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R.I.P. Walt Disney Treasures series? See post #82! (1 Viewer)

David*W

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Well I've emailed Dick Cook with my thoughts, that pretty much echo everyone elses, although I also mentioned the incompletion of the Elfego Baca/Swamp Fox series, am I the only one who cares about the live action stuff? :p

Would anyone consider starting an online petition? I'm sure those too lazy to email, would at least put their email address down.
 

CameronMcC

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I don't believe online petitions are ever viewed as credible. The best way is to email, make a call, send snail mail. This puts it right on the disney doorstep, instead of them out looking for it. If they are on the net looking for reactions, I'm sure they would be monitoring here, ultimatedisney, and dvd talk...all of which are in an uproar.
 

TheGreatOz

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If it's indeed true that Disney has told Leonard Maltin the series is 86, then I'd expect LM issued his own protest. He's not in this for the money alone; he LOVES vintage Disney. If his opinion falls on deaf Disney ears, then we're pretty much sunk.

If you've noticed that the True-Life Adventures discs promoted upcoming releases like "Oswald the Lucky Rabbit" and "Behind the Scenes at Disneyland," I'd suspect those are already in the can. Or should I say "in the tin."

What releases could be so doggone sensitive that the Treasures would detract from them? Makes absolutely no sense.

The old axiom may apply here: "Follow the Money!" but IMHO, this whole rumor fails the smell test. :thumbsdown:
 

narkspud

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Not at all. The "smell test" is that the home video folks would rather use their resources on such guaranteed home runs as High School Musical 7 3/4, rather than waste their time making and marketing DVDs of a bunch of stupid old cartoons that nobody but those Disney animation geek weirdos care about.

In other words, they'd rather be rich than be Disney.

Eisner may be gone, but his spirit lingers. Corporate cultures don't just turn on a dime. The good news is that at Disney (moreso than most entertainment conglomerates) there are now people in power who DO want to be Disney and DO respect the legacy and the fans. Like John Lasseter and Dick Cook.

These people can do more with our support than without it. The bigger the pile of letters Dick Cook can wave at Bob Iger in their next meeting, the easier it will be to convince him to restart the Treasures series, and maybe even make some key changes in priorities (and personnel) at Home Video.

As for Legacy, let's don't kid ourselves. Home Video considers it nothing more or less than the dumping ground for all those annoying executive pet projects. Which is why they didn't feel it necessary to color check the masters on the Everglades TLA, or to correct the error when the defective discs landed in the stores and were purchased by said weirdos.
 

David*W

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I think the Legacy Collection will become the new home for this sort of material in truth, they'll probably rerelease the whole Treasures line again, with introductions by Roy instead of Leonard, because they know fans will probably buy the stuff again to have a matching complete set.

it's all about money, of course, but I can't see the logic that Disney think there's no financial gain in the rest of the Treasures, but somehow they think there is a market for Oswald and Destino? That seems contralogical to me.
 

MarcoBiscotti

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Please refer to THIS thread at the GAC Forums:

http://forums.goldenagecartoons.com/...1&page=1&pp=10


There are several letters and emails posted, as well as some additional means of contact, by yours truly (posted as 'MF TOON').

I hope that everyone at least makes an effort to voice their opinions and feelings to Disney.

As I mentioned int he above linked thread, what might also be helpful, would be to print out a copy of your emails after you send them (include a header something along the lines of: I apologize if you've already received this via email, but I wanted to mail you a hard copy as I felt it would seem more significant) - and than pop it in the mailbox on your way to work or the next time you leave the house. It'd only take a minute or so of your time, since the email is already typed.

As stated, I've included some alternate forwarding addresses to various people in the home video / disney media networks division that it might get across to.

Please check out the thread above, and please do not give up!

Believe it or not... this release line has been THE most important and significant offering to the general public in the history of both home video and animation itself in regards to the material released. No other studio has delved into their history as Disney has to offer this stuff. It would be insane to end it here without completing the run... and even crazier for us to just throw in the towel at this point!

I'm one of the few who generally avoids these sort of letter writing campaigns, but in this case, I urge you all to do your part!
 

narkspud

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It's not all about money. Some of it is also about pleasing your bosses and their bosses and their bosses' supporters. If Roy wants his TLA's on DVD, Roy darn well gets his TLA's on DVD.

