Sweet, I didn't know this was coming out! Guess I'll have to add it to my list for this week (which includes Looney Tunes, School Of Rock, and Duplex).
Does anyone know if there are any sales for The Chaplin Collection 2? I believe $99.95 is the retail price so there's no point of going to BB or CC. That's a strange price since the first set sells for $69.95.
Apparently The Wind In The Willows was relased theatrically by Sony in '96 for about two minutes and then disappeared. Disney must have snapped up the video rights and a VHS version came out a couple of years ago-- now retitled "Mr. Toad's Wild Ride." The DVD -- which seems to be non-anamorphic WS (I've just seen the box) -- has this title as well.
Hmm, custom-cover time, then. I actually caught it during its quick run theatrically and adored it, and it was up there with Cold Comfort Farm in terms of titles I wanted on DVD for quite a while.
Disney actually got the video rights as part of the settlement of a lawsuit, claiming that Sony's sci-fi/horror film Screamers was an infringement on Miramax's Scream. I gather that because most of a kids' movie's money is made on video (and theatrical releases are almost treated like part of the video's advertising), Sony then saw very little reason to book it aggressively in theaters.
I hate to rain on Mike's parade but Problem Child is full frame too. Thank alot Universal, another childhood favorite I won't get. Otherwise good job Mike.
The Chaplin Collection vol. 2 does indeed have the PAL-NTSC artifacting again and it's still nasty. Although the prints are in better condition here, the transfers on the old Image discs from David Shepard are again much superior. The Chaplin Revue in particular is over-contrasty on the Warner disc, which spoils the end gag in The Pilgrim since you can't read the sign. So either buy from R2 PAL if you're multi-region capable, or stick with the old Image discs (I'm choosing the latter).