Best and Worst Disney Platinum DVD? (1 Viewer)

[Patrick McCart]

Neither Bambi, nor Snow White look like film! I don't see how you can put Snow White at "worst" when the exact same process was applied to Bambi.

I can't imagine how Snow White could even be close to "worst" when it's the only Platinum release to have decent supplements.

 

[Lars Vermundsberget]

Your wink helps, of course. But seriously, preference as such is not the reason why quite a few complained about this.

 

[Travis Brashear]

I know, I know...I was being truthful, but at the same time, I recognize the damage in this sort of studio practice...

 

[John Gido]

This extra was included because these are considered "Cinderella Stories". In sports, a "Cinderella Story" is when a team is considered the "underdog" and overcomes all odds to upset and triumph over the "better" team. Same basic principle as "Cinderella" where she overcomes all obstacles to emerge victorious.

 

[Reagan]

Hi Patrick,

The restoration documentaries on Bambi and Snow White describe two very different processes. Snow White's restoration was done in 1993 and leaves a final product that looks like video. The opening book shot shows of a lot video style flickering. Bambi/Cinderella look completely different to me - like a top quality print that you might see in a theater today.

Not that it matters, but when I rated these movies, my criteria were, in order: a) picture, b) sound, and c) everything else. I agree that Snow White has the best extras - you could take all of the extras on the Lion King and set 'em on fire and I wouldn't miss them.

But I wouldn't recommend doing so.

-Reagan

 

[Leo Kerr]

One of the things that's bugged me about Beauty and the Beast is that they goofed when they 'remade' it for the DVD.

Take a look at the first time we see the rose in the introduction. Then take a look at (gag) the VHS or (better) Laserdisc version. Did they reshuffle the mask layers? Yeech!

Doesn't anyone at Disney look at these things?

Leo

 

[Lyle_JP]

Beauty and the Beast is, hands down, the worst of the Platinum DVDs. Heavy artifacting throughout, icluding tons of intolerable mosquito noise. It's one of the worst looking animation titles in my collection. Also, the sound mix for the second-half of both the original theatrical and WIP cuts is FUBAR! The distortions in the center channel are impossible to ignore. At least it doesn't affect the Special Edition cut.

I think that the best is actually the first. Snow White is still the Gold Standard for how to present a classic animation film on DVD.

-Lyle J.P.

 

[Patrick McCart]

The problems with the opening probably have to do with compression, since they're dual-angled (Playing it in French 5.1 makes any text in the film translated to French (from the actual 1937 filming!)

Also, the 1993 digital restoration was sourced at 4K, like Bambi. Both went through LDI passes. While Bambi was given automatic cel dust filtering, Snow White was done manually by Cinesite.

Here's some comparisons between Snow White and Bambi, using similar shots:

[url=http://img512.imageshack.us/img512/599/snowwhite18xk.jpg] [/url]
[url=http://img512.imageshack.us/img512/4748/bambi13po.jpg] [/url]

[url=http://img512.imageshack.us/img512/3259/snowwhite36eg.jpg] [/url]
[url=http://img512.imageshack.us/img512/5554/bambi29rt.jpg] [/url]

Of course, I have no doubt that Snow White would look even better if Disney had LDI re-scan the 3-strip negatives, combine digitally, and use the newer processing.

 

[Reagan]

Wow. That's a whole lot closer than I thought it would be. I retract most of my Snow White-related criticisms.

-Reagan

 

[LaurenceGarvey]

I thought that Snow White was the best, but I've liked all of 'em. Nit-picking aside, it's a very impressive collection, and the addenda I don't like, I don't watch.

 

[Felix Martinez]

I totally agree. This title is completely unwatchable on my 92in FP set-up. What is especially heartbreaking is that this is one of my favorite Disney films.

If Disney releases a one disc version that eschews the work in progress option (which occupied the second angle of the video stream and contributed to the artifacting), I would pick it up in a heartbeat.

 

[Kevin P.]

Can I ask you guys something. Aside from the flaws in th Beauty and the Beast Platinum DVD set, what do you think of the actual print of the movie? I have no issues with, save for the colors are way too bright and it looks more like a DTV sequel than that of the movie I saw in 1991. It was more dark, but don't know whether it was because it was faded or that it was damage done to the print.

 

[Felix Martinez]

The print I saw in the theater was lackluster. Other than the horrific artifacting, I have no probs with the look of the transfer on the DVD.

 

[Matthew Clayton]

Best: Snow White, Aladdin
Worst: The Lion King, Cinderella

I dearly hope that Disney will not trivalize the extras with their October 2006 Platinum Edition re-release of The Little Mermaid (as that is my favorite Disney animated film). Hopefully with many of the same people involved with the movie were also involved with Aladdin (directors/screenwriters Ron Clements and John Musker, composer Alan Menken, same set of animators), we'll get a quality 2 disc release that's worthy of the Platinum Edition title.