ALADDIN on IMAX?

[quasi72]

Well, as we all know, one of the Classics that will be Platinum DVD next year is Aladdin. I heard more than a year ago that it would be re-released on theatres, IMAX THEATRES. But I haven't heard anything anymore about it. It is not even in the disney.com list of "comming soon" movies. Do you guys know if it'll be released, as FANTASIA 2000, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, and THE LION KING, on IMAX?
Let's put some light here.

[Luke]

The trailer before The Lion King said Christmas 2003, but now it doesn't look like that's happening. Very odd, and even if Disney has been disappointed by IMAX returns, I think they might have already put work into reformatting it for the big screen, which is of course, bad for the film itself and for us seeing the theatrical cut. But at the same time, it almost assures an IMAX release. But I'm not sure if the work has been done.

It's too late at this point for even a January 2004 release, as was discussed. I really don't know what they're doing with this.

[Prince Phillip]

The trailer before The Lion King said Christmas 2003...

Where was this trailer? I never saw it...

The assisstant manager cut into one of my conversations the other day, it was about Aladdin, to say that it was being released to I-Max theatres November 25th. I asked her if it had indeed been confirmed and she said yes, but I did not see it on the I-Max coming soon list, it was still schedule 2004, so I don't know...

[Luke]

The trailer before The Lion King said Christmas 2003...

Where was this trailer? I never saw it...

It was before the IMAX showings of The Lion King.

[quasi72]

that's why i posted this.
I am very confused. And i'm not the only one

[indianajdp]

Well, I for one was really looking forward to this. It's one of the few "recent" Animated Classic that my little one has not seen. Was hoping to take her to this IMAX showing. Oh well.

[Aladdin]

Let's face it not too many ppl would go to watch it .... imo. With the price of movie tickets theses days, I am sure most would like to save their pennies and wait until the DVD release.
Now I'm not saying nobody would go, I am just saying NOT enough ppl would go.

[Jake Lipson]

I've seen several sources confirm that the enhancements and touchups are done. And yes, they're disappointed by the IMAX returns, but as long as they went through all that trouble to rework it for the giant screen, not releasing it made no sense.

I heard December 25, which seems unlikely because Disney is also releasing Young Black Stallion on IMAX on that date; I heard New Year's Day, but seeing as my local IMAX - indeed the only giant screen theater in the state - has heard NOTHING AT ALL about it beyond what I've told them, I don't take that as a good sign. The theater has a good relashionship with Buena Vista Pictures Distribution: they've gotten Beauty and the Beast, Lion King, Ghosts of the Abyss and I think ESPN's Ultimate X, and will be getting Young Black Stallion come Christmas. No Treasure Planet though, since they were focusing on showing Attack of the Clones when that was released.

In one editorial, Jim Hill suggested that Disney might have scaled back the marketing budget due to disappointing returns from Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King, and that as the release date (then still rumored as 01/01/04) gets c;pser we'd probably start to see more ads for it. But apparently not, especially with the theater(s?) out of the loop.

The last time I checked, Disney's website said nothing; my theater's website of course said nothing; and looking at the companywide IMAX page now it still <i>lists</i> Aladdin, but with no more specific date than "2004," which could mean any time before the DVD campign begins in August-September.

So, as far as I know, it's still up in limbo. Shame, too, as it's my favorite movie of all time and I was looking forward to it. Not to mention that my VHS tape broke and I haven't seen it since last New Year's Eve....

[Prince Adam]

Well, despite how spectacular the film may look on the IMAX screen, it would do a lot better if it was just re-released in regular theatres, so then you get the audience like the average joes and soccer moms that the DVD's are aimed for. Regular people like that usually don't even live near an IMAX theatre (there isn't one around unless you drive 5 hours).

[STASHONE]

I just hope that the dvd isn't simply a revamped Imax cut. This is my favorite Disney film from the past decade and I'm really hoping that they do the dvd justice by offering the original restored theatrical print, unlike they've recently been doing...

[ArtOfDisney]

I'm looking forward to this one as well. I hope if they do tinker with it, they will provide both versions on the DVD like B&B and LK did.

[Maerj]

Since the DVD isn't out yet, perhaps this is a good time to make a pre-emptive strike on Disney. By this I mean, start emailing, writing, calling NOW and tell them that in addition to whatever Special Edition IMAX Director cut things they plan to make with Aladdin, that they still for the sake of completness also include the original 1990's version theatrical cut.

