DVD Review HTF REVIEW: The Lion King (TOTALLY RECOMMENDED!!!) (1 Viewer)

[Neil Joseph]

Awesome a/v breakdown. If Disney do the same for Finding Nemo, I will be in dvd heaven.

 

[Edwin-S]

The description of the picture quality is good news. It is especially nice to see this news:

There is absolutely no edge enhancement on this disc.

I wish the same could be said for Columbia/Tristars Superbit edition of Leon: The Professional. I bought the disc because I thought it would be a better quality transfer than the older versions and in a lot of ways it is, but there is one hell of a lot of haloing for a format that touts "superior picture quality".

 

[Dan Rudolph]

I'm taking it this was a direct digital trasfer from the CAPS files?

 

[DaViD Boulet]

Dan,

It certainly looks that way.

On that note, if you wouldn't mind answering a quick question. When I get the DVD and put it in my player and load the menu and all that, if I just press play on the main menu, what will happen? On the Beauty and the Beast DVD (which has three cuts of the film) if I do that it automatically defaults to the special edition. Since with Beauty and the Beast I prefer the special edition, it doesn't really matter to me there, but I still wish they had had a second menu that pops up upon pressing play asking to select a version (kind of like selecting WS or P&S for Sleeping Beauty) instead of me having to go to the setup menu and pick. Is this done on The Lion King? If not, which cut does it default to? I'm hoping you'll say it defaults to the theatrical version but I have an awful lurking suspicion that it's the other way around -- be honest! Which one is it?

Your suspicians are correct...pressing "play" starts the special edition. One must go to the set-up menu to explicity root-out the theatrical cut.

BTW, I agree with your thoughts...I'd like a "prompt" splash screen that asks me which version I'd like to view after I hit the "play" button.

You and I also see eye-to-eye about the morning report inclusion. Are we brothers?

Oh...haven't had a chance to compare commentary to the CAV LD (I don't own it) but I'll comment once I get a chance (a friend has it) and anyone else feel free to chime in!

dave

 

[Lou Sytsma]

Great review - thanks for your thorough job!

 

[Aaryn Chan]

I head there's an audio glitch at the morning report branch, on the theatrical cut.

can you give details?

Btw, about the black bars, what happens on a 4:3 tv? do we see them on the sides also?

 

[Adam_S]

Aaryn, nope. 1.66:1 is one of the wierd ratios that falls just between the old academy standard of 1.33:1 and the new widescreen standard of 1.78:1. So on a 4.3 TV you'll see very thin bars along the bottom of your TV (unless overscan eats most of them), and on a widescreen TV you'll see very thin bars along the sides of your TV (unless overscan eats into them). Of course Pillarboxing (the side bars on a widescreen tv) only happens when the studios encode 1.66:1 anamorphically. There are several studios (such as WB, MGM) that do not spend the extra dollar on anamorphic encoding for these titles. That means that the 1.66 image will be windowboxed (bars on all four sides) on a widescreen TV--large pillars on the sides as you would have for a 1.33 image, and then the thin bars on the top and bottom you would have seen on the 1.33 image anyway. This means owners of widescreen sets have to use the zoom function on their set, which is often problematic and doesn't look nearly as good as anamorhpic encoding.

 

[Dan Rudolph]

Adam, an anamorphic 1.66 movie will have the same size black bars on a 4:3 tv as a 1.78 movie. It may also have black bars at the side, but they'll be thin or completely hidden depending on your overscan.

 

[Richard Kim]

Yeah, on my old 4:3 TV, an anamorphic 1.66:1 DVD look just like a 1.78:1 one, while on a non-anamorphic 1.66:1 DVD, the black bars will be even smaller. It's because of the overscan.

 

[Kevin Porter]

I remember getting a VHS copy of this and thinking it was the greatest thing ever. But the more I've aged, the more these animated classics have somehow lost their magic. I think purchasing this might be a waste but it's been so long since I've seen it. I purchased Snow White and Beauty and the Beast but I feel that they haven't appealed, charmed, and entertained me like they should. It kind of feels empty. I don't know.

 

[Artur Meinild]

This disc was sent to me some days ago, I really look forward to getting it SOON!!!

 

[Jerome Grate]

I occasionally comment about reviews other than the typical this is on my shelf, but this review is just OUTSTANDING. Well thought out, informative and it absolutely excites me to be the first in line at the store to get this. This review is just great, and now I'll say I have to add this one to my shelf

 

[Aaryn Chan]

How big is the video stream only? I know that Finding Nemo's video stream is around 4.0gb (or less).

 

[Steve Christou]

Epic review David.
Looking forward to getting my paws on this one soon.

 

[Paul Anthony]

Impressive review David, can't wait to hear the new enhanced soundtrack.

 

[Adam_Reiter]

Wow David! That has got to be the most in-depth and lengthy video and audio review sections for a DVD in HISTORY! Thanx for the extra effort on this one. I am sure it took FOREVER to type up.

Not like anyone WASN'T going to buy this DVD in the first place, but now it's just 200% more validated thanx to your review.

And I most definitly cannot wait to hear this new crazy soundtrack. I am sure it will be one of my new demo disks.

 

[Herb Kane]

Another super review David! Looking forward to this disc.

Herb.

 

[Scott Petoff]

What an incredible and well written review! Thanks so much for taking the time and effort to write something both comprehensive and informative while being just plain fun to read. Certainly one of the best reviews I've seen both online and off.

I'm glad you detailed the home theater 5.1 audio channel, as I would have had no idea this was available otherwise. I'm hoping Disney promotes this new feature, as it will encourage more home theater purchases/upgrades. I'll be sure to try it out. I can't wait to purchase this one and see this DVD in all its story, sound, and color!

 

[Jeremy Allin]

You know, I wasn't even considering purchasing this ...

After reading all of the enthusiastic reviews I started to think to my Lion King experience. I'm not sure if I have ever seen the entire movie but I do remember going to see the stage version in Toronto in 1997 or 1998. Memories began to come back to me about how enjoyable it was.

Now, with all this talk about stellar audio/video, I can't wait.

 

[Scott>G]

Amazing review! I am definetly going to buy this DVD based on your recommendation. Can't wait!