THE LITTLE MERMAID - 3 video releases *graphics heavy*

[drsd2kill]

Here's another one for you guys... Again, I got as close to the same frame as I could without losing my mind (VLC doesn't allow for still-stepping, so it is chance when something is exact - there's a lot of trial and error to get them THIS close).

What's interesting is how the 1990 release was sometimes squeezed to fit in the edges of the frame (check out the image from "Under the Sea"), and how the 2006 DVD is closer in coloring to the 1990 release than the 1998. Strange... In the shot where Ariel arrives for dinner in a pink dress, you can see where the 2006 DVD has much thinner animation lines than the other releases, something the computer has removed. I wish I had found more examples of this, but for now this is what I've got. Disney has definately done far worse "restorations" for video (CINDERELLA, anyone?)

A = 1990 Laserdisc
B = 1999 DVD [same master as for 1998 Laserdisc]
C = 2006 DVD

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[Big Disney Fan]

I only have the 1990 video and 2006 DVD. So I'm missing the 2nd video quality transfer here.

[drsd2kill]

Hmm, the second video transfer was released on VHS and Laserdisc in the spring of 1998, and then onto DVD in the fall of 1999. Don't know how you missed it - the ad campaign was pretty big following the Nov '97 theatrical reissue.

[BambiFan87]

am I the only one who thinks the platinum transfer wasnt that great! they could have done ALOT better I think...who did the transfer again?

[Disneykid]

Technicolor Images was the company that restored The Little Mermaid. I actually think the transfer is quite good, but agree it could be better. While it's usually pretty detailed, there's a sort of vague haziness around the outlines, which may be because of overfiltering. There also tends to be chroma noise in Ariel's hair and all over Sebastian (just look at how pixelated their outlines are). The colors over all seem good, but are sometimes kind of flat and murky (the directors approved this restoration, though, so perhaps the cels were painted the same way). It's interesting to see how (like with Bambi) the new DVD restoration is a lot closer to the first VHS/LD release than any that may have come in the middle. I'm overall very satisfied with this, but I can't help but feel that Lowry would've given it a sharper, tighter look.

[drsd2kill]

But didn't Lowry do CINDERELLA, which is an abomination? Comparison pics between the three video masters of it will be ready later this week.

[mariadny]

I really like the restauration.
Once again, a lot of thanks for this posts, very god job¡

[DisneyFreak5282]

Yes, the restoration looks amazing!

[akhenaten]

wow this is one of the most puzzling restoration thread after cinderella imo. because the difference is so slight. but i do notice that with the recent restoration the character/foreground seem to have a stronger contrast with the background i.e darker.

for the screencap of ariel emerging from the water in the glittery dress, even with a more accurate color on the platinum release, i think the first release was more efective in capturing the mood.

also strange they opted for tlm to have the grainy film look when the earlier films looks exactly cel-like without any noise save for bambi, pinocchio.

i have one theory why restorations on some titles dont differ much while on others it does. could it be perhaps that the drastic ones r played too much thus affecting the film quality? just like when u play a VHS many times it will affect the picture quality. hence why alice didnt require much effort in restoration...what do u guys think?

[Disneykid]

But didn't Lowry do CINDERELLA, which is an abomination? Comparison pics between the three video masters of it will be ready later this week.

I'm actually one of the few people out there who like Cinderella's restoration. My only gripes with it concern her hair color in a couple of scenes ("A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes" and the scene where she receives the invitation, in particular) and the way her silver gown was way too blue when she makes her quiet entrance to the palace (her hair is also too yellow in this shot).

i have one theory why restorations on some titles dont differ much while on others it does. could it be perhaps that the drastic ones r played too much thus affecting the film quality? just like when u play a VHS many times it will affect the picture quality. hence why alice didnt require much effort in restoration...what do u guys think?

I actually do believe that. I've heard it mentioned in various restoration featurettes how the film will deteriorate after much usage, and if it's brought in for re-releases, subpar copies will be made of a fading master print. That's why I think the restorations get less drastic as we progress down the Disney timeline (Sleeping Beauty's transfer is one of the least dramatic and yet still one of the best Disney's done, and I believe that film was only re-released about four times or so). I do think, that in the case of Little Mermaid, Technicolor's restoration techniques may not have been as advanced as Lowry's (or maybe they were just lazy?) I have no clue what other films out there Technicolor has restored (I didn't even they HAD a restoration division until I saw Little Mermaid's end credits).

All this makes me wonder who did Peter Pan's 2007 transfer. From the screencaps I've seen of it, it looks like a Lowry job (unless Technicolor put more effort into this one). The same goes for The Jungle Book based on the trailer footage we've seen.

[QueenRahel]

go 2006! i think its almost crystal clear and the color looks great!

[Scaramanga]

The 2006 version, to me, pretty much looks like the perfect combination of both previous releases colour-wise ...

[drsd2kill]

I mostly prefer the color on the 1998 release, especially Ariel's hair. Remember how much transfer technology has improved since the 1990 video release, so precise matching with it won't necessarily be more accurate.

[drsd2kill]

Can we sometimes have TOO much clarity? Who looks good with a magnifying glass up to their face in florescent light? I think with animation - and the size of the actual canvas - there is a place where you're going to reach the point of diminishing returns. Color is SO important to these films, and it looks so much like they are changing things.

BTW - I posted at the Home Theater Forum, and there are some interesting comments from that site as well as a sneak peak at some CINDERELLA pics.

http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htf/sho ... p?t=252551

[musicradio77]

I have the 1990 VHS release of "The Little Mermaid", but it does have the original WDP logo. This one is rare with a powdered white castle design.



The 1998 VHS and the DVD Platinum Edition from last year had the same original logo, but the logo was slightly tweaked.

[drsd2kill]

<img src="http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f112/ ... DLINES.jpg">

[Scaramanga]

Considering how much this seems to have been blown-up ...

[drsd2kill]

Yes, the MERMAID shots were blown-up for that side to side, and the DVD has much greater resolution, so it shouldn't have thinner animation lines, should it? PETER PAN shots I didn't blow-up at all, and do you see what their digital restoration process did to that?

[Disney Duster]

Just coming in to now see that Ursula was purple before. Now this explains why they always made her purple when I thought she was blue (from watching the second VHS version). But Ariel's tail is clearly too green in the new restoration, which is bad since they specifically said they created a new blue-green color for her tail, called Ariel.

I saw that Home Theater Forum thread, and all of that was interesting. I wish I knew what really went on in the studios. That one shot of Cinderella dn the Prince going down the stairs is the best one to clearly show disappearing and/or fading outlines. I will send a pm about the shots that I found the most...evidential in the restoration's mistakes a little later. I have to re-watch it.

[disneystarsfan]

wow, what a difference in picture quality, i like the platinum edition, but i wish they worked a little bit harder on the restoration process because there are several issues like ariel's hair color, especially in some of the part of your world scenes, and the audio could have been more reinforced(more bass, such as the songs) like what Aladdin sounded like,which was awesome! Overall, it's a very good restoration. and i can't wait for the blu-ray release =)