The General Disney Question Thread

[Escapay]

Disney issued a statement saying that to be eco-friendly, the first 100,000 printings of the WALL-E three-disc will be in the paper packaging, after which all further pressings will be in the regular plastic case.

Also, only Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End was Limited Edition. When it first came out, there was an insert that said it would be in print until September of this year, likely because they planned for a Trilogy boxset for the holidays (which I don't think ever happened, beyond the three-disc "movies only" version that came out concurrent with At World's End when that DVD streeted).

albert

[Neal]

Thanks for your help with the two Collector's Editions - I'll keep an eye out for better pricing.

Also, I too felt cheated when I bought the 2-Disc Collector's edition of Narnia and then wham - there was a 4-discer!

[buffalobill]

Any idea how many 3 discers they've sold so far? I googled Wall E 3 disc dvd sales figures. All I could find was an overall figure from the-numbers.com which has Wall E at almost 9.5 million (as of 12-28-08). No breakdown of which version had sold how many. I, of course, got the 3 discer day of release and would KILL for a standard package for it. I HATE th eco friendly packaging with a passion.

[Goliath]

The Collector's Edition for Atlantis: The Lost Empire outshines pretty much every other two-disc set that Disney has released for their Animated Classics, including the Platinums.

Even including Aladdin? I think that's the best set of bonus features I've ever seen. But if you're right about Atlantis, I think it's pretty sad that film got a better release than Peter Pan, which in my opinion, had very few worthy bonus features.

[jediliz]

Is there anywhere to buy a digital copy of ENCHANTED that's not the iTunes format?

Yes, I know..digital copy and all....but my DVD is currently not in its case (hopefully just temp. misplaced) and I'd like to get a copy put on my Creative Zen.

I'd buy the iTunes one, but I don't have an iPod with video; I have an iPod shuffle.

[Escapay]

The Collector's Edition for Atlantis: The Lost Empire outshines pretty much every other two-disc set that Disney has released for their Animated Classics, including the Platinums.

Even including Aladdin?

Even including Aladdin, which I agree is the best of the Platinums when it comes to the bonus features. Aladdin is my favourite DAC, and even if it weren't, it would easily be my favourite from the Platinum series simply because of its supplements. But even then, the sheer quality and quantity on Atlantis: The Lost Empire easily outshines every Platinum. Perhaps the only two-disc Disney DVDs to give the movie a run for its money is Tron or the Vault Disney releases (Old Yeller, Swiss Family Robinson, etc.). It has never been equaled by any other DAC on DVD, though if all I hear about Lilo & Stitch's two-disc is true, then Atlantis might be dethroned as the best that Disney DVD has to offer. (we don't get the L&S two-disc until March...ugh, what a horrible six year wait it's been.)

But if you're right about Atlantis, I think it's pretty sad that film got a better release than Peter Pan, which in my opinion, had very few worthy bonus features.

The Peter Pan Platinum is a joke. Disney should be ashamed of themselves for thinking that the meager amount offered was worth two discs. The "English Read Along" especially, that piece of sh!t was disc space wasted (that could have easily gone to "The Walt Disney Christmas Show" and a new making-of documentary!) and an insult to the viewer's intelligence.

albert

[PeterPanfan]

I must come whenever there is something posted about Peter Pan.

I fully agree with Albert in that Disney must have been on something while making the Platinum Edition for Peter Pan. It is not only inferior to all two-disc sets released by the company, but it really depresses the fans who were really looking forward to a packed set. Peter Pan is one of Disney's most popular and recognizable films, and to treat it like a Playhouse Disney DVD is unacceptable.

[drfsupercenter]

Disney issued a statement saying that to be eco-friendly, the first 100,000 printings of the WALL-E three-disc will be in the paper packaging, after which all further pressings will be in the regular plastic case.

Also, only Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End was Limited Edition. When it first came out, there was an insert that said it would be in print until September of this year, likely because they planned for a Trilogy boxset for the holidays (which I don't think ever happened, beyond the three-disc "movies only" version that came out concurrent with At World's End when that DVD streeted).

Oh, I thought it was just the first 100,000 period.
And for Pirates... I wasn't really paying attention, I just buy the most discs humanly possible for any movie regardless of its shelf life (Except for some reason I'm content with the 2-disc version of the first Narnia...)

So I'll wait until they switch to plastic cases and then get the 3-disc Wall-E.

Is there anywhere to buy a digital copy of ENCHANTED that's not the iTunes format?

