Live-Action Widescreen and Restored on itunes

[Flanger-Hanger]

Several Disney live-action titles that had DVDs with pan and scan VHS transfers are now on itunes with widescreen and restored picture that have not seen Blu-ray releases yet. They Incude Family Band (as discussed before) but also Gnome Mobile, In Search of the Castways and others. I'm both happy to see they have been done, but have to wonder, why no Blu-ray releases yet? And after being teased titles like Pollyanna and The Absent Minded Professor?

Does Disney just not want to pay to print the discs and package them?

[DancingCrab]

Does Disney just not want to pay to print the discs and package them?

BINGO

The return sales on physical media keeps diminishing everyday, while digital is going up. Disney is so focused on being a pioneer with this trend that they are neglecting the "collectors".

Some of these films might see blu-ray releases eventually, most likely as Disney Movie Club exclusives, but I wouldn't hold my breath for very many of them.

[kidglov3s]

I rented The Happiest Millionaire in HD from Amazon a few weeks ago, it looks really great, especially compared to the terrible DVD. I would love to have it on Blu-ray. I probably watched Fortuosity and Let's Have A Drink On It about 5 times before my rental expired to try to get my money of out it.

[justcuttinhair]

I was going to post a thread about this, but, glad to see someone beat me to it! I am glad that many of these films are available to purchase as download/digital versions; however, I am still taken back by the hefty price-tag..I mean at least with the physical format, we are given something tangible, and usually a few bonus extras...these digital versions, boast only a better picture. Anyways, I am glad that many of the neglected films that were given shoddy presentations on dvd, are given better treatment via this outlet. Can anyone provide a list of what films they have seen, that are vast improvements over the dvd releases?

[Flanger-Hanger]

I was going to post a thread about this, but, glad to see someone beat me to it! I am glad that many of these films are available to purchase as download/digital versions; however, I am still taken back by the hefty price-tag..I mean at least with the physical format, we are given something tangible, and usually a few bonus extras...these digital versions, boast only a better picture. Anyways, I am glad that many of the neglected films that were given shoddy presentations on dvd, are given better treatment via this outlet. Can anyone provide a list of what films they have seen, that are vast improvements over the dvd releases?

I'll porbably go through them one by one, but at $20 a piece I agree they're overpriced. I think I only paid $15 for Babes in Toyland on Blu-ray anyway. If they were $10 each, I'd probably by more of them.

The titles in my OP are some good starting examples. Others like Happiest Millionaire and Johnny Treamine use existing transfers. Johnny is in widescreen, unlike the DVD, which is interesting considering it was filmed for TV originally.

[justcuttinhair]

yeah that is interesting..

so, you are saying that "The Happiest Millionaire" is basically the same transfer as what is on dvd already?; there is not picture improvement with "Johnny Tremain", only a wider screen?

I am curious about other titles like "Third Man on the Mountain", "Ten Who Dared", "Those Calloways", "Blackbeard's Ghost"..which all suffered from horrible dvd releases.

I had read somewhere else that "The Moon-Spinners", "That Darn Cat!", "Greyfriar's Bobby" and "In Search of the Castaways" are not only better picture quality, but, also, widescreen..which would make them all superior to their US dvd releases.

I hope others that have seen any of these films, can help us get a definitive list, to help those individuals who would like to have high quality versions of these films, know, what to purchase and what to avoid.

[Disney Guru]

I think the same goes with Amazon.com's on demand Disney Rentals, I rented No Deposit No Return and it was digitally remastered and if I remember right in Widescreen OAR. Unlike the DVD that is pan & scan with horrible picture quality.

[kidglov3s]

yeah that is interesting..

so, you are saying that "The Happiest Millionaire" is basically the same transfer as what is on dvd already?; there is not picture improvement with "Johnny Tremain", only a wider screen?

I am curious about other titles like "Third Man on the Mountain", "Ten Who Dared", "Those Calloways", "Blackbeard's Ghost"..which all suffered from horrible dvd releases.

I had read somewhere else that "The Moon-Spinners", "That Darn Cat!", "Greyfriar's Bobby" and "In Search of the Castaways" are not only better picture quality, but, also, widescreen..which would make them all superior to their US dvd releases.

I hope others that have seen any of these films, can help us get a definitive list, to help those individuals who would like to have high quality versions of these films, know, what to purchase and what to avoid.

No way is Happiest Millionaire the same as the DVD transfer, it is a beautiful new HD transfer that blows both Anchor Bay and Disney DVDs away.

[Flanger-Hanger]

No way is Happiest Millionaire the same as the DVD transfer, it is a beautiful new HD transfer that blows both Anchor Bay and Disney DVDs away.

The colours are the same and so is the print damage (white speckles) as the DVD, based on the clip itunes shows. It's entierly possible for it to be a higher resolution version of an existing master, much like the Pete's Dragon blu-ray was.

[kidglov3s]

No way is Happiest Millionaire the same as the DVD transfer, it is a beautiful new HD transfer that blows both Anchor Bay and Disney DVDs away.

