Disney Animated Features: What's Next on Blu-Ray? (1 Viewer)

[Ethan Riley]

After what seemed like an interminable delay, Disney has finally started catching up on its blu-ray animated feature releases, with the announcement of several titles this year alone. But even when Dumbo and the Lion King come out, we'll still have only 15 out of 50 animated features available. For the record, here's a list of all 50 films and I think I made it obvious which ones are on blu:


1. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)

2. Pinocchio (1940)

3. Fantasia (1940)

4. Dumbo (1941)

5. Bambi (1942)

6. Saludos Amigos (1943)

7. The Three Caballeros (1945)

8. Make Mine Music (1946)

9. Fun and Fancy Free (1947)

10. Melody Time (1948)

11. The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (1949)

12. Cinderella (1950)

13. Alice in Wonderland (1951)

14. Peter Pan (1953)

15. Lady and the Tramp (1955)

16. Sleeping Beauty (1959)

17. 101 Dalmatians (1961)

18. The Sword in the Stone (1963)

19. The Jungle Book (1967)

20. The Aristocats (1970)

21. Robin Hood (1973)

22. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977)

23. The Rescuers (1977)

24. The Fox and the Hound (1981)

25. The Black Cauldron (1985)

26. The Great Mouse Detective (1986)

27. Oliver & Company (1988)

28. The Little Mermaid (1989)

29. The Rescuers Down Under (1990)

30. Beauty and the Beast (1991)

31. Aladdin (1992)

32. The Lion King (1994)

33. Pocahontas (1995)

34. The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)

35. Hercules (1997)

36. Mulan (1998)

37. Tarzan (1999)

38. Fantasia 2000 (1999)

39. Dinosaur (2000)

40. The Emperor's New Groove (2000)

41. Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001)

42. Lilo and Stitch (2002)

43. Treasure Planet (2002)

44. Brother Bear (2003)

45. Home on the Range (2004)

46. Chicken Little (2005)

47. Meet the Robinsons (2007)

48. Bolt (2008)

49. The Princess and the Frog (2009)

50. Tangled (2010)


Just going down the list, we can see that Disney seems to be committed to putting out its earliest films, along with its most recent. There's only a small peppering of films between 1942 and 2005! The decades of the 1960s, 70s and 80s are still completely untouched.


Working through things logically, we might conclude that near future releases would continue on with the 40s. But almost all of the 40s releases were fairly forgettable package films. There's no great classics there. While they all appeared constantly on dvd, will Disney immediately put all their efforts into restoring these films for blu in the near future? Remember, all of their animated films on blu so far have not been produced as bare bones catalog titles: Disney has gone the deluxe route with these releases, with plenty of extras, three-disc packages with dvd and digital versions--the works. It's almost hard to believe they'd do the same thing for all the animated features; I can't imagine someone suddenly demanded a three-disc set of "Melody Time" for example.


Some solutions for 40s titles: Package "Saludos Amigos" and "The Three Caballeros" as a two-film set. Package "Melody Time" and "Make Mine Music" as a two-film set. Package "Ichabod and Mr. Toad" along with "Fun and Fancy Free" as a two-film set. I don't see any of these films as individual releases (maybe the latter two). These six films are pretty much only for hardcore collectors, although I might add that Disney has put them all out on dvd as family fare in the past. They're kinda not. Maybe the best case would be to put all six of them in one big boxed set, and market it only to collectors not little kids who probably won't be too interested in the first place?? I think it would be a shame to see the too-short "Saludos Amigos" made even shorter again simply because it had a brief scene of Goofy lighting a cigar; that kind of censorship shouldn't be carried over onto the blu-ray format. Notice that similar such scenes were not censored out (knowingly) from the Disney Treasures sets. Those sets were marketed toward collectors, not kids, and at least the first four films on this list should be marketed the same for their blu-ray versions.


The 50s thru the 80s: I think we can rest assured that all of these features will see the light of day at some point or other. Unlike their 40s package-film counterparts, all of these features are strong enough to hold their own on blu-ray shelves, with loads of extras and their digital 3-pack copies. For all of these features it's only a matter of time before they're all released, one by one. That said, I'm wondering if the "xeroxed" films, starting with 101 Dalmatians, are going to be problematic while converting to hi-def? Is that why we haven't seen any of them yet?


The "Big Bomb" era, circa 1995-2005. Disney released bomb after bomb in these days, and they sure released a lot of bombs! I feel that all of them will also see blu-ray releases at some point, but owing to the fact that most of them are mighty unpopular, I'd guess that these titles are pretty low on Disney's radar, at least until some of the big blockbusters come out.


