What Do You Feel About The New Restored DVDs On The Way? :)

Matt · Post by **Matt** » Sat Sep 20, 2003 5:47 pm

I have a feeling that The Little Mermaid's Platinum Edition DVD will be restored the same way Beauty and the Beast was RESTORED! Correct me if I'm wrong but most of the 2-Disc Special Edition and all the Platinum Edition DVDs are all getting restored!

We already know that The Lion King DVD is restored!

What is your opinion about restored movies? Do you think it is necessary or not?

indianajdp · Post by **indianajdp** » Sat Sep 20, 2003 7:03 pm

Can you clarify a bit as to what you mean by restored?
People use this term so loosely these days...some folks are talking about cleaning up the frames while others are talking about adding/deleting content.

Jake Lipson · Post by **Jake Lipson** » Sat Sep 20, 2003 7:33 pm

Restoration is absolutely nessesary to preserve the quality of the image and sound, especially on older titles like Bambi and 101 Dalmatians. Restoring the more recent classics now, such as Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King, when they are only a decade or so old is also smart, because you have the same animators still in the business to go clean up their movie. And since these restorations are digital they can now be stored that way, thus eliminating the need for more restorations later on.

BasilOfBakerStreet427 · Sat Sep 20, 2003 8:04 pm

The restoring sounds good,I guess.

G'Day!

Lady · Post by **Lady** » Sat Sep 20, 2003 9:29 pm

i'm pleased with the restorations so far. i don't know if it is just my video copy, but aladdin looks very dated and grainy compared to the beauty and the beast dvds. if they do the same restoration for lady and the tramp and the little mermaid, i will be super pleased.

Jack · Post by **Jack** » Sat Sep 20, 2003 11:51 pm

The restoration on Snow White was too breathtaking for words. I've never seen a film that old look so good.

As for Beauty and the Beast, although its quality was superb, I wasn't too fond of the brighter colors and changed backgrounds, nor do I expect to feel different about Lion King.

As for upcoming resorations, it really depends on how far they go. What I prefer is if they just take the exact original film and make it look as awesome as possible. When they start adding/changing things in terms of color and such, I get a little peturbed.

Matty-Mouse · Post by **Matty-Mouse** » Sun Sep 21, 2003 4:41 am

Snow White was slightly too bright compaired to my old VHS but nothing that means I'm annyoed.

Beauty and the beast on the other hand is slightly too bright that its slight annoys me. I don't hate it that much but I think it takes some of the warmth from the picture on the current DVD.

If The Lion King looks like it looks from the previews we've seen on the lastest DVD's then I'm happy.

Loomis · Post by **Loomis** » Sun Sep 21, 2003 6:18 am

Restoration is a tricky topic for me.
I object 100% to the tinkering of an original film, and not having that original film still available (as seems to be the plan of George Lucas at this point with the Star Wars films. Not sure if anyone has heard of them. Quite obscure little independent films from the late 70s/early 80s). In a doco I saw once, they claimed Darth Vader was looking navy-blue before they restored it (this was the first restoration before the 'Special Edition').

However, despite not wanting to see films tinkered with, there is a real danger of old films being lost forever without restoration. Martin Scorsese was one of the first major activists to work towards the rapidly fading prints of colour films from the 70s etc, that were fading at a faster rate than anyone expected. Some stellar work has been done on restoration for non-Disney films (e.g. Vertigo), and these will probably last for many years now that they have also been done for DVD. As Jake said "And since these restorations are digital they can now be stored that way, thus eliminating the need for more restorations later on".

What DOES disturb me, though, is the reports I've heard of some new animation happening, and new colours being added. This is not just things like 'Human Again' and 'Morning Report', but changes throughout the film too. I'm all for restoration, but not revision.

Film and animation is an important historical document. I hope 2099 doesn't mind me borrowing his example. If you have the Mickey Mouse Black & White Treasures look at the first (either Steamboat or Plane Crazy), and then last shorts (Mickey's Service Station) on those discs. In 7 short years, the animation style and pace has changed completely. Looking at it from this perspective we can see how animation has evolved over the years, and will continue to do so.

In other words, restoration is fine if it means preserving the film from deterioration. But I draw the line at anything 'new' in there for the reasons I've outlined.

rodis · Post by **rodis** » Sun Sep 21, 2003 6:40 am

I soooooo hape that The Little Mermaid Platinum edition would be restored and taken special care of!

And I don't have the BATB DVD, what do you mean 'changed backgrounds'? I know the colors are stronger but... what's with the background?

Matt · Post by **Matt** » Sun Sep 21, 2003 6:41 am

I knew this would be a good topic to talk about! Now I can say what I have to say! I LOVE my Snow White DVD! The colors are really awesome on it and I enjoy Sleeping Beauty's and Dumbo's as well!

As for Beauty and the Beast I am starting to like the colors more because this is the way it was suppose to be when the movie came out. On my old video I studyed the colors closely! I saw that the backround colors were suppose to be brighter and that some were WAY to dark to see when the were suppose to be seen. Belle's hair colored changed about four shades through out the movie! The main color however was the light brown on the new Special Edition. If you guys noticed this you will see what I am talking about. So that is why I appreciate the restored colors now!

