Chronicles of Narnia: Wardrobe - 4-Disc Extended Edition DVD

[Luke]

UltimateDisney.com > Recent Live Action Disney Films (1980-Present) > The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - Four-Disc Extended Edition and Gift Set DVDs
UltimateDisney.com > Recent DVD Release Schedule > The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - Four-Disc Extended Edition and Gift Set DVDs


BURBANK, Calif., July 22, 2006 – For a very limited time, Walt Disney Home Entertainment presents the
ultimate “Narnia” DVD collection: Walt Disney Pictures and Walden Media present C.S. Lewis's <b>The Chronicles
Of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe Four-Disc EXTENDED EDITION</b> available on DVD
December 12. This extraordinary 4-disc DVD edition, a wondrous celebration of C.S. Lewis’ beloved fantasy
world, will only be available for seven weeks over the holidays, making it an excellent holiday gift.

The <b>EXTENDED EDITION</b> features a new, extended version of the film with enhanced special effects and an
extended, climactic battle scene. Viewers will venture even deeper into the beloved fantasy world of ‘Narnia’
with “C.S. Lewis – The Dreamer Of Narnia,” an all-new feature-length film about the creative genius behind the
‘Narnia’ mythos. “Visualizing the Lion, the Witch and The Wardrobe: The Complete Production Experience” is
an in-depth look at the process and technology of adapting the book into the stunning motion picture.

For the ultimate collector, there is <b>The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe Four
Disc GIFT SET</b>. This limited-edition offering features the 4-disc DVD plus a pair of heirloom-quality bookends
from the master creative artists at WETA Ltd., the innovators who designed the breathtaking creatures for the
film.

<b>The Extended Edition</b> (U.S. $42.99 SRP, Canada $59.99 SRP) and the <b>Gift Set</b> (U.S. $79.99 SRP, Canada
$119.99 SRP), each a treasure for collectors, will go back to the Disney vault after the holidays. There are very
limited quantities available for each title.

<a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/ ... eimprovemz" target="amz"><img src="http://www.ultimatedisney.com/images/l-o/lwwee.jpg" width="99" height="140">
Buy <b><i>The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe</i>:
Four-Disc Extended Edition</b> from Amazon.com</a>

<a href="http://www.ultimatedisney.com/narnia-li ... html">Read our <b><i>The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe</i>: Four-Disc Extended Edition</b> DVD Review</a>

<a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/ ... eimprovemz" target="amz"><img src="http://www.ultimatedisney.com/images/l- ... tset-t.jpg" width="372" height="140">
Buy <b><i>The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe</i>:
Extended Edition Gift Set</b> from Amazon.com</a>


For artwork and full details, see the complete press release.


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[kbehm29]

I'm bumping this because of the announcement on the first page.

Although I love my 2-disc special edition, I'm anxious to see what the 4-disc release would all include! This might be a *triple* dip for me!

[Disneykid]

Despite being a huge Narnia fan, I think four discs might be overkill. As I've said before in this thread, the current 2-disc set is perfect with the exception of its lack of galleries and trailers. What more could they possibly add to this edition other than a real documentary on C.S. Lewis over the four-minute cliff notes version we have? I know I'm going to buy this either way, but I'll be doing it somewhat reluctantly. I would've preferred getting the extended cut on a low-priced, single-disc with a few features that the current disc lacks as opposed to buying a replacement. Also, I'm so anal about consistancy that I can't help but worry that Disney will only be giving The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe this kind of treatment and not the other Narnia films. If that's the case, the Narnia series is going to look very uneven on my shelf...

[AwallaceUNC]

I like Kelvin's idea of a low-priced release with just the extended cut and trailers. I hate the double-dipping, and the likely dishonesty over it, but I don't mind quite it as much for a movie I loved as much as Narnia. Maybe we will get an in-depth CS Lewis documentary, which would be great. That, the extended cut, all the trailers/TV spots, galleries, and maybe another worthwhile feature or two, would make this a satisfactory release (provided that the extended cut is any good). But can all that even fill four discs?

-Aaron

[2099net]

The 4 disc set appears to have a release date in the UK: 6th November.

However, there's lots of versions of the book on film and home video so this may not be it. (But I can't see any other version, such as the BBC's or the animated film having a 4 disc set).

http://www.choicesdirect.com/templates/ ... uid=681994

The recommended retail price of £60 (or about $108) is a little too high, not matter what physical "gubbins" they may or may not include with the set. (My guess is they are going the LotR route and having a "collectable" statute/bust/turkish delight selection packaged inside)

[JiminyCrick91]

Wow am I EVER glad I waited! But I may have to see whats on this set frist.

