What Disney DVDs would you say are on par with Platinums?

[UncleEd]

You know, I've always wondered if more releases were intended for Vault Disney. Does anyone know? I have all the ones you mentioned and have wondered if more material was intended for the single disc sets. I felt Return from Witch Mountain was kind of a stretch as a classic. I do remember I had a hard time getting a copy of The Love Bug when it was released. 20,000 Leagues was everywhere. No one had Love Bug and I was even told by several stores it didn't exist. I finally ordered it online. I think Treasure Island came out at the same time and I wondered if that had been intended as a Vault Disney?

I think that Anchor Bay's Watcher in the Woods is Vault Disney quality.


Were some of the DVD releases after that with slight bonus features intended to be Vault Disney's? Some had commentaries. Some had brief interviews, etc. I think Happiest MIllionaire and Bedknobs and Broomsticks were Vault Disney worthy. I would have loved to have seen Darby O'Gill, Melin Jones, the Absent Minded Professor, and the Gnome Mobile in there too. I wish Disney was still run with Walt's quality standards...


Here is something else I"ve always wondered. Why was the guy who played Long John Silver for Disney allowed to play him the same way for another studio? I can't find that information anywhere.

[Escapay]

You know, I've always wondered if more releases were intended for Vault Disney. Does anyone know?

Well, I'm sure some of their bigger titles would have gotten Vault Disney treatment. I was always surprised that Mary Poppins wasn't in the first wave of Vault Disney titles. The 40th Anniversary Edition is more exhaustive than some of the Vault Disney titles, though it doesn't beat 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, which is perhaps the most filled of the Vault Disney titles. I would guess that titles like Bedknobs and Broomsticks, Pete's Dragon, even Song of the South were good contenders for the line.

I felt Return from Witch Mountain was kind of a stretch as a classic.

I think that since Escape to Witch Mountain was considered a classic, they felt it suitable to give the same treatment to Return from Witch Mountain as well. Though that doesn't explain why the three Herbie films are barebones (and why only one is OAR).

I think Treasure Island came out at the same time and I wondered if that had been intended as a Vault Disney?

Treasure Island came in April 2003, about a month before 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and The Love Bug. But its release was tied in more to the April 2003 release of Treasure Planet, so I don't think it was ever intended as a Vault Disney title (though it's deserving of such treatment, as the disc is completely barebones, not even containing its trailer...while Treasure Planet includes the Treasure Island trailer under their "Story" section. Go figure.)

I think that Anchor Bay's Watcher in the Woods is Vault Disney quality.

ITA. Would have loved if they had been able to assemble the director's cut of the film, as they intended. Disney squashed that idea though (mainly because they were getting flack for the treatment of their catalog titles, while everyone else was praising Anchor Bay for how they handled Disney titles licensed to them), and instead AB had to resort to adding them as separate featurettes.

Were some of the DVD releases after that with slight bonus features intended to be Vault Disney's? Some had commentaries. Some had brief interviews, etc.

I have a feeling that some indeed were intended as a Vault Disney release. Stuff like The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band and The Black Hole had great material, if sparse (Family Band had a commentary and featurette, Black Hole had a featurette and trailer). I think perhaps that they were making featurettes over time, but with the failure of the line (in their financially-focused eyes), they figured they might as well just break even and simply release as many catalogues as possible, some with the features made, and some without. That's probably why 2004-2005 saw a great deal of catalog titles, while 2006 didn't have as many.

I think Happiest MIllionaire and Bedknobs and Broomsticks were Vault Disney worthy. I would have loved to have seen Darby O'Gill, Melin Jones, the Absent Minded Professor, and the Gnome Mobile in there too. I wish Disney was still run with Walt's quality standards...

Most definitely on all the titles. Darby O'Gill has a nice DVD out, and I have a feeling it was in production for a Vault Disney release, as the two new featurettes seem like something that would have gone in the Production Archives section of the disc, as would have the "I Capture the King of the Leprechauns" episode of Disneyland. The DVD treatment Happiest Millionaire got is inexcusable, unfortunately. Non-anamorphic barebones, and the film quality isn't as good as it should look.

Here is something else I"ve always wondered. Why was the guy who played Long John Silver for Disney allowed to play him the same way for another studio? I can't find that information anywhere.

There's only so many ways to play Long John Silver? I honestly have no idea, but then again, some actors can get away with it all the time.

