Walt Disney Treasures Wave 5: Problems with Poor Mastering (1 Viewer)

[AndrewR]

Please call everyone.

I'd hate to see how bad these releases will get if we don't say something.

 

[Jeffrey Nelson]

DVD Savant says in his review that the visual quality of the stuff in this set is excellent.

 

[Al (alweho)]

I've exchanged e-mail with Glenn about that, hopefully he will be updating his review soon.

 

[TedD]

DVD Savant has done this before, unfortunately. He generally tends to concentrate on content to the exclusion of technical considerations.

Ted

 

[Ken_McAlinden]

I still don't get why these mastering faults are being pinned on Leonard Maltin. You might as well blame Roy Disney, since his signature is back for this new series, right? Maltin has been more frank than I would expect someone in his position to be. He's indicated that he will do what he can to make things better the next time. He's been forthright about what ships have already sailed.

Most reasonable people know the difference between poor quality and defective, and these releases are examples of poor quality. If something is defective, I demand a recall. If it is of poor quality, then I indicate my displeasure through whatever avenues are available to me and proceed with caution with future purchases from the same source.

Oh, and I have no complaints about the Spin & Marty set, which I was very happy that they released in this wave.

Regards,

 

[Brandon Conway]

Yeah, someone at micechat.com sent Mr. Maltin a scathing and simply deplorable letter, and it just made me shake my head. The man can only do so much. Do I wish he could do more? Sure, but I also understand the position he's in as he's explained it, and it doesn't surprise me.

 

[CameronMcC]

I'll put a call in, after the muppet fiasco they may have me pinned though.

 

[Mark Anthony]

Maybe the same team that look after Tom and Jerry on DVD for WB were brought in to prepare these two for Disney?!

The lack of care and quality control and to be frank piss-poor picture quality on the majority of 'toon's, for a 2005 DVD release, has their hallmark all over it.

M

 

[Edwin-S]

Isn't Leonard Maltin the producer for these sets? As a producer wouldn't Maltin have a say in how the material is presented, in the sets he is producing? I find it hard to believe that a fellow who is deeply involved in producing a DVD release would have absolutely no say, or sway, as to how the material being released is presented. The presentation, in this case, being the visual quality of the material.

 

[Brandon Conway]

Well, according to Mr. Maltin in one of his email responses, he has never been involved in the video mastering of the shorts. His statement was:

"From the beginning, the one area the Walt Disney Home Video people have not allowed me to be involved in is video mastering. This has been left to their good judgment, and for the past four years they've come through exceedingly well."

 

[Lars Vermundsberget]

Quite true. But this time new people were brought in from the street?

Never mind. I guess we can live with this - as long as it gets better in Wave six.

 

[CameronMcC]

No way a recall is coming...

Wonder if they will put the Chicken Little short on the new feature film of the same name's disc.

 

[Lars Vermundsberget]

Time to think about the future. I'd suggest that the second Silly Symphonies volume include the handful of shorts that were hidden away as "easter eggs" on the first volume. Are we able to pass that along to the right people?

 

[streeter]

Al, have you gotten any type of response to your open letter/article?

 

[Reagan]

Just got around to watching these (received them as Christmas presents) and I must say the "1985 laserdisc master" description seems right on the money. So disappointing. Hard to imagine that Disney wasn't making enough money off of the Treasures sets in previous years when they did a new transfer.

I don't have anything original to contribute (other than my family really loved some of the Donald cartoons we had never seen). I just wanted to chime in.

-Reagan

 

[CameronMcC]

^but I think they have to look past just these releases as far as making money. Restoration and digital storing is good for the future and ensures a quality master.

though I'm sure they aren't losing money, you can't make money hand over fist with limited runs like this.

 

[Charlie O.]

They're going to have to remaster these sooner or later for blu-ray and HD-DVD. Why didn't they just do it for these releases?

 

[Al (alweho)]

Not yet - keep in mind the whole thing took place just before the Christmas/New Year's break.

 

[CameronMcC]

i'd be amazed if they respond at all

 

[Robert Harris]

I believe that the point needs repeating that while Mr. Maltin is heavily involved with the selection of programming and the overall look and feel of the series, he cannot step on the toes of the studio technical staff.

The technical people need to be given the ability to create the proper masters for the sets as proposed. They must be trusted to do things correctly.

Possibly new people are in place. Possibly there are new internal budgetary restraints, which have not affected releases in the past.

But Mr. Maltin does not, can not and most likely will not be able to control the quality of the mastering no matter how much he may like to do so. I'm certain that his expectations are even higher than those contacting him.

He loves these films. There are few people in the industry who take the release of these films more personally. I'm hopeful that the point has been made to the studio.

Sending negative comments to Mr. Maltin will only serve to take his time away from attempting to make the next series meet his and our needs.

He did not transfer the films. He is not the enemy. He is the friend of cinephiles everywhere. Allow him to put his efforts to best use.

RAH