Alice in Wonderland joining the PE line

[Escapay]

Pity. I'd have preferred a 2007 release of Lady and the Tramp: 52nd Anniversary Edition.

albert

Some sense of humour you've got there !

I could say the same about you.



albert

[JDCB1986]

[Escapay]

[2099net]

I very clearly stated (and I will quote myself again,) "They very easily could have decided to leave it in print a while longer to sell more copies."

Do you realise how silly this sounds? Why do they Vault best-selling titles in the first place? To build up demand for the later re-releases. So if one of their highly-valued titles is selling as expected, and according to the revised platinum press release they expect to Vault it in 2 years, why did they double the time it was available?

It appears that overseas, where the original 2 year vaulting period was kept intact, Aladdin has had to be re-released (either as the 2 disc release or as the "new" Musical Masterpiece Edition) in order to increase sales.

It doesn't make any form of logical sense. The point of vaulting the discs is to make them unavailable - so extending or flooding the market with other copies before the next big highly promoted re-release is a nonsense selling strategy.

We will never get direct evidence from Disney that Aladdin underperformed, but we can look at the facts as we know them and come to that conclusion using logic rather than emotion.

It's the only Platinum release with a 4 year shelf-life (extended from the original planned 2 years as detailed in the press release when the new titles were added to the line - remember Aladdin was the first release after this news). We have evidence showing its planned Vaulting was 2 years, not four. Sadly, most is behind subscription only or pay sites, but I did find this with help.

The Digital Bits (5/3/03)
http://www.thedigitalbits.com/mytwocentsa72.html

How do you like this? A rare Saturday post! And it's good news for you Disney fans. In an online conference call with share holders regarding Q2 FY03 financial results, the studio revealed that it plans to accelerate its Platinum Edition DVD release plans.

...

Also, they now plan to leave them available for two years at a time, and then take them off the market for only five years (as opposed to the ten-year moratorium they'd previously announced). And they've added several more titles to their eventual 2-disc Platinum line-up, including Sleeping Beauty, Pinocchio, Fantasia and Peter Pan.

How much clearer could it be? Every film on that list of "TBA" has indeed had a 2 year moratorium (as far as I can see from quick checks) except Aladdin. Again, I ask, why would a title selling as well as expected NEED "to sell more copies".

Also, its the only title on that list of "TBA" to have been re-released in other countries. Again, countries that stuck to the original 2 year moratorium. It would appear the only reason Disney US hasn't re-released Aladdin is because its still in some US shops! (see earlier post in this thread)

As for Aladdin selling less than the Lion King - yes, perhaps this is expected if you just look at theatrical box office or VHS sales. However, remember 2002-2005 was a boom time for DVD - people were still transitioning from VHS to DVD (Platinums up to and including Cinderella had DVD and VHS releases). Each year, literally tens of millions of DVD players were sold in the US. So you would expect MORE people to have DVD players, so more people to either buy Aladdin for the first time, or re-purchase Aladdin to upgrade their VHS copies.

The fact is... nobody knows what Disney is going to do with Aladdin as of right now. And one tentative schedule that wasn't even released officially by Disney is hardly means for all of this.

I guess we will know in a few years, but until then, get off your high horses. You don't know anything more than anyone else on this subject. And your "facts" are merely assumptions. Regardless if you are correct or not, there has not been any official word on where Aladdin will fall in this second run thru the Platinum line.

There HAS been official word. It HAS been released by Disney. All the information de-listing Aladdin and adding Alice has come from OFFICIAL DISNEY SITES OR SOURCES, just not from the US. Don't you think after 2 years of official Disney sources confirming the information, Disney US would be aware of what they're saying (even if only though our own BVHE-Rep at the very least) and told them to correct their information rather than continue to propagate it?

[schoollover]

Here's some information I've picked up (and translated) from one of Disney's official Nordic press sites. The term "Platinum Edition" is not used in my country, but the release strategy has been the same so far. The interesting thing is that the Platinum line now seems to include 15 titles. As expected, Aladdin has been removed. Alice in Wonderland and Fantasia 2000 have been added:

<b>"Release Strategy</b>
15 of Disney's most popular Classics have a specific strategy based on that they will be vaulted after some time on the market. The films can be off the market for five to ten years, and when re-released will be available for a limited time. The aim is to once again be able to present films for a whole new generation of families with children. The strategy also makes it possible to progressively update the quality of movies and even present them in new formats. The movie Sleeping Beauty, for example, is the first of the 15 film gems to be released on both DVD and Blu-ray."

