Rogue588

[Before I start this post, just let me say that all those "$" are purely for sarcasm purposes...]

So i've been reading all the recent Disney threads. Some of them have to do with Pixar. One is about Disney's [supposed] plan to CGI the classics. And a couple weeks ago there were a slew of threads asking where to find titles that were released that week. Let me tackle the last one first...

Where in the world are the Rescuers, the Love Bug & 20,000 Leagues..? aka Atlantis II: Electric Boogaloo.

After the initial "Best B&M prices" threads for these DVDs, they quickly morphed into "Forget the prices..WHERE can I find 'em??". They weren't mentioned in either Circuit City's or Best Buy's ads. Most etailers didn't have 'em listed. Hell, even DISNEY'S site only had the Rescuers up. And they were BACKORDERED before the release date. Not to mention, the B&M Disney Stores had NO CLUE that these were new releases that day.

Yet, each one asked me about Atlantis II...

Some posters indicated that B&M's were short shipped and to give it time, which, while bizarre, doesn't explain the lack of promotional support these titles recieved. I couldn't AVOID the commercials for Atlantis II, yet I saw only ONE commercial for 20,000 Leagues. The sets that Disney put together for the Love Bug & 20,000 Leagues are OUTSTANDING. It's clear they weren't quickly thrown together like past FF "Film Classics" [ie Gus, Absent Minded Professor, the Apple Dumpling Gang, etc..]. In fact, IMO these latest releases are right up there with BV's "Vista Series". Yet again, NO promotion.

After calling almost every conceiveable B&M in my area, I finally called the Buena Vista CS 800 number and ordered 'em from there. The operator on the phone couldn't explain why they were nowhere to be found...

And right before completing my order, she asked me if I wanted Atlantis II...

Re-imagining the classics aka Pinocchio shoots first...

A DVD Talker [Jake Lipson] reported in this thread that Disney was contemplating updated versions of Peter Pan & Pinocchio with "shot-by-shot CGI redos "for a new generation to enjoy."". The thread went on to discuss the merits of CGI and "remade" flims [ie Gus Van Sant's Psycho]. For myself, I have no problem with CGI. I do have a problem when people rely more on CGI than an actual STORY but since they'll essentially be glossing over the "old" versions, that won't be an issue. What will be an issue is...if the idea sells really well, will Disney still take the time to release the remaining animated classics that have yet to see the light of day on DVD? Howzabout the classic Disney flicks like Escape From Witch Mountain, Darby O'Gil & the Little People & the FIRST Apple Dumpling Gang? Will all their time, energy & money be invested in this new beast that might be created?

I think so -- and the recent mishandling of 20,000 Leagues, the Love Bug & the Rescuers is a good example of Disney dropping the ball. [And as far as I know this CGI thing hasn't even begun yet..]

Now I realize that it might be a "niche" audience that is counting the days until Disney releases the Strongest Man In the World" [ guilty as charged], but I would hope that someone at Disney realizes that [with these classics] they have a built-in audience that they're neglecting.

Well, that's all for now. I'm pretty bad at conclusions, so comments/opinions are welcome...

imp66

Bravo. I may be in that "niche", but I'm with you. Not only do I love watching some of my childhood favorites, but my own kids love them.

I was totally disappointed by the fiasco with 20,000 leagues and Love Bug. I went to the Disney Store here yesterday looking for the three new releases and they acted like they didn't even know they existed. They were nowhere to be found. There were however about 200 copies of Atlantis II and when I asked about 20,000 Leagues and Love Bug, they asked if I wanted to pre-order Jungle Book 2. Really disappointing.

On a seperate note, I found about 20 copies of 20,000 Leagues at my local Target, so you guys might check there if you weren't able to find it. It was in the kid's DVD section. I know Rescuers and Love Bug were the harder ones to find.

Iron Chef

I hadn't been following the 20,000 Leagues or Love Bug thing, but after reading that thread where nobody could find them, I became really disturbed. Good post, Rogue.


BTW, you forgot to mention the Ebert is fat.

danol

IMHO you guys wait until others have got theirs for a review. I know how to pre-order off DVD Talk sponsors. I have read the amazon or other review before deciding to pre-order then I do it. I recieve my conformation then my e-mail your has been shipped.


No problems like you guys waiting until the item has hit the shelves, if it hasn't it problably went to a guy/gal who believed in pre-ordering like me. I have "633 Squadron" and "Die Another Day" on pre-order, have fun finding these because your wallet instead of your brain, is in control.

DGibFen

I'm curious, people haven't been able to find 20,000 Leagues? I've been seeing plenty of copies of that in the Louisville, KY area (Best Buy especially), but I cannot find The Love Bug anywhere... I've at least seen the commercial for 20,000 Leagues a few times.

I'd be interested to know if movie critics and others more influential in the movie community knew about this whole issue. Perhaps pressure from the right people and the community might force Disney to change tactics?

danol

Try www.DeepDiscountDVD.com that's were I pre-ordered my 20,000 Leagues with free shipping. I get the best service because I order from a corded phone, using their wats(Toll Free) line on their website.

Groucho

Hokeyboy

While my Love Bug was a review screener, I had no problem finding 20,000 Leagues anywhere.

And the CGI Pinocchio thing is a stupid AICN rumor.

Man, is the whole "Di$ney" thing tired or what? I have news for you: every company wants to gouge you for your money. Or are the numerous Evil Dead, Terminator, or Ultimate Editions just artistic endeavors, free from the constraints and the pressures regarding the accumulation of revenues?

Thunderball

I nominate danol for most confusing poster of the decade.

JoeyOhhhh

I agree that Disney does have its problems as a company, but I'll just focus on its marketing of the recent release of Love Bug and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

I work part time at Best Buy, and the Sunday before the release of both titles I was shocked to see we only received 20 copies of 20,000 Leagues, and NO copies of Love Bug.