If they can't, and I don't see why they couldn't, they should at least make them available. Make a limited numbered series for collectors of these films, proper aspect ratio, original versions, with Laserdisc style extras. Yes, cater to us specifically. The Archive Edition series for film historians and hardcore collectors. Add it on to this series with Alice in Wonderland or something.

[Swiss]

I remember reading an article online, that "we" as in collectors only account for 10% of DisneyDVD sales. Thus little incentive to release a special collectors original cut set. Although I would enjoy one.

I hope to see the Platinum Edition, with both the Original 1992 Theatrical Version, and a Special Edition. I don't see why they wouldn't, The Lion King and Beauty & the Beast contain the versions.

[Maerj]

I remember reading an article online, that "we" as in collectors only account for 10% of DisneyDVD sales. Thus little incentive to release a special collectors original cut set. Although I would enjoy one.

I hope to see the Platinum Edition, with both the Original 1992 Theatrical Version, and a Special Edition. I don't see why they wouldn't, The Lion King and Beauty & the Beast contain the versions.

The collector's market is a smaller group, that's why I suggest that they do it in very limited numbers.

The Lion King and Beauty and the Beast DVDs DO NOT contain the original versions of the films. They have the IMAX versions without the extra scene, which is different than the original releases. There are several threads about that topic.

[Jake Lipson]

Guys, as much as I want the original cut, here's the deal. The original 1992 version of the film has NEVER, I repeat NEVER, been released on any home video format ANYWHERE. The 1993 VHS version was edited to remove the offensive Arabian Nights line "where they cut off your ear if they don't like your face" and replace it with "where it's flat and immense and the heat is intense." So's, even if we get that cut (which is very unlikely) the full honest original cut, cut-off-your-ear and all, will never get past Disney's PC people. Although we can try for the 1993 VHS cut, but to be blunt I don't think we have much of a chance either.

However I do intend to try. I've been meaning to write to Ron Cleents and John Musker personally for a while about this and some other things, if I can find out how to reach them?

[Jake Lipson]

The problem is that for Joe Six Pack the IMAX cut sans any additional sequences is indistinguashable from the theatrical cut, so they can get away with it. If more people knew about the problem Disney wouldn't be able to weasel out of giving us the honest original as easily.

Also, does anybody know what they're puting into Aladdin? I heard it was Why Me, a song for Jafar when he aqquires the lamp, which would be faitly easy because the entire song was recorded for the original production, so all they'd have to do would be animate it and stick it in there. It's a great song, I've heard it, the only problem is that it's too late in the film for him to be singing new material, which is why they nixed the idea in the first place and put in the Prince Ali Reprise instead. Hmm...going dilaberatly against their original choices just to make a buck....

[Swiss]

The Lion King and Beauty and the Beast DVDs DO NOT contain the original versions of the films.

I was going by the packaging. I guess I failed to scrutinize the "original cut" on the DVD; against my memory of the July 1994 theatrical release.

[Prince Phillip]

Well this is my absolute fave disney film next to Sleeping Beauty...

This was going to be my first I-Max movie, and I am very dissapionted that it's looking like it will not happen...

As for the new song, I think they could add both Why Me and Humiliate the Boy, as stated before... They would just have to tinker with both songs a little but it could be done and after all as Jake just said they are both completed masters that were cut at the last minute...

Well can't remeber what else I wanted to say, but anyway I really hope it gets released to I-max theatres soon cause I'd like to see it there...

PS Jake stole my Avater!!! Well he didn't actually steel my avatar but he's using the one I wanted to use after this one! Oh well...

[Grunches]

where do you find a list of where its playing at?
Thanks

[2099net]

I remember reading an article online, that "we" as in collectors only account for 10% of DisneyDVD sales. Thus little incentive to release a special collectors original cut set. Although I would enjoy one.

But that 10% is a considerable number of consumers. They're selling millions of DVDs at a time. Millions on the first day even.

As I've said before there's some absolutley stunning DVDs coming from the BBC lately - check out any of their recent Doctor Who DVDs for example. These have such features as new special effects (with the option of watching the proper original versions), flawless remastering, stacks of supplements (The recent Two Doctors DVD had over three hours of supplements - including archive and all-new content - without even counting the commentary or isolated music track), An all new, reedited "movie" version of the story on "The Curse Of Fenric" featuring a whole new music score, additional scenes, special effects either redone or completed... (in addition to the proper episodic release).

