Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment will release more than 30 catalog titles on Blu-ray Disc in 2 (1 Viewer)

[classicmovieguy]

And now the Disney website has updated the info (link above) with the correct aspect ratio: 1.66:1. So we can put our minds at rest - Babes in Toyland will be in widescreen!

Fantastic news!

 

[Brandon Conway]

The Insider on 2/19/13

 

[Mark-P]

Okay, what happened? Absent-minded Professor and Son of Flubber were supposed to come out in 2012. We're now half-way through 2013 and still no announcement. Were sales of Babes in Toyland so dismal that they scrapped the whole vintage live-action Disney Blu-ray project?

 

[classicmovieguy]

Wasn't "Pollyanna" supposed to be out this year too? Very strange... I hope Disney hasn't decided to let these live actions slide...

 

[Mark Pytel]

I too would like to know what happened? I had planned to buy my wife While You Were Sleeping as she loves that movie. I wanted Flubber as I love that movie. Did the last batch of catalog titles not do as well as they had hoped? I purchased all of the ones that had previously been non-anamorphic on dvd since the blu is an upgrade. To be fair though, I found many of the transfers to be slightly subpar, but they still looked better than the dvd equivalent.

I finally broke down the other day and ordered the region free Australia blu-rays of While You Were Sleeping, Quiz Show, What's Love Got to Do With it? and I Love Trouble. All four should look great. Plus with the Australian dollar being worth slightly less than the American dollar, I got each blu-ray for around 16.00 shipped. That's not too bad and probably equivalent to what they would cost if they were released here.

I always tried to avoid pal dvd's due to the speedup, but thanks to blu-ray 99.9% of the time, the film is simply 1080p. There isn't Pal Blu-ray so the sound should be exactly the same as the american dvd. I think all special features are blu-ray so they should work too.
Correct me if I am wrong about any of this

 

[Ejanss]

Okay, what happened? Absent-minded Professor and Son of Flubber were supposed to come out in 2012. We're now half-way through 2013 and still no announcement. Were sales of Babes in Toyland so dismal that they scrapped the whole vintage live-action Disney Blu-ray project?

I wasn't aware there was any "movement"--
The Flubber Trilogy was floated as an example of their new trend to box unwanted sequels together, and yes, it would be nice to see what happened with that one.
I'm also one of those majority of sensible folk who thought that Babes in Toyland was simply A standalone holiday-sales title, and not a harbinger that Mary Poppins was around the corner. As noted, it was a pleasant surprise to see that it was taken from the film source, and not an updump of whatever DVD they had.

And this, keep in mind, is judging JUST the core studio 50's-70's Buena Vista titles, and not the 80's-90's Silver Screen Partners titles, which are just now coming out of limbo....And then, we're lucky if they're "famous" enough (like Rocketeer, Roger Rabbit, Sister Act or Dick Tracy) to not be sent to Echo Bridge.

 

[classicmovieguy]

I believe that Disney did announce the "Absent-Minded Professor" double feature and "Pollyanna" as part of their slate for 2012-13.

 

[Mark-P]

I believe that Disney did announce the "Absent-Minded Professor" double feature and "Pollyanna" as part of their slate for 2012-13.

Not sure where you heard about Pollyanna as that one was not mentioned in the announcement linked in the first post of this thread.
Of all the titles announced, only four haven't seen the light of day:
While You Were Sleeping
The Absent-Minded Professor
Flubber
and
Son of Flubber

 

[Mark-P]

Not sure where you heard about Pollyanna as that one was not mentioned in the announcement linked in the first post of this thread.

A-ha! Found this ad in an insert from a release back in November:

 

[Cinescott]

Where the heck is 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea?

20,000 Leagues is at the top of my Disney want list. That and Treasure Island. The classic 50s titles would sell like crazy and still no sign?

 

[John Hermes]

20,000 Leagues is at the top of my Disney want list. That and Treasure Island. The classic 50s titles would sell like crazy and still no sign?

I don't get it either. I'm not really interested in the animation stuff but would buy titles like 20,000 and Darby O'Gill right away. Geeze, Disney - none of us is getting any younger.

 

[ahollis]

Where's the love for SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON. This Disney title along with 20,000 LEAGES UNDER THE SEA and OLD YELLOW are etched in memory and I would love an extra filled Blu on each.

 

[trajan]

How about BELOVED.

 

[Escapay]

Where's the love for SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON. This Disney title along with 20,000 LEAGES UNDER THE SEA and OLD YELLOW are etched in memory and I would love an extra filled Blu on each.

Agreed! Swiss Family Robinson is one of my favorite Disney films. It received a very nice two-disc DVD set that would translate well to Blu-Ray.

 

[Matt Hough]

Yes, that's why I was so surprised when Disney announced Pollyanna. Not that I wouldn't like to have it on Blu-ray, but those marvelous live action flicks like Treasure Island, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Old Yeller, and Swiss Family Robinson would seem to be bigger draws.

 

[Frank Ha]

Yes, that's why I was so surprised when Disney announced Pollyanna. Not that I wouldn't like to have it on Blu-ray, but those marvelous live action flicks like Treasure Island, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Old Yeller, and Swiss Family Robinson would seem to be bigger draws.

Yes, all those and I'd also like The Parent Trap as well!

 

[t1g3r5fan]

Agreed! Swiss Family Robinson is one of my favorite Disney films. It received a very nice two-disc DVD set that would translate well to Blu-Ray.

If I remember correctly, Disney also has the rights to the 1940 RKO version of the film; that would make a nice twinbill on Blu.

 

[classicmovieguy]

Disney included snippets from the RKO version on their 2-disc 'Vault Disney' edition... would be interesting to see the full version but I think Disney's is still the definitive.

 

[Matt Hough]

Yes, all those and I'd also like The Parent Trap as well!

Absolutely. HBO ran The Parent Trap in HD a couple of months ago, and I really enjoyed seeing it again. I only caught the last half, so I had to take my DVD out (which does upconvert nicely) so I could watch the whole thing. A delightful comedy. I can sure understand why Hayley Mills was such a big deal in this period.

 

[SD_Brian]

Since 2014 is the 50th anniversary of Mary Poppins and the 60th anniversary of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, and since Disney is never one to miss exploiting an anniversary milestone, I would be shocked if one or both titles were not planned for commemorative releases.