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acroyearDisney's made the announcement for the next set of "Walt Disney Treasures" DVDs to come out in early December. These two disc sets have been the highlights, outside of the Platinum dvds (Snow White, Beauty and the Beast, this month's Lion King) of Disney's dvd releases, and the coming 4 are no exception. They usually retail at $37.99, but CostCo had them as low as $21.99, so keep an eye out.
For the kiddies, we have part 2 of "Mickey Mouse in Color", including the full-length "Mickey's Christmas Carol" and "Prince and the Pauper" (nicely saving me from buying the former on its own), and "The Chronological Donald Duck Volume 1", which is self-explanatory. Hopefully, it'll be as well put together as "The Complete Goofy", which has the amazing ability to refresh our memories of childhood and its influences. The Complete Goofy included the fascinating "Motor Mania", which in 1950, showed us that road rage as a behaviour was as old as the car itself.
For the adults with odd memories, there's "Tomorrowland", which highlights the Disneyland Television Show's documentaries on the atractions that were part of Tomorrowland throughout its early history, including California's Mission to the Moon, and the Mission to Mars that held its place in Florida.
Sadly, it doesn't look like any documentary exists for "Adventures into Inner Space", arguably the most educational attraction Disneyland CA ever had (and now a part of Yesterland like many other things from before the 90s revamping of Tomorrowland CA). It was my personal favorite of the California attractions when I was 10, and as strong an influence for me to become a scientist (in thinking and study, if not in career) as Carl Sagan ever was.
The real highlight, from an educational point of view, of the upcoming treasures is "On The Front Lines". This is supposed to be a documentary, plus the animated films themselves, of Disney's work for the U.S. Government and Department of War (there wasn't a Department of Defense at the time). These include propaganda films for the newsreels, and training and morale films for the troops themselves (Warner Bros. also produced a number of films like this, only a handful of which are still shown in Cartoon Network's marathons; one hopes this release will lead to WB following suit).
My hope is that this is relatively complete, with all footage left alone, and that political correctness or public image doesn't water them down too much. (Disney often rewrite his own history publically, as far as his conversations with the press goes, even when his studio at his order maintained documentary evidence to the contrary).
The one thing that leads me to have hope at all is the fact that "Mickey in Black and White" from the 2nd set of Treasures, included several cartoons that involved what in hindsight we consider racist or racial stereotypes, with the caveat from Leonard Maltin that these were the sign of the times, and should be taken with a grain of salt.
My personal take goes even further. The fact that we *don't* laugh at those artistic stereotypes now shows how far we've come as a society, and its a good thing to watch these and remember what was...failure to see what was is the leading cause of falling into the same traps later...
(So get over the possible NAACP crapola and release Song of the South in the states, m'kay?)
For the kiddies, we have part 2 of "Mickey Mouse in Color", including the full-length "Mickey's Christmas Carol" and "Prince and the Pauper" (nicely saving me from buying the former on its own), and "The Chronological Donald Duck Volume 1", which is self-explanatory. Hopefully, it'll be as well put together as "The Complete Goofy", which has the amazing ability to refresh our memories of childhood and its influences. The Complete Goofy included the fascinating "Motor Mania", which in 1950, showed us that road rage as a behaviour was as old as the car itself.
For the adults with odd memories, there's "Tomorrowland", which highlights the Disneyland Television Show's documentaries on the atractions that were part of Tomorrowland throughout its early history, including California's Mission to the Moon, and the Mission to Mars that held its place in Florida.
Sadly, it doesn't look like any documentary exists for "Adventures into Inner Space", arguably the most educational attraction Disneyland CA ever had (and now a part of Yesterland like many other things from before the 90s revamping of Tomorrowland CA). It was my personal favorite of the California attractions when I was 10, and as strong an influence for me to become a scientist (in thinking and study, if not in career) as Carl Sagan ever was.
The real highlight, from an educational point of view, of the upcoming treasures is "On The Front Lines". This is supposed to be a documentary, plus the animated films themselves, of Disney's work for the U.S. Government and Department of War (there wasn't a Department of Defense at the time). These include propaganda films for the newsreels, and training and morale films for the troops themselves (Warner Bros. also produced a number of films like this, only a handful of which are still shown in Cartoon Network's marathons; one hopes this release will lead to WB following suit).
