What if the Disney classic Fantasia was launched on Blu?

[Ernest Rister]

By the way -- if anyone wants to see classic top-of-the-line Walt-era animation on Blu-Ray in 1080 right now...all they have to do is buy Roving Mars, which contains the full Disneyland episode Mars and Beyond. Directed by animation legend Ward Kimball, the episode features some outstanding imaginative ideas about life on other planets. The almost hour-long episode is windowboxed for widescreen TV's, and is in 1080p (I think - maybe 1080i, the back of the box isn't clear).

Either way, it's the first appearance of true Walt Disney animation on Blu-Ray, and it's wonderful. The image is very similar to its last outing on the Walt Disney Treasures: Tomorrowland release, and appears to be the same master. Color fidelity and saturation are much richer, though, and the sharpness and clarity are much improved, even on a standard definition television.

By the way, "Your Friend, the Rat" on the Ratatouille disc pays direct homage to "Mars and Beyond". Check it out.

Oh, and Roving Mars is pretty cool in its own right -- but I consider it to be the supplement to Mars and Beyond, despite what the box art says.