DVDizzy Forum

I have been stalking UD.com for a few months already =] this however is my first post at the forum.

I know there are plenty of post and guides about bootlegged Disney DVD on eBay already. However, most of those guides are becoming not very
useful (no offense) because the bootlegger are becoming much smarter.

The old guides:
- do not buy from international sellers.
- One disc for DVD sets that original comes with two or more
- Foreign marking
- DTS labeling
- No actual photo

These simply do not work anymore because there has been releases of high quality bootlegged DVDs now. They come new and sealed with security strips and most of all, in two disc editions. Sellers even provide actual photos of product.

I purchased about 30 Disney DVDs so far. Luckily, most but two of them are bootlegged. One of which being Pinocchio Limited Issue and the other being Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Platinum Edition.

Since I was able to borrow a legit copy of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs from my aunt, (she bought it at Wal-Mart when it was first released), I was able to compare photos of the two products. I hope this help to anyone who is wondering about the authenticity of his or her Disney DVDs.


<b>Authentic</b>


<b>Bootlegged</b>


The image on the ltop is of an authentic Snow White DVDs set while the one on the bottom is a bootleg. I bought the bootleg set advertised as <b>authentic, new and sealed with security strips</b> for a little over $30 btw. Compared to the previous two bootleg DVDs I purchased by mistake, this can’t even play.

Frankly, the packaging of both set is identical from these low-resolution photos. However, when you compare the quality of the artwork in real life, the bootleg one is much grainier, especially the screen cap provided in the back and the title on the spine of the DVD case. There appear to be some pixilation issue with the barcode also.

Unlike the insert of the authentic DVD, which is stapled into a small booklet, the insert in the bootleg edition is on 2 sheets of glossy paper. Again, with some pixilation to the printing.

Most of all, the thing that gives away that the DVD is not authentic is the disc itself. These bootlegged discs have very poor colored label. The authentic one is much brighter while the bootlegged copy is dimmer. In addition, there is a small scratch/scrape mark in the back of each disc.

Sorry for the long and lengthy post but I do wish that people who are interested in collecting authentic Disney DVDs won’t be fooled into buying a bootlegged one. I hope this post help you somehow. Good day.

ivytran87 wrote:Sorry for the long and lengthy post but I do wish that people who are interested in collecting authentic Disney DVDs won’t be fooled into buying a bootlegged one. I hope this post help you somehow. Good day.

A very excellent first post and one which I agree deserves a new thread of its own. Amazing that from those pics, I wouldn't be able to tell that it's a bootleg. Though it probably shouldn't be too surprising considering how many people want to get their hands on DVDs that went out of print several years ago and how easy it should be for bootleggers to NOT drop telltale signs (like the "Asian Imports" buzz words and the suspect DTS logo). Kind of makes one appreciate the holographic disc-labeling that BVHE has been using this year.

Welcome to the forum! I'm glad you've crossed over from lurkerdom as your first post illustrates you have a lot of good insight to share.

Thank you very much =]

Look at the Trade Forum on UD.

Many members including me sell Disney DVD's that are real and not bootlegs.

I've just pulled out my R1 copy - yep, the disc is named "FANT1940", so that at least is kosher. Mine has the barcodes and numbers on the reverse of the disc, too.

Out of interest, is your disc single or dual layer? If you check the capacity of the disc, it should be 7.87Gb.

PR1, I'm pretty sure your is real. the barcoding should be in the gold circle around the hole on the back. Get it under a light source and mess with it and you should see something. the stuff in there is really reflective.

BrandonH wrote:It looks exactly like the copy I own from the Anthology set, and it matches Amazon.com's cover art and spine as well. The gold banner is correct, and the creases are probably from use or shelf wear. GameStop probably just sold you Fantasia from the Fantasia Anthology, so the 2000 date is correct.

If its from the Anthology set, the back cover art is missing that sticker that says "not for individual sale." Was that a removable sticker perhaps? If it’s the 60th Anniversary release (pre-anthology) then does a disc creation date of October 2000 make any sense? Those of you who have the original 60th or the anthology set, does yours have a creation date of October 2000?

Go here: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/custom ... ">Amazon's Anthology Cover Art Link</a>

MK Sharp wrote:I've just pulled out my R1 copy - yep, the disc is named "FANT1940", so that at least is kosher. Mine has the barcodes and numbers on the reverse of the disc, too. Out of interest, is your disc single or dual layer? If you check the capacity of the disc, it should be 7.87Gb.

