The Little Mermaid 4K UHD (1989) (30th Anniversary Edition)

[Ernest Rister]

I was talking to Geoff about cell work, you brought up Oliver and Co. I'm staying out of the interpositive-source discussion, because there are pros and cons and I evaluate the masters title by title, and again, don't want to get into all that right now.

[s_har]

It's my understanding they used a filmout, rather than CAPS, as source for Rescuers Down Under for its home releases, but what is the story with the rest of the CAPS originated Disney films?
Have all their previous home releases been sourced from CAPS or is going back to their original CAPS files more of a recent practice? Just curious.

[Ernest Rister]

Originally Posted by s_har

It's my understanding they used a filmout, rather than CAPS, as source for Rescuers Down Under for its home releases, but what is the story with the rest of the CAPS originated Disney films?
Have all their previous home releases been sourced from CAPS or is going back to their original CAPS files more of a recent practice? Just curious.

For whatever reason, RDU has always used an actual film source for their home video masters (the Blu-Ray corrected some spotty color timing seen in the original DVD release). For Blu, the films from the CAPS era (aside from RDU) have been ports of the CAPS source. I haven't put my finger on it, but Hunchback leaves me wanting...I was unhappy with the DVD (which wasn't a CAPS port), and maybe my hopes and expectations for the Blu were too high, but other sites gave it solid/not-stellar reviews, so at least I wasn't alone. I'm kinda protective of Hunchback to begin with due to the skill and ambition of the film, I think it deserves more love from the Mouse. They're still using bonus features from the mid-90's laserdisc.

[Bernardo A.]

Originally Posted by Ernest Rister

I was talking to Geoff about cell work, you brought up Oliver and Co.

Oliver was just an example.

Originally Posted by Ernest Rister

For whatever reason, RDU has always used an actual film source for their home video masters (the Blu-Ray corrected some spotty color timing seen in the original DVD release). For Blu, the films from the CAPS era (aside from RDU) have been ports of the CAPS source. I haven't put my finger on it, but Hunchback leaves me wanting...I was unhappy with the DVD (which wasn't a CAPS port), and maybe my hopes and expectations for the Blu were too high, but other sites gave it solid/not-stellar reviews, so at least I wasn't alone. I'm kinda protective of Hunchback to begin with due to the skill and ambition of the film, I think it deserves more love from the Mouse. They're still using bonus features from the mid-90's laserdisc.

There’s a few all digital RDU shots in a Disney documentary, but I can’t remember which one. I’m gonna search, and then update the post if I find out.

[s_har]

Originally Posted by Ernest Rister

For Blu, the films from the CAPS era (aside from RDU) have been ports of the CAPS source.

What about for VHS, Laserdisc and DVD? Do you know if they used filmouts for those?

[Bernardo A.]

Originally Posted by s_har

What about for VHS, Laserdisc and DVD? Do you know if they used filmouts for those?

Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin were a filmout in Laserdisc and VHS (don’t know about the DVD).

That darker picture is just beautiful. Most of BATB shots look like a Renaissance painting on the VHS/LD. One of my biggest frustrations as a child collector was not being able to own BATB on DVD, in the early 2000s.

[Ernest Rister]

Originally Posted by Bernardo A.

Oliver was just an example.



There’s a few all digital RDU shots in a Disney documentary, but I can’t remember which one. I’m gonna search, and then update the post if I find out.

It might be a French release version of Waking Sleeping Beauty, but don't really remember.

[Ernest Rister]

Originally Posted by Bernardo A.

Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin were a filmout in Laserdisc and VHS (don’t know about the DVD).

That darker picture is just beautiful. Most of BATB shots look like a Renaissance painting on the VHS/LD. One of my biggest frustrations as a child collector was not being able to own BATB on DVD, in the early 2000s.

You might not like BATB on DVD, due to compression artifacts from placing all three versions of the film on one disc. Aliasing like crazy.

[Bernardo A.]

Originally Posted by Ernest Rister

You might not like BATB on DVD, due to compression artifacts from placing all three versions of the film on one disc. Aliasing like crazy.

They actually put THREE versions on one disc? No seamless branching?

