Should we boycott Disney DVD? (1 Viewer)

[Patrick McCart]

Seeing how Disney has been constantly doing what we consider "bad" stuff to many of their recent DVD, should we just boycott them until they get their act together?

It would be pretty bad publicity for Disney if the entire Home Theater Forum did this... and likely would fix the discs they rushed out.

Here are the following points I think are important as things they should fix:

B&W version of Absent Minded Professor

Uncensored Who Framed Roger Rabbit Roger Rabbit

OAR for all their MAR releases

Fix other uncensored DVDs such as Fantasia, Saludas Amigos, Make Mine Music, and Melody Time

any other travesty they've made...


Any opinions on this?

 

[Rob Ray]

I wouldn't call for a 100% boycott. I strongly urge you to support them when they do things right, as with the latest batch of Disney Tin releases and the Vault Disney titles like "Pollyanna." You have to let them know when they do things right in addition to when they do things wrong. Otherwise, they might not get the message.

"The Absent-Minded Professor" was colorized well over ten years ago, and I suspect the 1980s' transfer has been dusted off and slapped onto DVD. If that's the case, it wouldn't be worth my time and money even if it weren't colorized. I already have the B&W laserdisc. Boycott this release rather than all Disney titles, so that they know WHICH transfers you don't like.

 

[David Rogers]

I never buy a disc I'm not happy with. I am sometimes forced to buy a disc that I'm only partially happy with, however.

I think very long and hard about purchases when I have objections, as they DO NOT CARE what I think so long as I pay. In other words, there is no value in buying and complaining. You already bought it; they don't care what you think anymore. There is value, sometimes, in complaining but not buying.

Disney is the worst DVD studio when it comes to flat out stupid stuff that dvd consumers froth at the mouth over. Paramount remains the most apathetic studio with their continuing high precentages of barebones releases.

Vote with your dollars, best advice for a consumer. Sad but true.

 

[Peter Kline]

"We"? I buy what I want, whether from Disney or any other studio. It depends on the product. As far as DVD consumers "frothing" over "bad, stupid" things Disney does - well, that isn't true. They sell more home video product then any other studio and they do produce some excellent product. You can't please everybody I guess. In the end its the FILM that counts not the extra stuff for me. We are not ENTITLED to extras you know.

 

[Todd Robertson]

Maybe we should boycott the dvd industry first. I mean if they are putting out poorly manufactured discs that are just gonna die in a few years, Disney products wont even be around to watch...or anything else. after that...boycott whoever.

 

[Sarah S]

No, we are not entitled to extras. That is why they are called extras.

However, I disagree that Disney doesn't make bad, stupid mistakes. Such as p&s-ing many of its films. In such cases, people don't even get the entire film that they pay for.

 

[Rob Gardiner]

I agree that we should only boycott those specific discs that are inferior in some way. Otherwise we run the risk of sending mixed messages. "They don't want SNOW DOGS in pan & scan, nor do they want HEAVENLY CREATURES uncut in its OAR".

I also believe that positive reinforcement is important. Whenever I call Disney's support line to complain about a MAR disc or horribly remixed soundtrack, I also give thanks for what they've done right, such as Amelie or the tins.

If a film I must have is available only in an inferior version, I will still buy the disc but only as a USED item so as not to inflate the title's sales figures. Also I do this if the title is too expensive. Most of my Paramount discs cost me $12-15 but all the money went to the little local used CD shops here in Seattle rather than to Paramount.

 

[ashley c]

Isn't Who Framed Roger Rabbit Vista uncensored?

 

[Jeff Ulmer]

I'd have a tough time supporting an all out boycott, as their Vault Disney and Treasures lines have been excellent.

I have no problem boycotting the latest batch of Disney titles due to their MAR'd presentation.

I do wish Fantasia and the other censored versions were fixed.

 

[Brian E]

I don't think an all out boycot would be effective. Just don't buy the titles that are MAR'd and let Disney know you won't be and why each time a title comes up. That second part is important so they don't attribute a lack of sales to the titles popularity, but rather the way they f'd it up.

 

[Jason Seaver]

Even if everyone on the HTF were inclined (and I for one am not), a boycott wouldn't be large enough to be effective. We'd only hurt ourselves by not getting good discs done well.

