Summer 2003 Disney Films: DVD Potentials - The Ultimate Guide to Disney DVD

The Movie

Acclaimed writer/director James Cameron (Aliens, The Terminator) journeys back to the site that inspired his record-setting drama Titanic (1997) in this 3-D IMAX documentary which explores the wreckage of the ill-fated ship. Equipped with state-of-the-art technology, renowned marine experts, and Bill Paxton, Cameron captures a unique, unscripted film experience that transcends the confines of traditional movie screens.

The DVD

While James Cameron's hugely popular films have nearly always been released (or re-released) as fully-loaded special editions, Ghosts is a rather different beast, with limited exposure.

Immediate questions arise as to how the film will be presented on DVD. IMAX films are created for a 1.44:1 ratio; on DVD, some are windowboxed to the 16:9 anamorphic frame, others are modified to fit the 4x3 dimensions of the standard TV set. Either way, it's likely that some formatting will be done on the video. IMAX films are known for their dynamic sound, and as the feature runs just 59 minutes, Disney should have no trouble fitting both Dolby Digital and DTS soundtracks to attempt to replicate the aural experience.

In terms of supplemental material, even though Cameron films are often endowed with a lot of material, the director has yet to record a full-length audio commentary, so even his seemingly great interest in the subject matter may not yield a first commentary track. However, the documentary nature of the feature certainly lends itself to supplemental material on the history of the Titanic.

As with most IMAX features, Ghosts should be playing on large-format theaters for a long time to come. As such, it likely won't see a DVD release until next year.


The Movie	Holes is of a truly rare breed: a live-action Disney film embraced by both critics and the moviegoing public. Disney is only really partly to credit - this adaptation of Louis Sachar's immensely popular book was mostly financed by Walden Media. Nonetheless, the unusual story of a boy sent to Camp Green Lake, where he and others spend their days digging up holes for reasons unknown.
The DVD	Holes is well on pace to a $50 million-plus domestic box-office gross, which is a pleasing total for a pre-summer season live-action Disney film. Still, that's probably not enough for Disney to warrant doing dual format releases for. Nonetheless, when Holes arrives on DVD around this August, it will likely be presented in its original 1.85:1 ratio, with its significant adult portion of the audience in mind. Another positive for the eventual DVD is the enthusiasm that author/screenwriter Louis Sachar and director Andrew Davis have shown in spreading awareness of their collaboration. Supplemental features on the author and the book are sure to be included, and it's possible that Sachar will even lend an audio commentary, perhaps joining Davis, who's recorded several commentaries in the past, including one for Warner's Special Edition of his masterpiece, The Fugitive (1993). Mindful not to exclude their young Holes enthusiasts, look for Disney to include some kind of game involving digging or lizards and some feature for the D-Tent Boys' "Dig It" song.
UPDATE	Holes is now available on DVD: Pre-order Holes: Widescreen DVD Pre-order Holes: Pan & Scan DVD


The Movie	The Disney Channel's highly popular sitcom makes the big jump from cable TV to theaters in The Lizzie McGuire Movie. Hilary Duff stars as Lizzie on her class trip to Rome, where she becomes an instant celebrity.
The DVD	With a strong $17 million opening weekend intake, Lizzie undoubtedly looks to be profitable property for Disney, who are already banking on Hilary Duff to be the star of a new series. Unfortunately, the target audience for this film is undoubtedly 'tween' girls, a demographic that I believe Disney still thinks foolishly wants their 4x3 television screens filled for DVD movies, unlike the music videos and commercials they see. So, a Foolscreen-only DVD release is a possibility. For all of you closet fans of the series who fall outside the target (and that includes me), you're encouraged (perhaps hopelessly?) to express interest in a widescreen DVD by the normal routes (Disneyinfo@Disneyhelp.com, 1-800-72-DISNEY). As a tie-in for this film (expected to hit shelves in September), hopefully, Disnsey will opt to get bang for their buck by releasing DVD sets of the clever and popular series simultaneously. After all, Disney's short-sighted policies call for a maximum of 65 episodes of their original series, leaving Lizzie in rerun paradise. There's talk of a sequel, and even though there will be no new episodes of the show, Lizzie is a hot commodity that Disney might look to exploit, and that could mean DVDs of this TV show (and Even Stevens, please?).
UPDATE	The Lizzie McGuire Movie is now available on DVD: Order The Lizzie McGuire Movie (Widescreen & Pan/Scan on the same disc) Two volumes of "Lizzie McGuire" (the TV show) are coming to DVD on December 9: Volume 1: Fashionably Lizzie (30% off) Volume 2: Growing Up Lizzie (30% off)