Disney's Sleeping Beauty (1 Viewer)

[KDHM]

This is a review of the German DVD Link Removed but I am putting it here, as a preview of the R1 release where more people interested in Disney will see it. (Mods Feel free to move to R2 releases if you see differently.)
As disc one opens you are swept into the forest by three glowing Dots (Pink - Flora, Green – Fauna, Blue -Merryweather) up the hill and inside the castle, and into the tower where the Golden Book of Sleeping Beauty opens revealing the Menu for the DVD.
Set Up
Scene Selection
Bonus Material
Play Film
The Bonus Material
“The Making of Sleeping Beauty” (I believe this is the same Documentary that was on the laser disc.)
“Rescue Aurora Adventure Game”
“Ink and Paint Studio” (line Drawings where you choose the right color to fill in)
The Film
Sleeping Beauty is presented Anamorphic 1:2.35 in Dolby 5.1 and was given a complete digital restoration, and the film looks better than I have ever seen it. Because of the style of the animation with perfect flat colors and bold Design the restoration works better for me than it did on Snow White giving the film the strong graphic story book design look that the animators were striving for. The film also sounds great with a strong directional mix, since Sleeping Beauty was released 70mm I am guessing this is the original mix just cleaned up and adapted to DD.
Disc Two
For those that don’t speak German disc two is a mixed bag. Disc Two opens with the same book turned to a new page (only in German)
Die Geschiehte (Story) (text in German and story boards)
(*The next six are all short documentaries in English but overdubbed in German)
*Die Produktion
*Die Musik von “Dornröschen”
*Das Design
*Wie die hintergründe entstanden (How the backgrounds emerged)
*Vorbilder aus dem echten Leben (Examples out of the real life) (the live action reference film for the artists)
*Die Restaurierunmg (The restoration )
Vergleich Widescreen & Pan-and-Scan (This is very cool, it shows about six minutes of footage from the film with a P&S image on the top and a widescreen image underneath so you can see what you would be missing if the film were released in P&S, I wish every widescreen film would open with something like this.
Virtuelle Galerien (Virtual gallery) (Different rooms in the castle computer generated and filled with different artwork from the film much like the “Snow White” disc.)
Bildergalerien (Picture Gallery) (More artwork)
(*All of the next three films are in English with non-removable German Subs)
*“ 4 artists paint 1 tree” (1:33)(A 1958 TV show on how four of the artists working on Sleeping Beauty work together then having them go out into the country and paint the same tree to show how different each can work on his own)
*The Peter Tchaikousky Story (1:33)(a 1959 live action segment from the Disneyland TV show on the life of the composer from childhood to the premiere of his “Sleeping Beauty Ballet”
*Grand Canyon (1:2.35) (The 1959 Oscar for best Short film went to this film originally shown with “Sleeping Beauty” Grofe’s “Grand Canyon Suite” in 5.1 Dolby and The Grand Canyon in Cinemascope.)
kd

 

[Claes Ljunghorn]

it shows about six minutes of footage from the film with a P&S image on the top and a widescreen image underneath so you can see what you would be missing if the film were released in P&S

Interesting since "Sleeping beauty" will be relased in P&S ONLY in many European countrys. I'l bet that feature wont be on those disc´s!

 

[Gabe D]

Has the Region 1 release been 100% confirmed? I mean, obviously it'll happen sooner or later, but do we know a date?

 

[Marty Christion]

I think the "Castle Walkthrough" is a re-creation of the interior of Sleeping Beauty's Castle at Disneyland in California. It is a hallway with artwork depicting scenes from the movie in little windows on either side.

 

[Craig Beam]

SLEEPING BEAUTY is one of my holy grail Disney titles (along with BAMBI), and it's just killing me that it's not yet available in Region 1, especially considering the fact that it's not a Platinum title. C'mon already!!!!!!!!!!

 

[David Illingworth II]

Yeah, when is Sleeping Beauty coming out here? It's awesome at the end with that cool sword and shield. There are so many great animated titles we still have to wait for. At least I've already got Nightmare Before Christmas and the Toy Story Box.

