Dumbo: Special Edition Blu-ray and DVD Discussion

[DisneyJedi]

I would love to see that happen too, but unless they switch to 3 per year or drop some previously released titles, there isn't room for the schedule to repeat itself and still maintain the 7 year rotation schedule. Here is how I predict the schedule will pan out over the next 7 years.

Spring 2010: Dumbo
Fall 2010: Beauty and the Beast
Spring 2011: Fantasia/Fantasia 2000
Fall 2011: The Lion King
Spring 2012: Aladdin (or possible replacement title)
Fall 2012: Cinderella
Spring 2013: Bambi
Fall 2013: The Little Mermaid
Spring 2014: Lady and the Tramp
Fall 2014: The Jungle Book
Spring 2015: Peter Pan
Fall 2015: Sleeping Beauty
Spring 2016: 101 Dalmatians
Fall 2016: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Spring 2017: Pinocchio

I don't know about Snow White, Sleeping Beauty or Pinocchio being re-released then, unless they had a different format that'd be the successor of Blu-ray.

[David S.]

It sounds like a lot of new content will have to be created to fill the disc. Just off the top of my head, some sort of testimonial to the theme park ride, analysis of the Pink Elephants on Parade, Andreas Deja breaking down the animation in the bathing scene, tribute to the award winning music, etc.

Well, one thing that was lacking for both DVD editions was a bona-fide "Making Of" more along the lines of what most of the Platinums got. The "Celebrating Dumbo" featurette is a nice tribute and IMO should be retained, but tops on my list for new content for the 2-disc DVD/BD is a more traditional "making of" as well.

I agree that featurettes on the theme park rides, the wonderful music(both songs and score) Pink Elephants sequence, etc., would all be wonderful additions. This might be a good place for an Oliver Wallace and/or Frank Churchill/Ned Washington tribute as well.

Also, they could have deleted scenes, song demos/deleted songs (such as "Spread Your Wings", which was at the end of the CD soundtrack in demo form as a bonus track).

If they are feeling really generous, they could even throw in "The Reluctant Dragon" in its entirety on disc 2 (if there is space) since it was filmed while Dumbo was in production and makes references to Dumbo, and is currently only available through the DMC and an OOP Treasures set. Or at least they could reinstate both the excerpt from this film and the theatrical trailers for this set, which were on the first edition and left off the Big Top Edition.


There is a lot they could do to make this the "definitive" Dumbo (so far) for collectors of both formats. Here's hoping they make this release the special one Dumbo deserves.

EDITED TO ADD:

It's the TVs themselves that are the real pocket-book killer, but they've been coming down in price every year, when I was married last year, my wife and purchased ours for around $900. Great set, too.

Good point about the TV. Yes, for me, the TV is a bigger issue than the player in terms of cost (although, since I'm happy with DVD, I'm in no rush to get a BD player either). I could get a HDTV if I really wanted one badly enough, but they are too pricey for my taste as I approach the whole "home video" hobby more from a movies/content/"software" approach than a technical/equipment/"hardware" one. In fact, the only time I can remember EVER buying "hardware"/equipment (other then my first CD and DVD player) is when something breaks, and I cringe at the thought of having to replace it, because that means less money in my DVD/CD/travel/entertainment budget! (And since I currently have 3 relatively new flatscreen tube tvs that look GREAT that I got really good deals on, (one was a gift) and have a LOT of life left in them, I'm pretty set for awhile!)

Since I've never paid more than 200-250 bucks for a tv, I see that $900 dollar price tag and cringe at the idea that this figure represents 900 bucks worth of DVDs/CDs on my wishlist that I could buy instead, or 900 dollars worth of time in central Florida (theme parks are my biggest passion) .

So I am in no way critcizing those who buy the expensive HDTVs, it's just more than I am willing to pay at this time due to my other interests. And also, I'd need an HDTV at least as tall as my existing TVs to display classic 4:3 films (like Dumbo, Pinocchio, Snow White, Fantasia) in the size I am used to seeing them.

And many of my all-time favorites are in 4:3 like the four I just named, and there is no way I'd want to get BD without the HDTV, because I've read on here that the 4:3 films on BD would be displayed pillarboxed AND letterboxed on a standard TV. (is this also the case when BD players play back DVDs of movies that are 4:3 films?)

PS. I hope there are no hard feelings regarding our differering choice of formats. Congrats on the marriage.

[Escapay]

I like all the ideas suggested for new supplements (a making-of, a theme park featurette, analysis of Pink Elephants, Andreas Deja does character study, etc.). I can see all of these being made, and especially love the idea of including The Reluctant Dragon as a bonus film. I'd love for the galleries to be extended as well. The current one is wonderful (about 160ish images) but when compared to the 300+ in some of the Platinums, it could be improved. The lowest amount of stills on a Platinum was Bambi with 217.