Do you mean yours looks like Ruben's (the close up of serial numbers) or looks like mine (the shot of the full disc with no discernable numbers)? My disc reads "7.87Gb" but how do I find out if its single or dual layer?

DaveWadding wrote:PR1, I'm pretty sure your is real. the barcoding should be in the gold circle around the hole on the back. Get it under a light source and mess with it and you should see something. the stuff in there is really reflective.

The numbers on there are in that gold circle area, but there are no bar codes. And the numbers are so faint it is practically impossible to read. They are in a hologram ink – you have to hold the disc a certain way under light to get them to appear. Using magnifying glasses and a bright light I can make out 2 sets of numbers, each on opposite sides of the inner circle: the first set starts with a "C3.2" and continues "18…0294". The second set begins with a "01" and ends with a backwards "4C." But I am not totally certain of the numbers because they are backwards and on top of other numbers. This is materially different than what you see in Ruben's photo of the back of his disc (above).

The disc cover art is very crisp and parts of it are raised and rough/textured when you touch it. It looks authentic to me. Based on the disc cover art I'd swear it was authentic, but the back gives me cause for concern.

The deal with the creased cover art: The cover art had been folded and creased so as to fit into the front of a white DVD case. It was the kind of case where the cover art could not wrap around to the back, so it was not the original case. The store clerk put the cover art in a black wrap-around case for me, making it very presentable, but even less authentic.

So are most of you still convinced this could be the real thing or are you thinking now that its a bootleg?

And one more question for you guys "it says on this cover "Walt Disney's original uncut version - so does this mean this is the actual original that supposedly has the negative stereotypes in it?

Did Disney ever sell the individual movies outside of the box? If so, that could explain the missing "Not for Individual Sale" sticker. I haven't tried removing the stickers, but I imagine that some patience and Goo-Gone would take care of them.

The 60th Anniversary of the movie's release was in 2000, so the October 2000 date is definitely plausible.

The "Walt Disney's Original Uncut Version" is on all of the legitimate copies. It simply means that it is presented in the roadshow version from 1940. The Pastoral Symphony is still censored.

Assuming your disc plays the same as everyone else's and has FBI Warnings, I still say you bought a legitimate copy of the movie.

Pluto Region1 wrote:

BrandonH wrote:It looks exactly like the copy I own from the Anthology set, and it matches Amazon.com's cover art and spine as well. The gold banner is correct, and the creases are probably from use or shelf wear. GameStop probably just sold you Fantasia from the Fantasia Anthology, so the 2000 date is correct.

If its from the Anthology set, the back cover art is missing that sticker that says "not for individual sale." Was that a removable sticker perhaps? If it’s the 60th Anniversary release (pre-anthology) then does a disc creation date of October 2000 make any sense? Those of you who have the original 60th or the anthology set, does yours have a creation date of October 2000?

The "Not for Individual Sale" stickers are pretty tough to remove sometimes. It's usually either put right over the barcode, or on the plastic case over the barcode, so a lack of sticker likely means they switched cases.

The 60th Anniversary DVD release came out November 14, 2000 (same-day as Fantasia 2000 and Fantasia Anthology), so an October mastering date would make sense.

Pluto Region1 wrote:My disc reads "7.87Gb" but how do I find out if its single or dual layer?

Pretty much anything in the 3 or 4 Gb range is single-layer, and anything in the 7 Gb range is dual-layer.

According to the DVD FAQ, a single layer is about 4.37 gig (2+ hours of video) and a dual layer is 7.95 gig (4 hours of video).

Pluto Region1 wrote:The numbers on there are in that gold circle area, but there are no bar codes. And the numbers are so faint it is practically impossible to read. They are in a hologram ink – you have to hold the disc a certain way under light to get them to appear. Using magnifying glasses and a bright light I can make out 2 sets of numbers, each on opposite sides of the inner circle: the first set starts with a "C3.2" and continues "18…0294". The second set begins with a "01" and ends with a backwards "4C." But I am not totally certain of the numbers because they are backwards and on top of other numbers. This is materially different than what you see in Ruben's photo of the back of his disc (above).

I've come across the same DVD titles with different disc barcodes (likely due to printed batches?), so not all of them will always match. For example, I've got two separate copies of Silence of the Lambs Criterion Collection with different disc barcodes, but they're both legit discs.

Pluto Region1 wrote:The disc cover art is very crisp and parts of it are raised and rough/textured when you touch it. It looks authentic to me. Based on the disc cover art I'd swear it was authentic, but the back gives me cause for concern.