Escapay

[UncleEd]

I thought I read somewhere that Herbie Rides Again was released in OAR or is that the one you meant? I've been meaning to get the box set to get the sequels. Never saw the new one though. It's interesting the made for TV movie wasn't included in that either.


I was disappointed in the Mary Poppins 2 disc set because some material known to exist was not included. For example, how about the Sherman Brother's demos? These aren't even on the 2 disc CD. We just get a story meeting with excerpts. I would like to have heard complete demos. The documentary was too short and I'd like to have seen some more trailers. I'd also like to have seen more on Walt Disney's relationship with P.L. Travers and I know there are behind the scenes clips and stories I've seen elsewhere that would have been great on here. It's not a bad set but I was just wishing for more. I know it's a long shot but I'd like a second commentary of Walt clips and re enactments.


I forgot to mention Tron. I consider that on par with Vault Disney too.


I read the article on Disney and Anchor Bay but I never understood how they got the lost Watcher ending when Scott Mcqueen told them it didn't exist. And when Disney let SCott go that was one of the stupidest things they ever did. True, he's done some great restoration work for other studios since but Disney had a real gem of an archivist there.

Yeah, I saw that trailer thing on TP. I thought that was silly. Speaking of Treasure Island/Treasure Planet (TP another film that deserves a 2 disc release) I'm peeved that in Europe their Peter Pan got the silent film included and we didn't. As far as I know you can't get a copy in the US because Disney owns the rights.


I never got the Disney release of Black Hole. Is it worth the upgrade? I'll never understand Disney and their DVD releases. They took several Anchor Bay titles and released trailers with them not on the AB releases then a film like The Santa Clause had a trailer the first time around but not the second...Is there anything different between Ancor Bay's HAppiest MIllionaire and the Disney reissue? Again, I only have the Anchor Bay version.

Even though this is obscure, I'd like to see a Bullwhip Griffin Vault Disney. I guess Babes in Toyland should be named too.

Well, I mean that how can an actor play the same character the same way in the same costume for another studio and no legal problems arise? I wonder if Walt didn't even care? I was told that his portrayal of LJS is what has shaped out view of what a pirate is today.

[Escapay]

I thought I read somewhere that Herbie Rides Again was released in OAR or is that the one you meant? I've been meaning to get the box set to get the sequels. Never saw the new one though. It's interesting the made for TV movie wasn't included in that either.

Yep, only Herbie Rides Again is OAR. The other two (Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo and Herbie Goes Bananas) are P&S hackjobs.

I was disappointed in the Mary Poppins 2 disc set because some material known to exist was not included. For example, how about the Sherman Brother's demos? These aren't even on the 2 disc CD. We just get a story meeting with excerpts. I would like to have heard complete demos. The documentary was too short and I'd like to have seen some more trailers. I'd also like to have seen more on Walt Disney's relationship with P.L. Travers and I know there are behind the scenes clips and stories I've seen elsewhere that would have been great on here. It's not a bad set but I was just wishing for more. I know it's a long shot but I'd like a second commentary of Walt clips and re enactments.

While I like the material that was available in the two-dsic, I agree about the documentary being too short. Unfortunately, it came during the time where it seems mandated that documentaries should now have a cut-off at 50 minutes, lest the audience suddenly get bored.

I forgot to mention Tron. I consider that on par with Vault Disney too.

Ditto.

I read the article on Disney and Anchor Bay but I never understood how they got the lost Watcher ending when Scott Mcqueen told them it didn't exist. And when Disney let SCott go that was one of the stupidest things they ever did. True, he's done some great restoration work for other studios since but Disney had a real gem of an archivist there.

I don't know the specifics about it either, but most of what I learned about the troubled release was from Scott Michael Bosco's article.

Yeah, I saw that trailer thing on TP. I thought that was silly. Speaking of Treasure Island/Treasure Planet (TP another film that deserves a 2 disc release) I'm peeved that in Europe their Peter Pan got the silent film included and we didn't. As far as I know you can't get a copy in the US because Disney owns the rights.

Kino Video has a DVD out of the silent film which is supposed to be quite good (and better than the Disney print in terms of video quality).

I never got the Disney release of Black Hole. Is it worth the upgrade?

Most definitely. It retains the anamorphic print from Anchor Bay, as well as the 5.1 and the Overture music, and adds an excellent 16-minute featurette about the visual effects, and an "extended" trailer (sadly in P&S). Well worth the upgrade.

