I've Just Bought My Very First Disney DVD!!

[Giygas]

I thought the TV show was pretty "meh". It had a few good episodes here and there, but it didn't have the same heartwarming/character development-ness that the original movie had. (I think it really went downhill with all the crossovers)

[Disney Duster]

Well IceFlash, I would have looked at everything ever about Cinderella on this forum, and I don't remember it ever being proven wrong, but I just sent Lazario a pm about why the colors are wrong. Some day I will show the whole forum why the colors are wrong with many examples.

[Lazario]

Another careful eBay researching, it's used but this person swears it's scratch-free, they've sold to a lot of people, and they have a 100% feedback rating.

I've just ordered my #4 (28 to go!).

And #4 is... :

[Goliath]

i love that movie. would be kool if they would release the tv series on dvd as well... we didnt get all of them here. i had to look on youtube to find out who angel was.

Nah... I hated the tv series and all the sequels. Sucked all the life, spirit and originality out of the original movie.

I thought the TV show was pretty "meh". It had a few good episodes here and there, but it didn't have the same heartwarming/character development-ness that the original movie had. (I think it really went downhill with all the crossovers)

My thoughts exactly.

Before we steer off-topic too much: *my* first Disney dvd was Aladdin. I bought the trilogy box-set, but mainly because it was on discount. Those are really the only sequels I like, though Return of Jafar's animation is still painful to watch.

[Lazario]

I ordered Cinderella from : http://myworld.ebay.com/chendongq2007

However... I've just taken a look at their Feedback page and things have changed since I made my order. At least 3 people have complained. One person said it took too long to arrive and their DVD was covered with scratches. Another said the movie was not the Disney version - which is ALARMING, but thankfully for me it was for The Lion King / Beauty and the Beast. But that person also said they were given a refund and quickly. So, that's a little better. All the complaints right now seem to be for The Lion King and Beauty and the Beast. Based on this... I wouldn't recommend using this person just yet.

Just got Cinderella in the mail and it's absolutely perfect. Brand new, region 1, everything went perfectly. And this guy says he's got a bunch more copies, so... based on my experience, I would have to say he's on-the-level.

However, if you want to try getting Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King from him... take stock of the fact that a good 4 people have complained about that.



EDIT / UPDATE:

I don't think you all are going to believe this but... the user I was just (kinda) raving about above has... well... I just looked on their page and it says "Not a registered user." eBay says that means he's either been suspended or closed his account. So I can't leave feedback, whether I want to or not.

[Disney Duster]

Did you get my pm? I just wondered if you wanted to say anything about what I showed you...in pm or here.

[Lazario]

Did you get my pm? I just wondered if you wanted to say anything about what I showed you...in pm or here.

Yes and yes. But I can't PM back. When I was allowed to come back, that means I have a kinda new account. Almost all the old posts, but only new privilages and newer members aren't allowed to send PM's, just receive them.

I waited to watch part of the movie. Haven't finished because I'm still kinda waiting until I have enough of the movies to have a real marathon but generally, I don't find the colors that distracting. Just twice. Once was Jacques' coat during the beginning of the "Cinderelly, Cinderelly" song. When he's in front of the door as it closes - "...that's the time when they begin it..." I guess you could say it really leaps off the screen, but it's too bright. And then, I did notice Cinderella's hair was too yellow. But it was only distracting when she stood up at the beginning. I think it was during the moment when she was angry at the clock tower. Then, during the shot where she looks into the cage at Gus, her hair goes a lot more brown / dark orange.

I wouldn't have noticed the color of her dress however. Only if you showed me pictures would I notice a difference.

I will tell you what really bothered me, though. Aside from putting the layer transition in the scene where Cinderella is running through the courtyard crying her eyes out while the music is squealing. What really bothered me was that the RKO logo or whatever is missing. The very first shot of the movie is taken out and they put the blue Disney logo over it. I understand their reasoning, maybe they would even have had to pay someone at whatever/wherever RKO's estate is now, but I still think it's just not fair to re-do history like that. My old VHS has the untouched, unchanged shot. Which I don't remember exactly - is it an RKO logo? I know Alice in Wonderland had something like that at the beginning. So, I think that's got to be what it is. I also remember The Three Caballeros had one. I don't want any of these movies to change that opening shot. I'll never be able to watch these movies now without being distracted from getting into the original spirit of the movie.