The colours are the same and so is the print damage (white speckles) as the DVD, based on the clip itunes shows. It's entierly possible for it to be a higher resolution version of an existing master, much like the Pete's Dragon blu-ray was.

That may be true, at the very least it doesn't suffer from the weird like line distortion effect that was on the Disney DVD.

[disneyfella]

Is there a way to burn blu rays yet? I would happily pay someone for their time and expenses in downloading and burning a handful of these titles for those of us that like to watch movies on our television

[Flanger-Hanger]

Is there a way to burn blu rays yet? I would happily pay someone for their time and expenses in downloading and burning a handful of these titles for those of us that like to watch movies on our television

If you have Apple TV you could watch them there without burning a disc. However, I'm not sure if Apple TV comes with hard drive space, or how much.

If it does indeed do that, then maybe it would be worth the $109 investment to get it. Much as I would rather Disney just put the movies on a disc for retail or on-print demand sale.

[justcuttinhair]

well, is there anyway that we can compile/ or begin a list of the titles that are better as iTunes downloads, than their dvd counterparts? I would like to know some specifics, in terms of picture quality and size, before I start throwing 20 dollars a pop into getting these.

[mvd24]

From what I've seen, all that are available in HD, are also in widescreen, when that's the correct aspect ratio.
The Littlest Outlaw for example is still 4:3.

So all HD movies previously released on dvd as pan&scan are now widescreen:
Like The Gnome Mobile, Son of Flubber, Bon Voyage, LT. Robin Crusoe etc.

Also movies that were previously open matte:
like Monkeys Go Home, Third man on the Mountain, Johnny Tremain etc.

However there are still some movies that are only available in SD. In this case the aspect ratio is pan&scan or open matte.
Ten who dared, westward ho the wagons and Nikki Wild dog of the North fall under this category. Here there's no improvement over their dvd-counterparts.

I am hoping these will get updated transfers with the correct aspect ratio soon.

[justcuttinhair]

Awesome...we need to compile a list of these that are better than their dvd counterparts! It seems as though...many of these classic titles are going to get HD releases, but, this going to be the sole avenue of distribution. At 20 dollars a movie....it's going to be expensive to replace all my dvd titles.

[milojthatch]

For those who want to burn these HD digital titles to a disc, may I recommend M-Discs:

http://www.mdisc.com/

This may be the route I go should I end up forced to get titles online. These discs are the best recordable discs on the market!

[Disney Guru]

For those who want to burn these HD digital titles to a disc, may I recommend M-Discs:

http://www.mdisc.com/

This may be the route I go should I end up forced to get titles online. These discs are the best recordable discs on the market!

Funny you should mention Millenniata, my brother was one of the founding investors in that company. As you say they are amazing quality discs, glad that they are finally picking up.

[Musical Master]

Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey deserves to be shown in it's original widescreen aspect ratio.

[justcuttinhair]

I was looking at my dvd collection today and thought I would drop you a line with a list of the titles I have, to see what you thought, might be worth upgrading on iTunes.

I have a HD TV and a Blu-Ray that "upscans".

You say that the Vault titles ( Pollyanna, Parent Trap, Darby O'Gil, Swiss Family, The Love Big, Old Yeller, two Witch Mountain films, Apple Dumpling Gang) do not need to be repurchased, because, they were pretty well restored on their dvd releases; correct?


These are the titles I am curious as to whether it would be worth upgrading.

The Cat From Outer Space
The Million Dollar Duck
Third Man on the Mountain
Moon Pilot
Greyfriar's Bobby
No Deposit, No Return
Savage Sam
Summer Magic
The Happiest Millionaire
That Darn Cat
The Moon-Spinners
The Three Lives of Thomasina
Hot Lead and Cold Feet
North Avenue Irregulars
Treasure Island
Kidnapped
Bon Voyage!
Candleshoe
Rascal
The Biscuit Eater
Monkey's Go Home
Those Calloways
Merlin Jones
The Monkey's Uncle
Big Red
Emil and the Detectives
Almost Angels
Charley and the Angel
In Search of the Castaways
Blackbeard's Ghost
The Adv. of Bullwhip Griffin
The One and Only Original Family Band
Napoleon and Samantha
The Ugly Dachshund

I know that is a pretty long list, but, just look it over and let me know what you think, I should probably upgrade, and what you think is in pretty good condition on dvd.

[mvd24]

justcuttinhair, If you care about OAR, from your list you should definitely get Savage Sam and Bon Voyage.
They are 4:3 pan&scan on dvd, yet widescreen (and HD) on iTunes. So you get more picture on the sides.

There are a few more movies on your list that are now available for the first time in widescreen on iTunes, where their dvd's were 4:3 open matte. I don't know about picture quality as I haven't seen all these iTunes releases.

And more news, I just found out The Prince and the Pauper (1962) is now available in HD!
It used to be only SD, so this means they are still upgrading their catalogue titles.
Now fingers crossed for Westward Ho the Wagons, Ten Who Dared and Nikki Wild Dog of The North.
And Almost Angels and The Light in The Forest, who have yet to appear on iTunes.