I'll never understand Disney and their DVD releases. They took several Anchor Bay titles and released trailers with them not on the AB releases then a film like The Santa Clause had a trailer the first time around but not the second...

What I don't like is Disney takes the Anchor Bay releases and limits the chapters. AB's Watcher in the Woods had 20-odd chapters, while the Disney one has only 12, and not even a separate chapter for the end credits. Also, Disney dropped material from the AB release. The John Hough commentary is gone (on both the film and the alternate endings), as is the 20-page booklet, a tv spot, the text bios, and one of the trailers.

Is there anything different between Ancor Bay's HAppiest MIllionaire and the Disney reissue? Again, I only have the Anchor Bay version.

I don't think so. Anchor Bay released a P&S theatrical version as well as a non-anamorphic roadshow version, but Disney only released the roadshow version. I don't have the Anchor Bay release, and my brother actually has Happiest Millionaire, though I plan on picking it up for myself one of these days. I'm sure, though, that Disney limited the chapter stops on the film.

Even though this is obscure, I'd like to see a Bullwhip Griffin Vault Disney. I guess Babes in Toyland should be named too.

I've only seen bits of Babes in Toyland and have never seen Bullwhip Griffin, unfortunately. But if we're throwing out obscure titles, I'd still like a Vault Disney release of The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes and Johnny Tremain.

Well, I mean that how can an actor play the same character the same way in the same costume for another studio and no legal problems arise? I wonder if Walt didn't even care? I was told that his portrayal of LJS is what has shaped out view of what a pirate is today.

Ah, I see. I guess Walt looked at the role the way one might look at Hamlet or Macbeth. There's so many ways to interpret the role, but if one person gets it right, why should they not do it the same way again for someone else? I doubt Walt would have been a "No, this was *our* version of LJS, you can't let him perform it that way!"

Escapay

[goof ball]

Don't forget the 2-Disc dvds of...

Toy Story
Toy Story 2
Finding Nemo
A Bug's Life
The Incredibles

I really wish the new special editions of Robin Hood and Fox and the Hound were 2 discs... bummer

[TheSequelOfDisney]

Toy Story
Toy Story 2
Finding Nemo
A Bug's Life
The Incredibles

These aren't either Disney or released by BVHE, so they couldn't possibly be in a list like this.

[UncleEd]

I"d like to see a DVD box set of Disney tall tale heroes. a 2 disc DVD set of animated segments, a Davy Crocket fisc, Johnny Tremain, the Swamp Fox, what else could be included (I excluded Zorro, John Slaughter, and El Fago Baca on purpose)

[PixarFan2006]

I thought Sleeping Beauty was on-par with Platinum Edidtions. Sure, the features were kinda skimpy (not to mention girly) but the picture was pretty nice.

[darth_deetoo]

Animated:

-Alice in Wonderland: Masterpiece Edition
-Sleeping Beauty: Special Edition
-Pocahontas: 10th Anniversary Edition
-Atlantis: The Lost Empire - Collector's Edition
-The Emperor's New Groove: Collector's Edition
-Dinosaur: Collector's Edition
-The Fantasia Anthology
-Tarzan: Collector's Edition
-Mulan: Special Edition

Live Action:

-Swiss Family Robinson: Vault Disney Collection
-Pollyanna: Vault Disney Collection
-Old Yeller: Vault Disney Collection
-The Parent Trap: Vault Disney Collection
-20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: Special Edition
-The Apple Dumpling Gang: Special Edition

There are probably more, so I'll update, but this is what I have so far.

Well, obviously all the Pixar 2 disc sets and the Ultimate Toy Box.

Brother Bear
Lilo and Stitch
Lion King 1.5
Lion King 2
Love Bug
Mary Poppins
Pirates of the Caribbean 1 & 2

[darth_deetoo]

Toy Story
Toy Story 2
Finding Nemo
A Bug's Life
The Incredibles

These aren't either Disney or released by BVHE, so they couldn't possibly be in a list like this.

That's funny, all my Pixar discs say Disney on them. You're quibbling over semantics. We all know the situation as far as Pixar, but as far as most people are concerned, Pixar and Disney go hand in hand.

Also, Chronicles of Narnia should be on the list as being on a par with platinum titles too. I'd say any multi-disc set that Disney has put out really - Treasures and Legacy collections too.