Do home video releases end potential theatrical reissues?

[Elladorine]

As much as I love being able to watch Disney films on home video any time I choose, I miss the days of being able to go to the theater to watch the older Disney classics when it felt like a real event (if there's already a thread on this, my apologies as I couldn't find it in a search). Disney films were relatively unique in that they were sort of the "perennials" of the theater, and some of my most fond memories are of going to see films like Lady and the Tramp, Song of the South, 101 Dalmatians, etc. with my parents.

The old pattern we used to have for Disney films being reissued to theaters every seven years or so seems to have been traded in for home video releases. VHS, DVD, Blu-ray, and whatever other formats we may someday have seem to be their only future.

With the exception of IMAX special edition releases, 3-D reissues, and a handful of films that returned to the theaters in the 90's, it seems that a home video release of any title is a sure sign that we'll never see that title on the big screen again. Which makes sense I suppose, why pay the extra to see a film at the theater that you can already rent or own at home? I imagine it's not practical for the company to consider but I know of some of us that would love it.

Anyway, I've compiled a list of films that have not seen any theatrical release following their home video debut, hopefully I've gotten release years correct (which are based from wikipedia, imdb, and my own fuzzy memories). I found it interesting that most of the last theatrical releases were followed by a home video release about a year later. All of this information is based on the US and does not include small releases such as film festivals. Of course, a handful of them didn't have any theatrical releases in recent memory but I've included them on this list regardless:

• Saludos Amigos (1943): Last theatrical release 1949, first home video release 2000
  The Three Caballeros (1945): Last theatrical release 1977, first home video release 1994
  Dumbo (1940): Last theatrical release in 1976, first home video release in 1981
  Alice in Wonderland (1951): Last theatrical release 1981, first home video release in 1986
  Robin Hood (1974): Last theatrical release in 1982, first home video release in 1984
  The Sword in the Stone (1963): Last theatrical release in 1983, first home video release in 1986
  Lady and the Tramp (1955): Last theatrical release in 1986, first home video release in 1987
  Cinderella (1950): Last theatrical release in 1987, first home video release in 1988
  The Aristocats (1970): Last theatrical release 1987, first home video release 1996
  Bambi (1942): Last theatrical release in 1988, first home video release in 1989
  The Fox and the Hound (1981): Last theatrical release in 1988, first home video release in 1994
  Peter Pan (1953): Last theatrical rlease in 1989, first home video release in 1990
  The Rescuers (1977): Last theatrical release in 1989, first home video release in 1992
  The Jungle Book (1967): Last theatrical release in 1990, first home video release in 1991
  Fantasia (1942): Last theatrical release 1990, first home video release 1991
  101 Dalmatians (1961): Last theatrical release in 1991, first home video release in 1992
  The Great Mouse Detective (1986): Last theatrical release 1992, first home video release in 1992
  Snow White (1937): Last theatrical release in 1993, first home video release in 1994
  Oliver & Company (1988): Last theatrical release in 1996, first home video release in 1996

Each of the following films have only seen one theatrical release from what I can tell (each subsequent release has been home video only). Granted, some of the earlier films must not have been considered popular enough to warrant any subsequent theatrical releases, and some of the latter films haven't been in existence long enough to warrant any subsequent theatrical releases.

• Make Mine Music (1946)
  Fun and Fancy Free (1947)
  Melody Time (1948)
  The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (1949)
  The Black Cauldron (1985)
  The Rescuers Down Under (1990)
  Aladdin (1992)
  Pocahontas (1995)
  The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)
  Hercules (1997)
  Mulan (1998)
  Tarzan (1999)
  Fantasia 2000 (2000)
  The Emperor's New Groove (2000)
  Atlantis: the Lost Empire (2001)
  Lilo & Stitch (2002)
  Treasure Planet (2002)
  Brother Bear (2003)
  Home on the Range (2004)
  Chicken Little (2005)
  Meet the Robinsons (2007)
  Bolt (2008)
  The Princess and the Frog (2009)

The following seem to be exceptions to the unwritten "rule" of no subsequent theatrical release after the home video debut:

• Pinocchio (1942): First home video release in 1985, following theatrical release in 1992
  Sleeping Beauty (1959): First home video release 1986, following theatrical releases in 1995 and 2002*
  The Little Mermaid (1989): First home video release 1990, following theatrical release in 1997
  Beauty and the Beast (1991) - First home video release 1992, "special edition" theatrical IMAX release in 2002, special 3-D release in the works
  The Lion King (1994) - First home video release 1995, "special edition" theatrical IMAX release in 2002
  Toy Story 1 & 2 (1995, 1999) - First home video releases 1996, 2000; 3-D special showing 2009

*unsure if this was a wide release

Oh, and then there's the film that hasn't been released to home video at all:

• Song of the South (1945): Last theatrical release in 1986

Any additions, corrections? I didn't include some films like Pete's Dragon yet as I was having issues finding release dates for home video. Anyway, I thought this might be an interesting bit of Disney history to browse through.

[ajmrowland]

Yeah, pretty much. I mean, with extremely rare exceptions like Toy Story, what point is there to going to a theater to see a movie you already own?

[sunhuntin]

i have a feeling aristocats was in the cinema in the early 90s, but my memory is quite fuzzy and i could be recalling an advert on tv for the vhs release.

[Elladorine]

i have a feeling aristocats was in the cinema in the early 90s, but my memory is quite fuzzy and i could be recalling an advert on tv for the vhs release.

Thanks, somehow I totally skipped over that one. The info's been added now.

[SpringHeelJack]

Barring any sort of extended release playing in theaters or an IMAX / 3-D release, theatrical re-releases were pretty much going the way of the dodo by the 90s. This really isn't much new. It's like it was already said, a lot of times it's just why should I go to theater to see a re-release of "Snow White" when I can watch the Blu-ray at home and not have to deal with the potential idiots in the crowd? I mean sure, sometimes it's neat to see something on a huge screen, but you have to balance it with everything else (cost, company, etc.).

[milojthatch]

I know it does not matter much for people outside of LA, but a number of the "Big Release" Disney films on DVD still do a get a brief theatrical re-release in Hollywood at the El Captain.

Based on Hollywood's current model for how to show the public their films, "re-releases" are for the most part the way of the dinosaur. It's sad, but it just is not the focus anymore. However, every now and again some small theater may show an old film, film festivals may show old films (The LA Film Fest showed old Pixar films a few years ago.) and like I said, the El Cap still shows old Disney films from time to time, so it is not 100% dead yet.

They are showing new films coming up, but in the off season, check it out if you are in LA, the old Disney Animated films show up from time to time.

http://disney.go.com/DisneyPictures/el_capitan/

[Elladorine]

I realize times have changed and that it's been that way for a while, I guess I'm just feeling a bit nostalgic . I get to visit LA a couple times a year and would definitely like to check out El Capitan sometime (I've only recently discovered it thanks to this forum).

[milojthatch]

I realize times have changed and that it's been that way for a while, I guess I'm just feeling a bit nostalgic . I get to visit LA a couple times a year and would definitely like to check out El Capitan sometime (I've only recently discovered it thanks to this forum).

Normally the time period between Summer flicks and Christmas flicks is when they have the old films. After their recent DVD release for instance, "Oliver and Co." and "Pinocchio" were shown. I'd put money on a "Beauty and the Beast" and "Fantasia" viewing this year.

[sunhuntin]

Thanks, somehow I totally skipped over that one. The info's been added now.

o good... glad i could help.

[Kyle]

I never see re releases here on the east coast. consider youself lucky you ever had them.

I can probably name the number of re lreased movies (not just disney) on one hand that Ive known about in my life time; the original star wars trilogy back in the 90s, E.T, Nightmae before Chrismas, and the toy story movies.

And all of those have been changed in some way anyway (via new CGI, or 3D conversion), so Im not sure they even count.

[ajmrowland]

I've only ever been to El Capitan once. Even though it was for 2003 Freaky Friday, The way it opened was very prestigious and memorable, with layers of curtains parting and all that. Even a balcony! Very Nice!

[Goliath]

I'm missing The Black Cauldron in your list.

(I liked your previous sig better, to be honest.)