Yeah, usually the disc art can give away a bootleg (if the badly printed cover art doesn't). My fantasia is rough/textured as well, and I believe all Disney titles (with disc art) in 2000 and 2001 were of the rough texture.

Pluto Region1 wrote:So are most of you still convinced this could be the real thing or are you thinking now that its a bootleg?

I'm pretty sure that you've got an authentic disc, and the shoddy packaging shouldn't always be a sign or a warning that you're dealing with a bootleg. Lord knows I've seen many a messed-up packaging at GameStop (people really should learn how to take care of those babies), but it doesn't always equate bootleg.

Pluto Region1 wrote:And one more question for you guys "it says on this cover "Walt Disney's original uncut version - so does this mean this is the actual original that supposedly has the negative stereotypes in it?

It's the 1990 restored cut, which is as close to the original as we'll get, and as others pointed out, is the roadshow version, though it still has the censored Pastoral Symphony.

Escapay

Pluto Region1 wrote:If its from the Anthology set, the back cover art is missing that sticker that says "not for individual sale." Was that a removable sticker perhaps?

I've got the Anthology Box Set too, and none of my discs have a "not for individual sale" sticker on them, so I don't think the absence of a sticker is indicative of anything.

Pluto Region1 wrote:Do you mean yours looks like Ruben's (the close up of serial numbers) or looks like mine (the shot of the full disc with no discernable numbers)? My disc reads "7.87Gb" but how do I find out if its single or dual layer?

Mine is like Ruben's with the gold going almost right up to the hole.
If it's 7.87Gb, it's definitely dual layer, as it should be.

Pluto Region1 wrote:The numbers on there are in that gold circle area, but there are no bar codes. (...) Using magnifying glasses and a bright light I can make out 2 sets of numbers, each on opposite sides of the inner circle: the first set starts with a "C3.2" and continues "18…0294". The second set begins with a "01" and ends with a backwards "4C." But I am not totally certain of the numbers because they are backwards and on top of other numbers. This is materially different than what you see in Ruben's photo of the back of his disc (above).

Interesting. Mine, like Ruben's, has the numbers (E9480) E1308 L0 and (E9481) E1308 L1. Perhaps there were two pressings of the disc; although it would be odd to create a whole new master just to run off further copies. These things have been known to happen, though.

I reckon it's legit. Either that or you're dealing with some very conscientious bootleggers who have duplicated the contents exactly and on a gold disc to boot.

And to be honest, given that the data hasn't been recompressed down to under 4.7Gb (which would reduce the picture quality), and it's a proper pressed DVD rather than a DVD±R disc (which could reduce the lifespan of the disc), even if it is a bootleg, it's as good as the real thing anyway.

Here could be some help you are looking for Pluto Region 1.

I own four different versions of "Fantasia". I own the first release on DVD and the Anthology Box Set, and then the 60th Anniversary Edition, and also a version that I suspect is a 'boot'.

Compared to everything that has been posted so far, you have a legitimate copy. It appears, for sure, that what they did at GameStop is sell the three discs seperately, so you have a legitimate copy. The box that all three discs came in had apparently been damaged or destroyed and they just kept the bar code in their file so when someone purchased either of the "Fantasia" films or the Bonus Disc, they could use that bar code to sell it.

They don't understand us collectors. They don't think we know anything except if it says "Disney" we grab it.

Apparently you can rest easy, because everything I have checked on my copies checks with what has been posted here. What you have is a slightly damaged cover of a legitimate copy of "Fantasia" and it is part of the Anthology box set that was released in 2000.

dvdjunkie wrote:I own four different versions of "Fantasia". I own the first release on DVD and the Anthology Box Set, and then the 60th Anniversary Edition, and also a version that I suspect is a 'boot'.

What's the "first release" on DVD other than the "60th Anniversary Edition"?

Now that the Fantasia question seems to have been answered, I have a bootleg question of my own.

I recently purchased a used copy of The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea off of eBay. It hasn't arrived yet,but it should be here by tomorrow or Monday. The item is listed as used and in mint condition with the insert. I sent the seller an e-mail and asked if it was authentic. They responded with a yes and that it was from his or her child's collection and they are trying to make space for newer movies. I know everything sounds normal so far, but today I noticed something suspicious. The seller is now selling another used copy of the same movie! I mean, sure, they could have two of them, but I really don't see why.

Does anyone think I should be worried about this? I know I probably should have waited until the movie arrives before I posted this, but I'm nervous.

Didn't think there'd been a Fantasia DVD release before the 60th Anniversary edition contained in the anthology.