My hope is that this is relatively complete, with all footage left alone, and that political correctness or public image doesn't water them down too much. (Disney often rewrite his own history publically, as far as his conversations with the press goes, even when his studio at his order maintained documentary evidence to the contrary).
The one thing that leads me to have hope at all is the fact that "Mickey in Black and White" from the 2nd set of Treasures, included several cartoons that involved what in hindsight we consider racist or racial stereotypes, with the caveat from Leonard Maltin that these were the sign of the times, and should be taken with a grain of salt.
My personal take goes even further. The fact that we *don't* laugh at those artistic stereotypes now shows how far we've come as a society, and its a good thing to watch these and remember what was...failure to see what was is the leading cause of falling into the same traps later...
(So get over the possible NAACP crapola and release Song of the South in the states, m'kay?)
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Date: 2003-10-13 05:30 pm (UTC)Disney's Visions
Date: 2003-10-13 09:46 pm (UTC)I would hope that they (Disney) do not, indeed, edit or modify the material, as well. Although it is their right to do so, as Spielberg did with the anniversary re-release of "ET". Spielberg recognized the importance of the original work when the DVD was released with both versions intact.
Disney did, a few years ago, modify a scene in the Pecos Bill section of "Melody Time". I would prefer an introduction (as with Leonard Maltin in the Treasures) that indicates and, yes, warns, that the piece is a product of it's time. "Song of the South" deserves the same treatment. Now, I must admit that I have a VHS copy, transferred from the Japanese Laser Disc. And, this movie is really not very good. The storyline is mostly depressing. The script and acting is very pedestrian and boring. Unfortunately, what most people remember about this movie is the uplifting and positive animated sequences...they tend to completely forget the rest of the movie. These animated sequences used to be available, by themselves, on a Disney Video from the 80's or 90's. If you can find that...you really have the best of the film IMHO. But, if you want the complete film, I believe that it should be available - even if for a limited time.
Re: Disney's Visions
Date: 2003-10-14 07:48 am (UTC)and i'm just looking at it from a completist point of view, having not seen anything of the film since the mid-70s.
I'm a little bit more annoyed that their current direction involves re-releasing things on DVD that have already been out on DVD, like Mary Poppins, Alice in Wonderland, Pocahontas, and Lilo & Stitch, all coming out in 2-disc sets (and with MP, that makes it the *third* release of it on DVD) in the next year. Not that I don't love the 2-disc releases (I watch the makings-of Atlantis and Emperor's New Groove more often than the films themselves), but dammit, i've already got those movies! :)
And the "Platinum" editions, meant for the real highlights of Disney, are more focused on the recent things and not the classics (the list includes Snow White, then Beauty, Lion King, and next year is Aladdin). Meanwhile, Bambi hasn't seen a DVD release at all (even after a first-stage cleanup in 1991 a-la Fantasia's 1990 first pass restoration), and Cinderella and Pinochio are both in serious need of a proper Sleeping Beauty style restoration effort.
go fig.
too politically correct...
Date: 2003-10-14 06:19 am (UTC)For instance, the [re?]release of E.T. has the federal agents waving flashlights instead of guns (as it appeared prior), and the kids playing poker aren't smoking cigarettes. Why? I grew up watching it and turned out fine (subject to opinion), I watched Song of the South and don't consider myself a racist, I watched Heathers and didn't blow up my school or kill people. [shrug]
When society can't stand to laugh at itself or is offended by stereotypes to the point of pressing lawsuits/boycotting, it's gone too far. In my opinion they should start putting valium in water supply -- it couldn't make it worse than it already it.
Re: too politically correct...
Date: 2003-10-14 07:55 am (UTC)In the end, the "special edition" film added computer-generated ewoks to it and then in a parallel of the end of raiders, the ghosts all came out of the projector and ate everybody but the kids. Very cool episode.
Heh Heh...
Date: 2003-10-14 07:35 pm (UTC)