However the edits to the original film I do not like because it isn't original anymore and it is an edit version of the film!

That is why I cannot stand when they edit the films we grow to love and enjoy!

This is my part on restored movies!

Jack · Post by **Jack** » Sun Sep 21, 2003 9:55 am

LOOMIS: I disagree with what Lucas is doing too, but I guess he views it as an ongoing creative process. Tolkien and several other classical musicians have done the same thing as Lucas. Reportedly, (from a Lucasfilm rep.) the original versions of the movies no longer exist.

Mermaid Kelly · Post by **Mermaid Kelly** » Sun Sep 21, 2003 3:11 pm

I really like the new colors for Beauty and the Beast! I don't see why so many people don't like it!

Loomis · Post by **Loomis** » Sun Sep 21, 2003 3:54 pm

Jack wrote:LOOMIS: I disagree with what Lucas is doing too, but I guess he views it as an ongoing creative process. Tolkien and several other classical musicians have done the same thing as Lucas. Reportedly, (from a Lucasfilm rep.) the original versions of the movies no longer exist.

Yeah, I can see where they are coming from...
But I wish they could see that if they don't keep the original versions about, then the 'ongoing' creative process is meaningless as there is nothing to compare it to.
All you are left with then is the film that technology gives you for that moment? And how long does it go on for? In 2 minutes time there will be some new technology and THAT will have to be added into the mix (a few new jawas perhaps); and then a NEW technology will come along...and so forth....
I wonder if it is possible to "restore" a film to the point where it is no longer recognisable as the original?

Jack · Post by **Jack** » Sun Sep 21, 2003 4:05 pm

Loomis wrote:
Jack wrote:LOOMIS: I disagree with what Lucas is doing too, but I guess he views it as an ongoing creative process. Tolkien and several other classical musicians have done the same thing as Lucas. Reportedly, (from a Lucasfilm rep.) the original versions of the movies no longer exist.

Yeah, I can see where they are coming from...
But I wish they could see that if they don't keep the original versions about, then the 'ongoing' creative process is meaningless as there is nothing to compare it to.
All you are left with then is the film that technology gives you for that moment? And how long does it go on for? In 2 minutes time there will be some new technology and THAT will have to be added into the mix (a few new jawas perhaps); and then a NEW technology will come along...and so forth....
I wonder if it is possible to "restore" a film to the point where it is no longer recognisable as the original?

You're point is exactly why I don't like revisionist filmmaking.

A good statement was made in an article on the subjuct, although I can't recall where it was from. It said something to the likes of: The truth is, directors don't know what they would have done if the technology had been available to them at the time of making the original version. Why? Because it wasn't available. There's no way of knowing what would have happened if the technology had been available, and using new technology to go back and bring it closer to "the original vision" is the opposite.

ChrisK · Post by **ChrisK** » Sun Sep 21, 2003 8:26 pm

What DOES disturb me, though, is the reports I've heard of some new animation happening, and new colours being added. This is not just things like 'Human Again' and 'Morning Report', but changes throughout the film too. I'm all for restoration, but not revision.

As I recall, TLK revision was made for the IMAX version where the original cell didn't have enough detail to be projected in IMAX fashion. Where these frames have been changed to have the greater definition of small objects but not change the story, I have no problem.

Especially where these changes will be saved and when TLK comes out in HD-DVD (in about 2011), we get a better version.

Lucas's wholesale revision of the first 3 SW movies sucks tho' (Han shot first dammit!)

Ariel · Post by **Ariel** » Tue Sep 23, 2003 12:08 am

I must point out that Sleeping Beauty has been restored beautifully. I always thought my vhs looked really bad. But watching the DVD the other day was just breathtaking. The movie has been totally revitalized.

Matt · Post by **Matt** » Tue Sep 23, 2003 7:04 am

Mermaid Kelly wrote:I really like the new colors for Beauty and the Beast! I don't see why so many people don't like it!

Because Beauty and the Beast is a dark movie and everytime I watch the new colors its so bright when it should be a couple of shades darker!

2099net · Post by **2099net** » Tue Sep 23, 2003 7:41 am

Mermaid Kelly wrote:I really like the new colors for Beauty and the Beast! I don't see why so many people don't like it!

The new digital transfer certainly looks a lot better in the outside and well lit scenes. But somehow, the new colours look wrong when the film is depicting darkness or shadows. For example you can now see the Beast before he 'steps into the light'. Overall, I think I prefer the 'old' colours.

Jack · Post by **Jack** » Tue Sep 23, 2003 9:10 am

2099net wrote:For example you can now see the Beast before he 'steps into the light'.

That's the thing that bugs me the most. I was so used to not seeing Beast till Belle asked him to step into the light, its just distracting every time I watch the movie.

Besides, it ruins the theatrical moment of that scene. The music swells, and there's a big build up to seeing the Beast but we already know what he looks like.

Joe Carioca · Post by **Joe Carioca** » Tue Sep 23, 2003 9:46 am

It seems we're gonna have to wait to the HD-DVD edition of "Beauty and the Beast" to see the REAL original version of the film, with the original colors and aspect ratio... and no compression artifacts botching the picture!!

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What Do You Feel About The New Restored DVDs On The Way? :)

What Do You Feel About The New Restored DVDs On The Way? :)