20.000 Leagues Under The Sea, etc. rumors... (1 Viewer)

[Mark_TS]

Glenn Erickson, who not only writes a great DVD/Movie column, but has worked inside MGM, and several other studios, and has connections in the industry (as well as having his hands in various films, LDs, and DVD extras etc)
has this to say:
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Other Disney news. There are indications of added value work being done for Richard Fleischer's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, which means that an unannounced DVD of this title is probably in the works. Hopefully we'll see it at the correct extra-wide original CinemaScope aspect ratio, which even theatrical prints no longer reproduce.
I also know of several exciting MGM DVDs on the way as well, but can't talk about them until somebody breaks silence about them, as with Joe Dante and The Howling Special edition. Hasta Later, Glenn Erickson
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check out his page, which he adds to every couple of days:
http://www.dvdtalk.com/dvdsavant/spec.html
He has a review of the new Tombstone Vista Edition...

 

[SteveGon]

Very cool news! 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea = James Mason, Kirk Douglas, Peter Lorre, a futuristic submarine, and a giant squid! How can ya beat that?
Thanks, Mark.

 

[Kajs]

Fantastic!! This movie has been on my top 10 list of most wanted DVDs since I started collecting them.

The first time I saw this movie in widescreen was it's broadcast a few years ago on the Disney Channel during Vault Disney.

 

[Rachael B]

Judging by how dreadful the LD release looked, the film needs major, major restoration. If they can repair it to look atleast pretty good, I'd love a copy. This is exciting news! Thanks!

 

[Mike Friedrich]

Hey ezzzzy now, that's one of my platters you're talking about.
bodymov'n

 

[Mark Anthony]

Wasn't 20,000...'s print restored in the early 90's with the results approved by Richard Fleischer (the director) who said it looked better than the original prints....?

If so then I think a newer transfer is what you seek, not restoration...

MA

 

[Rachael B]

Mike, of my high-profile titles, as I certainly consider this one to be, 20,000 ranks with the worst of the worst looking. Hey, I got rooked too! Mark, this LD was one of the biggest dissapointments of my entire LD collecting career. If it came from the restored print, the transfer is a disgrace! I just looked at the LD to see if it was dated, it isn't. I'm sure it came out in the early 90's though. I was peeved with Disney over this disc! With Ken Crane's 20% discount I stille paid $56. It listed for $69.99! The washed-out extras, actually an episode of the Disney TV Show about the film, looks way better than the film itself.
I've only ever watched the LD twice in all these years. I rewatched it last winter, BTW. It looks so bad it's hard for me to watch, even though I adore the film. I saw it in the cinema a long, long time ago. It was dazzling there. The Laserdisc is fit for skeet shooting! Best wishes cats!

 

[Mark_TS]

Rachael-I own the LD also, and I remember the big complaint at the time (and my own)was the the color looked kind of bland (some reviewers referenced the Japanese LD for its rich color pallette-ive not ever seen it)

So heres hoping that Disney will color correct, and give us the full 2.4 OAR...

and soon...after seeing what theyve done with TRON, I believe we have reason to hope.

 

[Joseph Goodman]

This film WAS restored by Scott Macqueen recently, with a new print of the restored version premiering at the El Capitan theater in California.

and give us the full 2.4 OAR...

This film's original aspect ratio was 2.55:1.

 

[Luis Esp]

According to the IMDB, the Archive Collection of the Ld was released on March 3, 1993. With the recent dvd editions that Disney has done in the past, I can only hope that the dvd release of this movie will be in the same league (pun intended).

 

[Rachael B]

Mark, it's not just the lousy colour. I've seen few LD's with such intense line wiggling. There are black lines in the pic in many, many places. I don't know what caused that but I always suspected damage to the print. I could be off base on that speculation though. I wish I could see the Japanese LD. I have about 20 NTSC Japanese LD's and they are consistently better than U.S. releases, there are a couple of doggy ones in the lot. People are sayng such nice thigs about the theatrical print ! I have high hopes for a DVD. I stille feel like Disney cheated me on the LD, "Exclusive Archieve Collection" my tush! It should of been labeled Exclusive Armpit Collection! Best wishes!

 

[george kaplan]

I have the ld and don't agree that it's that bad. It's not great, but certainly very watchable. Which means that

a) Rachael got a bad disc (possible but unlikely)

b) I have a better ld player and tv (very unlikely)

c) Rachael has more discriminating eyes than me (quite possible)

 

[Rachael B]

George, since it's multiple choice I pick #3. When I got the LD my best player was a CLD-52, that was long ago. It must have been 1993. After a discussion of the disc on this forum, I got the LD out and played it on my LD-S9. I believe the S9 helped it's colour some as S9's can do, but those lines do stille wiggle! I'll grant the disc one thing it doesn't have severe blooming. Disney asked a premium price for this package and didn't deliver a premium or even good product IMO.
Disney usually did way better than this IMO. Disney's subsidiary labels like Touchstone and Hollywood Pictures consistently deliverd mediocre stuff in my experience. Disney branded stuff very seldom looked this bad. I love this film and hate this LD! Bring on the DVD! BTW, I do have unusually good vision... Best wishes from Laserland!

 

[MikeAW]

Great film...I guess if we keep an eye on AMC "Behind the Scenes", we can get a heads-up of when it's coming up.

They played "Robinson Crusoe On Mars" yesterday, twice that I know of...so maybe a DVD version of the LD is coming out soon...hopefully !!!

 

[Jeff Swindoll]

Gimmee! Gimmee! I've been awaiting 20,000 Leagues since I got a DVD player. Thankfully, it didnt happen earlier or we'd have gotten the crap that Di$ney was putting out in the beginnings of DVD. I hope they do a 2 disc "Tron"-like edition. Fleisher is still amongst the living and did a commentary on Tora3 (although I'll admit I bought it but havent spun the DVD yet, a common practice ), so maybe we'll get a commentary or interview on 20,000. Cheers.

 

[Adam_S]

I wonder if Disney is going to launch a new line for thier live action films along the lines of the platinum series for the animated. If so 20,000 leagues makes perfect sense as teh first title. Though I'm not sure that there would be enough really high profile live action titles to continue the platinum series. Especially with the new vault disney line, two disc sets of parent trap, swiss family robinson, old yeller, and pollyanna. Still Disney has many, many classic live actions that have yet to see the light of day on dvd. So htfers what other live action titles does disney have of the 20,000 leagues under the sea caliber?

 

[soop.spoon]

So htfers what other live action titles does disney have of the 20,000 leagues under the sea caliber?

Tresure Island
The Herbie series
The Black Hole
Freaky Friday
Escape From Witch Mountain
Island At The Top Of The World

 

[Norm]

MikeAW, Does AMC play them before they are released on DVD?

 

[DaViD Boulet]

I too have the laserdisc and I agree it's pretty bad. Colors are not just muted, but flesh tones appear one color 'orange' and that's it.

Resolution is extremely poor...very blurry image. I won't get rid of this LD, but I won't watch it either as I keep waiting for a 16x9 remastered transfer to emerge on DVD...

-dave