A Few Words About A few words about...™ The Little Mermaid 3D -- in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[Robert Harris]

It's a sad state of affairs when fine films, and especially those with great financial importance to the studios suffer some sort of industrial damage without proper backup or asset protection.

While I've never found out what befell the original negative of Disney's The Little Mermaid, shortly after its original theatrical release the studio was forced to put it through a complete restoration.

Poor Ariel.

Fortunately for the film and current audiences, one would never know how damaged the film was at the time.

Throughout all of its various incarnations on home video, I've always found The Little Mermaid lacking in either image or audio.

Finally, with the new 3D Diamond Edition, everything seems to be working, and working nicely, at least for those of us who are unable to recite the original color schemes in our sleep.

Colors are crisp, clear and well defined.  Audio, in DTS-HD 7.1, is rich and full.

The 3D conversion works decently for home video, but like all 3D, brings lower illumination and less color clarity to the fore.

Great for kids, who won't watch films without zombies, and need to see their first Disney film.  And will only watch 3D.

A great film, that  was essential in bringing the new form of Disney animation to the public.

Currently $35 on Amazon, in 3D, and inclusive of the the extras disc.  $28 in Blu-ray.

I always look at 3D conversions as interesting experiments.  I'm certain that many will be thrilled with this new set.  Personally, I'm happy with the film in 2D -- and make no mistake, the 2D version is a magnificent Blu-ray.

As you watch the film, keep a keen eye open for classic Disney characters, who I'm told make appearances.

Image - 5 (3D - 3.5)

Audio - 5

Highly Recommended.

RAH

 

[moviebuff75]

I don't know if the 3D version suffers from this, but the 2D version has a mistake during "Part of Your World" where some shots were switched and now Ariel's mouth doesn't match. People are rightly upset about this, and have been calling Disney in droves asking for a replacement program.

 

[EddieLarkin]

Disney's response to that particular mistake: http://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.php?p=8118367&postcount=2301 They claim the switch has no impact on the film. I disagree completely. Here's a vid: Ariel now moves her mouth to sing "...wish I could be" long after the soundtrack has passed that point. It also causes a jarring cut that was avoided by having the shot of Flounder in its original place.

 

[moviebuff75]

How dare they tell people whether or not it affects their enjoyment of the film!

 

[Robert Harris]

I don't know if the 3D version suffers from this, but the 2D version has a mistake during "Part of Your World" where some shots were switched and now Ariel's mouth doesn't match. People are rightly upset about this, and have been calling Disney in droves asking for a replacement program.

I didn't see anything unusual. Ariel's labials look as in sync as most animated work. Viewed the youtube clip, and only see a shot swapped, with no affect on sync.

RAH

 

[EddieLarkin]

It may be hard to notice the sync issue on a small inferior quality youtube clip. If you look at the DVD side, between 0:12 and 0:14, Ariel sings "wish I could be", and her mouth clearly moves to these words, as does her body as she emotes. On the Blu-ray side, the soundtrack stays in the same place, but the clip of Ariel singing the words now occurs between 0:14 and 0:16, and is thus completely silent. Her mouth moves, her body emotes, but nothing is heard.

 

[Neil S. Bulk]

"deliberate creative decision"

 

[Powell&Pressburger]

Disney needs to start with disc replacements for the shot swaps for Part of Your World ASAP. One might also take notice that when Scuttle first appears instead of a cross fade shot it is now an immediate cut. Also the opening titles have been slightly re-arranged pulling the Silver Screen partners title. The sound cue that went with the Walt Disney Pictures Presents is now gone due to the new placement.

As for Part of Your World the fact the shots are swapped is very distracting for those who have seen the film a million times, this careless alteration on Disney's tech team needs fixed. Many are and have complained directly to Disney and should do so in a considerate and nice manner. I have a feeling others who have never seen the film if they pay close attention on a large enough HD screen may scratch their heads and think... wait why is Ariel showing so much emotion and seems to be singing but out of place.

When I worked as a projectionist years ago I was taught never to do anything during the film to pull the audience out of the film. Meaning don't lower the volume etc by doing so it causes a distraction and it ruins the films impact.

This is the same issue with the changes during The Little Mermaid. If it causes you to question the shots of the film or any deviation from what you've seen many times over it pulls you out of the film therefore ruins the experience. Consumers deserve the chance to swap altered discs with corrected discs direct with Disney if they choose.