Yes, I know..digital copy and all....but my DVD is currently not in its case (hopefully just temp. misplaced) and I'd like to get a copy put on my Creative Zen.

I'd buy the iTunes one, but I don't have an iPod with video; I have an iPod shuffle.

LOL at "buy" and "digital copy".
You own the DVD, right? So technically you own the rights to use the movie for personal use. Forget what the MPAA says, just download one from somewhere. And then convert it to WMV.
But for the record, I do not know of any WMV stores, besides Zune Marketplace (and that's exclusive to the Zune). I do use iTunes Digital Copies on my zune, but the Creative Zen doesn't work with mp4 as far as I know.

The Peter Pan Platinum is a joke. Disney should be ashamed of themselves for thinking that the meager amount offered was worth two discs. The "English Read Along" especially, that piece of sh!t was disc space wasted (that could have easily gone to "The Walt Disney Christmas Show" and a new making-of documentary!) and an insult to the viewer's intelligence.

Not to mention that Peter Pan was just a single layer! (The first disc, anyway). As was 101 Dalmatians. It seems Disney got so caught up in emulating Sony's infamous ARccOS encryption that they wasted an entire 1-2GB on the discs with copy protection and not actual video. (Open it in a reauthoring program if you don't believe me, LOL)
They could have easily made it dual layer and put twice the content on it.

Even including Aladdin, which I agree is the best of the Platinums when it comes to the bonus features. Aladdin is my favourite DAC, and even if it weren't, it would easily be my favourite from the Platinum series simply because of its supplements. But even then, the sheer quality and quantity on Atlantis: The Lost Empire easily outshines every Platinum.

Aladdin is also my favorite DAC... The only thing I hated about that DVD is the fact that it's even more edited than the initial VHS/laserdisc. Stupid Disney and being politically correct
I need to get that 2-disc of Atlantis, though... I keep reading how good it is. I really liked that movie, and so far I just own it on a VHS

[Goliath]

[...] But even then, the sheer quality and quantity on Atlantis: The Lost Empire easily outshines every Platinum.

Why would they give Atlantis such good treatment and their classic Dumbo such a poor release? I don't know, but I had the impression Atlantis wasn't much of a hit, and Dumbo has been known and loved for generations...

It has never been equaled by any other DAC on DVD, though if all I hear about Lilo & Stitch's two-disc is true, then Atlantis might be dethroned as the best that Disney DVD has to offer.

I own that 2-disc and the bonus features are amazing. All added up, I think you have over 2 hours worth of material. But, Aladdin still wins because I think the presentation was better, easier to watch in (little) parts, and in generalI think quality trumps quantity.

The Peter Pan Platinum is a joke. Disney should be ashamed of themselves for thinking that the meager amount offered was worth two discs. The "English Read Along" especially, that piece of sh!t was disc space wasted (that could have easily gone to "The Walt Disney Christmas Show" and a new making-of documentary!) and an insult to the viewer's intelligence.

I think Peter Pan is the only Platinum disc, or even the only 2-disc release without a new making-of documentary. Disappointing to say the least.

[jediliz]

Yes, I own the Enchanted DVD (its just misplaced at the moment). I just wish there was a marketplace for WMV that my Zen could play.

[Escapay]

[...] But even then, the sheer quality and quantity on Atlantis: The Lost Empire easily outshines every Platinum.

Why would they give Atlantis such good treatment and their classic Dumbo such a poor release? I don't know, but I had the impression Atlantis wasn't much of a hit, and Dumbo has been known and loved for generations...

Because the extras were in production as the movie was being made and this was during the time when Disney gave their DAC films simultaneous single-disc and two-disc releases (to appeal to both families and collectors, instead of trying to condense the best of both into a single release). Tarzan, The Emperor's New Groove, the not-DAC-then-and-I-don't-consider-it-DAC-now-even-if-Disney-does Dinosaur, and Atlantis: The Lost Empire had day-and-date dual releases. However, given that the films weren't exactly big hits, by 2002's Lilo & Stitch, Disney elected to hold off on the two-disc set and chose to make it single-disc (they even allowed Chris Sanders to re-edit the two-hour documentary into the 20-minute featurette that's on the single-disc).

