Pinocchio "Special Edition" DVD

[DEREKG]

Just wondering?

Does anyone own this dvd in Region Free format?

I know they released it in region 2.

Also, is it fully remastered?

I currently own the Limited Issue region 1.

I saw some Asian copy's of the "Special Edition" that are All region and was considering picking one up.

Their only $10.00 with shipping!

Anyway, was just hoping someone would have more details about the picture and sound restoration verses the old us issue???

Thanks!!!

[Escapay]

According to amazon.co.uk, the Pinocchio SE has the following:
-Featurette - The Making of Pinocchio
-Interactive Game - The Search for Jiminy Cricket
-Sing-Along songs
-Storyboards

Looks like it lost the LI and GC trailer.

According to one review, there is a commentary with the movie, even though it's not listed. Seeing as I don't have the R2 SE, I can't confirm this.

I know a restoration of sorts was done, but I couldn't find a review commenting it...

There were a couple threads here directing R1 UD'ers to a Mexican site where you could order Pinocchio SE and So Dear to My Heart in the R1/R4 edition, but the link was dead last time I checked.

Escapay

[Ric-Mx]

There is no such thing as "Region Free" Disney DVD's
The asian copies are most likely to be bootlegs and so it is not worth your money.

Here in Mexico the Special Edition was released on 2003. It was the same as the UK version and it features a restored video transfer that looks as good as Bambi but not as good as Snow White or Cinderella.

You can check an overall article I wrote for Disney En Español and it explains about it:
http://www.ultimatedisney.com/forum/vie ... php?t=7848

Anyway, it went Out of Print on January 2004 and now it is extremely hard to find. I think they only make 150,000 copies for Mexico for each title, since here piracy is a HUGE problem.

Anyway... don't get an Asian Region Free DVD... NEVER

[DEREKG]

Yeah, I know there is no such thing as Region Free disney titles.

They are bootlegs.

I was just hoping they might have the same transfer as the special edition.

For $10.00 I think I might give it a try???

Have a look:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... %3AIT&rd=1

[Wonderlicious]

Seeing as I have the DVD, I can comment on it. Pinocchio had a restoration from Lowry Digital for this release and it looks rather cool, and a lot like the Bambi and Snow White DVD restoration. A 5.1 track is also included, yet no mono track pops up. Bonus features wise, it's essentially a glorified Gold Collection DVD. I think the reviewer on Amazon was referring to the making of documentary when he said commentary, as none is included. And the "making of" just isn't all that great as it's only a 5 minute long job and doesn't even get as in depth as the 10-15 documentaries on the Peter Pan or Sleeping Beauty, or even as the 10 minute special from 1951 for Alice in Wonderland! The storyboard to scene comparison (a port of a laserdisc) is good, and there are some pretty interesting I'm no fool doing XYZ shorts starring Jiminy Cricket as well. The trailer is still intact, fortunately, and some sing alongs of "Little Wooden Head" and the "Figaro and Cleo" song from a spin off short also appear, along with a game (which has a prize, which is a charming Pluto cartoon starring Figaro). Overall, it's a nice thing to have, if just for the movie, but if you don't have it, wait two and a bit years until the Platinum Edition comes out as it should be much better, with the original mono track and new (and most likely better) bonus features hopefully on the 2 disc set.

[MinnieMe]

I just wanted to make a note that just because it's a "special edition" bootleg doesn't mean that it has the same stuff on it as the real special edition. Before I knew the difference between a bootleg and a real copy I bought a copy of Snow White "platinum edition". Needless to say the transfer they made to their disc was in no way close to as good as the original snow white PE (which I now have) and it didn't contain a shred of bonus features.

Just because this bootleg says that it is a "special edition" doesn't mean it has the same features as the real SE. If I were you I'd wait for the real release instead of paying $11 for something that could very well be worse than your LI.

I was just going to say to email the seller but it looks like you (or someone else) already has. It contains NO bonus features.

I'd hold on to your LI.

[DEREKG]

I just wanted to make a note that just because it's a "special edition" bootleg doesn't mean that it has the same stuff on it as the real special edition. Before I knew the difference between a bootleg and a real copy I bought a copy of Snow White "platinum edition". Needless to say the transfer they made to their disc was in no way close to as good as the original snow white PE (which I now have) and it didn't contain a shred of bonus features.