I will give some credit to Disney here. Although they are way too slow with the Platinum releases, at least they are putting out some nice SEs at a faster pace. We've had Peter Pan and Dumbo in the past 4 months.

 

[Adam_S]

I thought sleeping beauty was a platinum title?

Adam

 

[LukeB]

No, Sleeping Beauty is not a Platinum title.

Check the link in my profile for a listing of all 40 Disney animated classics and their DVD status in Region 1.

 

[Josh Simpson]

Wow, that's a surprise. I was sure it would be Platiunm. Nevertheless, I'm maybe more pumped about that animated classic than any other.

 

[LukeB]

The decision for what 10 movies to be included as part of the Platinum Collection was based solely on video sales, which tend to be the favorites. That doesn't mean they're the best movies, but people tend to buy them in great numbers. Personally, I wouldn't be surprised if Disney somehow modifies the Platinum concept idea over time. I mean, the current plan calls for Snow White to be put back on the DVD market in 2011, Beauty and the Beast in 2012...like a repeating cycle. It just seems odd and too spread out. But the Platinum sets rule. And as seen in other solid DVD releases, non-Platinum DVDs can be great as well...I'm hoping Pinocchio, one of my all-time favorites, can get a better DVD out sometime also.

 

[Dick]

I have little doubt that a release similar to the one descibed will turn up here eventually. Disney is just doing an outstanding job of giving us what we want these past two years.

 

[Anne M]

Is there any word as to what the special features for this film will be like? This is my very favorite Disney movie, so I'm very anxious for some word on the DVD. I hope it'll get the treatment it deserves, especially considering the fact that it's not a Platinum title. A two-disc set would be glorious, but at this point, I'd be satisfied just seeing it in widescreen.

 

[Mark-W]

I had it on widescreen VHS, and even that
had a making of featurette.
I think this is coming out on DVD in region 1
before the end of 2002, but as Buena Vista Home Video
has proven, they are apt to change release schedules
as they feel best fits the marketplace.
What kind of titles do they have coming out in
early summer?
It seems like we are getting Beauty
and the Beast in fall, and The Hunchback
of Notre Dame in March, but no non-Platinum
biggies in the interim? That seems odd.
Mark

 

[Quint van der Vaart]

I just recently asked Disney about when they will release this title on dvd and they told me that they don't have a releasedate planned at this moment.

Ofcourse this can change any time but it is to bad that in other countries it will be released and not in region 1.

The fact that it will be P&S makes me sick.

Also I asked about Basil : The Great Mouse Detective and there wasn't a date for this one also.

Greetz

 

[David Lambert]

Thanks for the update, Quint...we can always count on you for solid Disney info (or Disney's lack of info, in this case! ).
Of the 40 "Masterpiece" titles, Disney has released one already this year: Atlantis just came out on 1/29.
Hunchback of Notre Dame is 3/19. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh streets on 5/7 (you forgot that one, Mark!). Beauty and the Beast - Platinum Edition hits in October, probably the 8th or the 15th.
Oliver and Company (along with non-Masterpiece title So Dear to my Heart) was scheduled to hit in June (or was it July?) 2001, but was "delayed indefinitely to wait for a better release window per Link Removed (which may or may not know what it's talking about). So that implies that this is mastered and ready-to-go, but is being kept back in the vaults for some reason having to do with maximizing profit potential. Nice. It could come out at a moment's notice. In fact, Amazon will take your pre-order for it!
So among the non-Platinum releases, that leaves The Great Mouse Detective, Sleeping Beauty, and the original The Rescuers to go.
Do we REALLY expect Disney to let all of their cats of the bag in 2002? I perceive that they will hold those back until 2003. In fact, Sleeping Beauty is big enough to hold onto for a Christmas release, methinks.
But I expect The Rescuers to be the last one of these out on DVD; it had the most recent VHS release just before DVD got big (in fact, many Disney collectors will recall the recall, due to the flap over the "nude" scene (details here)...I got one of the "illicit" tapes in my collection, and I expect that to be altered on DVD, no matter WHAT Roy Disney says about cencorship).
Although EVERY title I've mentioned has been rumored to come out in 2002 at one time or another, I'm sure some of it was wishful thinking and the rest may have been contemplated but then officially changed. I just don't expect more than Atlantis, Hunchback, Pooh, and BatB myself!