As for Disney's lack of trailers. The BBC even went to the trouble of recreating lost television trailers for the 1964 Dalek Invasion of Earth disc by rediting the clips and synchronising the reedited pictures to a cleaned up soundtrack recorded by a fan onto cassette... from 1964.

The Two Doctors
Commentary by Colin Baker, Nicola Bryant, Frazer Hines, Jacqueline Pearce and director Peter Moffatt. Isolated music soundtrack. Production notes. 'A Fix With Sontarans' - short mini-episode from Jim'll Fix It (10 mins). Easter egg. 'Behind the Sofa - Robert Holmes & Doctor Who' (45 mins). Beneath the Lights (25 mins). 'Beneath the Sun' - location takes from Spain (35 mins). 'Adventures in Time and Spain' - interview with production manager Gary Downie (30 mins). 'Wavelength' - 1984 radio production following the cast and crew (29 mins). Photo gallery. Regions 2/4.

The Dalek Invasion of Earth
CGI effects (original model effects replaced by CGI versions). Commentary by actors Carole Ann Ford and William Russell, producer Verity Lambert and director Richard Martin. Two trailers. 10 second message from the Daleks on second disc. 'Future Visions' - short feature about work of designer Spencer Chapman. 'Future Memories' - actors reminisce about the story. 'Talking Daleks' - creation of Dalek voices. 'Now And Then' - location feature. 'Script To Screen' - original studio floor plans show how camera moves were blocked out. Valerie Singleton makes Dalek cakes on Blue Peter. 'Whatever Happened to Susan?' - 1993 radio production with Jane Asher as the Doctor's granddaughter. Production notes. Rehearsal footage. Photo gallery. Regions 2/4.

The Curse of Fenric
Disc One: Commentary by Sylvester McCoy, Sophie Aldred and Nicholas Parsons. Music only option. Photo gallery. Nebula 90 footage. Behind the scenes with the children's show 'Take Two'. 'Modelling The Dead' - how to make a Haemovore mask. 'Claws And Effects' - production recce and visual effects tests. Clean title sequences 1987-1989 version.
Disc Two: Version of the film with new footage, new CGI effects and remixed soundtrack. 'Shattering The Chains' interview with author Ian Briggs. Costume design. 'Recutting The Runes' behind the scenes of this DVD. Regions 2/4.

And (much as I love Dr Who) these are discs for a cheap and tacky television programme which never had any money spent on it! Sales wise these discs are lucky to sell over 30,000 copies. All that care and attention for sales that Disney would laugh at.

Also I got the BBC's League of Gentlemen Series 3 DVD the same day as my R1 Finding Nemo - and the League of Gentlemen DVD is clearly superior to the Finding Nemo DVD in every respect. Although these sell more than the Who releases, I'd say the BBC would be lucky to sell over 200,000 copies all in all.

10% of 7m sales is 700,000 discs. That's more than the Treasures run. Considerably more (even if the true figure is 5% rather than 10%, it's still more than a Treasures run). Its also probably the whole print run of about half of the movies released on DVD in America. Of course it's worth Disney catering to that audience - especially when the alternative is "dumbed down" releases.

Given the nature of DVD production, it would cost almost nothing for Disney to create and extra disc including archive promotional materials from their 'vault' and maybe the proper original cut of the film. I'm sure doing that would have cost less than it cost to make the books for the Lion King set for example. The initial transfer and authoring cost would be low and even when pressing 50,000 discs the actual cost of manufacturing an individual DVD is absorbed into the overall run due to economies of scale, making it almost negligible. They're even giving DVDs of whole movies away free on magazines in the UK!

I'm surprised Disney hasn't done this already. They seem to have figured out that 2 disc sets sell better than single disc releases as the general public 'perceives' them to be better "value for money". I would have thought a special "3" disc set would be the next natural step to take and not unprecedented (most box sets include 'bonus' discs). As we know, it's not as if they are short of materials.

The Lion King and Beauty and the Beast DVDs DO NOT contain the original versions of the films. They have the IMAX versions without the extra scene, which is different than the original releases. There are several threads about that topic.

This really doesn't bother me anymore, it's a minor niggle as far as I'm concerned. But what does bother me is Disney's lying on all their DVD promotions. I mean, really, how much effort would it take to include a little disclaimer somewhere along the lines of "as seen on IMAX screens"? The marketing bothers me more than the actual lack of the original film.