Fast foward to last Tuesday, I visited the parks (and Downtown Disney two days before that).

There were plenty of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (one store in DT Disney was playing a copy of it to promote it), however I don't recall seeing any copies of Love Bug.

Perhaps Disney screwed up releasing Love Bug to stores in general?

And the lack of promotion for 20,000 Leagues was sad, such a stellar release for a classic and it gets shafted.

Rogue588

Quote:

Originally posted by Matt Millheiser
Man, is the whole "Di$ney" thing tired or what? I have news for you: every company wants to gouge you for your money. Or are the numerous Evil Dead, Terminator, or Ultimate Editions just artistic endeavors, free from the constraints and the pressures regarding the accumulation of revenues?

I Agree. Which is why I prefaced my post with..since replacing the "S" in "$" seems to be the mandatory thing to do when complaining about Disney. Not that i'm "complaining", mind you. This is just...tough love. Nor do I understand why it's done specifically to Disney when, as you point out, there are many other companies gouging you for your $$$**. Perhaps it's 'cause there're no "S"s in Anchor Bay*?

* But, there is one in Univer$al.

** Oh...and you also forgot Paramount's practice of pricing barebones DVDs as if they were SEs.

Rogue588

Hey Joey, did your BB get any copies of the Rescuers?

JoeyOhhhh

An¢or Ba¥?

JoeyOhhhh

I don't recall seeing Rescuers either (at work or at the parks).

I dunno if we ever got Love Bug or Rescuers in, I'll find out tomorrow though.

imp66

Please, let's be realistic. Why should I have to pre-order a title from Amazon or Deep Discount DVD to ensure that I get it? The whole point of Rogue588's thread is that Disney has taken their classics that many of us have been waiting for and done nothing with them as far as promotion or distribution.

Danol, do you seriously believe that I should have to preorder Love Bug from an online company because their own stores don't have copies? As I stated in my first post, when I asked at the DISNEY STORE about Love Bug, one girl even said, "Oh, is that out yet?". Yeah, great promotion, Disney.

Brain Stew

I don't think Disney has ever be a good company, much less one that can take a downward spiral. I feel that a lot of people have romanticized the whole notion of the Walt Disney Corporation as something other than a corporation. While I appreciate some of the movies, I do not idolize the company in anyway.

They are thieves, swindlers, and cheats. Disney tries to sell "family values" as a commodity and is responsible for churning out mind rotting garbage in the name of family-friendly.

If all movie studios are evil, Disney is penultimate.

resinrats

Well it is obvious why Atlantis 2 gets more ad time than 20000 Leagues or Love Bug.

Disney already made their money off of the old movies but now have to make it back on Atlantis 2. So advertise that to get people to buy it.

Probably the correct reason: Contrary to popular belief, Disney's main audience STILL is the young kids and their families. Atlantis was only a few years ago. These little kids and their families remember it when it came out so they are more likely to buy a movie with the characters/title they like. Love Bug and 20K Leagues are 20-30 year old movies. While people on the board remember them, do you really expect 8 year old kids to know what they are? Why should they care about them? I know that, for the most part, don't care about movies made well before I was born. I have no plans to see them and could care less if they never got released. Kids would more likely pick Atlantis 2 than Love Bug. So because of this Disney is going to advertise what will appeal to them.

Rogue588

Quote:

Originally posted by resinrats
Well it is obvious why Atlantis 2 gets more ad time than 20000 Leagues or Love Bug.

Disney already made their money off of the old movies but now have to make it back on Atlantis 2. So advertise that to get people to buy it.

Probably the correct reason: Contrary to popular belief, Disney's main audience STILL is the young kids and their families. Atlantis was only a few years ago. These little kids and their families remember it when it came out so they are more likely to buy a movie with the characters/title they like. Love Bug and 20K Leagues are 20-30 year old movies. While people on the board remember them, do you really expect 8 year old kids to know what they are? Why should they care about them? I know that, for the most part, don't care about movies made well before I was born. I have no plans to see them and could care less if they never got released. Kids would more likely pick Atlantis 2 than Love Bug. So because of this Disney is going to advertise what will appeal to them.

I see your point and, while I don't like the bulk of your "correct reason", i'm forced to agree. But i'm still baffled at the lack of promotion &/or availability for some discs that Disney obviously put some $$$ into [especially at their OWN stores]. It didn't surprise me that there was no promotion for Gus, the Absent Minded Professor, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, etc.. But, for all accounts and purposes, these recent discs are SEs.

Or, perhaps they were hoping that Atlantis would make up the deficit..?

F For Fake

Ok, I'll bite: If Disney is the penultimate, who is the ultimate?

bboisvert

[PrincessBrideVoice]You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.[/PrincessBrideVoice]

jarofclay73

Here in Hawaii, 20,000 Leagues is all over the place: Costco, Towers, Wal-Mart...No problem here.

But the one I really want is The Love Bug and there's no sign of it here.

resinrats

eBay scalpers heard Love Bug was rare so they bought all the copies and are selling them online for a profit. So expect to pay more than retail and shipping....JK...

I have no idea why it is so rare. Maybe a distribution problem or a production error held up getting the disks out.

darqleo

Amazingly enough, I eventually found "20,000 Leagues Under The Sea" for $19.99 at my local VONS grocery store and I was there just to buy groceries.

Munchos

I second it.

SCHMEGGA

I too have seen 20,000 Leagues everywhere here in DFW area. I did find a single copy of The Rescuers; however it was at my local Barnes & Noble and they wanted full retail for it ($30), which I refuse to pay. I have yet to even witness The Love Bug in any form or fashion.