[miklc]

Out of interest which are the next Disney DVDs that you plan on purchasing? Will you be getting The Princess and the Frog? Also you mentioned that you've been concentrating on completing your Horror collection, do you think you could possibly post pictures of your horror DVDs prehaps in a thread in the General DVD Discussion of the forum as I would love to see your collection, are you at all a fan of Hammer Horror?? (Sorry for going slightly Off Topic here )

[Lazario]

Out of interest which are the next Disney DVDs that you plan on purchasing? Will you be getting The Princess and the Frog?

No. I doubt I'll even rent that film. But, per Goliath's suggestion, I will definitely rent Lilo & Stitch. Apart from that, as a rule of thumb- I just avoid everything after Pocahontas. It all feels the same to me. And not in a charming, magical way like the more classic Disney films.

Right now, I'm trying to get the Disney films that are the most out-of-print. I check Amazon.com to see how expensive they are, then I go to eBay to see the best deal I can get and research the seller to make sure I can trust them. So far, I'm 4 for 4. All purchases have gone very well. I want to get the Gold Collection DVD of Robin Hood because I prefer the fullscreen classic Disney films to widescreen, unless they're in 2.35:1 where then it really makes a difference. The Platinums for Lady and the Tramp and The Little Mermaid are currently the hardest for me to find a good deal for. So, I should go after those next. As well as the Robin Hood: Gold Collection. But if I find The Rescuers for $10 at Wal-Mart again, I might not be able to resist.

Also you mentioned that you've been concentrating on completing your Horror collection, do you think you could possibly post pictures of your horror DVDs prehaps in a thread in the General DVD Discussion of the forum as I would love to see your collection, are you at all a fan of Hammer Horror?? (Sorry for going slightly Off Topic here )

You can find most of them right here:
http://www.ultimatedisney.com/forum/vie ... hp?t=24428 (the first post, I in fact started the thread)

Though I've bought quite a few more since. If I ever get Eaten Alive and Swamp Thing, I'll update with new pictures. And if I can find my stupid camera / digital camera.

I've been thinking about starting an official horror dvd / ultimate horror dvd thread, sort of in the spirit of Ultimate Disney's thing where they have a list of essential films and give detailed reviews of the special features and that sort of thing. Too bad I don't know anything about video and audio quality. I read reviews mentioning things like edge enhancement and dozens of technical terms. But I do love bonus features and feel like most DVD reviews often neglect going into detail about them. They kind of just say "it's a featurette about the making-of." And sometimes, that's all you get.

As for Hammer... I can't say I am a fan. I've only seen 2 of their movies. The Nanny with Bette Davis, distributed by 20th Century Fox, and The Brides of Dracula - like at night when I was a teenager and I barely remember anything about it. Just the end. And a scene with a vampire coming through a window into a woman's room. And... someone let a vampire out of a kind of trap or dungeon and didn't know they were a vampire. I'm kind of an AIP fan instead. Especially Roger Corman's The Masque of the Red Death, Tower of London, and Tales of Terror.

[Goliath]

No. I doubt I'll even rent that film. But, per Goliath's suggestion, I will definitely rent Lilo & Stitch.

Great! You won't regret it. It's definitly very different from all the 1990's films, and not in the horribly-failed-way of Treasure Planet or Atlantis. And yet the way it's animated, especially the backgrounds which are painted in aquarel, gives it a 'Classic Walt-era' feeling. I'm curious to read your thoughts on this film. And if you like honest, informative bonus features, you will love the 2-dics version of Lilo & Stitch!

[Disney Duster]

Lilo & Stitch didn't feel like a Walt era film, even with the watercolor backgrounds.

Aw, Lazario, that means you're missing outon Hunchback and Hercules. I know how you feel about Hunchback's gargoyles, but don't you think the rest of the film is something?

Anyway, I hope you agree Cinderella's colors should be fixed, if only things like her dress and such. Also, the RKO logo will probably be put back in on Blu-ray as that seems to be the trend.

Oh, and I hope you finish your reviews of Disney movies that you started...

[ajmrowland]

I dont get why so many ppl hate TP and Atlantis. They're not classic-they dont even try to be like the other films-but they are good.

