“The Sword In The Stone” is an enjoyable old school animated Disney film.

The plot: A wizard named Merlin takes a young orphan boy named Arthur/Wart under his wing and teaches him about nature, intellect, destiny, and also opens his eyes to a world of magic.

“The Sword In The Stone” may not be one of Disney’s finest animated films, but it is a charming coming-of-age story that is sprinkled with delightful comedic scenes in which Arthur and Merlin are transformed into such animals as fish, squirrels, and birds. There are also wickedly entertaining sequences in which Merlin duels an evil, ugly witch. Of course, in typical Disney fashion, each and every frame is beautifully animated with an exquisite attention to detail.

All fun aside, the main problem with ‘Stone’ is that it doesn’t have much going on under the surface. Not only does the film have an abrupt (albeit enchanting) ending, but the movie doesn’t amount to much more than a series of lessons that Merlin teaches young Arthur. The story leaves you wanting more than what we are given, which is a shame as this film could have very well been a masterpiece.

The 1.33:1 fullscreen picture quality is the cleanest transfer to date, but the print is still full of dirt, shimmering, and grain.

The Dolby Digital 5.1 audio gets a thumbs up from me. The score, songs, and dialogue are as clear as they have ever been.

Extras:

* Disney ad and trailers.

* A 7 minute goofy short titled “A Knight For A Day” and a 9 minute Mickey Mouse short called “The Brave Little Tailor.”

* Film facts and “The Sword In The Stone” scrapbook.

* “Music Magic: The Sherman Brothers” is an 8 minute featurette on the songwriters.

* “Merlin’s Magical Academy Game.”

* A 7 minute excerpt from an old school short titled “All About Magic.”