Bambi: Diamond Edition Discussion - March 1, 2011

[BK]

^Your cinema's 2k digital projector is a resolution of 2048x1080 while your Blu-Ray player is a resolution of 1920×1080 (they're soo close, is it any wonder I want to save up for an HD home theater projector and never have to buy a movie ticket again?).

While most 35mm film negatives start off with about 4k of information, by the time that 35mm print hits your local cinema’s screen it’ll be closer to 2k. Something to note is not all 35mm film negatives have 4k worth of picture information. Depending on the film stock used and the wear and tear, it could be closer to 2k.

Once again, someone more knowledgeable then I can future elaborate.

Yeah, the resolutions are close, but Blu-ray is still compressed. And with (hopefully) digital projectors being changed into 4K projectors, a film on a cinema screen would still look quite different than on Blu-ray. Of course, a good film print, properly projected would still blow anything digital out of the water.
Most new film stocks definitely are close to 4K. Film stocks keep improving. Wear and tear is not an issue with the negative, since these days they're scanned immediately into the computer for editing, color adjusting, and so forth.
As for what resolution a film projected in your local cinema has, it differs very much. If that cinema haas a digital projector, then it's simply 2K, providing the focus is correct. With film, you'd have to factor in how many times it's removed from the original, the focus, the wear and tear. Film being projected looks much better, but digital is so much easier and cheaper, that it's no surprise that most cinemas go digital.

Why not do a 4K scan to the best of your ability, or 8K, so that you don't have to touch the negative any longer?

Seems smarter than continuously having to reuse the negative and subject it to wear and tear. Also, so if Snow White, Fantasia and etc. all now exist as 4K masters, does this mean, that they are now future-proof? That even if the negative is destroyed, they will still be at the highest quality possible?

[2099net]

Why not do a 4K scan to the best of your ability, or 8K, so that you don't have to touch the negative any longer?

Seems smarter than continuously having to reuse the negative and subject it to wear and tear. Also, so if Snow White, Fantasia and etc. all now exist as 4K masters, does this mean, that they are now future-proof? That even if the negative is destroyed, they will still be at the highest quality possible?

Because there's only a limited number of machines capable of doing so. And many, many, many films need processing for HD release (either for Blu-ray or broadcasting). Simply put, demand for the process currently outstrips supply.

The equipment costs a fortune, understandable because it costs a lot to research and develop, but the potential sales are small - even if every single company who does film restoration bought 10 scanners, the total number of units sold would still be small for such a R&D investment. Most restoration companies only have one scanner! And remember, there's more than one company manufacturing and selling film scanning equipment!

Even now, in the past year or so, the vast majority of companies are only buying 4k scanners. (see here for such a press release).

[KubrickFan]

Why not do a 4K scan to the best of your ability, or 8K, so that you don't have to touch the negative any longer?

Seems smarter than continuously having to reuse the negative and subject it to wear and tear. Also, so if Snow White, Fantasia and etc. all now exist as 4K masters, does this mean, that they are now future-proof? That even if the negative is destroyed, they will still be at the highest quality possible?

Technology keeps evolving. Warner actually re-did a 'restoration' of The Wizard of Oz, done in 2005, for the Blu-ray, just because they felt it deserved the very best. 20th Century Fox did the same with The Sound of Music.
Of course those are tent pole movies. Only the big classics get those treatments.
And does Disney actually do these new 'restorations' in 4K? Sleeping Beauty was done in 2K, and that was a movie shot in Technirama, so that's a movie that would have benefited from a higher scan.
In any case, having the highest quality isn't really economically feasible, since a new type of scanner could be released in a few months. A good quality copy of the movie is something they do have. These movies aren't going anywhere.

[Disneykid]

And does Disney actually do these new 'restorations' in 4K? Sleeping Beauty was done in 2K, and that was a movie shot in Technirama, so that's a movie that would have benefited from a higher scan.

