!!!amateur review of witch mountain! early arrival!!!!
Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2003 7:20 pm
o.k. don't ask me how i got it, but i got an early copy of Escape To Witch Mountain and i totally have the scoop this time! If you want to be suprised DON'T READ FURTHER. If you don't care or really want to know then continue because I'm spilling it all.
First of all, trojan mouse was right all along....they are one-disc sets. however, that doesn't mean they are skimpy or for that matter reformatted the Vault Disney line at all. after the previews, you get taken to a generic title page (a la barebones catalog titles like Savage Sam) where you have an option to explore the vault or watch the film. If you pick the film, you activate a really really cool animated menu that takes you to a new screen for the "normal" film part. here you can watch the sneak peeks (no new trailers), activate the audio commentary track, or watch the cartoon, "Pluto's Dream House" and of course watch the real film.
However, if you are a live-action guru and enjoy the old "Vault Disney" stuff you can click on the "vault" section where you go down the fantastic vault elevator (a la the original "vault Disney" titles) and enjoy three featurettes on the left and two on the right. "Conversations With John Hough" is kinda neat because he talks about his experience with the disney studios and how even after Walt's death his spirit was still there in the people. "Making the Escape" is a great documentary with interviews from director John Hough, Kim Richards (Tia Malone) Ike Eisenman(Tony Malone) and the bully kid with red hair (i forgot his name) and they are all grown up and stuff. The only problem with this is that it didn't seem as long as some of the other "Vault" documentaries; it ran for like 30-35 minutes or something. Sci-Fi disney is a compilation featurette with clips from everything like Tron and Armageddon to the Witch Mountain films and Unidentified Flying Oddball. There are also options to the right. Lost treasures is an extremely well done insight from Peter Ellenshaw's son Harrison Ellenshaw and shows clips from everything like Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken and Dick Tracy to Rob Roy the Highland Rogue. I was suprised by it's length and enjoyed this one very much. Also is the studio album from 1975. The door that usually leads to the "Production section" is still there and if you go down it it takes you to the gallery section with biographies, merchandising, advertising, and script excerpts (it's the same screen that appears when you go down the stairs and take a left in the original "vault" titles).
The picture is awesome! it's not like as pristine and digital like "The Rookie", but this film is over 25 years old! It has lovingly been restored in a widescreen format. I haven't had a chance to watch it yet with the surround sound on, but being THX certified gives me great hope for the 5.1 soundtrack. Honestly this is the best this film has ever looked!!!!
Like i said i can't give away my resources. these are awesome discs guys and i recommend snagging them up if you find them.
First of all, trojan mouse was right all along....they are one-disc sets. however, that doesn't mean they are skimpy or for that matter reformatted the Vault Disney line at all. after the previews, you get taken to a generic title page (a la barebones catalog titles like Savage Sam) where you have an option to explore the vault or watch the film. If you pick the film, you activate a really really cool animated menu that takes you to a new screen for the "normal" film part. here you can watch the sneak peeks (no new trailers), activate the audio commentary track, or watch the cartoon, "Pluto's Dream House" and of course watch the real film.
However, if you are a live-action guru and enjoy the old "Vault Disney" stuff you can click on the "vault" section where you go down the fantastic vault elevator (a la the original "vault Disney" titles) and enjoy three featurettes on the left and two on the right. "Conversations With John Hough" is kinda neat because he talks about his experience with the disney studios and how even after Walt's death his spirit was still there in the people. "Making the Escape" is a great documentary with interviews from director John Hough, Kim Richards (Tia Malone) Ike Eisenman(Tony Malone) and the bully kid with red hair (i forgot his name) and they are all grown up and stuff. The only problem with this is that it didn't seem as long as some of the other "Vault" documentaries; it ran for like 30-35 minutes or something. Sci-Fi disney is a compilation featurette with clips from everything like Tron and Armageddon to the Witch Mountain films and Unidentified Flying Oddball. There are also options to the right. Lost treasures is an extremely well done insight from Peter Ellenshaw's son Harrison Ellenshaw and shows clips from everything like Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken and Dick Tracy to Rob Roy the Highland Rogue. I was suprised by it's length and enjoyed this one very much. Also is the studio album from 1975. The door that usually leads to the "Production section" is still there and if you go down it it takes you to the gallery section with biographies, merchandising, advertising, and script excerpts (it's the same screen that appears when you go down the stairs and take a left in the original "vault" titles).
The picture is awesome! it's not like as pristine and digital like "The Rookie", but this film is over 25 years old! It has lovingly been restored in a widescreen format. I haven't had a chance to watch it yet with the surround sound on, but being THX certified gives me great hope for the 5.1 soundtrack. Honestly this is the best this film has ever looked!!!!
Like i said i can't give away my resources. these are awesome discs guys and i recommend snagging them up if you find them.
( 
....does a little dance.... 
but I'll be alright I suppose.
