the forgotten magic of 35mm prints for classic disney animation

[Kyle]

Most of us have ether grown up wih streaming, or dvds, or if you're old enough, vhs. I think most will agree vhs is too dated looking, even if it has its own nostalgia to it, but something that really hit me lately is just how great the 35mm prints of these classics look. That's what was shown in theaters before we converted over to digital projection, and man do they just have a certain special quality to them that is hard to describe. No, its probably not entirely the colors the filmmakers intended, the remasters are are, provided they had enough say of course, but the 35mm prints, there's something about the film grain and admittedly inaccurate color reproduction that adds so much life to them. combine this with the already hand drawn aesthetic, it really hits home how crazy it is that animation is even possible in the first place. That these really are living drawings, with feelings and motives.

Some of these are in better condition than others, but lets take a look. I tired to stick with the best ones, that can be found in 4k.

The Lion King
https://youtu.be/un7a-i6pTS4?t=4

Beauty & the Beast
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QwuPbbT_zk

Pocahontas
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PWSBI7gVNQ

Tarzan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alY5zIGMBlI

Hunchback
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUGraD-rxjk

Seeing these, it puts me right back in the theater where I originally saw them, and makes me wish I could see the whole movies like this again. I hear there are prints out there, but I have not been able to track them down.

But its crazy how much more life these have to them, and in many cases look more pleasant to my eye. the colors look more naturalistic and less trying so hard to be so eye popping. the more muted tones, the way the colors look more cohesive. The caps and restorations are usually more ideal, but I kind of wish these would be available as an option as well. What do you think?

[Farerb]

I agree and I would have liked seeing them like that but even if Disney did give us restorations of filmouts instead of digital files then they still wouldn't have resembled what we see on these trailers (see how they treated pre 90s movies on their releases).

Here are some more clips:

Aladdin:
https://youtu.be/YN7C1657K1E?feature=shared

A Whole New World (French):
https://youtu.be/UPqnU-gbrsU?feature=shared

Beauty and the Beast - Be Our Guest:
https://youtu.be/ON4JZq8vB7A?si=rnIXCMpbJ9kfUjLl

Mulan:
https://youtu.be/kZ07mbxzZkI?feature=shared

Hercules:
https://youtu.be/mXRDoJqg5Oo?feature=shared

By the way, I wanted to send you a PM, Kyle, but it doesn't seem like there's an option.

[Farerb]

I got your message but when I try to reply I get the error "Some users couldn’t be added as they have disabled private message receipt.".

[Lavendergolden]

Most of us have ether grown up wih streaming, or dvds, or if you're old enough, vhs. I think most will agree vhs is too dated looking, even if it has its own nostalgia to it, but something that really hit me lately is just how great the 35mm prints of these classics look. That's what was shown in theaters before we converted over to digital projection, and man do they just have a certain special quality to them that is hard to describe. No, its probably not entirely the colors the filmmakers intended, the remasters are are, provided they had enough say of course, but the 35mm prints, there's something about the film grain and admittedly inaccurate color reproduction that adds so much life to them. combine this with the already hand drawn aesthetic, it really hits home how crazy it is that animation is even possible in the first place. That these really are living drawings, with feelings and motives.

Some of these are in better condition than others, but lets take a look. I tired to stick with the best ones, that can be found in 4k.

The Lion King
https://youtu.be/un7a-i6pTS4?t=4

Beauty & the Beast
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QwuPbbT_zk

Pocahontas
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PWSBI7gVNQ

Tarzan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alY5zIGMBlI

Hunchback
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUGraD-rxjk

Seeing these, it puts me right back in the theater where I originally saw them, and makes me wish I could see the whole movies like this again. I hear there are prints out there, but I have not been able to track them down.

But its crazy how much more life these have to them, and in many cases look more pleasant to my eye. the colors look more naturalistic and less trying so hard to be so eye popping. the more muted tones, the way the colors look more cohesive. The caps and restorations are usually more ideal, but I kind of wish these would be available as an option as well. What do you think?

Yes, I 100% agree. There is a classic feel to these films that reminds us that they are masterpieces set in ages long ago. Not modern films from the 21st century the way the colors look so boosted up now. Film grain from digital print really makes a difference even though I used to think it made movies look old and ugly. Now I've matured and feel the opposite and am against film grain being removed.

I don't like the CAPS movies for this reason because they seem too scrubbed and bright. I know the Hunchback DVD uses the film print so it looks more like the trailer you posted. Unlike the Blu-Ray which looks really ugly and weirdly isn't even bright in color. I saw people online say to skip the Blu-Ray and buy the DVD so I did that and am happy with my choice.

[moviesfood1999]

Most of us have ether grown up wih streaming, or dvds, or if you're old enough, vhs. I think most will agree vhs is too dated looking, even if it has its own nostalgia to it, but something that really hit me lately is just how great the 35mm prints of these classics look. That's what was shown in theaters before we converted over to digital projection, and man do they just have a certain special quality to them that is hard to describe. No, its probably not entirely the colors the filmmakers intended, the remasters are are, provided they had enough say of course, but the 35mm prints, there's something about the film grain and admittedly inaccurate color reproduction that adds so much life to them. combine this with the already hand drawn aesthetic, it really hits home how crazy it is that animation is even possible in the first place. That these really are living drawings, with feelings and motives.

Some of these are in better condition than others, but lets take a look. I tired to stick with the best ones, that can be found in 4k.

The Lion King
https://youtu.be/un7a-i6pTS4?t=4

Beauty & the Beast
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QwuPbbT_zk

Pocahontas
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PWSBI7gVNQ

Tarzan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alY5zIGMBlI

Hunchback
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUGraD-rxjk

Seeing these, it puts me right back in the theater where I originally saw them, and makes me wish I could see the whole movies like this again. I hear there are prints out there, but I have not been able to track them down.

But its crazy how much more life these have to them, and in many cases look more pleasant to my eye. the colors look more naturalistic and less trying so hard to be so eye popping. the more muted tones, the way the colors look more cohesive. The caps and restorations are usually more ideal, but I kind of wish these would be available as an option as well. What do you think?

Don't forget The Great Mouse Detective
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvGtMzlPJ7E&t=1s

and Oliver & Company they deserve new full length 35mm scans (original 35mm prints, not reissues). PLus the 1985 variant of the disney logo from oliver was rediscovered from France last June 17th, 2024 and December 26th, 2024 from UK. https://youtu.be/3XMwyVDFlBQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UngbHtVe1_c&t=13s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r42b0bRF9v0

https://www.avid.wiki/File:Walt_Disney_ ... (1986).jpg
https://www.avid.wiki/File:Oliver_%26_C ... _35mm.jpeg

[DisneyJedi]

Yes, I 100% agree. There is a classic feel to these films that reminds us that they are masterpieces set in ages long ago. Not modern films from the 21st century the way the colors look so boosted up now. Film grain from digital print really makes a difference even though I used to think it made movies look old and ugly. Now I've matured and feel the opposite and am against film grain being removed.

I don't like the CAPS movies for this reason because they seem too scrubbed and bright. I know the Hunchback DVD uses the film print so it looks more like the trailer you posted. Unlike the Blu-Ray which looks really ugly and weirdly isn't even bright in color. I saw people online say to skip the Blu-Ray and buy the DVD so I did that and am happy with my choice.

Does the Blu-ray for Hunchback really look that bad?