Anyway, you'll LOVE lilo and Stitch. And PATF is great, too! You should rent that one!

[Lazario]

Aw, Lazario, that means you're missing out on Hunchback and Hercules. I know how you feel about Hunchback's gargoyles, but don't you think the rest of the film is something?

Yeah- a bore.

True, I haven't seen it but the one time and since I was a teenager. But the music stunk, the character (and singing, especially) voices were boring (except maybe the Gargoyles), and I found the entire story and setting to be lame. I know if I saw it again today, I wouldn't describe it this strongly (although I did hear a song from the movie on Napster yesterday and it was ghastly!). But all I have is the VHS anyway. I think the quaint humor of the older Disney classics, while not in any sense hip with today's crowd, stays amusing longer. Because quaint is understated. I find two qualities in film are eternally charming - slow and understated. Today's humor is so irritating with all the one-liners and the jokes that kids repeat to each other at school all the time - or so is my memory, particularly of Aladdin and The Lion King, since that's the time when I was a kid in school. Starting to long-en my tooth a little. But I hope you can imagine how when I was a kid, that kind of thing was annoying. And nearly 20 years later... things have not changed. That's rather depressing.

That's why I have my cut-off year. To respect my wishes that Disney realize they had enough fast-paced character writing and that kind of thing. They were not innovating characters. At best, they're long-overdoing. If a character like Esmeralda is supposed to represent girl-power in the 90's... Disney was just following a trend, and nothing more. Look at the Spice Girls. Look at Bad Girls or Thelma and Louise. Look at Hilary Clinton. And as for now, Princess and the Frog should have been made after Pocahontas, or at least Hunchback. Or make a lead female character in something like Tarzan black. I don't care which. But they waited so long, it's not making history anymore. In fact, it's just post-Obama. If we could use that kind of thing as a chance to praise Disney, does that mean we can also expect them to make a main character gay anytime soon? Maybe we should re-evaluate what people are saying about Princess and the Frog. Hmm...?

Anyway, I hope you agree Cinderella's colors should be fixed, if only things like her dress and such. Also, the RKO logo will probably be put back in on Blu-ray as that seems to be the trend.

Right now, I certainly wouldn't replace my Cinderella just because of the RKO logo. Which that (and the layer transition) are my only beefs with the DVD. I still don't mind the colors. Though I can, unlike my outright denial to agree with people about how good post-1995 animated films are, understand someone else's view on that. How you could get unhappy about something like that. But I've already watched the trailers and... don't see much of a difference, to be honest. Of course, that's after watching the featurettes on the DVD and I'm keeping a watch on those Mary Blair styled backgrounds more than just about anything else.

Oh, and I hope you finish your reviews of Disney movies that you started...

Gonna have to wait a few months, 'til I get some more DVD's. Maybe all the important classics. And the package films because I'm very excited to get those on DVD. If Fantasia ever gets a release date.

[estefan]

And as for now, Princess and the Frog should have been made after Pocahontas, or at least Hunchback. Or make a lead female character in something like Tarzan black. I don't care which. But they waited so long, it's not making history anymore. In fact, it's just post-Obama. If we could use that kind of thing as a chance to praise Disney, does that mean we can also expect them to make a main character gay anytime soon? Maybe we should re-evaluate what people are saying about Princess and the Frog. Hmm...?

But, people are loving Tiana not because she's black, but because she is a strong, well-developed character, even leaps and bounds above Belle. She doesn't care about marrying a prince, she wants to open her own restaurant and her relationship with Naveen grows naturally. She's quite a multi-layered character and that was a large part of why I liked her so much - and Anika Noni Rose's voice-work also played a large part of this.

I think you should watch a film before judging the story and its characters.

[Lazario]

And as for now, Princess and the Frog should have been made after Pocahontas, or at least Hunchback. Or make a lead female character in something like Tarzan black. I don't care which. But they waited so long, it's not making history anymore. In fact, it's just post-Obama. If we could use that kind of thing as a chance to praise Disney, does that mean we can also expect them to make a main character gay anytime soon? Maybe we should re-evaluate what people are saying about Princess and the Frog. Hmm...?

