I think we may need to save the Treasures series

[vanmunchen]

I really think that they have run their course. The best material has now been released. The original intention was surely to release all the theatrical shorts and lesser known theatrical features which has now been done. Frankly I have no interest in the TV material which does not have the same enduring quality.

[slave2moonlight]

The original intention was surely to release all the theatrical shorts and lesser known theatrical features which has now been done.

Um, nope, that has not been done.

[slave2moonlight]

>>at least release Disneyland Showtime<<

I love that. "Disneyland Showtime" definitely needs to be released on an additional Disneyland set, along with "From the Pirates of the Caribbean to the World of Tomorrow" and "Holiday Time at Disneyland" - - and how about adding vintage in-park films such as "America the Beautiful," "The Story of Oil," "Mouseketeer 3-D Jamboree," "Disneyland's 50th Anniversary," etc.

Yes, I agree and have often said that the Treasures should release the no longer shown park films. And it's a shame there hasn't been a Florida park-themed set yet (just like with Disneyland, they could get more than one out of WDW, including a set just for EPCOT; imagine if they included Captain Eo! Yeah, I know it's supposed to be back in the parks, but probably not for long). I also think the park anniversary celebrations that were shown on TV would be appreciated inclusions in such sets, like the one that featured The Cheers Gang and Ernest telling about their childhood visits to Disneyland through great flashback stories (and of course, I really want that Mickey's 60th, with original Roger Rabbit animation showing him hang with Mickey and the gang and Charles Fleischer).

[merlinjones]

>>The best material has now been released. The original intention was surely to release all the theatrical shorts and lesser known theatrical features which has now been done.<<

Not even close to done by even those standards. Plenty more of both named categories remain - - including key shorts titles (the "Chip an Dale" shorts, the "Winnie the Pooh" featurettes, "Susie the Little Blue Coupe," "Casey Bats Again," "Scrooge McDuck and Money," "It's Tough to be a Bird," the "People and Places" featurettes, etc.), several of which are Oscar nominees or winners. Plenty of key theatrical features and foreign theatricals left to be released too ("The Light in the Forest," "The Sword and the Rose," "The Sign of Zorro," "Zorro the Avenger," "Sammy the Way-Out Seal," "The Horsemasters," "Escapade in Florence," "The Prince and the Pauper," "Mosby's Marauders," "Almost Angels," etc., etc). Not to mention one of Walt Disney's most successful, most loved classics, "Song of the South."

>>TV material which does not have the same enduring quality.<<

Maybe because you haven't seen it? The programs can't endure if they aren't made available by the rights holders - - a self fulfilling prophecy.

Besides, Walt's TV related sets have been among the best selling Treasures to date (Dr. Syn, Disneyland, Davy, Zorro, etc.) and all are a big part of his legacy.

Why arbitrarily leave out the animated Von Drake, Jiminy, Woodlore, Donald, Magic Mirror, et al shows? Let alone all the wonderful award winning live-action hour shows, adventures shows, animal shows and remaining Disneyland-related shows.

Among the unreleased films are performances by Disney favorites Annette Funicello, Tommy Kirk, Kevin Corcoran, James MacArthur, Fred MacMurray, Paul Frees, Darlene Gillespie, Fess Parker and Janet Munro... films designed by Disney legends Mary Blair and Eyvind Earle... animation drawn by Walt's Nine Old Men... original animation of Mickey, Donald and Goofy... original musical numbers by the Sherman Brothers... not to mention the body of work produced by Roy E. Disney... leaving all of these golden moments to mold in the dark is an affront to all of the marvelous talents of the Walt Disney Studios.

[merlinjones]

>>they could get more than one out of WDW<<

At the very least one that has the older material, such as Walt's in-house "Florida Project" films, "The Magic of Walt Disney World" theatrical featurette, the TV opening day special, etc. "One Man's Dream" (Julie Andrews version) would be a nice recent addition.<<

[Big Disney Fan]

At the very least one that has the older material, such as Walt's in-house "Florida Project" films, "The Magic of Walt Disney World" theatrical featurette, the TV opening day special, etc. "One Man's Dream" (Julie Andrews version) would be a nice recent addition.

They did release the Florida Project film on the Tomorrowland DVD.

[merlinjones]

>>They did release the Florida Project film on the Tomorrowland DVD.<<

Isn't that cool? Wouldn't have happened without this series (and Leonard). Walt's works need to keep coming and keep the fun and wonder flowing!

[merlinjones]

Says Bob Iger of the Disney business in general:

>>“The baggage of tradition,” he says of Disney’s culture, “can slow you down.”

“I’m not going to eliminate that,” he added, “but I’d like to reduce it significantly.”<<

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/11/busin ... nted=print

[Big Disney Fan]

Says Bob Iger of the Disney business in general:

>>“The baggage of tradition,” he says of Disney’s culture, “can slow you down.”

“I’m not going to eliminate that,” he added, “but I’d like to reduce it significantly.”<<

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/11/busin ... nted=print

So what he's basically saying is to let go of tradition? The article refers to him having a Cinderella moment, but is it really that or a stepsister moment?

[pvdfan]

Says Bob Iger of the Disney business in general:

>>“The baggage of tradition,” he says of Disney’s culture, “can slow you down.”

“I’m not going to eliminate that,” he added, “but I’d like to reduce it significantly.”<<

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/11/busin ... nted=print

Words of someone who gets it.

[Big Disney Fan]

Says Bob Iger of the Disney business in general:

>>“The baggage of tradition,” he says of Disney’s culture, “can slow you down.”

“I’m not going to eliminate that,” he added, “but I’d like to reduce it significantly.”<<

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/11/busin ... nted=print

Words of someone who gets it.