 

[FoxyMulder]

Disney's response to that particular mistake: http://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.php?p=8118367&postcount=2301

Just like the missing dialogue in Pinocchio had no impact, they miss the point, these mistakes should not be happening if quality control was any good, why do i think there will be a fix but it will be silent and if you want it you will have to send your copy back to Disney, it seems recalls just don't happen these days and it's all about keeping a lid on things in case sales are affected.

 

[Mark-P]

These kinds of alterations are not unprecedented at Disney. Lion King definitely had shots replaced and I think I heard that Beauty and the Beast did to. And of course Aladdin had that racist song lyric changed. As it is being done by the original filmmakers, I really don't think consumers have any more say than they did with the Star Wars alterations.

 

[EddieLarkin]

Disney have said this was an unfortunate mistake, not an intentional alteration.

 

[Neil S. Bulk]

Disney suggests looking at your iPad while the movie is playing so that you won't notice these issues.http://www.cartoonbrew.com/bad-ideas/heres-a-new-version-of-the-little-mermaid-for-people-who-dont-want-to-see-the-film-88364.html

 

[Mark-W]

Hey, great idea. Why don't we just close our eyes or plug our ears during scenes with quality control issues? Now I can play My Fair Lady on Blu-ray, because with my eyes shut, it is the best Blu-ray of the year!

 

[Johnny Angell]

Let me get this straight. This not a parody. Disney is actually encouraging use of electronics in the theater. Chances are the theater will have run a promo discouraging it. If this is true, Disney marketing has "jumped the shark".Wait, I thought the theatrical release was cancelled.

 

[MatthewA]

They can't sell the two-time Oscar-winning movie that saved Feature Animation's bacon on its own merits, so they need dumb gimmicks like Second Screen that send the message that it's okay to use your iPad in the theater. It isn't. It's distracting. If you want to play games while watching the movie, go home and do it.

If this is a success, every future theatrical reissue will be like this. If it fails, they'll blame the film and not the gimmick.

 

[TravisR]

Let me get this straight. This not a parody. Disney is actually encouraging use of electronics in the theater. Chances are the theater will have run a promo discouraging it.If this is true, Disney marketing has "jumped the shark".

They did the same thing with (I think) Nightmare Before Christmas last year. The screening is sold on and built around the second screen presentation and a tablet was required to get in so anyone going in knows what they're getting into. I have no interest in something like that but if people want to watch a movie and an iPad at the same time, it's a free country.

 

[Aaron Silverman]

As long as they limit the "Second Screen" stuff to specific (and well-publicized) screenings for that purpose, I have no problem with it.

I didn't see anything unusual. Ariel's labials look as in sync as most animated work. Viewed the youtube clip, and only see a shot swapped, with no affect on sync.

RAH

Labials? But she's still a mermaid in that scene!

 

[Bryan Tuck]

These kinds of alterations are not unprecedented at Disney. Lion King definitely had shots replaced and I think I heard that Beauty and the Beast did to. And of course Aladdin had that racist song lyric changed. As it is being done by the original filmmakers, I really don't think consumers have any more say than they did with the Star Wars alterations.

The Lion King had the alligators during "I Just Can't Wait To Be King" re-animated, and several shots were given new details for the IMAX version back in 2002, which I believe are still there on the Blu-ray. That actually was a "deliberate creative decision," though. Also, on the Blu-ray, they've moved Frank Wells' dedication from the beginning of the film to all the way at the end of the end credits. (I wonder what his family thinks about that.)

On Beauty and the Beast, after the song "Something There," there's a shot of Lumiere, Cogsworth, etc. shutting the door, but there's a different background between the two different cuts of the film. On the Blu-ray, it's the Special Edition version of the shot on both cuts of the film; I imagine that was an authoring error or something similar.

These kind of issues are frustrating, because they really are very minor things, and you sound like you're making a mountain out of a molehill when you complain. But someone spent a long time on each one of those creative decisions, determining exactly how the sequence would play out. Then to have it accidentally jumbled years later (and then not corrected) would be kind of like a wrong note ringing out in the middle of your favorite song.

I mean, it's just one note, isn't it?

 

[Virgoan]

What I'd like to know about is these "classic Disney characters" who make an appearance in the film?Can anyone elaborate?

 

[Matt Hough]

What I'd like to know about is these "classic Disney characters" who make an appearance in the film?Can anyone elaborate?

In the commentary, the directors mention that Mickey and Donald (and maybe others I'm not remembering) were placed in a crowd scene that flies by. You'd have to pause it exactly right to glimpse them.