[AKA]

I do wish Disney would toy with the idea of doing wide or limited re-releases of their classics in theaters, whether the title has been on home video or not (especially if the title's been in "the Vault" for quite a few years).

I know times have changed, but some of my favorite memories as a kid were when I went and saw Pinocchio, The Jungle Book and The Aristocats in theaters in the 1980s.

Pinocchio is one of my favorite movies, and I don't think it would have been as special to me had I not caught it on the big screen with my uncle.

[The_Iceflash]

I would like them do anniversary screenings.

[Wonderlicious]

It would be quite nice to see some of the classics on the big screen again, as watching movies all big up on a silver screen is pure magic. I believe that the re-releases of the classics in the late 80s and early 90s were generally quite successful (normally making something within the $20-50 million threshold), thus proving their status as "event movies" of sorts, and I think that Disney knew deep inside that these films would stop having such theatrical power once they came out on video. I believe that the reason why Oliver and Company wasn't released on video after it first came out was because they wanted it to be viable for future theatrical re-release, and there were fears over releasing The Little Mermaid on video. Obviously due to the fact that they have been released several times on some sort of home video format, it seems that any wide theatrical re-release would have to have a real pull factor, and even some of those such pulls have not been too successful (IMAX for Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King). I had the idea of Disney producing new shorts and featurettes to pair with old classics, though I doubt that Disney would commit to such a thing.

[BK]

There isn't any real reason for them to re-release any of these movies.
Beauty and the Beast might get a 3D reissue however.
In any case once more movies go Blu they'll get their El Capitan HD debuts.

But, I do have a question for you, seeing that you were able to compile the first home video release for each, do you have a list of how many times each has had a home video release?

By that I mean compiling VHS, LD, DVD and Blu, which movie has the most/least releases?

However they should be limited to releases that are different so for example Princess and the Frog has only had 1 release, a concurrent Blu and DVD debut and for a film like Tarzan it would have had 2 DVD releases seeing it debuted on DVD and had a reissue. So it's easy for most films in the DVD era because they debuted on DVD.

But what about films pre-Tarzan? I tried compiling a list through various sources but dates are very hard to prove so any insight? I know films like Robin Hood, Dumbo, Pinocchio, Alice and Sword in the Stone had at least 4-5 different VHS releases.

[The_Iceflash]

There isn't any real reason for them to re-release any of these movies.

Anniversaries!!

[BK]

Tarzan: 2000(2), 2005
Fantasia 2000: 2000(2)
Dinosaur: 2001(2), 2006
Emperor's New Groove: 2001(2), 2005
Atlantis: 2002(2)
Lilo & Stitch: 2002, 2009
Treasure Planet: 2003
Brother Bear: 2004
Home on the Range: 2004
Chicken Little: 2006, 2007
Meet the Robinsons: 2007
Bolt: 2009
Princess and the Frog: 2010

Numbers in brackets show the amount of releases available at the time; so from Tarzan to Atlantis they had a standard release and a 2 disc collector's edition. I am not sure about from Chicken Little onwards since there are so many releases now like PATF has 2 or 3 different types. However I am pretty sure Tarzan was the only one that had split releases whilst the rest had concurrent releases so the list would look something like this:

Tarzan: 3
Fantasia 2000: 1
Dinosaur: 2
Emperor's New Groove: 2
Atlantis: 1
Lilo & Stitch: 2
Treasure Planet: 1
Brother Bear: 1
Home on the Range: 1
Chicken Little: 2
Meet the Robinsons: 1
Bolt: 1
Princess and the Frog: 1

[kbehm29]

I feel that re-releases of older movies in theaters has indeed gone the way of the dinosaur, and rightfully so.

The cost of movie tickets to see a movie you already own is prohibitive. I could justify it only if there were something new added: 3D effects, a new short before it, IMAX, or a highly anticipated preview (perhaps). OR if the price were lowered to see the original version with nothing new added to the mix.

[ajmrowland]

I cant believe SotS never even made it to VHS.


Oh, and also, people have already forgotten the 'big-screen is magic" part of it, which attributes to the mass of ignorance that is the public.