashion. Mark Twain's The Prince and the Pauper features a host of familiar characters including Mickey Mouse, Goofy and Donald Duck, and is an absolute joy: the animation is of the rich, classic nature that made the studio famous and the cartoon strikes the perfect balance between staying true to the original tale and revealing the Disney characters' traits. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, meanwhile, predicts the trend for celebrity voice-overs by employing the golden tones of Bing Crosby to tell the at-times quite dark ghost story. This is the perfect offering for those who continually opine that cartoons just aren't as good as they used to be.

On the DVD: Walt Disney Fables, Volume 1 proves that, while such vintage material will never really be able to compete with the CG world of Toy Story, it still retains an undoubted charm. The depth and colour evident in the hand-drawn cartoons (especially The Prince and the Pauper) is given added resonance by the digital format, and the audio track has also benefited, particularly noticeably on Crosby's rich narration. The extras menu features an interactive game, mildly diverting but leaving the feeling that, at a mere 57 minutes, the package is a little slight on value for money. A second volume is also available. --Phil Udell

Raiding the Disney archives, Walt Disney Fables Volume 2 is a collection of animated fairy tales from as early as the mid-1930s. Of the two volumes, this is perhaps better suited to younger children, featuring as it does a succession of short, easy-to-follow stories told through bright, colourful characters and songs. It may not feature any of Disney's more recognisable creations, but the chosen fables are imbued with strong enough stories to hold the attention.

The animation, while state-of-the-art in its day, comes over now as more than a little awkward and crude--especially in comparison to the studio's classic output of the 1960s. While not really an example of Disney at its best, this does give a good indication of the company's roots and the start of a process that would lead to countless magical moments along the way.

On the DVD: Walt Disney Fables Volume 2 presents a snapshot of early animation and as such is not really amenable to technical enhancement, leaving an overall effect that offers no substantial improvement on the VHS format. The chapter selection, however, will be a boon for anyone who has sat through increasingly worn video tapes over the years. There is a reasonably appealing interactive game based on Disney's films over the years, yet with no other extras at all this is a long way short of the standard of presentation that the studio itself has set. The more satisfying first volume is also available. --Phil Udell