Dumbo: Special Edition Blu-ray and DVD Discussion

[miniroll32]

You're all forgetting how these films are restored.

Disney don't do it - they send the films to Lowry, a company that specialises in restoration. They've been sending documents there to be cleaned up since 2001, and there is no difference in the quality of the output of the efforts that go into restoring these films.

The differences were seeing are based on two things:

- Firstly, the restoration exposes much more of the flaws in the actual production process then we would believe. Snow White is a prime example - there are shots out of focus, colour imbalances between shots and some anomalies in the tracking of the cels. These aren't down to restoration, they are things that were created during shooting. On Dumbo in particular, we are seeing the real economy of the film, and the Pictures that were previously posted are certainly the real Blu-Ray. You can see how much more rushed the brush strokes are, the simpler backgrounds and the cel-shadow. Anyone that suggests this has been poorly remastered needs to think again - although these are wonderful films, they all have there little production issues.

- Secondly, for the most part, we believe the colours have been 'tampered with', are wrong or un-faithful because we have never seen the original colours on a home platform before. Every remaster that has been released prior to the Platinum Editions were un-faithful because they were not done by Lowry - the colours are over-saturated etc... What we are seeing now for the first time are how these films would have looked in the cinema on release. Fantasia will be the most surprising as the Technicolor prints have had some troubles.

In short, anyone who says that 'Disney are tampering/ruining these films' just needs to accept that these are how the films originally looked.

[ajmrowland]

You hear that, Marky?

[SpringHeelJack]

WE DO NOT SPEAK HIS NAME. DAMNATIO MEMORIAE!

[jpanimation]

AWESOME!!!!!! If possible, post some pics from the menus ok? Thanks!

http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/screensho ... position=9

[BK]

The DVD may be the Big Top DVD?

While that may not be good news for DVDphiles for Blu-Ray completists that is some fine news because they gain the Canemaker commentary. That would also mean the only missing features from the combo pack would be Michael Crawford's Baby Mine and the sneak peak at Dumbo 2.

[The_Iceflash]

The DVD may be the Big Top DVD?

While that may not be good news for DVDphiles for Blu-Ray completists that is some fine news because they gain the Canemaker commentary. That would also mean the only missing features from the combo pack would be Michael Crawford's Baby Mine and the sneak peak at Dumbo 2.

While I'd be getting the combo anyways that doesn't make sense. Why would they put an old transfer on the same release as a new one? That's like putting the 2001 Snow White Platinum dvd in the Snow White diamond edition combo. It doesn't make much sense.

[BK]

The DVD may be the Big Top DVD?

While that may not be good news for DVDphiles for Blu-Ray completists that is some fine news because they gain the Canemaker commentary. That would also mean the only missing features from the combo pack would be Michael Crawford's Baby Mine and the sneak peak at Dumbo 2.

While I'd be getting the combo anyways that doesn't make sense. Why would they put an old transfer on the same release as a new one? That's like putting the 2001 Snow White Platinum dvd in the Snow White diamond edition combo. It doesn't make much sense.

No idea the review says so?

I'd like confirmation though. I think they should keep the Canemaker commentary though I've never seen it and don't like Dumbo but apparently it's good and Disney should try and at least have a definitive edition of their movies.

With Sleeping Beauty and Snow White lots of features were dropped and everything, I mean, why can't they put it in?

For example, some of their BRs like Cars have huge amounts of space but they didn't put it anything which was released in the Australian DVD release.

Same with Ratatouille which had extra features on the UK DVD release.

It's sad that it's almost guaranteed if Disney release a new version of a movie you know they will drop something from it.

[BK]

If anyone has the combo could you please confirm/deny if the DVD is the BTE DVD and if it isn't, when you play it, does it have the Canemaker commentary included?
Thanks

[ajmrowland]

It isn't. It has the Blu-ray is Suite and Digital Copy ads and has new previews.

[miniroll32]

The Blu Ray and DVD are BOTH Special Editions.

Aside from the obvious fact that its a different edition to the 'Big Top', Amazon (UK) states in the product information for both the Blu Ray and DVD that they are both the same, in terms of content.

Why on earth would Disney re-release the same DVD under a different 'edition'? Its a new line-up of 'Editions' now and have brand new content and restorations. The DVD's have always been downscaled versions of the Blu-Ray.

[disneyboy20022]

The Blu Ray and DVD are BOTH Special Editions.

Aside from the obvious fact that its a different edition to the 'Big Top', Amazon (UK) states in the product information for both the Blu Ray and DVD that they are both the same, in terms of content.

Why on earth would Disney re-release the same DVD under a different 'edition'? Its a new line-up of 'Editions' now and have brand new content and restorations. The DVD's have always been downscaled versions of the Blu-Ray.

uhh...welll these two come to mind..


<a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/ ... &sr=1-1</a>



<a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/ ... &sr=1-2</a>


EDIT: no these arent' blu ray combos but these dvds that were released are basicly carbon copies of their original DTV release....even the UD reviews for both say that.....

[ajmrowland]

But they were actually giving this movie a "Special Edition" in the true sense. If it were just a repackaging, it wouldn't have graced the back of the ads booklet for Snow White, nor have any trailers at the front of other discs.

[miniroll32]

Since the restoration is brand new, it couldn't just be re-packaged Disney is clearly trying to move people to the Blu-Ray market - I recently bought Toy Story 1 and 2, and the DVD's that are included (these are the combo products) are pretty basic. Even the DVD label is just plain grey!