As for Dumbo, it's an evergreen title for Disney that has almost always been an early release in home video. And it was chosen to be the "support" release with the Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs: Platinum Edition (for awhile, every Platinum was "supported" with another DAC in a new SE). And since it was an evergreen that is highly-regarded (but apparently not regarded highly enough), it was a single-disc set. Many hoped that the 2006 re-release would be a two-disc set, but it was already expected to not be given the whole 2005 Tarzan and The Emperor's New Groove fiasco (R1 decided to re-release them as single-disc sets instead of the advertised two-disc sets).

It has never been equaled by any other DAC on DVD, though if all I hear about Lilo & Stitch's two-disc is true, then Atlantis might be dethroned as the best that Disney DVD has to offer.

I own that 2-disc and the bonus features are amazing. All added up, I think you have over 2 hours worth of material. But, Aladdin still wins because I think the presentation was better, easier to watch in (little) parts, and in general. I think quality trumps quantity.

Same here. I just think that the Atlantis DVD was the best two-disc set that Disney has ever made, even if it's for a film that doesn't exactly grab audiences. It shows just how well-done and in-depth a DVD can be made, and Disney really hasn't put that kind of effort into any DVDs since Atlantis, though there are some two-disc Disney DVDs (Aladdin, Mulan, Pocahontas, etc. ) that have been just as (if not more) enjoyable to watch even if the supplements aren't as vast or in-depth. The Pocahontas DVD, for example, really is all archival laserdisc material (though not all of the laserdisc stuff made it to DVD), with the only new things being the commentary, the re-instatement of "If I Never Knew You", and the brief featurette about putting it back in the film.

The Peter Pan Platinum is a joke. Disney should be ashamed of themselves for thinking that the meager amount offered was worth two discs. The "English Read Along" especially, that piece of sh!t was disc space wasted (that could have easily gone to "The Walt Disney Christmas Show" and a new making-of documentary!) and an insult to the viewer's intelligence.

I think Peter Pan is the only Platinum disc, or even the only 2-disc release without a new making-of documentary.[/quote]
It is, unfortunately.

It wasn't even meant to be released in 2007, it bumped 101 Dalmatians back a year (it was supposed to be the Spring 2007 Platinum, and The Jungle Book was always meant to be the Fall 2007 Platinum) in order to promote Tinker Bell, which ended up getting delayed anyway. Frickin' BVHE bastards...

albert

[Goliath]

However, given that the films weren't exactly big hits, by 2002's Lilo & Stitch, Disney elected to hold off on the two-disc set and chose to make it single-disc (they even allowed Chris Sanders to re-edit the two-hour documentary into the 20-minute featurette that's on the single-disc).

Which makes no sense at all, since they did release a 2-disc version in Region 2. So they already had all the bonus features ready. It's not like they weren't made yet and it would have cost them a lot of money to make them for Region 1. They were already finished, yet they only released it in Region 2...

And since it was an evergreen that is highly-regarded (but apparently not regarded highly enough), it was a single-disc set.

This I don't get. *If* it is a highly-regarded evergreen, then why not give it a 2-disc treatment? Giving it a 1-disc *because* it is highly regarded makes no sense to me whatsoever.

The Pocahontas DVD, for example, really is all archival laserdisc material (though not all of the laserdisc stuff made it to DVD), with the only new things being the commentary, the re-instatement of "If I Never Knew You", and the brief featurette about putting it back in the film.

Well, you shouldn't complain, since Region 2 never got to see that edition. I would be more than happy to buy that one. The only edition available is a 'Gold Edition' equivalent.

[drfsupercenter]

Yes, I own the Enchanted DVD (its just misplaced at the moment). I just wish there was a marketplace for WMV that my Zen could play.

I just realized that Blockbuster.com and Amazon Unbox both sell WMV downloads.

Though I'm not sure if either have "portable" versions... you'd have to look.

Or I could just send you a .WMV
Despite what the MPAA will tell you, it's perfectly legal to make encodes of a movie you own on DVD. (And I also have Enchanted on DVD)

[Escapay]

However, given that the films weren't exactly big hits, by 2002's Lilo & Stitch, Disney elected to hold off on the two-disc set and chose to make it single-disc (they even allowed Chris Sanders to re-edit the two-hour documentary into the 20-minute featurette that's on the single-disc).

Which makes no sense at all, since they did release a 2-disc version in Region 2.

That's Disney for you. After all, they also said Platinums were limited to the 10 bestselling titles, would go out of print the year after they were introduced, and would be vaulted for ten years.

Now, the number swelled to 14, then to 15, the schedule got shuffled around a few times, vault time got shortened to seven years, and overall they seem less special than they used to be.