[BrandonH]

I'm going to take a wait-and-see approach to this new edition (just like LOTR and SW). If there is very little repetition of features, and the new features are actually interesting, then I will purchase the extended cut. Otherwise, I might just rent the extended edition to see the changes. I was quite satisfied with the first release, so it will take quite a bit to impress me this time around.

[2099net]

HomeMediaRetailer solves the puzzle.

A four-disc extended edition ($42.99) and a gift set ($79.99) of the blockbuster film will be available for only seven weeks during the holidays. Each title will have limited quantities. Orders are due Oct. 17.

The four-disc extended edition will have enhanced special effects and an extended, climactic battle scene. A new included feature-length film, C.S. Lewis — The Dreamer of Narnia, tells the story about the man behind the Narnia mythos. The featurette “Visualizing The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe: The Complete Production Experience” takes an in-depth look at the process and technology of adapting the book into the film.

More bonus material includes Narnia fun facts, bloopers, commentaries from the filmmakers and stars, as well as behind-the-scenes and making-of featurettes.

The four-disc gift set includes the same features of the extended edition plus a pair of heirloom quality bookends from WETA Ltd., which designed the creatures for the film. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe grossed $291 million at the domestic box office. The film became the top-selling DVD in May when Buena Vista Home Entertainment reported sales of more than 11 million DVDs, surpassing Warner Home Video’s Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire.

So the expensive set listed on the UK site will be the one with bookends I guess.

http://www.homemediaretailing.com/news/ ... le_id=9421

[PixarFan]

Let me guess: both the original and the extended version of the movie will be in the set. Two discs will be copied over from the original two-disc set. A third disc will be just the movie (the extended version), and the fourth will have new bonus features. In other words, upgrading to the four-disc set will make the current DVD completely worthless. Hopefully that won't be the case, but I can see it happening.

Anyway, this DVD also has the C.S. Lewis featurette we've been asking for. But is there more than two new features?

Now the question is: do I double-dip to upgrade to this extended edition or do I stick with what I have? (The "only available for seven weeks" thing doesn't make it any easier.)

[TheSequelOfDisney]

Now the question is: do I double-dip to upgrade to this extended edition or do I stick with what I have? (The "only available for seven weeks" thing doesn't make it any easier.)

You can sell you CE, unless you absolutely want it, and that will give you a money "boost" and then you can buy the EE (Extended Edition) with that money, and some other money that you might have. Just a suggestion.

[Disneykid]

NarniaWeb has posted the complete specs:


DISC ONE: NEW EXTENDED VERSION

• FEATURE FILM: EXTENDED MOTION PICTURE
New Extended Version Of The Film With Enhanced Special Effects And Extended Battle Scene.

• NARNIA FUN FACTS
With this feature engaged, viewers can access optional pop-up facts about C.S. Lewis, the creatures and lands of Narnia, and more. Plus, there is an introduction by author C.S. Lewis’s step-son Douglas Gresham.

• BLOOPERS OF NARNIA
The cast and crew are caught in hilarious moments and outtakes as they miss lines and make other miscues.

• KIDS AND DIRECTOR COMMENTARY
The delightful child stars Georgie Henley (Lucy), Skandar Keynes (Edmund), Anna Popplewell (Susan) and William Moseley (Peter) had just screened the film for the first time when they recorded this audio commentary. The result is a fresh, witty and lively commentary track, joined by director Andrew Adamson.

• FILMMAKER’S COMMENTARY
This audio commentary features Director Andrew Adamson, Production Designer Roger Ford, and Producer Mark Johnson.


DISC 2: TWO WORLDS OF NARNIA

CREATING NARNIA

• CHRONICLE OF A DIRECTOR
This personal diary takes viewers on a tour of the film from director Andrew Adamson’s point of view. Viewers can sit in the director’s chair with the director as he brings his skill, artistry and unique imagination to the film.

• THE CHILDREN’S MAGICAL JOURNEY
Viewers will be delighted with this "behind-the-scenes" tour, led by the film’s charming child stars Georgie, Skandar, William and Anna. Here is a fresh and fun look at making the film, with wonderful moments including the children’s surprise first look at the amazing ’Narnia’ sets.

EVOLUTION OF AN EPIC

• ANATOMY OF THE SCENE: THE MELTING RIVER
This featurette goes in-depth to explore the making of the exciting and pivotal ’waterfall’ scene. Viewers are taken to the set of a remarkable in-door river, where the children and crew make this complicated scene work. Viewers will learn how effects and shots from different countries are put together to get the final scene just right.

