I hope disney continues along this line!That Darn Cat-original
That Darn Cat-original
has anyone heard anything about the original That Darn Cat being prepared as a special edition release?? Last year we got 4 vault disney titles, this year there are only two-so far- (released as special editions). The vault disney collection was awesome, and beautifully presented. As opposed to a lot of full screen and no extras single discs we've been getting lately. Ive heard that The Love Bug special editon is very comprehensive and a lot of fun I hope disney continues along this line!
I hope disney continues along this line!
The Vault Disney (now just "Special Edition") line is/was one of my favorites, and really the ONLY glimmer of hope for this catalogue of live-action titles now.
With the Jekyll/Hyde way of doing things, right now it's either:
Barebones, Fullscreen, $19.99 and up SRP
or
2-Disc, Loaded with Interesting Features, 16:9 Widescreen, DD 5.1, $29.99 SRP (and reduced to $22.99 SRP in about six months).
Whether the original TDC will fall into the first class or the second, I don't know. But from a percentage standpoint of past releases, I'd say the odds are much better it will fall into the former. Stupid, stupid, stupid.
The only one that falls into neither class is Treasure Island, which is barebones and fullscreen (but correctly, since it's an Academy Ratio film), but with the higher price point.
Why Disney can't do a basic 16:9 widescreen disc with a trailer and some notes, for around $14.99-$19.99 like other studios do...I don't know. It sucks!
None of these so-called "Movie Showcase" crap discs have been announced or scheduled past October, so maybe they'll shake things up in dealing with the heavy pre-'80 catalogue of titles for next year.
With the Jekyll/Hyde way of doing things, right now it's either:
Barebones, Fullscreen, $19.99 and up SRP
or
2-Disc, Loaded with Interesting Features, 16:9 Widescreen, DD 5.1, $29.99 SRP (and reduced to $22.99 SRP in about six months).
Whether the original TDC will fall into the first class or the second, I don't know. But from a percentage standpoint of past releases, I'd say the odds are much better it will fall into the former. Stupid, stupid, stupid.
The only one that falls into neither class is Treasure Island, which is barebones and fullscreen (but correctly, since it's an Academy Ratio film), but with the higher price point.
Why Disney can't do a basic 16:9 widescreen disc with a trailer and some notes, for around $14.99-$19.99 like other studios do...I don't know. It sucks!
None of these so-called "Movie Showcase" crap discs have been announced or scheduled past October, so maybe they'll shake things up in dealing with the heavy pre-'80 catalogue of titles for next year.
I know what you mean Luke- it was looking so good at one stage. Im rather surprised by the sales demographics for the v-disney line- I mean it just didnt get any better than that. Im still wading through the extras on a couple of them!! Yet these and many other titles sold well in the vhs format. At the end of the day according to folks at buena vista marketing it all comes down to what they term 'soccer mom' demographics. Electronic baby sitters. Well I for one have been waiting 30 years or more for disney to raid the vaults and release all there hidden extras.
Its just a pity there major demographic hasnt 'caught on' yet. (I still find myself explaining what the black bars are to people who just dont get it).
I purchased journey of natty gann ( a favorite) movie showcase - I was shocked- it was a disgusting transfer. Even if they took the print out in the sahara desert and let it bake for a few days in the sun it still couldnt look any worse than the slapdash transfer we got- I may as well have stuck with my 12 yr old ex rental vhs version- it looked better.
lets keep our fingers crossed-
Its just a pity there major demographic hasnt 'caught on' yet. (I still find myself explaining what the black bars are to people who just dont get it).
I purchased journey of natty gann ( a favorite) movie showcase - I was shocked- it was a disgusting transfer. Even if they took the print out in the sahara desert and let it bake for a few days in the sun it still couldnt look any worse than the slapdash transfer we got- I may as well have stuck with my 12 yr old ex rental vhs version- it looked better.
lets keep our fingers crossed-
That Journey of Natty Gann DVD is ridiculous. A 2.35:1 film cropped to fit the screen, plus the scenery is totally a part of it, you can tell. All the framing looks like dirt. No way would I pay for that.Mr arrow wrote:I purchased journey of natty gann ( a favorite) movie showcase - I was shocked- it was a disgusting transfer. Even if they took the print out in the sahara desert and let it bake for a few days in the sun it still couldnt look any worse than the slapdash transfer we got- I may as well have stuck with my 12 yr old ex rental vhs version- it looked better.
lets keep our fingers crossed-
What really REALLY sucks about Journey is that Anchor Bay had rights to it at one point and would have done it in its original 2.35:1 aspect ratio (and probably the Pan & Scan job on the other side).
Why can't Disney with their huge pockets give us a double-sided or dual-layered disc with both formats on it? To me, it makes financial sense, since they're just releasing Single-Sided Single-Layered discs. And every release turns off a portion of the public who simply WON'T buy fullscreen (or unfortunately in some cases, widescreen). Double-sided discs are cheap, easy...and would please everyone. And if they really want to play that "our customers are stupid and don't know which side of the disc to put in" routine...they can do a DVD-9 and fit both transfers on. It's not like space is being consumed by the extra features...there aren't any!
Oh my gosh in hindsite I really wish anchor bay had won out with 'journey'. Im so impressed with other disney titles released through them. It has always seemed a little odd to me that buena vista has such a vast library of titles-Im thinking disney live action history here- yet so much effort goes into releasing 'aquired' material through disney dvd-
Apart from that darn cat- there are a whole host of live action features that would make great special editions, mind you it does little good me mentionig them here but for the hec of it- pure speculative fun of course
Darby O Gill- though never a great box office hit--(pre Mary P) it was a stylish and atmospheric special effects extravaganza of its day AND SOMEWHERE IN THE DISNEY VAULT IS AN ENTIRE TV SHOW DEDICATED TO THE MAKING OF THE FILM-featuring walt disney interviewing the king of the leprachauns!! If that isnt an extra I dont know what is!!