So they already had all the bonus features ready. It's not like they weren't made yet and it would have cost them a lot of money to make them for Region 1. They were already finished, yet they only released it in Region 2...

IIRC, Disney felt the sales potential of a single release would be better than a dual release of a single-disc and a two-disc. Plus, the DVD came in December, so it was expected to get high sales (which would have given them all the more reason to release the two-disc, but Disney is stupid).

I don't know exactly how BVHE feels about international sales and why they felt the two-disc could get a release everywhere else except R1. Perhaps netty or ichabod can shed some light on that.

And since it was an evergreen that is highly-regarded (but apparently not regarded highly enough), it was a single-disc set.

This I don't get. *If* it is a highly-regarded evergreen, then why not give it a 2-disc treatment? Giving it a 1-disc *because* it is highly regarded makes no sense to me whatsoever.

The way I see it is this: because it's that well-regarded, it will sell well no matter what's on it (however much or little there is). Because whether we like it or not, Disney is not catering solely to animation enthusiasts with their DVD releases. They are for everyone. A parent can buy Dumbo on DVD with little to no regard for the special features because they want to introduce their kid to the movie. And an animation enthusiast (be it a veteran one or someone who's just discovering it) will pick up the title regardless. So every 6-7 years, Disney will trot out Dumbo and it will still sell well because there will always be people who'll be willing to buy it, even if there's a minority that'll say "Hey, why bother releasing it now, it has a good DVD already! If you're going to re-release it, add some more bonus features!".

This is, after all, the DVD generation, where everyone and their brother can now become film collectors, movie historians, etc. all because of the special features that DVD offers in commentaries and documentaries. So now the home video market has to find bigger incentives to get people to rebuy a movie. Unfortunately, in the first 10 years of DVD's life, it's made companies go somewhat bonkers on re-releases. Did Anchor Bay really need to re-issue Army of Darkness five hundred times with the disc content rarely changing but the packaging getting a makeover like twice a year? And how many editions of The Princess Bride does someone really need in their collection. With Disney, some of their double-dips/upgrades are worth it for both technical and supplemental reasons. But lately they've been low-key on supplements for re-releases, even if it's a highly-regarded title like Dumbo. They could easily have added it to the Platinum line (afer all, it's only 7 minutes shorter than Bambi!). But it's been reliable as an evergreen, and that's likely what its status will be the rest of its home video life.

For example, our family bought the Mary Poppins VHS when it came out in the Black Diamond Edition. And we never had to replace that VHS even though it would get re-released by Disney every so often, and even when we had started collecting DVD, did not pick up Mary Poppins until 2004 with the 40th Anniversary. Now, later this month, a 45th Anniversary Edition is coming out, and we're passing on it because we've got the movie on two formats of home video and it's suitable enough until Blu-Ray. But to Disney, our family is just a family that already bought the movie twice. They're not catering to us with the 45th AE, they're catering to someone who still doesn't have it yet. Or someone who simply wants it because of the Broadway featurettes. It's a rotating wheel of consumers, and Disney knows that they may still get repeat buyers, but they're primarily focused on new ones.

The Pocahontas DVD, for example, really is all archival laserdisc material (though not all of the laserdisc stuff made it to DVD), with the only new things being the commentary, the re-instatement of "If I Never Knew You", and the brief featurette about putting it back in the film.

Well, you shouldn't complain

I wasn't complaining (I hope it didn't sound like I was), and the two-disc is one of my favourites from Disney. I was just saying that the Pocahontas two-disc likely did not require much work from Disney, and that its archival supplements are just as engaging as newly-produced ones, and for a catalogue release, shows better care than Disney's flimsy single-disc sets for Home on the Range, Chicken Little, etc. In relation to Atlantis, the Pocahontas set can definitely be seen as lighter (but that's just quantitatively), but provides a thorougly engaging experience for the viewer that is on par with that of the Atlantis supplemenets.

If you have multi-region capabilities, you should definitely import the two-disc set as it's one of Disney's better efforts post-2004.

albert

[drfsupercenter]

I don't know exactly how BVHE feels about international sales and why they felt the two-disc could get a release everywhere else except R1. Perhaps netty or ichabod can shed some light on that.

Now, if I could get my hands on one of those 2-disc sets, I could slow it down by 4% (reversing "PAL speedup") and make a region-free NTSC version.

That'll teach Disney to mess with me.