From what I understand, Sleeping Beauty was restored at 4K, and all of the new-to-BD restorations that followed have been done likewise. So it seems to break down to this:

4K:
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Pinocchio
Fantasia
Dumbo (yet to be released in the U.S.)
Alice in Wonderland
Sleeping Beauty
The Fox and the Hound (on the way)
The Black Cauldron (master is ready, downscaled for DVD last year)
The Great Mouse Detective (master is ready, downscaled for DVD last year)

2K:
Bambi
Cinderella
Peter Pan
Lady and the Tramp
One Hundred and One Dalmatians
The Jungle Book

The difference between 2K and 4K on Blu-ray is minimal as evidenced by Bambi (which looks fantastic) and The Wizard of Oz (which is also gorgeous, but not very different from the 2K clips used in That's Entertainment). We won't see anything noticeable till the next home video format, I presume, which in that case would require new masters struck for the above-mentioned 2K titles.

[KubrickFan]

From what I understand, Sleeping Beauty was restored at 4K, and all of the new-to-BD restorations that followed have been done likewise.

Not according to Theo Gluck, who is the Director of Library Restoration and Preservation for Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures:

The negative was scanned at 4K and all subsequent work is done at 2K.

He said this during the interview Robert Harris conducted, when the SB Blu-ray was about to be released. So, did they start performing the 4K restorations with Snow White? Are we sure that The Great Mouse Detective and The Black Cauldron are preserved in 4K resolution? Frankly, I have a hard time believing that Disney would prioritize those two titles over many of the other catalog titles, but hey, it could happen. If they truly exist in 4K somewhere, I would very much like to see a Blu-ray release of both of those titles.

[monorail91]

Hey guys, I just found out that there is a "Bambi Diamond Edition Premium Package", but it seems that it is an exclusive for the Disney Movie Club members. This is the picture that I found:

http://www.planetadisney.com.br/wp-cont ... ackage.jpg

If someone has it, can you please post real pictures?

I ordered it like a month ago and it still hasn't arrived. I'll post pics as soon as I get it though.

[ajmrowland]

The pic was already posted a couple pages back anyway.

Where can I find info in this Bambi book edition? I tried checking the DMC site but nothing's mentioned.

Bambi Diamond Edition Premium Package

That's all they have up on the website about it so far. I don't see any other information. If I find anything, I will post it and let you know.

okay, so more than a couple pages.


anyway, due to Saturday being the date of expiration for any sale, went over to shopko and lo-and-behold, it was cheaper than at Toys R Us-about 16.42 whereas TRU has it 16.99, all with the coupon-and I got it. Unfortunately, the only copy left was in DVD packaging, but it's the same product and Shopko was within walking distance(still an hour to get there, but I wasnt about to pass up $13 saving$.

I'll view it tonight. Maybe even this afternoon. I got a glimpse of the previews and the menus and Im interested in Bambi 2. The booklet has a really good two-page ad for Lion King worth seeing which made me lament the cover even more for that one.

[ajmrowland]

Okay, a challenge.

Aside from the cover art, there is one key difference between the DVD packaging for the following movies. Can you spot it?


I'm not including the BatB one because I checked and it's got the same thing as the Snow White one.

And the stickers arent it.

[UmbrellaFish]

The "Disney DVD with Fast Play" logo?

[Scarred4life]

I know it's not in the picture, but on the spine of the Snow White one, it doesn't say Disney blu-ray.

[Disneykid]

I just got through with the Disney Second Screen feature via my iPad. Color me VERY impressed. The Bambi disc as it stands is a little on the light side despite what's there being strong. The Second Screen feature resolves that/ There's a TON of artwork and photos in this thing, including a storyboard of the dead hunter I've been hearing about for years. The flipbook parts with the cleaned up animation is really neat, too. I know a lot of people have been having problems with this, but it worked perfectly for me, leading me to believe it was designed more for iPads than for computers. I look forward to experiencing this again with future Disney films (mainly Cinderella, Little Mermaid, and Peter Pan).

Anyone else notice the Inside Walt's Story Meetings feature contains the original 2005 restoration before it was tweaked for 2011? Things like the blotches on Bambi's mother's fur are visible, and the film starts with the blue castle logo rather than the CG one. Pretty interesting.

[Barbossa]

Okay, a challenge.

Aside from the cover art, there is one key difference between the DVD packaging for the following movies. Can you spot it?