My estimate: all 50 films will be released within the next six or seven years, by guessing that they'll do at least six a year from now on. Now keep in mind that Disney's not going to just port over any of these films from existing materials; they're doing full digital restoration work on all of them. That slows down the process, and Disney has to prioritize the ones that will be easiest to restore, and the ones it feels will sell the best on blu-ray. So I'd guess we'll see the rest of the popular 50s-70s movies next, along with some 80s and 90s blockbusters like Aladdin. Then as time goes on, they'll fill in the rest of the catalog.

 

[Mark-P]

We already know that Fox and the Hound is coming in September and Lady and the Tramp in the Spring of 2012.

 

[mattCR]

I think one of your big base assertions is wrong. 1995-2005 "Big Bombs" your timeline is definitely off.


Pocahontas wasn't another Lion King, but it was the fourth highest grossing film of 1995, and had more then $340M in total tickets. That's in 1995 dollars.

I don't care for Hunchback of Notre Dame, but $325M total.

Hercules was not a big success; but I would quickly grab it if it popped out on Blu. $225M total

Mulan was $305M total, and this would be a MUST BUY for me if it got Blu

Tarzan was HUGE box office.. $171M Domestic, $448M total

Dinosaur was chaos because of cost - but $140M domestic, $349M total

The Emporer's New Groove is probably started somewhat of the "eh" trend, $170M global, $90M domestic.. I would skip this

Atlantis: the Lost Empire was also $170M global I would buy it instantly

Lilo and Stich was $145M national, $270M global.. I would buy instantly.

Treasure Planet -was- a failure. $38M national, $118M total.. but this is one of my kid's favorite movies, and I admit, I really enjoy it. So it would be a day 1 buy.

Brother Bear was $85M national, $250M global, so not really a failure


With the exception of Emporer's New Groove, I would buy all of these on Blu. The 80s were a far darker period for Disney then 95-2005

 

[Adam Gregorich]

Great list, so many movies its hard to choose. Aristocats is my wife's favorite. Like Matt I really like Treasure Planet, Lilo and Atlantis. The Rescuers, Little Mermaid and Cinderella would be high on my list as well.



FYI Dinosaur is available on Blu-ray

 

[Johnny Angell]

Originally Posted by mattCR

With the exception of Emporer's New Groove, I would buy all of these on Blu. The 80s were a far darker period for Disney then 95-2005

Of the movies you discussed, I like ENG the best. Sure it was a different Disney movie, but I enjoyed it because of that. Not a classic, but fun never the less. Of the "bomb" movies, it's the only one I've watched multiple times. Different strokes.

 

[Jason_V]

I'm surprised we're not seeing The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh to tie into the new movie this fall, to be honest. I fall into the camp of getting any Disney Blu-ray from this list when it hits the shelf. Even movies I'm not enamored with, like Alice in Wonderland. Hercules has never had a proper SE release, nor has Treasure Planet. And I'd like a *real* BD of Dinosaur, too.

 

[mattCR]

Originally Posted by Jason_V

I'm surprised we're not seeing The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh to tie into the new movie this fall, to be honest. I fall into the camp of getting any Disney Blu-ray from this list when it hits the shelf. Even movies I'm not enamored with, like Alice in Wonderland. Hercules has never had a proper SE release, nor has Treasure Planet. And I'd like a *real* BD of Dinosaur, too.

I didn't even know there -was- a BD of Dinosaur until Adam mentioned it. Not at all. I have never seen it anywhere. But it should be obvious to go to blu. It would be a "pass" for me though.. but still that was news to me. You're absolutely right on Treasure Planet and Hercules. Hercules has some good, fun moments. But Treasure Planet to me is surprisingly beautiful on DVD. Some of the space scenes really sell. And while a lot of people give it hell for changing up "Treasure Island" I thought it was a very creative take on it, and I loved the entire storyline of the main character. It also has one of the most memorable disney songs in any film (IMHO)

 

[TonyD]

I'm just curious why some of those on your list are green, maybe a missed it in the post.

 

[Ethan Riley]

Originally Posted by TonyD

I'm just curious why some of those on your list are green, maybe a missed it in the post.

They're supposed to be blue; those are the ones that are available, or coming on blu-ray.


Mark P: for the upcoming ones, I only put up those with confirmed release dates, not the ones that have been otherwise rumored or announced. Where was Lady and the Tramp announced? Was it a preview on a recent dvd? I haven't heard about it myself. I've got other rumors about Aladdin and Cinderella for 2012. I'm pretty sure those are next, but ya never know--


I didn't know about Dinosaur either; I really had to look for that one online. Apparently, it's been on blu for years and was just recently re-released. I don't think I've ever actually seen a copy; then again, I wasn't really looking for it. I have it on dvd--it's ok, but I don't think I wanna double-dip on that one.

 

[RickER]

Originally Posted by TonyD

I'm just curious why some of those on your list are green, maybe a missed it in the post.

Looks blue on my end.