• CINEMATIC STORYTELLERS
Eight different film diaries, from eight different members of the film team, give viewers a personal and heartfelt look at every step of the film’s production. Recorded as the film was being made, the personal film diaries of ’Cinematic Storytellers’ are fresh, candid and unique perspectives on an epic film. Producer Mark Johnson, Production Designer Roger Ford, Costume Designer Isis Mussenden, Editor Sim Evan-Jones, Composer Harry Gregson-Williams, KNB Effects Group co-founder and Makeup Effects wizard Howard Berger, Weta Workshop Visualist and Creative Supervisor Richard Taylor, and Director of Photography Donald M. McAlpine each contribute their insights about the production.

• C.S. LEWIS: FROM ONE MAN’S MIND
This featurette is a fond look at C.S. Lewis, the creative dreamer and best-selling author who wrote The Chronicles of Narnia and created the world of Narnia.

• CREATING CREATURES
THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE won the Academy Award® for Best Makeup (2005) and was Oscar®-nominated for Best Visual Effects (2005). Now, viewers can learn the movie effects secrets behind eleven creatures from the film, including Jadis the White Witch and Aslan. From initial creative sketches to sculpting, molding, rendering, and final realization, each creature is showcased in an easy-access menu. Featured are: The White Witch, Aslan, Ginarrbrik, Mr. Tumnus, Wolves, Minotaurs, Goblins, Beavers, Satyrs, Ankle Slicers and Centaurs. This feature offers a special wardrobe icon which when accessed takes viewers to the real-life biographies of the creatures in the ’Creatures of the World’ portion of the DVD.

CREATURES, LANDS & LEGENDS

• CREATURES OF THE WORLD
This is the companion feature to the "Creating Creatures" feature. Here viewers will discover fantastic biographies on The White Witch, Aslan, Ginarrbrik, Mr. Tumnus, Wolves, Minotaurs, Goblins, Beavers, Satyrs, Ankle Slicers and Centaurs.

• EXPLORE NARNIA (3D MAP)
Viewers can explore Narnia’s magical realms with this unique interactive map.

• LEGENDS IN TIME
This special timeline acts as a portal to take viewers through Narnia.


DISC 3: ALL-NEW FEATURE-LENGTH FILM

• C.S. LEWIS – THE DREAMER OF NARNIA
Here is the never-before-seen feature-length film about C.S. Lewis, the man who created the land of wonder and enchantment called Narnia. For fans of C.S. Lewis and for those who are experiencing his wondrous works for the first time, this comprehensive feature shines a brilliant spotlight on this creative genius.


DISC 4: ALL-NEW IN-DEPTH EXPLORATION OF NARNIA

• VISUALIZING THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE: THE COMPLETE PRODUCTION EXPERIENCE
Fans will rejoice at this unique, exclusive tour of the film. Here is the ’movie magic’ that results in the lavish final film. Adapting the book into the motion picture is a daunting task, and this featurette show show it was done.

• ANATOMY OF A SCENE: BEHIND THE BATTLE
Viewers will be thrilled with this fascinating new look at a crucial battle scene. From pre-visualization computer images to storyboards, here is the exciting process of creating one of the key scenes in the film.

• ART OF NARNIA GALLERY
’Narnia’ features stunning imagery, and here is a special museum full of superb images from the film. This new gallery is open for business, and fans will want to visit it again and again.

So, basically, it's the Collector's Edition we have now, but with a different cut of the movie on disc one, and two new discs, one of which contains what seems to be a massive documentary on C.S. Lewis. What kind of worries me is how the description of the extended edition only mentions an extended battle scene. I'm really hoping this isn't all they're adding because there were a fair bit of character moments and expository information that was cut out, as well. The visualization featurette sounds interesting since it seems to be a general "making of" documentary focusing more on the story and characters than on the technical aspects of the film, which is exactly what Luke felt was missing from the CE. I'm also glad to see an art gallery included, though I'm still disappointed in the lack of trailers and TV spots. Oh, well. This looks to be an excellent release, anyway. I'm just wondering, now, how they're going to do the commentary tracks if the film is extended. From the sound of it, these seem to be the same ones as found on the CE, so I can only assume they're going to pause the commentary whenever a new scene pops up, but this could be awkward. First off, portions of the commentary already talk about stuff that was cut. It'd be odd to hear them say, "There used to be a scene here..." when we're actually watching the scene. Also, what if a new scene pops up when they're talking in midsentence? Whoever's editing these tracks to match the new cut is certainly going to have his work cut out for him.

[MadonnasManOne]

This is unfortunate. I think I'll be passing on this set. If it wouldn't have taken everything from the 2-Disc Collector's Edition, I might have thought about it. As it is, it's making the Collector's Edition completely worthless, which is a shame. Thanks, Disney!