I've been buying the Disney DVD's since the very first limited issue releases, and I don't recall there ever having been any other Fantasia release.

I can't even remember if it was released separately in the US. I think it was in the UK, but I certainly remember the anthology being my first (and only) purchase of Fantasia.

Thanks everyone for helping out. So it is a copy out of the Anthology set. The Anthology set is pretty rare around these parts and I don't expect to ever find an Anthology copy at Gamestop, unless I make a long concerted effort (no pun intended) to find one. I'm just glad to have an authentic original Fantasia copy, even if it is out of a parsed set. This will be a nice hold-over until whenever the Platinum release comes out. (I was kinda hoping it was the original stand-alone 60th Anniversary release, but oh well). I'm going to sit down and watch it now since this is the last day I have to return it, if its defective.

Prince Ali wrote: They responded with a yes and that it was from his or her child's collection and they are trying to make space for newer movies. I know everything sounds normal so far, but today I noticed something suspicious. The seller is now selling another used copy of the same movie! I mean, sure, they could have two of them, but I really don't see why.

It sounds suspicious to me. Most parents would not have had 2 in their collection, but maybe this seller found another used copy somewhere.... if they know they got a "hot-seller" they start looking around for more to sell so it's possible they found another one and put it up for sale. But wait until the movie arrives and then repost your story in a whole new thread to re-grab everyone's attention.

I could be mistaken but I thought Ebay was now offering a money-back guarantee, and it was sort of an unlimited policy (Amazon's allows you to make a claim only 5 times in your lifetime), so if the seller is a crook, you should be able to make a claim through Ebay for your money back.

Pluto Region1 wrote:I'm just glad to have an authentic original Fantasia copy, even if it is out of a parsed set. This will be a nice hold-over until whenever the Platinum release comes out. (I was kinda hoping it was the original stand-alone 60th Anniversary release, but oh well).

The original stand-alone 60th Anniversary release is the same as the one in the Anthology set. Original Fantasia and Fantasia 2000 were sold as separate releases, and also bundled together with the Anthology-exclusive "The Fantasia Legacy" disc, so regardless if it were stand-alone or from the box, the disc has the same content.

And I'm still kicking myself for passing up on a stand-alone used copy of "The Fantasia Legacy" that I found for $7.95 once.

Escapay

musicradio77 wrote:I don't have "Fantasia" on DVD, but I do have it on VHS only.

I bet Pluto Region1 was very relieved when you said that!

I wanted to revive this thread since I have some info. Was over at Ebay and found a useful guide on Disney bootleg DVDs; hope it helps some here who are still looking to purchase OOP Disney titles on Ebay. I also wanted to mention that my copy of the Snow White bootleg will be turned over to Disney "Legal" this week. I ran into Lella Smith, the director of the Animation Research Library, at the screening of TLM at El Capitan. I mentioned to her about my experience with the Snow White bootleg, as I would like to give her the DVD for the library. (It is an interesting artifact and a testament to what happens due to Disney's "limited release/back in the vault" policy.) She had never heard about Disney DVDs being pirated and found this to be most disturbing and asked me to give her the DVD so she can turn it over to the Disney Legal Department. I would imagine that Disney Legal is well-versed on the bootlegs, but perhaps something will come of it. So this week, I'll be dropping off the Snow White bootleg with her. (While discussing this bootleg with Lella, a couple sitting in front of us heard me and turned around to say they had bought the exact same SW bootleg on Ebay!)

Here is what I found posted at Ebay on spotting Disney bootleg DVDs. In my personal experience with the Snow White bootleg (well documented in this thread) I did not find most of the info helpful in terms of authenticating the SW DVD because the SW was of so high a quality that most of the "tells" he lists here did not apply. But this may be of value if you come across a lesser quality bootleg. (what's interesting is he never mentions to turn over the discs and check for Disney's serial numbers and bar codes - what is the first thing you do when something is lost or stolen? Look for serial numbers!):


When we consider non-authentic DVDs, there are three kind of DVDs

1) Bootleg DVD
2) Imported DVDs
3) Fake Region 1 DVDs.

Bootleg DVDs are the ones copied on DVDR discs which are usually homemade DVDs. Bootlegs are very easy to recognize by looking at the fake computer printed label and the non-standard playing/recording surface of the discs – usually purplish. Original DVDs have golden or silver color playing surface.

Most of the imported DVDs have foreign language prints on the cover art and the disc. So they are somewhat easy to figure out as well.

