Walt Disney Treasures Wave 5 DVDs Press Release

[Escapay]

No blue band, though. Roughly the same design as last year's wave, except for the plastic keepcase which is black and appears to be from a different manufacturer.

Nice to see they went back to black. Is it those new ugly ones that have the discs overlapping each other?

Anyways, I'm definitely getting CDV2, and perhaps Spin and Marty. Rarities is interesting, but I'll hold off on getting it, and I'd rather have the complete episodes for the Elfego Baca/Swamp Fox set.

Escapay

[Anders M Olsson]

Nice to see they went back to black. Is it those new ugly ones that have the discs overlapping each other?

Actually, the old treasures had dark grey keepcases, not black. This year the keepcases are definitely black, though.

I guess it's a matter of taste whether you find the new keepcases ugly or not. They are of a design I haven't seen before. One disc is on a flap that falls open to the left. When the case is open, you have a nice overview of both discs, like the pages of a book. When the case is closed, the label sides of the two discs face each other.

[STASHONE]

geez, why can't this company keep any consistency with their releases...

Did you receive the R1 tins or European import versions (assuming there's such a thing for this wave)?


Also, could you let us know if the Cinemascope cartoons in the Rarities set are indeed presented as such and in the case of the Humprhey cartoons, with their associated title cards as well?

Pictures / screen captions are always good.

[TM2-Megatron]

Nice to see they went back to black. Is it those new ugly ones that have the discs overlapping each other?

Actually, the old treasures had dark grey keepcases, not black. This year the keepcases are definitely black, though.

I guess it's a matter of taste whether you find the new keepcases ugly or not. They are of a design I haven't seen before. One disc is on a flap that falls open to the left. When the case is open, you have a nice overview of both discs, like the pages of a book. When the case is closed, the label sides of the two discs face each other.

Are they Amaray double cases, like the Pixar movies? Or are they the same thickness as the old Treasures cases? If so, then they're probably the same type that Tron came in, which was one ugly case (seemed way too cheap and hollow once you opened it up, though I have no idea who manufactures it). I long ago replaced Tron's case with a proper Alpha double case.

All things considered, though, I'd rather Disney used Amaray cases for as many releases as they could (the Pixar type, which is the same thickness whether you have 1 or 2 discs). Unfortunately, of course, this is the type of case they use least frequently. Several of the Disney movies I've bought that used double Alpha cases had defects in the case. In one, one of the two parts of the case wouldn't stay closed because the snaps had broken off. In another, one of the hubs has partially broken (though it still held the disc in place). I've had to replace far too many Alpha cases (though, surprisingly, only ones that were from Disney movies) to like them too much.

[Anders M Olsson]

Did you receive the R1 tins or European import versions (assuming there's such a thing for this wave)?

They are region 1 tins.

Also, could you let us know if the Cinemascope cartoons in the Rarities set are indeed presented as such and in the case of the Humprhey cartoons, with their associated title cards as well?

The cinemascope cartoons are presented in non-anamorphic letterboxed widescreen. They look acceptable, but not great. I can't say for sure, but I get the feeling that they might be slightly off from their original aspect ratio. The title cards are completely different from some 4:3 versions I've seen before, so I assume they are the correct ones.

[Escapay]

Nice to see they went back to black. Is it those new ugly ones that have the discs overlapping each other?

Actually, the old treasures had dark grey keepcases, not black. This year the keepcases are definitely black, though.

I guess it's a matter of taste whether you find the new keepcases ugly or not. They are of a design I haven't seen before. One disc is on a flap that falls open to the left. When the case is open, you have a nice overview of both discs, like the pages of a book. When the case is closed, the label sides of the two discs face each other.

Like this?


Or like this?


So they're thinner than the cases for Waves 1-4? or the same width, just with one of those designs?

Escapay

[Anders M Olsson]

Like this?

Or like this?

So they're thinner than the cases for Waves 1-4? or the same width, just with one of those designs?

Neither picture is exactly right, but it might be a bit like your second (lower) picture. The left disc doesn't go directly on the case's side, but on a flap that's hinged at the spine. The thickness is about the same as the Alpha cases in waves 1 - 4.

[Tony]

I'm interested in how you got the tins so quickly... Did you order with Amazon or another provider ?

[Anders M Olsson]

I'm interested in how you got the tins so quickly... Did you order with Amazon or another provider ?

No, I didn't order them from Amazon.

Many on-line outlets here in the Scandinavian countries have a habit of shipping region 1 DVDs early. I guess they can do that since they aren't bound by any contracts of legal merit here.

[ramday]

The cinemascope cartoons are presented in non-anamorphic letterboxed widescreen.

Non-anamorphic? Ew!

[Super Leviathan]

Did you receive the R1 tins or European import versions (assuming there's such a thing for this wave)?

They are region 1 tins.

