Escapay wrote:This is sure to be an unpopular opinion, but I'm kind of glad the Treasures are dead. Not because of the content released (far from it). Mainly because of how they were released.
I know that Leonard Maltin was in charge of the line, and I applaud him for what he's done with it for the past 9 years. I don't want to make it seem like he did a bad job or that someone else could have done it better. Mainly, most of the problems stemmed from the corporate side (IIRC, Maltin wanted separate "Swamp Fox" and/or "Elfego Baca" releases, but had to compromise with the 3-episode compilations), as well as the company image (their continued persistance at keeping
Song of the South in the vault even though the Treasures line is the perfect vehicle for it, as it's geared to the adult collector who knows what he/she is getting).
1.
Limited Amount of Sets - advertising that each wave has only a certain number of sets out automatically creates an artificial scarcity and a quick run in stores before scalpers jack up the price online, especially with the last few waves. In addition, it made several Disney fans (I've noticed this especially in some posters here) feel the need to brag about the fact that they had something that someone else didn't. "Haha, I have this, I bought it first week, you didn't, you're a loser for not getting into the treasures until two years later!" Honestly, the content is important, not the ability to say that you have it. And subsequently lowering the print run year by year made it harder to acquire, thus driving up prices and driving up egos of those that did acquire them. This is why I liked the Walt Disney Legacy Collection from 2006 (which would've replaced Walt Disney Treasures had there not been such an uproar). They had no limited print run (though sadly, it seems they're just selling out whatever's left with no intent on authoring more discs), thus keeping them available for people who don't have the ability to buy first week, or for people who discover they exist years later. It's no fun keeping the Treasures a secret simply to ensure you get a copy of something while someone else genuinely interested in the material doesn't.
I think that the 2006 letter campingan was becouse animation collector feared that the Legacy Collection would move a way from the Animated stuff. But pepole that buy the WDT set just to make few quick bucks or too piss of collectors that are actaully intrested in the content piss piss me off or . or returned WDT set because of dent of the tin when it isnt the tin that matter, but the content
2.
Quality Control - yes, the Treasures have amazing quality compared to the cheap hourlong cartoon compilation DVDs and the complete absence of live-action catalogue TV releases. But QC problems have plagued the Treasures from the get-go. Shorts were unintentionally presented in their edited form or had the wrong title cards. Shorts were left off entirely as an oversight. A couple "Disneyland" episodes were edited due to music issues. Chronological Donald Volume 2 had less-than-stellar transfers (aside from the WWII ones). The list could go on and on. Fortunately, there were steps taken to remedy these, but given the nature of the release (limited edition sets that represent the works of Walt Disney), most of these mistakes should not have happened in the first place.
The edited cartoons:
The Castaway (similar of to Bee on Guard error but none seems to have complained to Disney about this since there haven't been any replacement program)
Three Little Pigs (unedited in R2 verison)
Clock Cleaners (Im not sure but this cartoon might be unedited in R2 but at lest i can be found unedited on other Disney DVD)
Bee on Guard (replacement program issued too fix this problem)
The Donald vol 2 unrestored cartoons?
Donald Duck and the Gorilla (I have seen brighter verison on the House of Villan DVD but Im not sure if the cartoon was originally so bright and I think it ruins the dark feeling too the cartoon for me)
NO Sail (is just horrable looking on the WDT wile much better looking print can be found on Extrime Adventure Fun DVD).
On the other shorts I think they all faired better than No Sail but I could be mistaken since Im watching the set on Pal TV. But I havent picked up the European DVD of the set so restoration there might be better than on American DVD. but it is unlikly since there is for the record still no play all feature on Complete Goofy Eurpean DVD for the comparison.
I also herd that were also restoration problem on the Rarites set but I dont have other verison of shorts on there for comparison so I cant tell if that rumor is truth or not.
With shorts left of the set I think it is understandable that they haven'T touched the TV animation yet, as it mostly repeats older theaterical matteral.
But I'm like you are scratching my head over some ominison of Theaterical shorts short from the line
I think it is quite a undirstandble that we haven't seen everything of
Laugh-O-Gram
Alice Comedies
Oswald
Since many of those shorts are lost to history.
I think we can Scratch our heads over the omissions of the
Susie Little Blue Cop (Similar too Little House so the omission is unforgivable although it can be founds on other Disney DVDs )
Casy Bats again (could argue that this short should release instead as bonus with Original package film its follow but the funny/sad thing is that is inlcude as bonus short on the Melody Time DVD instead om Make Mine Music.)
Donald shorts of the 1965x2 and 1968 (It's bit a strange that
Goofy Shorts of the 1965x2 and 1987, 2007 (It is fustrating to know that the 1965 shorts were refered to in the Maltin is intro but not found anywere on the set and 1987 short should have been included since they included the Mickey shorts of the 1980's and 1990's. But it is understandable that 2007 short is not included since it was produced after the set came out.
Chip'n Dalex3 (frustrating considered how the Figaro shorts were included on the Pluto set)
One-shots from 1967-present (you might want argue against inclusion of some of those but
Thats pretty much leaves out Wartime training shorts, and commerical products of the 1940's and 1950s
I personaly would say that they could have made 2-3 follow ups to the front line set.
Then it is the aspect Ratio
We can wonder if the scope cartoons are correctly framed and as all well all no window boxed shorts made pre-1932
Titles
If origina titles exist then it is rather sad and no excuee that they aren'T included.
3.
The Tins - some p
eople would buy a set, then return it and get another simply because the tin had a dent in it. Seriously. Never mind what's on the disc, safely tucked away in the double-alpha keepcase. The tin had a dent.
I never liked the tins as i keep every DVD/Blu-ray of mine in DVD wallet. SO I put the tins were the sun never sine.
4.
Some Strange Decisions - the first "Silly Symphonies" set and "Mickey Mouse in Black and White" set were not chronological, and honestly, I hate that. In addition, while I'm sure there are fans of "Swamp Fox" and "Elfego Baca", giving only a few episodes of each rather than their own individual releases was also a puzzling decision.
No play all feature on Wave 2 and for me personally have the series not soly for Animated material. Inclusion of the Mouseworks/House of Mouse shorts.
I could go on and on, but I'd be lynch-mobbed by the likes of merlinjones, Heil Donald Duck, a-net-fan, etc.
In other word you just said what I have been trying to say for a wile but I'm only scratcing my head why you put my name on that list
If anything, I hope the blunders that went about during the 9 years of Walt Disney Treasures get remedied in whatever home video line comes next, if there is to be one (which I'm sure there will be, Blu-Ray is only 4 years old after all). Mainly, offer unedited cartoons (e.g. "Clock Cleaners" or "Three Little Pigs"), don't forget cartoons ("Casey Bats Again", "Susie the Little Blue Coupe", the Chip 'n Dale shorts, Laugh-O-Grams, etc.), do whatever is necessary to include deleted musical segments from "Disneyland", and if you're gonna release a television serial, offer the full run (like "Davy Crockett" or "Dr. Syn") rather than a sampling of episodes ("Swamp Fox", "Elfego Baca"). Hopefully we'll also get "People & Places", educational films that are well-known ("The Story of Menstruation" anyone/), and post-Walt material that are classics in their own right ("Disneyland Showtime", WDW footage, "Disney Family Album", etc.)
I will well come better relese of the alredy relesed matteral such on Blu-ray but I shouldn't hinder release of materal that have not been released before.
In the meantime, I'll enjoy the sets I do have, while still trying to acquire the ones I don't.