SLEEPING BEAUTY the next Platinum Edition? WHY?

Re: SLEEPING BEAUTY the next Platinum Edition? WHY?

Actually, the next Platinum Edition is going to be 101 DALMATIANS in the spring of 2008. SLEEPING BEAUTY arrives in the fall of 2008.

Many people were very dissatisfied with the picture quality of SLEEPING BEAUTY, so comparing what comes late next year to what we already have should be interesting.

Re: SLEEPING BEAUTY the next Platinum Edition? WHY?

Dick,

I was wondering the same thing (why Sleeping Beauty before Pinnocchio?). The only thought I had is that maybe they were looking for a tie in with the BluRay release of Sleeping Beauty.

-Reagan

Re: SLEEPING BEAUTY the next Platinum Edition? WHY?

Maybe they're doing a full blown restoration and it's not going to make it by October 2008.

Or maybe they want to wait until the HD market grows a little more and make Pinnochio the first Disney classic that comes out on Blu-Ray and SD at the same time.

Granted, those are nothing more than guesses and could be a million miles off the mark.

Re: SLEEPING BEAUTY the next Platinum Edition? WHY?

Does the sequence of cigar smoking in Pinocchio conflict with the studio's new anti-smoking rule, or are "legacy" titles exempt?

Re: SLEEPING BEAUTY the next Platinum Edition? WHY?

PINOCCHIO had a special edition reissue on DVD in 2003 everywhere except in the US using a new Lowry digitally restored master. It's out-of-print now, and looked quite different than the previous 2 video transfers released on this shore.

Re: SLEEPING BEAUTY the next Platinum Edition? WHY?

As long as the actual long term health effects of smoking are dramatized (the surgeon general says it will turn you into a jackass), I suppose it is okay.

More seriously, I'm pretty sure the recent announcement was about new productions, but they have censored titles in the past with "Gaucho" Goofy and Pecos Bill smoking.

Regards,

Re: SLEEPING BEAUTY the next Platinum Edition? WHY?

Gosh. If that was true, I'd think we'd be getting a new Beauty and the Beast before they even consider any other titles! I've got a small HD screen and even I see all the mosquito noise and red bleeding on that title. B&tB is one of my favorite titles and yet I consider it one of the worst looking DVDs in my collection.

Re: SLEEPING BEAUTY the next Platinum Edition? WHY?

Just say it with me:

We... NEED... PINOCCHIO!!!!

Re: SLEEPING BEAUTY the next Platinum Edition? WHY?

let's call the white house...

Re: SLEEPING BEAUTY the next Platinum Edition? WHY?

plenty of counterfeit copies of both to be had on ebay

"new" "unopened" "still in wrapper"

Re: SLEEPING BEAUTY the next Platinum Edition? WHY?

I am sure it has a lot to do with "Princesses". Princess characters are huge among little girls. And they and their parents spend lots of money.

Re: SLEEPING BEAUTY the next Platinum Edition? WHY?

What was the basic problem with the previous Sleeping Beauty release? It was satisfactory to me, but was there an aspect ratio problem, or what?

As for Pinocchio's cigar, I do not believe that even Disney's dumb enough to cut a whole minute out of one of their biggest classics. They didn't cut the Catepillar's hookah out of Alice in Wonderland, now did they?

Re: SLEEPING BEAUTY the next Platinum Edition? WHY?

The last Alice release was in 2004, but once it comes to Blu-Ray I'll have my fingers crossed that it remains intact.

Re: SLEEPING BEAUTY the next Platinum Edition? WHY?

There was an outcry over the film being misframed but it was mostly from people who have no idea what they're talking about as the framing is identical to the 1997 laser of the film.

Re: SLEEPING BEAUTY the next Platinum Edition? WHY?

Thanks, but I think I'll consult actual experts in such matters:

"This also appears to have been produced from a 35mm scope element which has been poorly cropped vertically, as the bottom of the image is missing." (Robert Harris, 9/4/03)

http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htf/...d.php?t=141698

http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htf/...ing+beauty+dvd

Re: SLEEPING BEAUTY the next Platinum Edition? WHY?

Exactly. Sleeping Beauty was shot in Technirama 70, which has a 2.21:1 ratio. 35mm scope typically has an A/R of 2.35:1-2.40:1. Also, the current disc exhibits some pretty hideous ringing, although it's no worse than other Disney titles from the same period.

Re: SLEEPING BEAUTY the next Platinum Edition? WHY?

NO! NO! NO!

Technirama was always a 35mm process that used a VistaVision-style 8 perf printing format with the addition of an anamorphic lens. In neg form the film has a ratio of 2.25:1 which is roughly half way between conventional 35 and 70mm gauges. This middle of the road aspect ratio combined with the double size neg is what made the process become so popular for adapting to 70mm. Now assuming Disney went back to the original neg of the film they would have to use 8-perf 35mm since thats what it was made on, not 65mm.

