Mary Poppins to be remastered 16x9 Anamorphic and New Pinocchio transfer??? (1 Viewer)

[Brandon Conway]

You may be interested to know the 'I Ain't No Fool' shorts have been passed!

Excellent!
Hopefully these will make it to the Region 1 DVD (and there's really no reason they shouldn't).

 

[Ron Etaylor]

I'm willing to buy both titles again but I'll wait to see what you guys think first.

 

[James Reader]

The UK R2 version of Pinocchio has been announced Here
No mention if the film is restored or not, but I would imagine it will be, as the UK got a barebones release a few years ago (now, as will all things Disney OOP). Disney UK must know what is going on at Disney US... surly?
Update: the press release does indeed state

now, restored and re-mastered with enhanced picture and sound quality, Pinocchio is being released onto Disney DVD and video for a new generation to enjoy over and over again.

I would expect a similar release in the USA soon, after all the original Pinocchio and Gold Edition are both OOP aren't they?

 

[LukeB]

I would expect a similar release in the USA soon, after all the original Pinocchio and Gold Edition are both OOP aren't they?

Yes, they are.

The R2 extras are underwhelming, but then anything is better than the barebones disc currently out. Maybe the R1 will have more extras.

I think Pinocchio deserves the kind of DVD treatment that Snow White, Fantasia, and even Dumbo received, in terms of supplements.

 

[James Reader]

Luke I agree - all Disney animated titles deserve the full 2 disc treatment.
However this is not to be. I agreee the R2 announcment seems poor - it's basically what the R1 Gold Edition should have been instead of the repackaging of the Limited Edition it was.
I've got the R1 Gold Edition and I'm in two minds about this re-release and will probably wait for a R1 announcment (a commentaty would be nice like on the Dumbo disc).
BTW: Disney UK seem to be sitting on their Mulan release - booklets printed last year had a May 2002 release listed which never arrived. Could Disney be planning something special for a Mulan re-release? Mulan II (DTV) is due in 2003 is it not?

 

[LukeB]

I just remembered that Pinocchio got a Deluxe Laserdisc Box set, details of which Mouse Planet covers here:
http://www.mouseplanet.com/hometheater/ht010730.htm
Even if some of the physical stuff won't practically be ported over to DVD (like the soundtrack and commemorative book), the documentary disc "Pinocchio - Making of a Masterpiece" sounds far better than the brief making-of featurette that the R2 announced, and with 3 trailers.
There really is no reason that can't be ported over and that along with Canemaker doing a commentary a la Peter Pan and Dumbo would make for a one disc Special Edition that I'd be pleased with.
If they've gone and spent money on a digital remastering, I don't see why not include the laserdisc extras they already have?

 

[Jefferson]

Let's call this an "elusive intermission"

I saw TITANIC in Minneapolis, and the theater inserted
an intermission.
No fanfare, they just shut the film off at one point
and flipped the lights on.
I then saw the film again and it was inserted in a different spot,
which seemed just as arbitrarily chosen.

It is widely known that when KING AND I was
rereleased in the early 60's, Fox created an
intermission not used in the original 1956 release.
The previous video versions did not include it,
including the grand anniversary edition laserdisc...
and yet the current DVD, and showings on cable
HAVE included it.

It is no wonder we are a tad confused...
and POPPINS seems no exception.

 

[Jake Lipson]

Pinocchio was the first movie I ever saw in a theater - during its 1992 reissue, I think. I already snapped up the R1 Gold disc, but would double dip for a SE in a heartbeat. Knowing that the remaster is being handled by the team that did the recent Snow White and Peter Pan remasters is definitly good news.

I have yet to buy the Mary Poppins Gold and it's killing me not to have it on DVD. But the news that it too will be getting a remaster job makes me wonder if I should wait. Of course, the minute I decide I can't wait any longer and run out to buy the Gold, they'll announce the two-disc Vault Disney special edition I know is coming.

As for Mulan - I still need to pick up that one and Tarzan from last year's batch of OOP titles. I'm pretty sure that Tarzan won't be getting much better treatment for a while, since it already has a two-disc collector's edition, but I'm undecided as to if I should just go buy the current Mulan or wait for the possibility of a Special Edition. Anyone?

Re Mary Poppins' mystery intermission - I would probably be kind of annoyed if the intermission titles were to show up in the main feature on a future DVD since that's not how I'm used to seeing it, but I see no reason why these couldn't be included as an extra feature.