 

[Ethan Riley]

Originally Posted by Ethan Riley

Mark P: for the upcoming ones, I only put up those with confirmed release dates, not the ones that have been otherwise rumored or announced. Where was Lady and the Tramp announced? Was it a preview on a recent dvd? I haven't heard about it myself. I've got other rumors about Aladdin and Cinderella for 2012. I'm pretty sure those are next, but ya never know--

N/m...I found the ad online. It was from an insert in a recent dvd. I blu'ed out their spots on this list lol

 

[Aaron Silverman]

From the so-called "Bomb" era I consider Mulan, Emperor's New Groove, and Lilo & Stitch to be classics (especially L&S). Absolute must-buys on Blu for me. Most of the others I could take or leave.

 

[AaronMK]

Considering the good films interspersed in that "bomb" era, both critically and financially, I think the characterization is a bit misplaced. There was Emperor's New Groove, Mulan, Fantasia 2000, Lilo & Stitch, and especially Tarzan. The latter, while not quite fitting the prevalent prince/princess/royal family theme, would have been right at home in the Little Mermaid - Lion King era. If the rest simply mediocre, they would have just been overlooked, much like Rescuers Down Under. However, instead being forgettable, many were grave missteps, or crossed certain lines in the sand, making them stick in peoples' minds. (That doesn't necessarily make them bad films.)


There was Pocahontas, which pretty much mutilated a piece of American history, and Hercules which did the same for Greek mythology. Hunchback, was dark, sometimes nightmarish, and not appropriate for children content-wise. It was marketed at kids, but many parents considered it a mistake taking them to see it. While not the stuff of nightmares that was Hunchback, I remember similar criticism for Atlantis. That, along with Treasure Planet were missteps in that they had no real audience. They were a bit mature for kids, not really "cool" enough for the teen crowd to which it seemed Disney was trying to reach out, and not the kinds of things that adults, who might appreciate them, were likely to go see.


Maybe the "tainted era" is more like it.


--


Anyway, thanks for the effort you put into the list.


Atlantis, Mulan, and Emperor's New Grove I would definitely get. I'm eagerly awaited Lilo & Stitch and Tarzan. Where are they?!

 

[cafink]

I really love some of the films from the late 90s & early 2000s. I'd love to get Mulan, Tarzan, and Atlantis on Blu-ray.

 

[Jason_V]

Considering the good films interspersed in that "bomb" era, both critically and financially, I think the characterization is a bit misplaced. There was Emperor's New Groove, Mulan, Fantasia 2000, Lilo & Stitch, and especially Tarzan. The latter, while not quite fitting the prevalent prince/princess/royal family theme, would have been right at home in the Little Mermaid - Lion King era. If the rest simply mediocre, they would have just been overlooked, much like Rescuers Down Under. However, instead being forgettable, many were grave missteps, or crossed certain lines in the sand, making them stick in peoples' minds. (That doesn't necessarily make them bad films.)


There was Pocahontas, which pretty much mutilated a piece of American history, and Hercules which did the same for Greek mythology. Hunchback, was dark, sometimes nightmarish, and not appropriate for children content-wise. It was marketed at kids, but many parents considered it a mistake taking them to see it. While not the stuff of nightmares that was Hunchback, I remember similar criticism for Atlantis. That, along with Treasure Planet were missteps in that they had no real audience. They were a bit mature for kids, not really "cool" enough for the teen crowd to which it seemed Disney was trying to reach out, and not the kinds of things that adults, who might appreciate them, were likely to go see.


Maybe the "tainted era" is more like it.


--


Anyway, thanks for the effort you put into the list.


Atlantis, Mulan, and Emperor's New Grove I would definitely get. I'm eagerly awaited Lilo & Stitch and Tarzan. Where are they?!

I don't know...I like to give credit where credit is due. Instead of doing the same thing over and over again, Disney tried to branch out. Did it always work? No. But then, nothing ever does. In terms of mutilating history, I don't hold that against them. Disney is in the entertainment, not history text book, business. The first thing they need to worry about is making a good movie. Playing fast and loose with the facts is secondary. Most movies and TV shows do the same.

 

[Edwin-S]

There is quite a few films from Disney's 95-2005 output that I would probably pick up if it wasn't for their out to lunch pricing. I thought that Hunchback of Notre Dame had a bad message that really brought the film down, but I would pick it up just for the scene where the Cardinal is fantasizing about Esmeralda. That scene alone is almost worth buying the film. The scene with the Notre Dame cathedral near the end of the film looks rather spectacular too. I also kind of liked Hercules, even if it wasn't accurate to Greek mythology. I would definitely pick up Lilo and Stitch, Tarzan, Atlantis, ENG, Treasure Planet and possibly even Mulan. I've always thought that Treasure Planet was unfairly maligned. Except for the annoying robot, I actually liked the film a lot. The relationship that develops between LJS and Jim Hawkins is one of the better done ones in a Disney animated film. LJS was actually pretty well the most complex villain portrayed in a Disney animated film.