But I'd need *cough* an ISO or something to work with

[Goliath]

[...] So every 6-7 years, Disney will trot out Dumbo and it will still sell well because there will always be people who'll be willing to buy it, even if there's a minority that'll say "Hey, why bother releasing it now, it has a good DVD already! If you're going to re-release it, add some more bonus features!".

[...] They could easily have added it to the Platinum line (afer all, it's only 7 minutes shorter than Bambi!). But it's been reliable as an evergreen, and that's likely what its status will be the rest of its home video life.

[..] It's a rotating wheel of consumers, and Disney knows that they may still get repeat buyers, but they're primarily focused on new ones.

Well, if that's true, why bother to release 2-disc Platinum Editions at all? if families are going to pick it up anyway, why bother? Somehow, wuth 2-disc releases, they do cater to the 'movie buffs'. So why not with Dumbo? Your explanation makes sense for the most part, but is also self-contradictory.

I wasn't complaining (I hope it didn't sound like I was),

Oh, no, you weren't, it was just a phrase...

If you have multi-region capabilities, you should definitely import the two-disc set as it's one of Disney's better efforts post-2004.

The shipping costs are too high, plus on websites like Amazon, you can only pay with credit cards (at least that's what I've understood) and I don't own one.

[Flanger-Hanger]

Well, if that's true, why bother to release 2-disc Platinum Editions at all? if families are going to pick it up anyway, why bother? Somehow, wuth 2-disc releases, they do cater to the 'movie buffs'. So why not with Dumbo? Your explanation makes sense for the most part, but is also self-contradictory.

It's also the truth, which never makes sense with Disney.

[Jack Skellington]

Q : What is the sequence (as far as we know) of the upcoming Fall Platinum Editions after the release of Sleeping Beauty in 2008 ?

[Escapay]

Q : What is the sequence (as far as we know) of the upcoming Fall Platinum Editions after the release of Sleeping Beauty in 2008 ?

As far as we know:

October 2009: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
October 2010: Beauty and the Beast

Well, if that's true, why bother to release 2-disc Platinum Editions at all? if families are going to pick it up anyway, why bother? Somehow, wuth 2-disc releases, they do cater to the 'movie buffs'. So why not with Dumbo? Your explanation makes sense for the most part, but is also self-contradictory.

It's also the truth, which never makes sense with Disney.

Unfortunately, the Hanger is right.

Disney is obviously aware of the clamor for better editions of their films. They know that every animation fan wants an extras-filled two-disc release with enough making-of material to give them a DVD orgasm. But at the same time, they know that that amount of people is still not as much as the amount of casual buyers who'll be happy with the movie on a home video format, regardless if it's got a 10-minute making-of or a 100-minute making-of.

With the Platinums, they know the animation fan will buy it regardless how it's been treated (look at the wonder that is Aladdin versus the disappointment that is Peter Pan). But it's still something they're selling to casual buyers, and they make the fact that it's got a special name like "Platinum Edition" (or whatever it's called in other countries) translate into "Hey, this is a really good movie! It's so good we're giving it this kind of special treatment! You won't get this special treatment on Dumbo or The Aristocats! And we're only having it for a limited time, so get it now! Get it before we put it in the vault!"

The problem is every consumer wants the DVD studios to cater exclusively to them. And DVD studios just can't do that, unless they were created specifically to cater to a certain buyer (i.e. Criterion Collection). So as much as many of us here at UD would love for two-disc (or perhaps more) bonus-filled editions of every DAC out there (because even unpopular films like the package features deserve good bonus features for the fans - like me - who want them), it's just not gonna happen, even if Dumbo's far more deserving of two-disc treatment versus Bambi (IMO. I just prefer the little elephant to the little deer. )

I don't know exactly how BVHE feels about international sales and why they felt the two-disc could get a release everywhere else except R1. Perhaps netty or ichabod can shed some light on that.

Now, if I could get my hands on one of those 2-disc sets, I could slow it down by 4% (reversing "PAL speedup") and make a region-free NTSC version.

That'll teach Disney to mess with me.

But I'd need *cough* an ISO or something to work with

Or you could import from Brazil, where it's R1/R4.

Or you could simply wait for its long-awaited release on March 24.

albert

[Goliath]

With the Platinums, they know the animation fan will buy it regardless how it's been treated (look at the wonder that is Aladdin versus the disappointment that is Peter Pan).

Tha's what I've been saying: *if* Disney is counting on both animation buffs and the general public to pick it up anyway, there is no need for Platinums at all, or for some films to be Platinum and others not.

Let's just agree Disney makes no sense at all.