A Few Words About A few words about...™ Pollyanna -- in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[MatthewA]

Are there any extras on this or OLD YELLER?

Nope. They would rather regret lost opportunities later.

 

[AnthonyClarke]

It seems odd indeed that there seem to be no plans at all for release anywhere else in the world!

 

[smithbrad]

I joined the Disney Club just to get POLYANNA and at a reasonable price. It also didn't hurt to upgrade some of my animated DVD's to blu-ray.


Like others, I hope this leads to more live action Disney releases on blu-ray such as, SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON, 20,000 LEAGUE'S UNDER THE SEA, and PARENT TRAP. I will keep my memberships in hopes it does, and in case they are also club exclusives.


One I don't hear mentioned much but is a staple in our family for repeat viewing (similar to one's mentioned above) is BIG RED. What chances do any give for a future BIG RED blu-ray release? Are there issues? Currently, I have the region 2 DVD on hand for viewing.

 

[MatthewA]

One I don't hear mentioned much but is a staple in our family for repeat viewing (similar to one's mentioned above) is BIG RED. What chances do any give for a future BIG RED blu-ray release? Are there issues? Currently, I have the region 2 DVD on hand for viewing.

They'll probably base their title selection on a combination of name recognition and transfer availability. This has an HD master streaming, so I imagine they'll get around to it eventually.

 

[warnerbro]

Do you think it might be possible that the way they got such beautiful picture quality is because they didn't add any extras? Did this allow for a higher bit rate and better quality picture? Just wondering. Anyone? Anyone? Robert Harris?

 

[LeoA]

Obviously, nobody wants the picture downgraded by sacrificing too much space for extras.


But especially in this era of Blu-Ray, an extensive selection of extras doesn't mean that a significant amount of disc capacity must be sacrificed to accommodate them. Many are presented in SD quality, taking up just a fraction of the space that the same amount of HD content would take up.


And while I think dual layer has pretty much always been the norm for feature length movies, anything that may be an exception to that rule could always accept a nominal increase in cost and double their capacity. Theoretically, extras that make a single layer Blu-Ray disc be inadequate for the needs at hand could actually lead to an improved picture for the feature itself by moving to a 50 gig dual layered disc with plenty of room for a less compressed film, while providing plenty of space for extras.


Lastly, a dual layer Blu-Ray isn't that expensive to make. If the extras are important and the publisher feels like it's worth the investment, going with a two disc edition is always an option. This is what the much missed Vault Disney line did with their extensive slate of extras a decade ago or so on DVD.

 

[warnerbro]

Thanks, Leo!

 

[Mark-P]

Do you think it might be possible that the way they got such beautiful picture quality is because they didn't add any extras? Did this allow for a higher bit rate and better quality picture? Just wondering. Anyone? Anyone? Robert Harris?

The single-layer discs aren't exactly maxed out. Old Yeller takes up 20.02 GB and Pollyanna takes up 18.5 GB. And no, I don't have that backwards. Pollyanna actually takes up less space than Old Yeller.

 

[RobertSiegel]

Oh how I wish they would release on Blu-ray the roadshow edition of The Happiest Millionaire. I just love the film and its music. Maybe it will eventually become a club release?


And, while they are at it, even though the picture quality may not match the original release master that was struck, I would love to see the restored Bedknobs and Broomsticks released on Blu-ray. What was released should have been a 2 disc set with that included. The movie is so much more emotional in the love story between Lansbury and Tomlinson, and the cut songs are terrific. I am aware that voice-overs were used as well, but still, they did as pretty good job, it's sad we didn't get that on the blu-ray.


Finaly I would love to see The One and Only Genuine Original Family Band. I love the Sherman Brothers music and this one has some good songs in it. I don't know if this was released in stereo, even the special edition DVD was mono, but of course that was pan and scan too.

 

[Mike Frezon]

+1 The Happiest Millionaire


+1 The One and Only Original Family Band

 

[Rob_Ray]

+1 The Happiest Millionaire


+1 The One and Only Original Family Band

One more sale here. I couldn't bring myself to buy BEDKNOBS on bluray. I don't want to see the abortive theatrical cut ever again any more than I want to see 1776's.

 

[Mike Frezon]

I listened closely this year during the Oscar telecast to see if the music director would be sneaking in any more music cues from the Happiest Millionaire...but, alas, I didn't hear any.


That was GREAT when the telecast actually started with one a year or two ago!

 

[Michael Rogers]

I have Pollyanna, The Parent Trap and In Search Of The Castaways to stream in high definition from VUDU. To me, Pollyanna always seemed the weakest of the 3 picture quality wise. I think they utilized the HD transfer used for the old DVD. Parent Trap is definitely a new post DVD release transfer. Not only does it look a lot better, it's opened up frame wise. You can see the tops of heads that were cut off on the DVD version. Of course, Castaways looks a lot better than the 4:3 DVD. Hope these do make it to blu ray.