Just because this bootleg says that it is a "special edition" doesn't mean it has the same features as the real SE. If I were you I'd wait for the real release instead of paying $11 for something that could very well be worse than your LI.

I was just going to say to email the seller but it looks like you (or someone else) already has. It contains NO bonus features.

I'd hold on to your LI.

Yeah, It's most likely a Limited Issue copy with the Special Edition art work!

Most Asian bootlegs I have are barebones. Which leads me to beleve that it's most likely not the same transfer as the region 4 "special edition".

I guess I'll have to keep hunting! Either way, I plan on keeping my LI.


Does anyone else know where to find one???

[dvdjunkie]

Years ago I bought over 30 discs from a dealer on eBay, the majority of them were Disney Animation, and all said 'Special Edition' across the top of the keep box, but they didn't have much more than a trailer and the feature. The quality was exceptional as far as picture and sound went. I still cherish most of those "bootlegs" because it took so long for them to be released in any form here in the U.S. "Sleeping Beauty" and "Lady and the Tramp" were widescreen formats, and "Sleeping Beauty" had one of the better soundtracks. Also "Fantasia" was awesome complete with a Dolby Digital logo in front of the feature. And there were no edits. Same with "Melody Time", "Saludos Amgos", and "Make Mine Music". All were complete with not one edit. Compated to the Platinum edition of "Cinderella", I would say that picture and sound wise, that the 'bootleg' copy I have of each is far superior. "The Misadventures of Merlin Jones" is one of the few live action movies that was not very good picture and sound wise.

Some of the animated titles I bought in this collection included: Pinocchio, Cinderella, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Melody Time, Fun and Fancy Free, Ichabod and Mr. Toad, Fantasia, Sleeping Beauty, Lady and the Tramp, The Rescuers, The Rescuers Down Under, Alice in Wonderland, Dumbo, many others. I still have all of these DVD titles, and will keep them as a remembrance of how long it took for Disney to get off their butt and get them to us. I just found my order sheet, I bought all 37 discs February 20, 1997,

[rcjteng]

He has absolutely no idea about Region Free DVD players. Disney has licensed all their movies for the Asian market, you just have to be careful which ones are bootlegs or real. The best way to find out is to go to an Aisan dvd store and buy the Disney movies there. However, they are mainly Region 3 and very expensive. If you go to Ebay, make sure the sellers list their products as official Chinese, Japanese or Korean release. These Region 3 releases are just as good as the Region 1 version. The only difference is the optional Asian subtitles. However, the Asian DVD industry has converted many of their Region 3 DVDs into Region Free versions. There are no differences at all.

Getting a Region All DVD player has an advantage. You can play any dvd that is out on the market, whether authentic or bootleg. My best bet is to get the Region 1 US version, so go and get a Region Free dvd player! The official US Region 1 release will always be a better investment, especially when some of the Disney DVDs go out of print!

[Pluto Region1]

He has absolutely no idea about Region Free DVD players. Disney has licensed all their movies for the Asian market, you just have to be careful which ones are bootlegs or real.

Well I am new here so if I say something stupid, forgive me. It seems perfectly logical that Disney would have released for the Asian market - why would they not have exploited such a huge market? Plus with the opening of Hong Kong Disney, they REALLY would want to take advantage of that market now. But I am shocked about all this bootlegging business from Asia.

As for whether or not to buy bootlegs or used copies of a DVD to tide you over until Disney brings out of the vault -- For me personally, the motivation to buy it, is owning something that is the REAL thing AND collectible, (although back when they were not releasing ANY of the titles on DVD, I would have done exactly what the other poster here did, buy the bootleg set. (I only recently realized I could buy the classics on DVD)

So being late to the party, I am disappointed I cannot buy a Platinum Edition of Snow White (unless I am willing to pay $75 to $100) or any of the other titles that are OOP, but I can understand the marketing behind this. In fact, I might not be willing to BUY them at all, if I knew I could buy them at ANY TIME at a store. So I guess I'm exactly the market Disney targeted with this limited release/back in the vault policy. With that in mind, I would not want to own the bootleg as it has no value to me, other than to be able to watch the movie at any time on demand. If I need to watch the movie, I can rent it. How many times am I going to possibly need to see the movie? I'd probably only watch it maybe once a year. I can wait til the re-release (I hope Disney don't make me wait 10 yrs for Snow White!). Luckily I won't have that long to wait for the Platinum of Pinocchio.