Disney Films on Blu Ray ? (1 Viewer)

[stevenHa]

Wasn't Absent Minded Professor and Pollyanna supposed to be released on Blu ray already ?
Does anyone have any news on what is happening ?
Anything further on releases of their other classic live action films ?

 

[Ronald Epstein]

20,000 Leagues under the Sea has been undergoing
restoration forever for Blu-ray release. We know it's
coming, but it has been a long time in the works and
at this point, there is no rumor to a release date.

I am shocked --- shocked --- that Mary Poppins isn't
out on Blu-ray yet. Another title that I am very surprised
about is Bedknobs and Broomsticks.

I don't have theatrical release dates in front of me, but
perhaps we are coming up on anniversary years for
some of these? You know how much the studios love
anniversary editions.

Yeah, I'm in the same wondering boat as you are.
The studio has done a phenomenal job getting their
classic animation titles out to the format and have done
a magnificent job with their 3D releases (sans Oz and
the current debacle over its release plans) --- but the
fact that many of their great classic live action films are
basically absent on this format is a real head-scratcher.

We are now 6 years into the Blu-ray format and it's
quite unusual for a studio like Disney not to have a more
balanced assortment of catalog releases.

Something tells me, that sooner than later, they are going
to start announcing some of these titles in bulk.

 

[Brandon Conway]

Back in 2009-10 or so Disney stated that Mary Poppins would get released in 2014 for its 50th Anniversary. I'd expect it to come along around the same time as the BD release of Saving Mr. Banks, which hits theatrically in December.

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea has its 60th Anniversary in 2014. I imagine the video release post-restoration has been timed for this, so probably the Fall of next year.

 

[Al Schweiger]

Pollyanna has not been released in BD or has any other Hayley Mills films from Disney!
There are a lot of Disney films from the 50's that never saw the light of day on DVD! I'm 65 years old and would like to see them again before I die!

 

[MatthewA]

Disney just laid off some of its home video people. Hopefully, the film restoration department kept their jobs. Even so, they have very good HD masters for many, but not all, of the live-action catalog titles. I watched some of them on VUDU and I was in awe of how good they looked. I don't expect them to roll out the red carpet for everything, but hopefully we'll get some of the key live-action titles once they're Blu-ray ready.

Al Schweiger, on 08 May 2013 - 10:43 AM, saidollyanna has not been released in BD or has any other Hayley Mills films from Disney!There are a lot of Disney films from the 50's that never saw the light of day on DVD! I'm 65 years old and would like to see them again before I die!

I'd like to see the 1950s ones, too. That decade produced some of the studio's best films.

 

[AnthonyClarke]

And since I'm about to become a grandfather for the very first time, I demand Disney release 'Pollyanna' and 'The Parent Trap' (both versions) at once. And both versions of 'Freaky Friday' would be pretty good too........

 

[rob kilbride]

I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a People and Places set. Seven Oscar noms and three wins merits a release, I would say. Plus most were shot in CinemaScope.

 

[Stephen_J_H]

Count me in for 20,000 Leagues, but I also want to see Disney's UK output from the 50s on BD.

 

[BBbrowd]

Disney has already announced a Middle East release date of Dec 9, 2013 for "Mary Poppins: 50th Anniversary" blu-ray. Perhaps the U.S. will get a release this winter as well. Most certainly by Spring of next year at the latest. The restoration has been done and supposedly stunning.

Pollyanna was announced as coming to blu ray soon, no date yet.

 

[Bryan Tuck]

I would also love to see Bedknobs and Broomsticks on Blu-ray. I guess it's not the classic that Mary Poppins is, but I've always had a fondness for it.

And I hope they would include the original 117-minute theatrical cut, along with the extended version. I realize that the latter more accurately reflects the filmmakers' intentions, but I'd still like the option of seeing the film as it originally played.

Return to Oz would also be great; I'm surprised they didn't try a tie-in this year with Great and Powerful.