 

[Joel Arndt]

I have Pollyanna, The Parent Trap and In Search Of The Castaways to stream in high definition from VUDU. To me, Pollyanna always seemed the weakest of the 3 picture quality wise. I think they utilized the HD transfer used for the old DVD. Parent Trap is definitely a new post DVD release transfer. Not only does it look a lot better, it's opened up frame wise. You can see the tops of heads that were cut off on the DVD version. Of course, Castaways looks a lot better than the 4:3 DVD. Hope these do make it to blu ray.

Agreed, along with That Darn Cat, one of the funniest movies Disney made.

 

[classicmovieguy]

"Summer Magic" is also quite underrated.

 

[LeoA]

I still need to watch The Moon-Spinners one of these days, but I like all of Hayley Mills' other classic Disney roles such as Summer Magic. Especially her two most famous parts, with That Darn Cat trailing a bit behind in 3rd.


It's not Disney, but I wish The Trouble With Angels, her only non Disney role that I've enjoyed (I would place this one just behind The Parent Trap and Pollyanna in my favorites list), would get the Blu-Ray treatment.


Especially since the DVD release was in such a butchered form thanks to being pan & scan. I've been sticking with my recording off TCM of this classic because of that.

 

[RonaldB]

I can't help but reply after reading these posts about why the extras are missing on virtually all of Disney's live action catalog BD releases. While I have no inside information or contacts, I'm an observer of Disney over decades, and I can notice trends. This is the company that purposefully puts movies on moratorium for 7 years to drive up prices and keep supply low, that refuses to release animated 3D BDs in the US because they don't make enough profit on them to be "worth the trouble" to make a 3D edition even though the 3D transfer already exists, that removes DVDs from BD+DVD combo packs because they are afraid people are going to sell off or give the individual discs to other people and deprive them of more revenue, and that releases most of their movies at MSRPs about $10 higher than anyone else.


While I have no proof, I'm 100% convinced that leaving off all the extras is a PURPOSEFUL strategy by Disney's marketing department to force people who already own the DVDs to keep them rather than sell them off and make a little money. I also believe leaving off the extras gives them an option for a double/trip dip with the extras sometime in the future if they want. Finally, I believe that they simply don't want to pay an employee a few extra days salary to add the existing extras to the BD. I'm actually very surprised to hear that Disney spent some money to do a restoration on Pollyanna. That is very out of character for them except on the most popular movies (such as Mary Poppins types). Normally they would just take whatever old laserdisc master they have from 20+ years ago, scan it at 2K, slap it onto a BD-25 with a ton of Disney movie ads and no extras, charge an outrageous price and/or make it exclusive, and call it a day. Typically Disney's motto is spend as little money on the product and charge as outrageously high a price for it as you can... they are brothers in spirit with Apple. People have called Disneyland the happiest place on earth, and I think the reason why our extras are missing on these BDs and why they will probably continue to be missing on future BDs is because IMHO Disney is the greediest company on earth. And I am one of the biggest fans of Walter Elias Disney and his old movies that exists, but unfortunately most of them are buried in the vault or have received pan & scan editions with horrible transfers (like Blackbeard's Ghost). We have one of the greatest treasure troves of family movies from the 1930's to 1970's being guarded by a company that guards some of their movie treasures like Smaug guarded his gold. You can't name a Disney movie from the 1940's to 1970's (up to but not including The Black Hole or The Last Flight of Noah's Ark) that I wouldn't love to own on DVD or better yet BD, but most of them I only have on VHS.


I believe everyone could write and complain to Disney about the lack of extras on these BDs until we're blue in the face, and it won't change a thing. When people complained about Oz getting split into 3D and 2D BD releases, Disney reluctantly provided an upgrade option for people and then stopped releasing animated 3Ds in part to punish us for our defiance and insolence in complaining about Oz. Complaining about missing extras to Disney would do about as much good as it would to complain to Smaug about him being a mean dragon and trying to convince him to be nice instead. I wish someone with Walt's heart and attitude were in charge of the studio and the marketing/accounting department, but we have to keep Disney stock doubling/tripling every few years. Those are my opinions.

 

[Will Krupp]

At the risk of getting hit with bricks, is anyone besides me slightly underwhelmed by the image on the blu-ray?

 

[warnerbro]

I just watched Pollyanna bluray. It was very clean and had amazing, sharp detail. I love the 1.66:1 ratio. I feel like we're seeing everything in the original film frame. And, again, there is not a spec of any damage to be seen anywhere and every hair and freckle on Haley Mills can be seen. However, the saturation and color were washed out and faded. This may be because of the original elements. And, I don't know what y'all are talking about -- I saw some special features: chapter stops and a plastic case. Obviously, a lot of work was done on this and I'm glad to have it in HD. This was the 55th anniversary special. Hold on to those DVDs.

 

[Will Krupp]

However, the saturation and color were washed out and faded.

Thank you. That's what I am seeing as well.