Fake Region 1 DVDs are the ones which are very difficult to recognize from the original. These are the latest type of illegal DVDs on eBay. They are made exactly like the originals/authentic with almost all papers works (duplicated) inside the case and sometimes including fake promotional stickers and even Buena Vista stamp on the shrink wrap! These are not handmade DVDs. I believe they are made in illegal factories outside US and imported here. Please note that they also come with fake security seals. So security seal or Buena Vista stamp is no longer the criteria to consider the DVD to be authentic. Unfortunately these kind of DVDs are hard to recognize. You may need to check some of the tips below to not get cheated by the fake/cheap Region 1 DVDs. But before that I like to point 2 things about fake Region 1 DVDs.

1) Fake Region 1 DVDs including the case are low in weight compared to the original DVDs. If you received a DVD compare with any other Disney or any other DVD you've purchased from store. You will see the fake DVD are slightly low in weight and low in physical quality.

2) Fake Region 1 DVDs have poor cover art and internal paper works. If you look at the fake DVDs carefully, you will see the prints on the cover art and fake chapter index/booklets are poorly printed - mostly faded prints compared to the original DVD cover art.

Unfortunately the above two items can be recognized only after you receive the fake DVD. So to try to avoid buying such DVDs, please check the points below.

Few tips below which may help you to recognize at least the older type of fake/imported DVDs which are still available with many sellers.

- The DVDs which come with DVD9 print in a circle in front of the cover art of the DVDs are not authentic US edition DVDs.
- If you see Chinese, Malaysian, Korean... foreign language prints on the disc or case, they are not authentic US edition DVDs.
- Disney Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs DVD was never released by Disney as single disc DVD in the US.
- Disney Beauty and Beast DVD was never released by Disney as single disc DVD in the US.
- Disney Sleeping Beauty DVD was never released by Disney as single disc DVD in the US.
- Disney Peter Pan, Peter Pan 2, Pinocchio, 101 Dalmatians, 101 Dalmatians 2, Jungle Book, Jungle Book2, Hercules, Fantasia, Fantasia 2000 etc DVDs were never released by Disney as 2 disc sets in the US. So if someone describe these DVDs as 'This is a single disc DVD' in the description, it means the seller doesn't even know the history of those DVDs. And most of the time, all the Disney DVDs they have on sale including Snow White, Beauty and The Beast, Sleeping Beauty etc will be single disc DVDs which are fake.

All authentic US edition brand new Disney DVDs come with security on the top or side. Most of them also come with thick ink printed Buena Vista stamp on the back of the shrink wrap except some DVDs they distribute through Disney movie club. The best way to make sure the DVD you received is authentic is to compare with a corresponding original you might have purchased from a retail store. The fake DVDs come in low quality discs. It is somewhat easy to recognize even by comparing any of the original US edition DVDs. US edition DVDs have the highest quality - physical, video and audio.

How can you avoid purchasing fake DVDs?

- Check the feedback history of the seller. Try to buy from sellers with more feedbacks and check what the buyers wrote about the purchases. Please note that most of the buyers don't know how to verify fake DVDs. So, most of the buyers will leave positive feedback even if they received fake DVDs. So try to read more feedbacks. Avoid buying items from sellers who keep their feedback private.

- Check the location of the seller in the feedback details of the seller which is available next to the member’s join date 'Member since' column. Sellers registered from China, Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines etc will not have authentic US edition DVDs for sale. Also check the date of registration of the seller in the same feedback history. If the seller was registered with the last 3 months, you may need to re-think about buying items from them. There are some sellers who get suspended every few months and create another account to sell same illegal DVDs. Beware of such sellers.

- Check how many copies of the out of print DVDs the seller has been selling. If the seller has sold too many copies of rare Disney DVDs, it won't be legitimate. You can check the items sold by the seller by clicking on 'Completed Items' check box while searching on the seller's items. The old rare out of print DVDs are always rare and hard to find.

This guide is updated on 08/29/2006.

Im sorry u got cheated, I was cheated as well with Disney DVDs and will never buy them again from Ebay. If there is one negative feedback about bootlegging chances are there all bootlegs and the other buyers just couldn't tell the difference. I would demand a refund and/or file a dispute with Ebay if you are sure its a bootleg...which it seems to be.

This might sound crazy, but, I love bootlegs! I recently bought The Jungle Book, 101 Dalmatians, The Fox and the Hound, Fantasia and Peter Pan for $1 each off eBay! I knew they were bootlegs, but I don't care, it's the film I'm after, besides, I will DEFINATELY buy the legit copies when they are re-released. I just see them as temporary DVD's.