<table><tr><td>"Provisional release plan.
Other classics are for sale all year.
</td></tr><tr><td>
</td></tr><tr><td><b>Title</b></td><td><b>Classic no.</b></td><td><b>Latest release</b></td><td><b>Next release</b>
</td></tr><tr><td>
</td></tr><tr><td>Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs</td><td>1</td><td>2001</td><td>2009
</td></tr><tr><td>
</td></tr><tr><td>Pinocchio</td><td>2</td><td>2003</td><td>2009
</td></tr><tr><td>
</td></tr><tr><td>Fantasia / Fantasia 2000</td><td>3 / 38</td><td>2000</td><td>2010
</td></tr><tr><td>
</td></tr><tr><td>Bambi</td><td>5</td><td>2005</td><td>2013
</td></tr><tr><td>
</td></tr><tr><td>Cinderella</td><td>12</td><td>2005</td><td>2012
</td></tr><tr><td>
</td></tr><tr><td>Alice in Wonderland</td><td>13</td><td>2005</td><td>2011
</td></tr><tr><td>
</td></tr><tr><td>Peter Pan</td><td>14</td><td>2007</td><td>Not decided
</td></tr><tr><td>
</td></tr><tr><td>Lady & the Tramp</td><td>15</td><td>2006</td><td>2013
</td></tr><tr><td>
</td></tr><tr><td>Sleeping Beauty</td><td>16</td><td>2008</td><td>Not decided
</td></tr><tr><td>
</td></tr><tr><td>101 Dalmatians</td><td>17</td><td>2008</td><td>Not decided
</td></tr><tr><td>
</td></tr><tr><td>The Jungle Book</td><td>19</td><td>2007</td><td>Not decided
</td></tr><tr><td>
</td></tr><tr><td>The Little Mermaid</td><td>28</td><td>2006</td><td>Not decided
</td></tr><tr><td>
</td></tr><tr><td>Beauty and the Beast</td><td>30</td><td>2002</td><td>2010
</td></tr><tr><td>
</td></tr><tr><td>The Lion King</td><td>32</td><td>2003</td><td>2011"
</td></tr><tr><td>
</td></tr><tr></tr></table>

I don't get how Bambi is coming out after cinderella, when it originally came before cinderella.

[goofystitch]

schoollover wrote:

I don't get how Bambi is coming out after cinderella, when it originally came before cinderella.

My guess would be that the original order was made when the Platinum's were once a year in October. When the line expanded to twice a year, the order was more or less kept with Bambi coming out before Cinderella. However, the more profitable (I.E: Princess movies) are always released in the fall when videos sell better. So I am guessing that when the line repeats as two a year, Cinderella has to come first to be the Fall release in 2012, with Bambi coming Spring of 2013.

[TheSequelOfDisney]

schoollover wrote:

I don't get how Bambi is coming out after cinderella, when it originally came before cinderella.

My guess would be that the original order was made when the Platinum's were once a year in October. When the line expanded to twice a year, the order was more or less kept with Bambi coming out before Cinderella. However, the more profitable (I.E: Princess movies) are always released in the fall when videos sell better. So I am guessing that when the line repeats as two a year, Cinderella has to come first to be the Fall release in 2012, with Bambi coming Spring of 2013.

However, there is only one Platinum, according to that list, that is coming out in the year 2012 so Bambi should get that Spring spot for that year, not 2013. Which then leaves a spot wide open for an October release of TLM if LatT is moved up for 2013.

[yukitora]

This film should've been in the PE line since its inception. When our generation thinks Disney classics, they don't think Snow White or Pinocchio, they think Alice in Wonderland.

Heck before last year I hadn't seen either of these three films, but atleast I knew Alice existed.

[PatrickvD]

This film should've been in the PE line since its inception. When our generation thinks Disney classics, they don't think Snow White or Pinocchio, they think Alice in Wonderland.

Heck before last year I hadn't seen either of these three films, but atleast I knew Alice existed.

well... then you're an exception.

Snow White is the first full length animated feature and an undeniable movie classic. Pinocchio.... well, what do you hear at the beginning of every Disney film? exactly.

Alice was a mediocre adaptation. Walt Disney himself admitted he hated the film. It's a minor entry in Disney's animated canon in my opinion. I'd put Dumbo and Aladdin above it any day of the week.

[yukitora]

Your confusing what I said. I didn't say that I/people love Alice more than the other two, im saying that more people in our generation (which probably doesn't count you) identify Alice as a disney classic. Most of us youngins dont know that Snow White was the first animated film, or that Walt disliked Alice, or watched enough of the films to know that When You Wish Upon a Star plays before each film. Remember, im talking about the general public, who aren't hardcore/obsessive fans like us.

