Walt Disney Treasures - Zorro - Buy from Amazon: Season One and Season Two
Guy Williams stars as Don Diego de la Vega who has spent the past three years studying in Spain but was recently summoned back to California due to some unspecified troubles. When he arrives with his mute manservant, Bernardo, he learns California is under the brutal rule, while a man by the name of Capitán Monastario is using is position of power to become the richest man in all of California. In order to avoid the suspicion of the Capitán, Don Diego decides to use a new persona, that of a studious man who has no interest in swordsmanship, but who dons a mask and calls himself Zorro. Bernado meanwhile pretends to be deaf as well as mute, so he can spy on those who would plot again Zorro. With his new personas to keep him out of trouble, Don Diego acts as a masked avenger who rights all the wrongs and protects those to weak to protect themselves.
Season One lasts 39 episodes and includes three major storylines, the first of has Zorro battling against Capitán Monastario. After his defeat, Zorro must move on to stop Magistrado Galindo, who plans to rule all of California, while the season ends with Zorro matching wits with the Eagle, who was the power behind Magistrado Galindo.
Extras on this 6-disc set start with an introduction by Leonard Maltin, while the rest of the bonus features are found on disc six. This includes the first two of the hour long specials that appeared on Walt Disney Presents in 1960. The Life and Legend of Zorro is a 12-minute featurette on the creation of the character and its many incarnations in popular culture, especially the creation of this show. Finally, there's a short excerpt from the Fourth Anniversary of the Mickey Mouse Club TV show with Walt Disney discussing Zorro, which at the time had not yet aired on TV.
Season Two doesn't follow the same format, but there are more stories, most of which are a few to several episodes long. The first of these pits Zorro against bandits that were targeting supply ships that were heading into Monterey, the colonial capital. Don Diego and Bernardo stay in Monterey and Don Diego gets into a rivalry over the affections of Ana María Verdugo. Annette Funicello guest stars as Anita Cabrillo, a young girl who comes into Los Angeles to reunite with her rich father, only no one has heard of him. (This part was written for Annette Funicello as her 16th birthday gift, because she had a crush on Guy Williams.)
Extras on Season Two start with the second two hour-long movies first seen on Walt Disney Presents in 1961. Behind the Mask is an eight-minute featurette on Guy Williams, the actor who played Zorro. Finally, there's A Trip to the Archieves, which is an 11-minute featurette at some of the props from the show, as well as some of the merchandise made that are considered collector's items now.
Both DVDs have play all buttons, subtitles, and proper chapter placements.
The character of Zorro was first created by Johnston McCulley back in 1919 and was an immediate hit with the public and was first adapted for the big screen just a year later. In the years since then, more than a dozen movies have been made featuring the character, as well as more than few TV shows, and this should come as no surprise, as the character is a near perfect example cinematic, swashbuckling hero. Walt Disney Treasures - Zorro - Season One and Season Two are worth picking up, especially if you grew up on the show, but also if you are a fan of the character in general.