 

[Matt Hough]

I would also love to see Bedknobs and Broomsticks on Blu-ray. I guess it's not the classic that Mary Poppins is, but I've always had a fondness for it.

And I hope they would include the original 117-minute theatrical cut, along with the extended version. I realize that the latter more accurately reflects the filmmakers' intentions, but I'd still like the option of seeing the film as it originally played.

Return to Oz would also be great; I'm surprised they didn't try a tie-in this year with Great and Powerful.

I echo all of these sentiments. Would love to have Bedknobs and Broomsticks (both cuts).

I, too, was REALLY surprised when Return to Oz wasn't released around the time of the video release of Oz the Great and Powerful.

 

[MatthewA]

Bedknobs should get a full-fledged special edition (I prefer the longer cut and perhaps more technical improvements that were not possible in 1996 can be made today, but I still can't understand why Disney has done such an about-face regarding alternate cuts of other films). This film's history has so many twists and turns (similar to those of the film's plot), they could do a documentary about it and call it Restoring Mr. Browne.

I'll definitely pick up Return to Oz if and when it comes out. I'd also like to see The Great Muppet Caper get a release sooner rather than later (but not at the expense of quality, of course).

Disney needs to do something similar to the aborted Vault Disney line. With great transfers and extensive extras aimed at adults (the restoration featurette on Pollyanna was marvelous), I don't know why they stopped doing them.

 

[Jason_V]

I'd also like to see The Great Muppet Caper get a release sooner rather than later (but not at the expense of quality, of course).

I have to believe Disney is prepping all the Muppet movies for BD. We have The Muppet Movie coming in a few weeks, a new movie this fall (IIRC). TGMC has to be on the drawing board somewhere. I have very good memories of this one on HBO back when I was younger.

 

[Richard V]

I'd be in for Dr. Syn,The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh

 

[MatthewA]

I have to believe Disney is prepping all the Muppet movies for BD. We have The Muppet Movie coming in a few weeks, a new movie this fall (IIRC). TGMC has to be on the drawing board somewhere. I have very good memories of this one on HBO back when I was younger.

Muppets Most Wanted is coming next spring. It, too, is a caper with Muppets set in Europe (not just in London). I guess Disney wants to keep similar titles separate so they're not in competition with one another, which is why they're releasing The Muppet Movie now and didn't do it as a direct tie-in to The Muppets.

I'd be in for Dr. Syn,The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh

Disney's mid-century TV output is sorely neglected, and much of it would be welcome on Blu-ray; it only got limited attention on DVD to begin with.

 

[Bryan Tuck]

I'll definitely pick up Return to Oz if and when it comes out. I'd also like to see The Great Muppet Caper get a release sooner rather than later (but not at the expense of quality, of course).

I don't know the story behind this, but I really hope that whenever Muppet Caper comes out, the original soundtrack is restored. Ever since the early 90s VHS release from Disney, there have been some odd music/dialogue differences from what I remember before (which I think have carried over onto every DVD release)

Not sure which one accurately represents the theatrical version, but on the Disney version, there are lyrics during the "Night Life" song, where before it was instrumental. Also, Miss Piggy's "Hiiiii-yaaaaaaaah" at the end is completely dialed out, and the music is slightly different there, as well. There are probably some other examples, too.

 

[Aaron Silverman]

Speaking of Muppets, how is the existing Blu of Muppets Take Manhattan? I always liked it much more than Caper.

 

[Stephen_J_H]

Bought this, but haven't got around to viewing it. I'll let you know as soon as I've had a chance. Given the overall look and vintage of the film, I'd expect it to be somewhat soft and grainy.

 

[Stephen_J_H]

I'd be in for Dr. Syn,The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh

I have the Treasures tin, but a BD bump would be very nice.

 

[Mark-P]

Just read over at The Digital Bits that 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea is already restored and prepped but they are holding back a Blu-ray release until the remake directed by David Fincher comes out, but that project is now on hold. I don't know about you guys but that really sticks in my craw. We don't get the classic on Blu-ray even though all the work has been done because some remake no one really cares about is in limbo! [/rant over]