Also, could you let us know if the Cinemascope cartoons in the Rarities set are indeed presented as such and in the case of the Humprhey cartoons, with their associated title cards as well?

The cinemascope cartoons are presented in non-anamorphic letterboxed widescreen. They look acceptable, but not great. I can't say for sure, but I get the feeling that they might be slightly off from their original aspect ratio. The title cards are completely different from some 4:3 versions I've seen before, so I assume they are the correct ones.

Apparently Disney royally screwed these Up. Non Anamorphic AND Unrestored Widescreen Cartoons?? What the heck is going on there.

[TM2-Megatron]

The cinemascope cartoons are presented in non-anamorphic letterboxed widescreen.

That's awful. Why would Disney decide to do this now? Widescreen shorts were presented anamorphically on the Mickey Mouse in Living Colour Vol. 2 treasure. Did they just get lazy?

[Lucylover1986]

I have a quick question. I wanna get the Chronological Donald Vol. 2. How long do they usually last in stores before they're all gone? I just don't have any money to spend on myself for a little bit but I'll pick it up anyway rather than risk them selling out.

[NMMC]

I have some questions for Anders. Is the "Extra" MMC episode that introduces "Spin & Marty" the full 60-minute episode or just an excerpt. Does the extra MMC episode have the original "Brought to you by..." bumpers like the MMC set had? I want to know beforehand before I discover another "Disneyland USA" situation.

Also, what are the running times of the Elfego Baca and Swamp Fox episodes? Do they have the "Next week on disney" & the "Soon at your neighborhood theatre" endings like the Davy Crockett set? This will decide if I buy "Elfego Bega/Swamp Fox"

[bcotter]

The intro episode is a full 60 minute MMC, but it does not have the "Brought to you by" or any other commercial references. They wanted to do the show complete with original commercials but there were legal concerns over rights to anything not originally produced by Diney, so out they went.

I haven't watched all of the other stuff all the way through but will check them and let you know. I looked at the documentary on the Baca set to see how I came out (I'm one of the people interviewed in it) then started enjoying "Spin and Marty" That has long been one of my favorite Disney shows and while I have long had it on tape the DVD quality is so good I had to watch it again.

Bill
http://www.billcotter.com/

[Anders M Olsson]

Also, what are the running times of the Elfego Baca and Swamp Fox episodes? Do they have the "Next week on disney" & the "Soon at your neighborhood theatre" endings like the Davy Crockett set? This will decide if I buy "Elfego Bega/Swamp Fox"

Elfego Baca episode 1
"The Nine Lives of Elfego Baca"
Running time 50:48
Next week: "Elfego Baca episode 2 - Four Down and Five Lives to Go"
(That would suggest that we don't get the original version of the show from 10/03/58, but rather a re-run from 4/03/59.)
No trailer after the end credits.

Elfego Baca episode 2
"Four Down and Five Lives to Go"
Running time 52:22
In two weeks: "Texas John Slaughter"
Next week: "The Pigeon that Worked a Miracle"
(That does not quite agree with the broadcast order listed in books by Smith, Cotter, and Maltin. Perhaps the books are wrong?)
After the credits: A trailer for the Zorro tv-show.

Elfego Baca episode 5
"Attorney at Law"
Running time 52:19
In two weeks: "Elfego Baca episode 6 - Griswold Murder"
Next week: "Duck Flies Coop"
(Exactly as expected from what we know came after the original airing of that show.)
After the credits: A trailer for "Sleeping Beauty"

Swamp Fox episode 1
"The Birth of the Swamp Fox"
Running time 50:54
Next week: "Swamp Fox episode 2 - Brother Against Brother"
(Exactly as expected.)
No trailer after the end credits.

Swamp Fox episode 2
"Brother Against Brother"
Running time 52:22
In two weeks: "Elfego Baca episode 7 - Move Along Mustangers"
Next week: "Perilous Assignment"
(Once again exactly as expected.)
After the credits: A trailer for "Third Man on the Mountain"

Swamp Fox episode 3
"Tory Vengeance"
Running time 52:21
Next week: "Swamp Fox episode 4 - Day of Reckoning"
(Looks right to me.)
After the credits: A trailer for "Third Man on the Mountain"

[NMMC]

Thanks Bill & Anders! your info sealed the deal for me. I LOVE it when the Treasures have the versions with the "Next week" promos & post-credit Trailers. I hope the trend continues with future Treasues

[STASHONE]

What cartoon shorts were included (if any) as part of these shows?

[Anders M Olsson]

What cartoon shorts were included (if any) as part of these shows?

The Spin and Marty set includes the "mousekartoon" Mickey in Arabia (1932). The Elfego Baca / Swamp Fox set has no cartoons, except some very brief glimpses of Duck Flies Coop (clips from various Donald Duck shorts) and a trailer for Sleeping Beauty.

[Luke]

My Disney Rarities review has been posted here:
http://www.ultimatedisney.com/disneyrarities.html