'Special Edition' in the line of Disney's 2D animated feature films is merely the title for any of the films that didn't make Diamond Status. Every film has the same Lowry restoration - the Diamond/Special Edition status is merely to separate how Disney connote 'the best from the rest'. As for the product, the Specials will have less features with them simply to create some separation between the status. Otherwise, the Diamond/Special tag would be pointless aside from highlighting what 'they' believe the best/most important are.

Judging the by care and the amount of research/compiling that went into the extra disc on Snow White Blu Ray, I could understand why Disney wouldn't want to do this for every release - its too vast. Dumbo must have been a breath of fresh air as, although it saved the studio, the production was short and theres less to document.

[tlc38tlc38]

I'm really excited about this release! I think I'm just gonna wait on the US release. The only thing that upsets me is that they didn't include the Alison Krauss "Baby Mine" video. I would really like to have that!!

[Goliath]

While I'd be getting the combo anyways that doesn't make sense. Why would they put an old transfer on the same release as a new one? That's like putting the 2001 Snow White Platinum dvd in the Snow White diamond edition combo. It doesn't make much sense.

They did that last time in The Netherlands. They released a new 'Big Top edition' (at the same time it came out in the US) with a new cover and all, but the transfer was just the old 'Gold' release. It had all the old bonus features, minus the Canemaker commentary. So that was very weird.

This time around, Holland also got the new edition. I don't know what the Canemaker commentary was like, but I didn't like this one with Andreas Deja, Pete Doctor and that lady (who?). They gloss over all the really important things (the difficult production process, the war, the tight budget, financial pressures, the strike, conflicts, the crows) and all they do is just drop names all the time. "He animated this, and he animated that" and so on... Boring. The little excerpts of some of the old animators made it interesting.

I'm very happy with the new transfer. The old one (our so-called 'Big top') contained a lot of grain and looked very dark and used (so much that I got distracted by it). This new restauration is excellent. I also like the bonus features. A film doesn't have to have 2 discs to be good. I just Disney gave *all* their films such a good 1-disc treatment. I only wish I knew this edition was coming when I bought the 'Big top' only half a year ago. I thought we were never getting a better release. For the first time, I had to 'double dip'. Not planning on doing that again.

[marlan]

I spotted the Dumbo Blu-ray at a local store today! It's out today in Scandinavia! The set contais two discs: Blu-ray and DVD. I didn't buy it though, it's pricy: € 32 (circa $ 40).

I do hope this release is finally framed properly. See my older posts with screenshots:

http://www.ultimatedisney.com/forum/vie ... 300#210300 (2006)
http://www.ultimatedisney.com/forum/vie ... 853#133853 (2005).

[miniroll32]

Good afternoon dudes and dudettes

Just received my copy of 'Dumbo' on blu-ray here in the U.K, and have some interesting bits of news.

Firstly, the Fantasia trailer isn't even on the disc! Beauty and The Beast is the only 'Coming Soon' trailer... Disney are really pushing this little bitch! The Sneak Peaks menu doesn't reveal it either. This is very strange as even the Toy Story blu ray included it and thats a Disney-Pixar film, so the mind boggles.

Secondly, it includes some extras called 'Disney DVD Classics'. I know some of you were wondering about whether certain documentaries would be included, so it looks as though these may have been carried over? I'm not sure, I didn't own any of the previous DVD releases.

Thirdly, the restoration is just as good as Snow White. Everything is stabilised, previously incoherent artwork is now visible, and on that subject, its nice to see that the original colour inconsistencies/scruffy brush strokes have been kept in.

Am I impressed? I sure am, and even the slipcase has a nice sheen to it which the Snow White one didn't The slipcase also has the symbol "Classic No.4" written on it.

[GrinwithoutaKat]

I've not got my own copy yet, but quite a few people in the UK have got Dumbo today. There's a video up here that shows some interesting things, such as Beauty and the Beast and Fantasia Blu Rays on a coming soon leaflet (I'd seen some people suggest Disney had changed their mind on Fantasia, and we might just get one Diamond a year, with Lion King coming after BatB).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqFhv-0N4cY

[Goliath]

Secondly, it includes some extras called 'Disney DVD Classics'. I know some of you were wondering about whether certain documentaries would be included, so it looks as though these may have been carried over? I'm not sure, I didn't own any of the previous DVD releases.

Strange... There's no 'Disney DVD Classics' on the Dutch disc. What's on your disc under that header?

The Dutch disc includes:

- Deleted scene
- Deleted song
- Audiocommentary
- Making-of (26 min.)
- Fluff piece about Dumbo ride at Disneyland
- Walt Disney tv introduction (1 min.)
- Trailer 1941
- Trailer 1949

No art gallery, unfortunately. They dropped that from the previous DVD. Again, I must ask: WHY? There's not ONE logical reason to exclude it.

[JustOneBite87]

Received my Mexican Blu a couple of weeks ago. No slipcover on mine, but it does give you choose which language you want the menu in just like most American releases. Fantastic extras. The restoration is beautiful, as others have said.

I don't see the point in waiting another year if you really want Dumbo. I held off on buying this movie for years because I knew a decent restoration had to be on the way. I think it's pretty cruel of Disney to get fans excited, put out promotion material, trailers, release the restoration at the El Capitan.... and then not deliver. I will definitely not be regretting my purchase and will just cackle with glee when the eventual American release comes out knowing I have had it well in advance.