[Ernest Rister]

Originally Posted by s_har

What about for VHS, Laserdisc and DVD? Do you know if they used filmouts for those?

No CAPS ports for VHS and Laserdisc, that didn't start until DVD. I think Tarzan and Pixar's A Bug's Life were their first to use CAPS-derived masters, followed by Fantasia 2000....meanwhile poor Hercules and Hunchback had to wait for Blu-Ray. Some of this gets a little gummed up because of the Limited Issue and Gold Collection DVD releases. Can't believe I paid $39 a pop for the Limited Issue releases back in the day, when they were basically the laserdisc masters upscaled on DVD.

[Ernest Rister]

Originally Posted by Bernardo A.

They actually put THREE versions on one disc? No seamless branching?

Yeah, it was a bit infamous back in the day with a/v enthusiasts on video forums. 1991 Theatrical, the SE, and NYFF Work-In-Progress versions all on one disc, strangling the bit-rate.

[Bernardo A.]

Originally Posted by Ernest Rister

Yeah, it was a bit infamous back in the day with a/v enthusiasts on video forums. 1991 Theatrical, the SE, and NYFF Work-In-Progress versions all on one disc, strangling the bit-rate.

On the bright side, at least there wasn’t that Diamond Edition seamless branching error

I’m really shocked... I was 8 or 9 at the time. Already into films but not yet an a/v enthusiast.

[BNex99]

Originally Posted by Bernardo A.

On the bright side, at least there wasn’t that Diamond Edition seamless branching error

Not sure it's even a branching error. The DVD that accompanied the 25th Anniversary Blu-ray and the digital versions of the theatrical cut have the wrong shot in there, too. Only the digital version of the Special Edition seems to be completely correct.

Maybe they'll get it right with 4K. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[Geoff D]

To go back to the Mermaid that is Little, I think this is another one of them Disnee Classiks that, like Loin King, I'd absorbed much of the music and general overview of it via the insane media exposure at the time, but which I'd never actually sat down and watched before. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

[Hardback247]

Originally Posted by BNex99

Not sure it's even a branching error. The DVD that accompanied the 25th Anniversary Blu-ray and the digital versions of the theatrical cut have the wrong shot in there, too. Only the digital version of the Special Edition seems to be completely correct.

Maybe they'll get it right with 4K. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Well, they DID already get it right with the 3D version.

[Bernardo A.]

Originally Posted by Hardback247

Well, they DID already get it right with the 3D version.

3D seems the only “right” way to enjoy BATB, which is very unusual for a 3D conversion.

If it weren’t for those floating windows, I’d always watch it in 3D. That opening shot of the forest is mind blowing 3D.

Originally Posted by Geoff D

To go back to the Mermaid that is Little, I think this is another one of them Disnee Classiks that, like Loin King, I'd absorbed much of the music and general overview of it via the insane media exposure at the time, but which I'd never actually sat down and watched before. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

Very well written indeed, and beautifully animated.

[imsounoriginal]

So glad I got to grow up during the Disney Renaissance. So many of those movies got embedded in my brain from watching them over and over again, I can go years without seeing them and still know nearly all the dialog and lyrics by heart lol

[bytor]

Originally Posted by Bernardo A.

3D seems the only “right” way to enjoy BATB, which is very unusual for a 3D conversion.

If it weren’t for those floating windows, I’d always watch it in 3D. That opening shot of the forest is mind blowing 3D.

I was skeptical of watching BaTB in 3D but wow, mind-blowing is right. I just saw it in 3D for the first time a few weeks ago and the conversion lived up to the hype and then some.

I'm curious what you mean by floating windows though?

[Hardback247]

Originally Posted by Bernardo A.

3D seems the only “right” way to enjoy BATB, which is very unusual for a 3D conversion.

If it weren’t for those floating windows, I’d always watch it in 3D. That opening shot of the forest is mind blowing 3D.

Unfortunately, my TV can't play movies in 3D.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by bytor

I was skeptical of watching BaTB in 3D but wow, mind-blowing is right. I just saw it in 3D for the first time a few weeks ago and the conversion lived up to the hype and then some.

I'm curious what you mean by floating windows though?

The black borders on the left and right side of the 3D image that come and go throughout many Disney 3D presentations.