DVD Review HTF REVIEW: The Little Mermaid - Disappointingly NOT Recommended

David, thanks for the in-depth review and all the time and effort you put into it. Sadly, I imagine that the mega-corp juggernaut that Disney is will hardly notice or care about such observations. I hope I'm wrong and they make amends, certainly for Blu-ray if not a DVD reissue, but I'm pessimistic.

Based on your comments I'm surprised you gave the sound even a 2.5. Seems like a 1.5 or 2.0 would be more appropriate.
By the way ...The proper word here is "aspersions."

 

Thanks for the review. Looks like another laserdisc to hang onto for awhile.

 

I just read the UltimateDisney.com review. As you predicted David, others don't seem to hear anything wrong. Here is what it says, in part, about the DEHT mix:
I am torn. I don't want to get this based on your review, and because I don't want to "reward" Disney for shoddy work, but I am really curious to do a comparison with my Limited Issue DVD to see if I hear the kind of audio differences you describe. I've always been a lot more attuned to video quality than audio when watching a movie, but I think if I focus on the sound I can hear significant differences.

 

Thanks for the review DaViD.

I pre-ordered at TDS and am getting ready to go get it. Hopefully I will find it less objectionable than you do. All I have is the VHS so this is a no-brainer. The extras sound pretty good.

Obviously the orig. audio is the proper answer here but short of that I thought it was part of the DVD spec to have a 2.0 track. I guess I'm confused on that. Could someone help me out?

Also, just out of curiosity, have you checked the other 5.1 tracks (non-English)?

 

I actually had a dream today about coming across a laserdisc copy of this movie in a mom-and-pop video store. It cost only 7 dollars in my dream and I was going to pick it up along with a VHS copy of a fictional 80s teen movie called "Bitchin'". Before that could happen, though, I woke up and I couldn't get back to sleep. Real Xanadu stuff...

On to the DVD: I will be purchasing it, warts and all. I've waited years for this title, and I look forward to seeing the images and hearing the songs, even though they aren't in good condition.

Sincerely,

John Kilduff...

I'll still hold on to my VHS copy, though. I was able to get a copy with the infamous "dick cover" off Half.com several years back.

 

I agree with your thoughts Mike, but I'm depressed. Why? Here we are *10 years* after the roll out of SD DVD back in '97, and a major studio that should be leading the industry in home video quality and technology is *still* producing releases that are plagued with audio/video QC problems. Companies with the talent, resources, and experience of Disney simply should not be making grade-school level mistakes with their DVD releases, particularly on tent pole titles like "The Little Mermaid". It's just beyond me. At this point in the game they shouldn't need letter writing campaigns, phone calls, or petitions from consumers asking them to get their act together.

It's extremely discouraging to me that there's still a need for people to be discussing the points you make in your post here at the end of 2006.

 

Once you're done, perhaps you should send a copy to Disney so they can start replicating it.

 

Yeah, Mike, that's exactly what I was referring to.

What a cluster this release is shaping up to be!

The sad thing is that I will hold my nose and buy this thing anyway. I sold the LD years ago and never bothered with the original bare-bones DVD release.

It amazes me that Disney now appears to be putting more effort into their TV-DVD releases (Lost, Grey's Anatomy, etc.) instead of the animated classics that the company was founded on.

 

I'll give it a spin and see if I agree with David.

 

David,

Great review. Thanks for all of the work. Spending two hours switching among four audio sources does not sound like my idea of fun.

I'll be passing on this.

Your description of the picture quality (blurry characters, clear backgrounds) sounds a lot like Sleeping Beauty which was also 'restored' in a strange non-ultrarez manner.

-Reagan

 

I'm a little surprised at how many people indicate that they are disappointed with this release, but plan to purchase it anyway. Some have indicated that they'll register their displeasure via an angry letter to Disney. I'm sure Disney will be quite happy to receive as many angry letters as you're willing to send as long as you keep buying their (substandard) DVDs.

Seriously, what incentive does does Disney have to do better if the only people who'd even notice such a problem (your typical HTF denizens) don't care enough to vote with their wallet?

 

I'm in the minority of people who never really warmed to this film. I was going to buy this out of completeness, but I think I'll wait for a better presentation.

This is easilly one of the best DVD reviews I've ever read. Great, great work David.

 

exactly....

 

I like this film (I saw it twice in its original run and once in the reissue), but I think I'll wait for HD or try and get it on the cheap.

I do have two reservations about it: 1) why does Ariel dislike being a mermaid? The ability to breathe both in and out of water ought to be a definite positive aspect. 2) I thought Eric the handsome prince was pretty dull. I wouldn't change my species for him.

 

I'm very disappointed to read the review, but judging from the very lacking quality of that Disney Rareities tin last year, I guess I shouldn't be surprised.

I have pre-ordered this and will watch and listen for myself. However, I may just end up burning my own DVD from the laserdisc I have. Glad I hung on to it.