In other words, Home Video is shutting down the Treasures because they can and they want to. They're releasing the TLA's, Oswalds and Destino because they've been ordered to. Which is what I meant when I said Legacy was a series for executives' pet projects.

The whole point to writing to Dick Cook is that he's one of the guys that gives the orders. If he wants the Donald series finished, he gets the Donald series finished. No matter how much the "sharp pencil boys" whine about it.
 

Craig Beam

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Sent an email to Mr. Cook. God, I hope the Donalds get released. Honestly, what's the point in collecting these things if the studio's so willing to slap us in the face?
 

TheGreatOz

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At the risk of sharpening this to too fine a point, I use the term 'smell test' to mean without official word from Disney, a pink slip to Leonard Maltin means only that LM has been told he will not be doing any more Treasures.

You might recall LM introduced a series of LITTLE RASCALS tapes and laserdiscs. When the series was released on DVD, there was an additional disc of Rascals shorts without LM.

Who is to say the so-called "Wave 7" will not appear but without LM?

When the first or second Wave was originally released, it was widely rumored that Disney was planning to re-release the Treasures without the tins at a lower price after they sold out.

Until there's an official response from Disney to our numerous letters and on-line teeth-knashing, I'll lay odds that this may be nothing more than a Maltin pink slip, not the death knell for Treasures, or failing that, not the end of Chronological Donald.

"Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain!"
 

MarcoBiscotti

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Again, please refer to the above linked thread. This has nothing to do with Leonard Maltin. Disney is indeed halting the series so as not to interfere with other productions aimed at a similar market.
 

Joe Lugoff

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I still say the Donalds will end up as Legacy sets, and I'm going to keep saying that until I'm proved wrong.
 

Douglas R

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I agree. I think people are over reacting here. I'm sure the rest of the Donalds will appear and I don't care whether they label the package as "Treasures", "Legacy" or something else.
 

MarcoBiscotti

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You can say whatever you like, but there's been no indication to back that up.

I also don't think that Disney would suddenly release a Legacy set collecting the chronological films of a character at midway point in a brand new series aimed at the general public (These are not limited edition sets like the Treasures).

We should not have to start buying every single release all over again, IF, they were to begin redoing the character shorts. That's not right.

From a marketing stabdpoint, it would make absolutely no sense to release a brand new series to the general public and begin with "The Chronological Donald Duck Volume Three" (albeit under some other title)...

I also don't put much into Disney's releases without Leonard Maltin overseeing them. All minor post-production related faults aside with the WDT's... Just look at the very first release of the Legacy series. Incorrect aspect ratios, backwards colors! No effort went into the production whatsoever!

At least with Leonard Maltin steering the ship, we can feel some sense of assurance in regards to the content and decisions.

Eitherway, whether it's titled Legacy Series or Super Fabulous Classic Collector Collection... Disney started the TREASURES line and should see it through!
 

Tony J Case

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On the other hand, I wished that they didnt waste space on the lame animation stuff. The live action shows rocked far more than the Donalds and the Mickeys of the world. I couldnt get enough of that Disneyland USA, but you couldnt get me to touch a Pluto release with a 10 foot pole.
 

Lars Vermundsberget

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Hey, that doesn't help much. Pluto may be pretty "lame", but some of us still love this material! ;)

As much as I enjoyed all of the material released in the Treasures series (including live action), I still think it's just fair to say that the classic animated shorts were the main attraction. According to my way of counting we got about 85% - whatever we got of live-action material in the series was in most or some cases just a "taste". As for the animated shorts it's not a "half empty" or "half full" situation - it's rather "almost but not quite".
 

Tony J Case

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No, no - just pointing out to Nathan that one man's trash is another man's treasure. Me, I think they did have a pretty good balance across the board between live action and animated. There was a little something in each wave for somebody.

That said, I'd still give up a Goofy release for the remainder of Elfago Baca. :)
 

narkspud

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Optimistic, ain't ya. Lots of people were sure they wouldn't fire all the animators and sell all the animation desks.

Which would you rather bank on? "The department full of MBAs (who just released a disc with the video wires crossed) would never be that dumb" or "I'd better write to Dick Cook just in case"?
 

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