Plus I'd put Dumbo over Alice any day as well, I'm surprised it's not a platinum, as it was released during the "golden age" and was one of the most sucessful of them too. Aladdin can die in a hole for all I care. Im not quite sure if Fantasia 2000 should really be a platinum title however. It's not critically acclaimed nor a beloved classic. It just got the right connections.

[stewie15]

Aladdin can die in a hole for all I care.

bahahahhh

harsh.

[ajmrowland]

Your confusing what I said. I didn't say that I/people love Alice more than the other two, im saying that more people in our generation (which probably doesn't count you) identify Alice as a disney classic. Most of us youngins dont know that Snow White was the first animated film, or that Walt disliked Alice, or watched enough of the films to know that When You Wish Upon a Star plays before each film. Remember, im talking about the general public, who aren't hardcore/obsessive fans like us.

Plus I'd put Dumbo over Alice any day as well, I'm surprised it's not a platinum, as it was released during the "golden age" and was one of the most sucessful of them too. Aladdin can die in a hole for all I care. Im not quite sure if Fantasia 2000 should really be a platinum title however. It's not critically acclaimed nor a beloved classic. It just got the right connections.

Actually, You seemed to indicate that no young person identifies Snow White or Pinocchio as classics, despite how young i am, I prefer those to Alice, strongly. And Aladdin is the Bomb!

[schoollover]

i'm just going to guess that we can discredit these theorys as false since alice wasn't a diamond. though I still wonder when is the lion king coming out.

[pick]

Since it's NOT going to be a Diamond Edition, and DUMBO was announced as a PLATINUM Edition, I think we may see a PLATINUM "Alice in Wonderland" in the end of 2010, near the home release on Tim Burton's Alice... My guess...

[disneyboy20022]

Since it's NOT going to be a Diamond Edition, and DUMBO was announced as a PLATINUM Edition, I think we may see a PLATINUM "Alice in Wonderland" in the end of 2010, near the home release on Tim Burton's Alice... My guess...

I thought they retired the Platinum Line....for Diamond..

Anyway whatever edition they come out or are line they are pegged to or are stupildy named happy goo goo edition I hope they are a decent if not more than decent release...with loads of as much bonus features as they can find in that vaul and a good if not perfect transfer for dvd and Blu Ray....and hopefully the 2 -disc is not a digital copy ono disc 2...but if they cram disc 1 with enough bonus features and can fit them on their on dvd then I wouldn' totally protest about a digital copy.....I just don't want another Bedknobs and broomsticks gimmick dvd

[Cordy_Biddle]

It makes good business sense for Disney to vault "Alice" just before Tim Burton's remake is released - that way they'll drum up enough interest for the inevitible BD release.

[Spottedfeather]

I like Alice In Wonderland, but I don't think that it deserves to be in the Platinum (or Diamond as the line is called now) line. It's not a classic in the vein of Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, or Cinderella.

[JustOneBite87]

I like Alice In Wonderland, but I don't think that it deserves to be in the Platinum (or Diamond as the line is called now) line. It's not a classic in the vein of Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, or Cinderella.

I agree entirely. The last DVD release was just at the level it deserved to be at. It sold well, but that doesn't mean the film automatically deserves Diamond status now.

On the flip side, Aladdin had terrible advertising and didn't sell quite as well...does that mean it deserves to be dropped from the Diamond line? Not IMO. Unfortunately prestige and quality does not always outweigh $profit$

[Want2beBelle]

I like Alice In Wonderland, but I don't think that it deserves to be in the Platinum (or Diamond as the line is called now) line. It's not a classic in the vein of Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, or Cinderella.

I agree entirely. The last DVD release was just at the level it deserved to be at. It sold well, but that doesn't mean the film automatically deserves Diamond status now.

On the flip side, Aladdin had terrible advertising and didn't sell quite as well...does that mean it deserves to be dropped from the Diamond line? Not IMO. Unfortunately prestige and quality does not always outweigh $profit$

hasn't this been canceled already, isn't this going to become a special edition..

[goofystitch]

The Platinum line has been discontinued. Dumbo is being released as a "Special Edition." And according to Disney's press release for the Diamond Editions, which will only be on Blu-Ray (the DVD equivelants won't have the banner), Aladdin is not included in the 14 titles announced. The titles announced are:

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Beauty and the Beast
Fantasia
Fantasia 2000
Bambi
The Lion King
Lady and the Tramp
Cinderella
Peter Pan
The Little Mermaid
101 Dalmatians
The Jungle Book
Pinocchio
Sleeping Beauty

Basically, every Platinum title except Aladdin will be recycled in the Diamond collection and Fantasia/Fantasia 2000 have been added.