[Luke]

I have to agree with you guys. As nice as it sounds (it's as if the few shortcomings I pointed out in my review were duly noted), it's really lame that A) this wasn't announced beforehand and B) it basically invalidates the existing Collector's Edition. While the extended cut could be either an improvement or not (and with a running time only 7 minutes longer than what the theatrical cut actually was, chances are the new footage won't make a huge difference), and the C.S. Lewis doc sounds cool, as does the Disc 4 material, it's just wrong for Disney to ask the Narnia fanbase to buy the movie in a deluxe DVD again in a matter of months. Obviously, the CE was supposed to appeal to the fans and those who opted to pay the $3-$10 more for the 2-disc are now being asked to essentially re-buy Disc 2 and an ever so slightly different version of Disc 1 to get a promising Disc 3 and Disc 4.

Of course, more than ninety percent of current <i>Narnia</i> DVD owners have only the single disc, so it's less of an issue for them. But pulling this kind of thing on the people most passionate about the movies is a real killjoy for the people they should be most aiming to please. Maybe if there's some kind of drastic rebate for owners of the two-disc set, but the whole thing feels calculated and conniving. It's as if Disney is following the <i>Lord of the Rings</i> formula to a T, but forgot the parts about "no overlapping extras" and "enlightening customers beforehand." Not to mention the fact that the seven-week availability window is unnecessarily putting a gun to the head of the savvy customer who might hold off. Both new versions should skyrocket on eBay a year from now.

[MadonnasManOne]

Of course, more than ninety percent of current <i>Narnia</i> DVD owners have only the single disc, so it's less of an issue for them.

It looks like HomeMediaRetailing.com has not researched their facts. From the link to the article that Luke posted, they state this:

"And The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe — with the most elaborate special-edition offering, a four-disc specially packaged set — sold just 11% of the first-month units of the leaner, two-disc version released the same day."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Of course, we know they meant the 2-Disc Collector's Edition vs. the single-disc release, but, they really need a fact checker, before they post this information.

I think the reason that most Special Edition releases, put out at the same time as a single-disc release, do not sell as much, is because consumers are expecting that a more elaborate edition will be coming down the road. So, they buy the least expensive version, and should a double-dip come along, they won't feel too cheated.

The thing that bothers me most about what Disney is doing with this release, is that they are recycling EVERYTHING from the 2-Disc Collector's Edition. If they would have put out the extended version of the film, along with just the new bonus features, then I would pick it up.

It's the same reason I believe I'll pass on the new releases of the original Star Wars Trilogy. It would be perfectly fine for them to just release the original, unaltered versions, in single-disc releases . As it is, they are making us re-purchase the same thing we've already bought, on the previous release, just to get the original, unaltered versions!

[Jungleprince_55]

Well Sh*t... This really pisses me off, I was hoping The 4 Disc set would be like a Lord Of The Rings Style Expansion to the already existing Collector's Edition. This is like my Favorite freaking Movie and I already own both the Single Disc and 2 Disc Collector's Editions just Because I love the movie so freaking much.(I Recieved The Single Disc for Easter from my Mom who Didn't Know I had alredy ordered the 2 disc From Amazon) I already have enough DVDs I need to get.

This is what i hate about DVD collecting, Especially if its one of my favorite Movies.

The thing I loved about the LOTR Extended Cuts and the Daredevil Director's Cuts is that they didn't recycle anything from the previous Editions and acted as expansions to the original releases.

[PatrickvD]

did I misread that or are they not even gonna put any trailers on that set...

I doubt I'll upgrade.

[PatrickvD]

looking at the fourth disc content.... does anyone get a "Lost Disc" vibe from that?

This is the Pirates double dip ALL OVER again, only this time it costs 80 bucks.

[Gurgi30]

Don't forget the $10 mail-in rebate. Use that and then sell the movie and you'll probably get pretty close to the price of the new 4-disc collection. I am glad I waited to buy though.

[AwallaceUNC]

I hate double-dipping as much as the next guy, but my excitement for some of these new bonuses (mainly the Lewis doco) outweighs my frustration over that. I only wish that the theatrical cut would be made available via seamless branching (actually, if the commentaries are being carried over, that seems quite possible, doesn't it?). Oh, and no trailers =

-Aaron

[Escapay]

looking at the fourth disc content.... does anyone get a "Lost Disc" vibe from that?

This is the Pirates double dip ALL OVER again, only this time it costs 80 bucks.

I was thinking the same thing.

I bought the Pirates 2-discer for $20 when it first came out December 2003. Now I find it in stores for $10 on sale, sometimes even less.

Recently, I found the 3-disc set for $30, and bought it, simply for the lost disc. So the entire set cost me $50, and I've got a spare copy of Pirates that I don't know what to do with (maybe I'll sell it to Kram or Jane)

Now with Narnia, instead of being a 2.5-year span between rebuying the same thing, it's what...eight months?

Escapay