But, people are loving Tiana not because she's black, but because she is a strong, well-developed character

Who wouldn't exist were it not for the fact that Disney wanted her to be black.

even leaps and bounds above Belle.

That certainly wouldn't be too hard.

I think you should watch a film before judging the story and its characters.

I'll try to keep that in mind next time.

But just for your information, though I'm glad you like the actress and think the character is mulit-layered I'm sure, I really don't care about the story or the characters. They are still being made to fit stereotypes. The movie is still a formula. That's how I choose to look at it. This is the way Disney has done things for at least 15 years now. "You have to watch the movie first" is the oldest line in the book, I've heard it a thousand times. But here's the funny part - my observations never change after I've seen the movie. I have the world's most uncanny ability of being right about my first instinct when it tells me something's not special. So before you think about getting righteous on me, think about this... does the fact that I haven't seen the movie really bother you all that much? Because if I had seen it, I'd only have more unkind things to say. And then you wouldn't be able to defend the movie by saying - "you have to watch the movie first."

If this girl really is as all-that as you say, she would probably be the first and only well-developed, genuinely multi-layered character in the history of Disney animated films.

[ajmrowland]

Spoken like a true cynic.

[Lazario]

Spoken like a true cynic.

Aww... hurt my feelings, why don't you...






Anyway, more news.

Went searching on eBay again and... ordered my 5th Disney DVD. It's used but this seller claims they've only watched it once. They've sold to over a thousand buyers, and they have a 100% feedback rating. They also went on and on about smoke free homes and private collection. I think this person is totally on the level.

And #5 is... : (27 to go!).











































Big shocker, right... ?

[Disney Duster]

Hm. I am finding it very hard to understand that you don't mind that some colors really are wrong. That they actually changed some colors mistakenly. But it isn't your most favorite film of all time, and I guess it's small to you, so...

And I can't believe you don't think the Hunchback score is good! Maybe the lyrics aren't the best, I don't know, but the music itself by Alan Menken is some of the most amazing powerful music in any film...

I didn't follow everything you were saying about The Princess and the Frog. Yes, it's about time they made a black main character, but that doesn't mean the film will be bad because they finally did decide to make her black and it was following a trend as they've always followed the times.

It actually was revealed that John Lasseter considered making The Frog Prince in Chicago, and Disney bought the rights to the book The Frog Princess, but then they decided to incorporate the two ideas into a new idea but set the story in the bayous where frogs would live in New Orleans (which I think was a much better idea, not to mention it has more fairy tale, royalty, and magical associations).

However, the film still was lackluster for what it could have, should have, or was expected to have been, and personally, I didn't like Tiana. And it probably was because they made her too girl power, too un-like a traditional Disney princess. She was so into hard work and not having fun or magic in her life she came off as one-tracked and boring and even bossy and a stick in the mud. Yea, apparently she changes through the story but I don't really think she did very much. If she desperately wanted fun and magic in her life but she felt she had to work, I could have understood that and liked her, but that's not how she was.

But despite all this...I think the movie is good. Not stellar, not as amazing as the earliest Disney Renaissance films, but good. And, if you like fantasy, magic, fairy tales or hand-drawn animation, and most especially Disney doing all of this, then you should probably see it. Even if it turns out you don't like it, and that you're usually right with your first instinct, I don't see what the harm is to rent it except a few bucks or just one dollar if you use RedBox.

Well, anyway...Disney probably won't make a gay character any time soon until, as you suggested, it becomes a trend, it is seen as acceptable for openly gay characters in family fare. Of course it is perfectly acceptable, families just need to freakin' realize it is.

Anyway, that Sleeping Beauty Special Edition is a great buy, but the newest DVD shouldn't be that expensive either, and that one has a restoration that I don't think has too many problems, though I still did find some. If you want something that is more assuredly close to the original, though, the one you bought is the best way to go.

[Kyle]

The comment about PATF being post Obama strikes me as odd, since it was in development before we even knew about him.

[ajmrowland]

DD, It's interesting how you dont like Tiana because of her work attitude, but Naveen explicitly calls her everything you do and has the same complaints.

Anyway, what I like about the movie, when you come to think about it, it's really the only Disney Classic that has that all-American slice of humble pie feel to it. It's even present in the Bayou scenes.