I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

The tone of this movie is interesting -- the stakes are both dramatic and high, but it's balanced with a lot of fun, tongue and cheek dialogue.

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

I'm not sure whether to call "Saludos Amigos" a film, a short, an educational piece or an experiment. It is, at the very least, an interesting endeavor. The snippets of information given in the segments are interesting, and it's nice to get a bit of culture. The aged, sepia tone video footage of the Central American areas visited (and South American) gives it a rustic feel, which makes me want to visit. Yes, this Disney cartoon made me wonder what it is like to live in Brazil, Argentina and so forth. That's impressive enough on its own."Saludos Amigos" isn't as such a whole story, but four segments. In all honesty, they don't seem like much to make up a movie, and while the first three are cute and well animated, they seem more like the Disney shorts for television. The style doesn't seem cinematically distinct, like the Golden or Dark Age of Disney. It's lovely to look at and masterfully done; the movements and comedic timing are sublime, and the backgrounds are gorgeous. It just seems a tad less special than Disney's other works.That is, until the last segment. Set in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, it is called Aquarela do Brasil (Watercolour of Brasil). It's beautiful, artistic and inspired. The music is wonderful, and it showcases the animator's talent and imagination. It seems like the whole movie was interesting tidbits, leading up to a really cool piece of animation. The flamingos, waterfall and toucan-bananas were really cool! Not only that, but now I know where that green parrot originated from. José Carioca, needs to be brought back. He's suave, has a sexy accent, and smokes cigars. I demand more José! Also, seeing Donald getting drunk and nabbing some booty is rather hilarious.The segments include Donald and Goofy in all sorts of situations; Donald rides a grumpy llama at Lake Titicata, Goofy takes on the persona of an Argentinian gaucho. There's a sweet little short involving a plane named Pedro, who must deliver mail in Santiago. There is a few funny moments, such as when Donald and his llama get stuck on a bridge, or when he breaks the fourth wall in the fourth segment by using ink from José's outline to draw a silly stick figure. The educational aspects were pleasant, you can tell the animators had fun. It was neat to see Uncle Walt! Overall, "Saludos Amigos" is a passable little feature. It sports some decent and amazing animation, and introduces a cool character. It was genuinely interesting. I'm not sure if the information is outdated, but it show cultures of days gone by, and that is worth a lot. It's nothing amazing, but it's cute, you can see the effort put into it. It deserves to be checked out at least once.

I think the reviews of the other posters has been pretty accurate. It is very nice in the era of pixar to see the lush animation of Disney. The special feature South of the Border is fascinating. I hope these Disney travelogues are preserved and digitally enhanced because it would be a great shame to lose them. The picture quality is poor but it is better than not having any recollection at all. The narration is pure Disney and its all about the research that went into the main feature. Of course its testimony to history that seen through the eyes of middle upper class Americans its not really as accurate as Walt thought it was. Some of the facts are not facts at all. They call one creature a rabbit in the documentary but its certainly not a rabbit. It is a capybara. In the cartoon they even have an ostrich in South America!! Still despite the flaws the documentary is a charming bonus with some nostalgic images. Saludos is a pretty good cartoon although I thought the little aeroplane story was quaint it is anthromorphism gone crazy. Everyone's favourite duck with a speech impediment is fun. I never understood a word Donald said but loved his attitude. Goofy steals the movie. It took me years to realise Goofy was a dog! Its a pleasant Disney movie while not being a great one.

Animators on assignment from Walt Disney tour South America (along with Donald Duck!) to soak up new cartoon ideas. This long-unseen Disney item is full of color and music, but is obviously a holding-pattern release for the company. I watched the film on video, coupled with the quite-entertaining additional 20-minute documentary which regales even more of the non-animated adventures. Never too popular with the kids, probably because a major cartoon segment involving Pedro the Airplane isn't very funny and lacks the local flavor. Otherwise, some visually dazzling bits but not as good as the similar "The Three Caballeros", released in the US in 1945. **1/2 from ****

When I first heard that Disney was going to release a number of films from the early years which had been "almost forgotten," I was very intrigued. Would there be another Sleeping Beauty or Fantasia hiding out there?Sadly, Saludos Amigos falls very short of "Disney classic" status. It is basically forgettable.There are a few smile-inducing moments, but overall the piece really does feel like a "keep the Sudamericanos on our side against the Nazis" period piece from the WW2 era. It's strange to watch a movie made in 1943 with live action sequences of South America looking so peaceful and unaffected by the world's events. Sure, the region was less involved in WW2 than many other regions... but, it is still strange to watch.Anyway, I'd sum it up thusly: 1. Worth buying if you are a Disney collector and 2. Worthy of note simply to see live shots of Buenos Aires, Lago Titicaca, and Rio de Janeiro, filmed almost 60 years ago.Other than that, you can skip this one.