As for cropping on the bottom, I don't see it and as said cropping is visible on the 1997 laserdisc transfer it might be here to stay.

Re: SLEEPING BEAUTY the next Platinum Edition? WHY?

I checked the SB dvd again; I don't know exactly what's going on, but there is something odd about the framing. I just can't figure it out though--it looks ok, but it looks wrong too. There's nothing to do but go forward. Disney needs to do a real restoration on the film. Go back to the source elements, or forget it. I have little faith, seeing as how they've botched every "restoration" they've done on their animated features for dvd over the past 2 or 3 years. The Little Mermaid is a shameless mess, and I hear people wailing over this week's release of the Jungle Book as well. Doesn't matter--I have stopped buying Disney dvds on SD until they start taking themselves more seriously. And to hammer the final nail--Disney really should be the world leader in terms of innovation in film restoration. Keep in mind that Disney created or improved upon a lot of film processes that are still used today. For them to release sh*t like "the Little Mermaid" on its recent dvd and act like it's the second coming is a big slap in the face to the company's founder.

If they're going to release Sleeping Beauty again, so soon after the last release, then it's going to have to be perfect this time.

Re: SLEEPING BEAUTY the next Platinum Edition? WHY?

As many have indicated on other threads, it is ill-advised to use a laserdisc (or a previous DVD release, or VHS, and so on) as the gold standard for how a film should look - including cropping and color issues.

Re: SLEEPING BEAUTY the next Platinum Edition? WHY?

I don't completely agree. When a movie has always looked a certain way, and then all of a sudden we get something WHOLLY different and are told "now it looks the way it should", that's suspect to me. It's harder to get away with serious changes with live-action films because one always has a fleshtone to match, but animated films aren't the same.

Yeah, it's great that the whites of Cinderella's stepmother's eyes are now the proper florescent blue instead of white. Isn't it amazing that the previous two video releases and every theatrical release got it all wrong? Amazing, and so lucky are we that we can finally see it the way we were supposed to all along.

Re: SLEEPING BEAUTY the next Platinum Edition? WHY?

Ironically, with non-platinums like Robin Hood and Alice they don't seem to have problems getting the colors right. It's only the Platinums that are affected.

Perhaps it's a case of too many cooks?

Re: SLEEPING BEAUTY the next Platinum Edition? WHY?

Well maybe they should spend more money on restoration and less money on endless tv and radio spots that all say "...and they...will discover...the true meaning of friendship."

I think it's time Disney DVD discovered the true meaning of film restoration.

Re: SLEEPING BEAUTY the next Platinum Edition? WHY?

Not really. Consider how every video release of Ben-Hur had incorrect cropping on the top and bottom until the 4-disc SE.

The captures I've seen of Sleeping Beauty look wrong for a film that was shot in Technirama. Contrasty, EE, and the cropping... if they can fix that, it'll be a good move. As for restoration, it's apparently restored and even had further work in 4K by Cinesite.

Re: SLEEPING BEAUTY the next Platinum Edition? WHY?

Chuck wrote:


You're right. That is a problem. Can't argue with it. Except as regards framing. Martin Hart (widescreenmuseum.com) has a nice page showing framing problems with laserdisc transfers - even those with OAR.

-Reagan

Re: SLEEPING BEAUTY the next Platinum Edition? WHY?

They knew the true meaning of film restoration once, but Eisner fired everybody but Scott MacQueen in one of his downsizing jags, and MacQueen left in 2003 to run Pro-Tek. Now Disney appears to be outsourcing restoration work.

Re: SLEEPING BEAUTY the next Platinum Edition? WHY?

I totally agree with you guys about the need for a Pinocchio platinum edition. Easily one of my favorite Disney movies. It's a masterpiece.

Re: SLEEPING BEAUTY the next Platinum Edition? WHY?

I am well aware that Technirama began as a 35mm process, but when no less an authority than Walt Disney himself pulls out a 70mm strip and says the film was shot in Technirama 70, that's what I rely on.

In any event, an ONeg of SB would be a sequential neg and would have to go through an Ultra Resolution type process if it was to be used for a new transfer.

Re: SLEEPING BEAUTY the next Platinum Edition? WHY?

Of course all Technirama 70 films are PRINTED on 70mm film stock, but NO Technirama film 70 or 35 is FILMED on 70mm film stock. If it were it wouldn't be Technirama. It would be TODD-AO or Panavision 70!

Walt Disney was not fingering Sleeping Beauty's Oneg in that demonstration.