If something's not acceptable to you, don't buy it. But use positive reinforcement, too, when a company does something very well, like the Mickey and Goofy tins.

 

[streeter]

Even if 'Absent-Minded Professor' was in B&W, I still wouldn't buy it because it's MAR. I'll only buy it the way it was meant to be seen.

 

[Todd Hochard]

Speak with your wallet, about the titles you don't like, and call their help line, and voice your displeasure with their treatment of the title.

A boycott wouldn't work, though. Even if "everyone" agreed to do it, "everyone" would constitute "everyone who read your thread, or saw the banner ad," which would likely amount to maybe 10% of membership. Not everyone who's registered even comes to the forum much anymore.

What's censored in Roger Rabbit? I forget.

Todd

 

[Matthew_Millheiser]

Yeah, go ahead and boycott all those wonderful Vault Disney, Walt Disney Treasures, Platinum series, Vista series, and other phenomenal goodies that have come out of the House of Mouse.
More for me!
Seriously, if you don't like it, don't buy it. It's silly to throw out the baby with the bathwater.

 

[Andy_MT]

buy a MAR'd disney DVD. send it back to disney with note -"DVD defective. does NOT fill screen. please send replacement".

 

[Patrick McCart]

Their well-done discs deserve praise, but that hasn't kept them from constantly putting out crap.

I've refrained from buying any of Disney's MAR/censored/altered DVDs, but have they changed their ways? No. I'm obviously not doing enough.

Perhaps if they find that the HTF has an organized boycott, they may change their ways. If they don't, so be it.

Reviewers could refuse to review GOOD Disney discs until they change their ways... They could only review the ones they screw up, which causes double bad publicity. The HTF has been mentioned in COMMERCIALS for DVDs such as Moulin Rouge, so why not get a little publicity for the films Disney isn't treating right? If we don't do something, who will?

 

[Todd Hochard]

I think simply buying what you like, and not what you don't, speaks loudly enough. That, combined with getting the word out on what the issues are on the defective ones.
Would we have been better off simply boycotting Warner over the full screen Wonka fiasco? Displeasure was voiced loudly by fans of the film, and results happened. I just don't think the "we're not buying anything" sends a clear message. Heck, it could be intrepreted as "angry kid strikes up cause against evil corporation, because Mommy took away his DVD money." Sales must be affected on a title-by-title basis, to send the clearest message.

 

[Joshua Clinard]

While I would not support an all-out boycott, for reasons already stated by others, I would fully support a well-worded petition, and would be willing to help advertise, as well as send e-mails to other sites to convince them to spread the word about the petition as well. I would also be willing to help write such a petition.

Whatever happened to that OAR campaign we have have been talking about? Does nobody care anymore?

I will start a seperate thread with some ideas on such a campaign.

 

[Randy A Salas]

Boycott this release rather than all Disney titles, so that they know WHICH transfers you don't like.

On a title like this, it probably won't matter--assuming that by this action you're hoping the company will re-release the DVD properly.

If Absent-Minded Professor doesn't sell well, their first thought isn't: "We didn't do that one right. Let's re-release it as a special edition." Their first thought is: "That version sold poorly. Why would we waste money and time doing it properly as a special edition? No one's interested in it."

I've talked about such matters to marketing people at various DVD companies, and this is exactly how they think. And as much as we like to think it's the production guys who make some of these decisions, it's not. The track records of certain companies speak for themselves.

 

[Karl_O]

If people want to boycott Disney, why not boycott companies and individuals who support Disney? Why not boycott:
a) Hollywood movies that had scenes with Disney products
b) Movie stars who support or like things Disney
c) Professional athletes who go to Disneyland after they win a championships ("I'm going to Disneyland.")
d) Recording artists who support or like things Disney
e) California (esp. Anaheim) and Florida (Tampa)
f) Your friends and neighbors who support or like things Disney
g) All businesses that sell their products or do business with Disney
h) Forum members who support Disney, which includes many of us!
The list goes on. The saying goes, "if you don't like it, don't buy it." People are NOT "entitled" to what they want, especially Disney DVD releases.
DVD isn't an entitlement, nor a right