 

[John_McKittrick]

I have the LD to hold me over.

Doc

 

[Quint van der Vaart]

Hey David , you can always buy the region 02 dvd of The Rescuers and Sleeping Beauty on dvd.

Here are some specs :

THE RESCUERS

* The Water Birds Disney Featurette

* Three Blind Mouseketeers Cartoon

* "Someone's Waiting For You" Sing-along

* Behind The Scene's with the Disney Villains

* The Rescues Scrapbook

* The Ultimate Case Interactive Game

Presented in Anamorphic Widescreen with Dolby Digital 5.1 audio.

SLEEPING BEAUTY

* Ink and Paintstudio - Colour your favourite characters

* Art Attack - How to make a magic castle

* The Making of Sleeping Beauty

* Rescue Princess Aurora - Interactive Game

* Virtual Galleries

Presented in Anamorphic Widescreen with Dolby Digital 5.1

Oliver & Co was released last year in Europe but should come to dvd in the States in 2002.

I also expect The Rescuers , Sleeping Beauty and Basil to come to dvd in 2002 on region 01.

Also there is enough coming from Disney in Region 01 this year :

Hunchback Of The Notre Dame 1 03-19-2002

Hunchback Of The Notre Dame 2 03-19-2002

Winnie The Pooh Adventure 05-14-2002

Return To Never-Land 08-..-2002

Beauty And The Beast Platinum 10-08-2002

Monsters Inc. Collector's Edition ..-..-2002

Lilo & Stitch Collector's Edition ..-..-2002/2003

Greetz

 

[Charles S]

Well, Sleeping Beauty is arguably the best animated film ever to come out of the Disney Studios! I personally like Beauty and the Beast, and perhaps Lady and the Tramp a little better, but my God...Sleeping Beauty is an absolutely awesome movie!
I am very surprised it is not a "Platinum" title considering Walt Disney himself saw this one as the pinnacle of their achievements when it was released!
And if I'm not mistaken, it was the second highest grossing film of that year, (1958???) behind only Ben Hur! So we're talking a classic movie here!
It does worry me though, that it has NOT been titled as either a "Platinum" or "Gold"...until I read this thread that it had been released in R2...I doubted they had any intention of releasing this one any time soon! I was afraid they'd hold out like they did with Fantasia back in the 80's and simply title it as "Walt Disney's Masterpiece, Sleeping beauty"....if they had done that, who knows how long it would be before it would be out! (I feared years, and years)
This information gives me some hope that it will be released sometime in the next couple years...but still, I'd love to have it now!
The Laserdisc was very good, but not what a SE DVD could be....plus my Laserdisc player is broke, and I just don't have what it takes to put in my VHS copy of it!

 

[Lars Vermundsberget]

Quote: "But I expect The Rescuers to be the last one of these out on DVD; it had the most recent VHS release just before DVD got big (in fact, many Disney collectors will recall the recall, due to the flap over the "nude" scene (details here)...I got one of the "illicit" tapes in my collection, and I expect that to be altered on DVD, no matter WHAT Roy Disney says about cencorship)."

---

Sure, as this wouldn't really have much to do with censorship at all, since those few "nude" frames weren't part of the movie in the first place...

 

[David Lambert]

I am very surprised it is not a "Platinum" title...

I agree. I've been surprised that The Jungle Book, for instance, made it as a Platinum title and not Sleeping Beauty. However, maybe that's just personal opinion of these films shining through here. I have no idea what everyone else thinks of The Jungle Book.