Kidnapped- It was anticipated and promoted in much the same way as Pirates of the carribean is today. It is visually exiting and with all those mattes I think an interview with peter ellenshaw couldnt hurt as an extra!! Also it was a reasonable hit for its time!!
Robin Hood - 1952-- Lets just hope they got Ken Annakin to sit down and talk about this one-its colorful, and one of the better disney-british productions- heavily promoted in its day so theres gotta be a lotta stuff in those vaults.
The three lives of Thomasina--(hmm Id like to think it could qualify for an s.e.- but I wont hold my breath waiting.
Greyfriars Bobby--(hey old yeller made it on 2 discs)
The Shaggy Dog-- if only because it was an enourmous hit in its day and launched disney into the live action comedy arena that lasted decades!! I would have said the absent minded professor- but weve already lucked out on that one with the recent full frame single disc- shame-
The Apple Dumpling Gang-- believe it or not- it could qualify - because it was one of the very few hits of the seventies and is fondly remembered- as it launched a sequel and tv spin offs- I have a sneaking suspician that both this film--and escape to witch mountain could at the very least be contenders.
I want to add- The gnome mobile, the sword and the rose and toby tyler but as disney has basically ignored any exposure of these classics I wont even speculate on it.
The fact is they really cant wait too much longer for s.e. versions-because if they do anyone associated with the older films is probably not going to be around to talk about them. A sad fact but true.
Apart from that darn cat- there are a whole host of live action features that would make great special editions, mind you it does little good me mentionig them here but for the hec of it- pure speculative fun of course
Darby O Gill- though never a great box office hit--(pre Mary P) it was a stylish and atmospheric special effects extravaganza of its day AND SOMEWHERE IN THE DISNEY VAULT IS AN ENTIRE TV SHOW DEDICATED TO THE MAKING OF THE FILM-featuring walt disney interviewing the king of the leprachauns!! If that isnt an extra I dont know what is!!
Kidnapped- It was anticipated and promoted in much the same way as Pirates of the carribean is today. It is visually exiting and with all those mattes I think an interview with peter ellenshaw couldnt hurt as an extra!! Also it was a reasonable hit for its time!!
Robin Hood - 1952-- Lets just hope they got Ken Annakin to sit down and talk about this one-its colorful, and one of the better disney-british productions- heavily promoted in its day so theres gotta be a lotta stuff in those vaults.
The three lives of Thomasina--(hmm Id like to think it could qualify for an s.e.- but I wont hold my breath waiting.
Greyfriars Bobby--(hey old yeller made it on 2 discs)
The Shaggy Dog-- if only because it was an enourmous hit in its day and launched disney into the live action comedy arena that lasted decades!! I would have said the absent minded professor- but weve already lucked out on that one with the recent full frame single disc- shame-
The Apple Dumpling Gang-- believe it or not- it could qualify - because it was one of the very few hits of the seventies and is fondly remembered- as it launched a sequel and tv spin offs- I have a sneaking suspician that both this film--and escape to witch mountain could at the very least be contenders.
I want to add- The gnome mobile, the sword and the rose and toby tyler but as disney has basically ignored any exposure of these classics I wont even speculate on it.
The fact is they really cant wait too much longer for s.e. versions-because if they do anyone associated with the older films is probably not going to be around to talk about them. A sad fact but true.
I think Kidnapped will get the 2 disc "special edition" release. Then again, I thought that for Treasure Island so who knows. You would have thought Disney would of had some respect for their first fully live action feature. I'd held of buying the European barebones release for so long as I was expecting a 2 disc US release 
Most of my Blu-ray collection some of my UK discs aren't on their database
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jesus_brer
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Loomis
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Mr arrow wrote: Darby O Gill- though never a great box office hit--(pre Mary P) it was a stylish and atmospheric special effects extravaganza of its day AND SOMEWHERE IN THE DISNEY VAULT IS AN ENTIRE TV SHOW DEDICATED TO THE MAKING OF THE FILM-featuring walt disney interviewing the king of the leprachauns!! If that isnt an extra I dont know what is!!
Totaly agree....really want this one on DVD. The fact that is was one of Sean Connery's first feature films (if not his first), you think Disney would want to use that a a drawcard for sales. It was a movie Walt worked on since the early 1940s, and was very proud of. There is a barebones French edition that has just come out, bu there is sooooo much material on this it isn't funny. Bring it on, and soon I say.
Well, as sad as it is, it's true. Buddy Hackett just died didn't he(?), so I guess the Love Bug commentary was put out just in time (or was that done for an earlier LD release?). I think generally speaking in terms of film, if we do not act to preserve and make the best of many of these classic film, we are going to lose them.The fact is they really cant wait too much longer for s.e. versions-because if they do anyone associated with the older films is probably not going to be around to talk about them. A sad fact but true.
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In addition, Ward Kimball and David Swift both passed away shortly after contributing to extras on The Parent Trap and Pollyanna DVDs.Loomis wrote:Well, as sad as it is, it's true. Buddy Hackett just died didn't he(?), so I guess the Love Bug commentary was put out just in time (or was that done for an earlier LD release?). I think generally speaking in terms of film, if we do not act to preserve and make the best of many of these classic film, we are going to lose them.The fact is they really cant wait too much longer for s.e. versions-because if they do anyone associated with the older films is probably not going to be around to talk about them. A sad fact but true.
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Captain Hook
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