Disney releases colorized classic.... (1 Viewer)

[Steve Phillips]

This is actually the SECOND colorized version of this film.

The first time they showed it on TV, back in the mid 80s, the results were so poor, it was amazing. I saw a few minutes of it and was shocked at awful it was.

Later on, they re-did the colorization and that is the version that they released on video and now on DVD. Of course it is still poor, but you should have seen the first attempt!

Interesting why they never did the sequel.

 

[Rodney]

Well, I called Disney and told them that I was extremely disappointed in this DVD, and asked what recourse I had, since the vendor I bought it from would only replace it if it was defective. The person I talked to was very nice, and told me that there was a memo regarding this release. She offered to exchange the dvd for another title. They are sending me a list of available titles to choose from, then I will need to call them back with my selection and they will send me a pre-paid envelope to ship back the colorized abomination. She agreed that it was strange that they would offer the sequel in b&w, but not the original classic.
I took a look at this DVD, and it is a really botch job on the colorization too. Totally unwatchable. Anyone know Ted Turner's private phone number? I would like to call him in the middle of the night and give him a piece of my mind.

 

[Jeffrey Gray]

Ted Turner wasn't involved in this...you should be giving DISNEY a piece of your mind, since they commissioned the colorization.

 

[Patrick McCart]

Well, I called Disney and told them that I was extremely disappointed in this DVD, and asked what recourse I had, since the vendor I bought it from would only replace it if it was defective. The person I talked to was very nice, and told me that there was a memo regarding this release. She offered to exchange the dvd for another title. They are sending me a list of available titles to choose from, then I will need to call them back with my selection and they will send me a pre-paid envelope to ship back the colorized abomination. She agreed that it was strange that they would offer the sequel in b&w, but not the original classic.
I took a look at this DVD, and it is a really botch job on the colorization too. Totally unwatchable. Anyone know Ted Turner's private phone number? I would like to call him in the middle of the night and give him a piece of my mind.

American Film Technologies did the colorization. CST Entertainment Inc (which is the best of the colorization companies) did the colorizations for Turner.

Colorization was one of the best things ever done to the films which were altered. They had to be restored before colorization.

 

[Rodney]

All right, all right. I take back what I said about Ted Turner. I just meant he was a big advocate for colorization, which in my opinion is worse than wrong aspect ratio!
Patrick:
I am glad to know that some good came about colorization. But colorization needs to be stopped. It is WRONG!
I just disturbs me that people would actually choose NOT to watch a film because it isn't in color. Even if colorization looked better, I wouldn't want it. Who wants to watch a film-noir in color? And who decides the color? I remember someone telling me about a western being colorized and the decision was made to make the desert green, instead of brown. Excuse me?!
Black and white has a wonderful look, and it needs to be kept.
Please, everyone call Disney and complain about this release.

 

[Jorge Montes]

I remember someone telling me about a western being colorized and the decision was made to make the desert green, instead of brown. Excuse me?!

Flubber is supposed to black, like rubber or tar. In the colorized versions, they went green. Ever since then, it's been assumed flubber is green (See "The Absent-Minded Professor" TV movie with Harry Anderson, where flubber is dark green tinted blackish rubber, and "Flubber," the Robin Williams flick with that bright day-glo booger green abomination.)

Yes, colorization does suck.

 

[Patrick McCart]

I just disturbs me that people would actually choose NOT to watch a film because it isn't in color. Even if colorization looked better, I wouldn't want it. Who wants to watch a film-noir in color? And who decides the color? I remember someone telling me about a western being colorized and the decision was made to make the desert green, instead of brown. Excuse me?!

Colorization only works for cartoons and restoration, IMO. And it has to be done WELL. I remember seeing a clip of Casablanca in colorized form on TV...sure, the color selection was great...it wasn't sloppy... but the film's photography took advantage of being B&W by having shadows, grayscales, and lack of color add flavor to the film.


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If I may add.... The Absent Minded Professor was nominated for two Oscars. Ironically...they were for B&W set design and B&W photography!!!

 

[Glenn Overholt]

Ok, but consider this. When AMP was made, shooting a film in color was still really expensive. If they had the budget for doing that, they would have, so the only reason it came out in black and white was to save money. Studios do that all the time. Who can say for sure that the producer didn't want it done in color?

And the world is not in black and white, people. If this movie was one of those artsy films, then colorizing it would be way wrong, but this movie is not. So, does that make the crime a little bit less serious?

Glenn

 

[george kaplan]

Nope. Still a capital crime (and this from someone who doesn't believe in capital punishment).

 

[Scott Calvert]

Holy crap. I can't believe someone is actually trying to defend colorization. Did I accidently log onto Bizarro Home Theater Forum?

 

[Damin J Toell]

And the world is not in black and white, people. If this movie was one of those artsy films, then colorizing it would be way wrong, but this movie is not. So, does that make the crime a little bit less serious?

All films, whether you happen to think they're "artsy" or not, deserve the same respect, and colorizing any film is "way wrong."
Under French law, a director has a moral right in the integrity of the released version of a film. If the studio violates that integrity without permission, the director or his estate can sue and receive damages for the harm to the moral right of integrity. For example, Angelica Huston (along with Ben Maddow) successfully sued Turner Entertainment in France for the colorization of The Asphalt Jungle. Sometimes I wonder if it's not such a bad system of rights to have.
DJ

 

[Patrick McCart]

Ok, but consider this. When AMP was made, shooting a film in color was still really expensive. If they had the budget for doing that, they would have, so the only reason it came out in black and white was to save money. Studios do that all the time. Who can say for sure that the producer didn't want it done in color?

Disney was making color films at the time and this could have been one. Being that it was nominated for B&W production design and B&W cinematography... I think they were aiming for a B&W film, never a color one.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

I am sort of embarrassed.
Last year Disney was my personal choice for
Studio Of The Year. They have quickly
become the Worst Studio Of The Year.
I just don't get what is going on over there.
They are totally dumbing down this format.
When Disney first got into DVD back in (I believe)
1998, they fell under a lot of criticism for their
bare-boned releases and lousy transfers.
By the time Snow White was released,
Disney did a complete turnaround for the better.
It was as if they finally got what this format was
all about and for the next few years, was releasing
some of the best product out there.
Now, the studio has sunk to its lowest depths
in years by not only releasing FULL FRAME
titles to an older generation that loved these
films when they were first released, but now
colorizes their films as well.
I'm just really saddened by the sudden turn of
events at Disney Home Video. They have totally
shut out the very sect of viewing audience that
supported them early on. They have taken classic
films that can be considered artwork, and butchered
and colorized them in order to appease the lowest
common viewer.
It's disgusting. It really is.

 

[Jefferson]

Well said. I was thrilled with the four Vault Disney
titles and had hoped this might be among them at some point. Instead, its a gooey mess of flubber.