I can't find Waldo.

[ajmrowland]

The "Disney DVD with Fast Play" logo?

naturally. The Snow White combo pack was marketed as a DVD, even to the point having the DVD logos exclusivesly hogging the spine. Disney's being a little more honest now in calling it a blu-ray.

[ajmrowland]

I just got through with the Disney Second Screen feature via my iPad. Color me VERY impressed. The Bambi disc as it stands is a little on the light side despite what's there being strong. The Second Screen feature resolves that/ There's a TON of artwork and photos in this thing, including a storyboard of the dead hunter I've been hearing about for years. The flipbook parts with the cleaned up animation is really neat, too. I know a lot of people have been having problems with this, but it worked perfectly for me, leading me to believe it was designed more for iPads than for computers. I look forward to experiencing this again with future Disney films (mainly Cinderella, Little Mermaid, and Peter Pan).

Anyone else notice the Inside Walt's Story Meetings feature contains the original 2005 restoration before it was tweaked for 2011? Things like the blotches on Bambi's mother's fur are visible, and the film starts with the blue castle logo rather than the CG one. Pretty interesting.

question: regarding PC useage with the feature, can this be used in compliance with a desktop computer that seems incabable of wireless signals? I dont have an ipad but I have a new computer, and want to know if possibly a usb connection would suffice in addition to the internet.

[monorail91]

Another thing that Snow White and BatB covers have that Bambi doesn't is glitter

[Disneykid]

question: regarding PC useage with the feature, can this be used in compliance with a desktop computer that seems incabable of wireless signals? I dont have an ipad but I have a new computer, and want to know if possibly a usb connection would suffice in addition to the internet.

Yes. You just go to the Second Screen website,download the app, type in your magic code, and make sure your computer has a mic capable of picking up the sound of the TV playing the film. If not, you can still access all the Second Screen content without having to synch up the program to the movie.

[FigmentJedi]

Think I've got either a disc problem or a player problem. Got an unskippable loop of the Walt Disney Studios castle logo. No idea what's going on, as of now it's been going for five minutes like this.

EDIT: Looks like it's a problem with the player. Samsungs hate this disc or something

[Elladorine]

Think I've got either a disc problem or a player problem. Got an unskippable loop of the Walt Disney Studios castle logo. No idea what's going on, as of now it's been going for five minutes like this.

EDIT: Looks like it's a problem with the player. Samsungs hate this disc or something

I'm still really new with playing Blu-rays but I think that's the loading screen? I was a little freaked out the first time I had that castle logo looping rather unsmoothly.

[SpringHeelJack]

Think I've got either a disc problem or a player problem. Got an unskippable loop of the Walt Disney Studios castle logo. No idea what's going on, as of now it's been going for five minutes like this.

EDIT: Looks like it's a problem with the player. Samsungs hate this disc or something

This happened with me. For some reason, there's a new update and my player wasn't downloading the update wirelessly. So what I had to do was download the update on to my laptop, transfer it to my Blu-ray player's external USB drive, and then to the Blu-ray player. The update is found here...

http://downloadcenter.samsung.com/conte ... XX_XAA.zip

So once you download and unzip, take the USB drive from your player and put it in your laptop. Transfer the unzipped file. Turn on your Blu-ray player, make sure there is no disc in it, and THEN insert the USB drive. It should recognize that there is an update, then ask you if you want to install it. After it installs it (I think it took me like four minutes) it will shut down automatically. Remove the USB drive and remove the update file via your computer. If yout turn your Blu-ray player back on it should ask you what language you want it to use, then proceed as normal. You can then put the USB drive back in and use it as you normally would.

Assuming your problem is the same as mine, this should clear it up.

[MJW]

According to Blu-ray.com, Bambi was not only the best-selling Blu-ray last week, but it sold more copies than the rest of the top 10 combined!

From Blu-ray.com:

"The Diamond Edition of Bambi was the top-selling title on Blu-ray during the week ended March 6, according to Nielsen VideoScan First Alert. Disney's 1942 animated feature sold more BDs than the rest of the top ten put together, and was the top-selling title on packaged media overall on the strength of its BD/DVD combo sales alone."