The nostalgic person in me wishes we'd also get some of the kid-oriented stuff like the original storybook and LP album presented on the disc. Also, maybe even a bonus episode of "Dumbo's Circus" (which I think was mentioned here).

Also, I know most people aren't fans of the music videos since Disney just hires someone from their tween farm, but I'd love if Dumbo included some of the more popular renditions of "Baby Mine", such as the Allison Krauss one or the Jim Brickman/Kassie de Paiva one from the Big Top Edition.

albert

[David S.]

You're absolutely right about the expanded art gallery. Thanks for mentioning that! Is was something going through my mind the other day, but I forgot to mention it here! (probably in my haste to look up the name of the demo included on the CD - I remembered the melody off the top of my head, but for some reason went blank on the name (even though I knew what it was and when I looked it up, it came back to me

I agree about the "kid-oriented" stuff you mentioned as well. Both examples would be nice additions. The young-at-heart kid in me actually enjoys a lot of the kid-oriented stuff that a lot of collectors are critical of, especially if there is the right dose of it and it doesn't take away much space from the more collector/fan-favorite type of stuff!

[CampbellzSoup]

I must be the only one who doesn't care about bonus features :\

[Escapay]

You are, Soups.

CARE ABOUT THEM! CARE CARE CARE!

albert

[CampbellzSoup]

you don't live too far away from me one day i'll bring my blu rays over and you can show me the glory of bonus features

[ajmrowland]

I must be the only one who doesn't care about bonus features :\

Well, I was always under the impression that a Disney fan would like to know as much about a Disney movie as they could, if they wanted to.

[Escapay]

you don't live too far away from me one day i'll bring my blu rays over and you can show me the glory of bonus features

Just hop on the Turnpike and drive on down!

You'll need to bring the player and HDTV as well, though.

Hmm, maybe I should drive up.

albert

[Rudy Matt]

I must be the only one who doesn't care about bonus features :\

Have you seen the Ray Bradbury interview on Disc 2 of the WDT: Tomorrowland set? If you doubt the value of bonus features, that amazing conversation alone might change your mind.

[JDCB1986]

Has this been posted yet ?

[jrboy]

Has this been posted yet ?

Page 7

[Goliath]

When the US received the 'Big Top'-edition with the restored image quality and the new bonus features (music videos) and new menu, Europe (or at least The Netherlands) received a "new" 'Special Edition' (we name everything 'special edition', not 'most wanted' or 'big wave' etc.) with the same cover as the US version.

I bought this version a couple of months ago.

However, the disc itself had the same disc art as the previous 'Gold Collection' edition. And, after checking UD's review, it turns out that the Dutch 'Special edition' (which again, came at the same time as your Big Top edition and has a similar cover) is nothing more but a re-issue of the old 'Gold collection' dvd, since it has all the old bonus features on it and the old, grainy print.

I would like to know why Disney would do such a thing and also, if this new edition will come to Europe as well. Because, I'm reluctant to 'double dip' at all, but especially if it turns out that we get another recycling of the same release with a different name on it.

[Goliath]

The irony in all of this is that many of the "early adopters" who are so quick to abandon and criticize DVD will also be the first to abandon and criticize BD and act like it's a "POS" as soon as something slightly better comes along!

That's because they're MORONS who get tricked by the corporations into thinking they're the new cool guys with the new cool equipment , when really they're suckers who were easy to manipulate with slick advertisements into buying crap they don't need.

[MutantEnemy]

The irony in all of this is that many of the "early adopters" who are so quick to abandon and criticize DVD will also be the first to abandon and criticize BD and act like it's a "POS" as soon as something slightly better comes along!

That's because they're MORANS who get tricked by the corporations into thinking they're the new cool guys with the new cool equipment , when really they're suckers who were easy to manipulate with slick advertisements into buying crap they don't need.

It's MORON, Moron! Just remember, you started it!

[Jules]

Really, I think it was only a typo ...

[MutantEnemy]

Really, I think it was only a typo ...

Well people should be careful about spelling especially when they are ironically, insulting a group of peoples intelligence levels.

[The_Iceflash]

Someone's overly defensive.

[Goliath]

Someone's overly defensive.

I think that's because he felt as if I spoke about him...

[Rudy Matt]

Evil corporations blah blah blah...the same people who brought you DVDs are now trying to fool you into buying High Definition blah blah blah...DVD is fine we don't need anything better blah blah blah