But is he referring to the Treasures in this context?

[pvdfan]

Treasures or something else, he is right. It's one thing for them to release Dumbo or Snow White on DVD to huge profits. It's another to put out episodes of Anette out there and struggle to sell 25K. The old TV shows and unknown to the mass public shorts will not and do not sell.

Why waste the time and money on something (treasure releases) that has no value to the current day company? People are not banging down the doors to see EPCOT 82 opening ceremonies (which are painful to watch now) or Oswald shorts.

[disneyboy20022]

Treasures or something else, he is right. It's one thing for them to release Dumbo or Snow White on DVD to huge profits. It's another to put out episodes of Anette out there and struggle to sell 25K. The old TV shows and unknown to the mass public shorts will not and do not sell.

Why waste the time and money on something (treasure releases) that has no value to the current day company? People are not banging down the doors to see EPCOT 82 opening ceremonies (which are painful to watch now) or Oswald shorts.

No we're not banging down doors...yet....right now we are mainly just shouting in cyberspace *&$)$*)(*#*(#&U(*Y%R$$ Disney

[Elladorine]

The old TV shows and unknown to the mass public shorts will not and do not sell.

Maybe they'd sell better if Disney hadn't stopped exposing these shows to the public years ago? They can't be in demand of something they don't even know exists . . . perhaps it would have been a different story had they allowed Disney Channel to still air this stuff, even if it was in the middle of the night.

[pvdfan]

The old TV shows and unknown to the mass public shorts will not and do not sell.

Maybe they'd sell better if Disney hadn't stopped exposing these shows to the public years ago? They can't be in demand of something they don't even know exists . . . perhaps it would have been a different story had they allowed Disney Channel to still air this stuff, even if it was in the middle of the night.

Once again, there was no demand for it then. If there was, Disney would exploit it for every dollar it is worth, it's what they do best.

Please don't take this as I hate the material or what the series to die. I enjoy the 2 treasures I own (Your Host & Donald Vol. 4) but I'm also realistic. The fact there are still stores wave 3 sets and they are giving away Your Host on DMR says a lot.

[Elladorine]

Once again, there was no demand for it then. If there was, Disney would exploit it for every dollar it is worth, it's what they do best.

Please don't take this as I hate the material or what the series to die. I enjoy the 2 treasures I own (Your Host & Donald Vol. 4) but I'm also realistic. The fact there are still stores wave 3 sets and they are giving away Your Host on DMR says a lot.

No worries, I do understand where you're coming from. Disney is understandably a business and has to make decisions that benefit the company, but it's frustrating to see them basically disrespecting their history for the sake of a buck. Perhaps I'm blinded as a die-hard Disney fan since it's difficult for me to understand how their couldn't be some type of demand for this material, especially for those who grew up on it. There has to be a less-expensive, more profitable way for Disney to make this material available, whether they find new ways to release it themselves (burn on demand?) or farm it out to other companies.

I can understand the mind-set of how tradition can get in the way, but if they look at it as nothing more than baggage, there's really no hope to own much of anything I grew up on.

[estefan]

I agree with enigmawing. There's no reason why they can't show older material on the Disney channel. Will taking out one of the Hannah Montana reruns from the schedule and putting in some older material hurt. No, in fact, it will get the younger generation familiar with it and thus, there will be further interest in it.

Warner Brothers did the same mistake in regards to Animaniacs. They haven't aired that show on television in ages and then when they put the show out on DVD, the only people who bought them were animation fans and the occasional nostalgic person who remembered watching the show in their youth. Now, they are pulling a Disney and not releasing the final volume of the series. Are they honestly surprised, considering they didn't bother re-introducing Animaniacs to the current generation of children? Believe it or not, that is a huge market and parents are prone to buying almost anything that interests their child. Of course, it didn't help that Animaniacs and the Disney Treasures might have been a tad pricy. But, my point still stands.

In the 90s, they were able to successfully show re-runs of Yogi Bear and The Flintstones alongside Dexter's Laboratory and Johnny Bravo. No reason they couldn't do the same now. I know they have those specialty retro channels they dump these shows on, but not everybody has those.

[Big Disney Fan]

So what basically I'm reading is that money will never allow history to ever truly come out again? Is that what I'm reading?

[merlinjones]

>>Words of someone who gets it.<<

^Words of someone who has has lost his soul to the MBAs. Walt's business and product and audience never, ever made sense to businessmen, in his time or ours. If Walt "got it" there would have been no "Steamboat Willie," no "Snow White," no "Fantasia," no Disneyland...

>>Once again, there was no demand for it then. If there was, Disney would exploit it for every dollar it is worth, it's what they do best.<<

They could create demand (as they always did before) - - but there is no attempt. Some titles are clearly more commercial than others - - that the rights holders (and yourself) are lumping ALL of Walt's shows together as "old stuff" regardless of content speaks (you cite EPCOT and Oswald -- when we could be talking Song of the South, Disneyland, Jiminy Cricket and Ludwig VonDrake) to the low measure of consideration for marketing this material. Not to mention that there are general audience baby boomers who want the material and have no idea it is or has been or will ever be available, as it really isn't offered at retail - - you have to go looking for it with insider knowledge. Seems more like it isn't desired in the rebranding effort or wanted as competition to current franchises.

>>Please don't take this as I hate the material or what the series to die.<<

Whatever your intent, that is exactly what you are advocating. That Walt's material remain forever in the vaults from declining demand and awareness. Planned obsolescence.

[Big Disney Fan]

>>Words of someone who gets it.<<

^Words of someone who has lost their soul to the MBAs.

Words of someone who is only trying to keep the purists at bay.