Don't be Silly - Take the Mickey [Disney Treasures]

[Lik Mearse]

Fellow Toonatics,

"Walt Disney Treasures : Mickey Mouse in Living Color"
"Walt Disney Treasures : Silly Symphonies"

I'm shocked and stunned (in a "Viz" -type manner) that I haven't seen these limited-edition 2-disc sets mentioned on these forums. After hearing about the former on December 5th last year I immediately ordered it. **

With people seemingly wetting themselves over "Shrek", I thought I'd alert you to these, not immodestly titled "Treasures". Especially with reports that they are becoming difficult to find.

Beautifully presented in numbered tins which house a double-amary, the picture quality is excellent. The mouse set contains all 26 of his cartoons made from 1935 to 1938. The "Silly" tin houses 31 early cartoons with SIX easter egg shorts.

From http://www.dvdfile.com/software/review/dvd-video_4/waltdisneytreasures_mickey.html

"...today, animators are cranking out cartoons, but very few have created real pieces of art like Disney did back in the golden days of animation..... Walt Disney's new line of animated Treasures is here to remind us of what we're missing."

"Other studios take note; this is how you present your animated shorts on DVD!"

From http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htforum/showthread.php?threadid=38485

"After watching a few of the cartoon shorts this morning, I felt the need to come to the forum and urge members to buy this set before it is gone.
If nothing else, THIS is animation history. .... "

"I urge everyone to buy this tin before it disappears from shelves forever. It's a pinacle piece of Disney history that clearly shows why the studio quickly rose to historical status. "

**Eight weeks later, DVDImport told me it was "no longer available".
AB Sound don't list them.
After two weeks DVDBoxoffice placed one on "backorder".....

Thankfuly, ********* came to the rescue - just £18 each. Phew!


Yours Animatedly,
Lik.

[Michael Brooke]

Thanks for the tip-off - I've never been the world's biggest Mickey Mouse fan, but the Silly Symphonies set looks totally unmissable. I ordered it within seconds of reading your post!

[P1]

Got them at the end of last year.

Very enjoyable, they need to release some more now.

[new]

Originally posted by P1
Got them at the end of last year.

Very enjoyable, they need to release some more now.

Bring on the Duck!!!!

[Ghost Dog]

Got both of these pretty cheap from DVD Boxoffice last year and they are fantastic. The quality of the animation is outstanding, even today and the picture quality of the DVDs is superb better than many recent animated releases. The extras are a bit rubbish though. The replay value on these makes them an essential purchase, apparently Disney plans on releasing all of their short features in this format eventually. Just need Warner Bros. to remaster and releases their classic cartoons too:D .

[Michael Brooke]

<B>Just need Warner Bros. to remaster and releases their classic cartoons too .</B>

And MGM - I'm currently transferring my 55-strong Tex Avery collection to DVD-R because it's spread across six tapes and three video formats and I'm tired of waiting: the quality will be pretty awful but it'll be better than nothing. Many years ago I very nearly bought a laserdisc player purely because you could get a box set of all 66 of the films Avery made for MGM, and I can't believe it's taking so long to come to DVD!

Oh, and a complete <I>Road Runner</I> package would sell at least one copy too - I rashly gave my old VHS tape to my niece for her birthday last year and am suffering severe withdrawal symptoms!

[Narshty]

I think an absolute ton of the Looney Tunes stuff has been being digitally restored for DVD, ala Snow White and North by Northwest. At least, that what's The Digital Bits said about a week ago.

[Confucius]

Michael, I empathise with you over Mickey Mouse, he always seemed a bit too squeaky clean to me. I would still recommend '..in Living Color' though as it has plenty of Goofy & Donald Duck action too (unless they're part of the problem for you!)

I hope Disney see fit to release the B&W Mickey Mouse cartoons on DVD, apparently the Laserdisc release didn't sell too well.

[01keith]

The Mickey Mouse In Living Color is excellent, I got it back in December and the presentation in the LER tin is well worth the £18.00 I paid for it from DVDBO!:nuts:

[rezabelady]

i just got my sets of both of the above from ********* this morning after noticing this thread (Cheers :) - i always seem to leave these things to the last moment altho i did have the Mickey set on order with DVDImport at one point before they told me they couldn't supply it), but...

- when i opened the Silly Symphonies Tin i found that the insert that holds the first disc was actually detached from the main part of the case :rolleyes: (i guess it must've been like that when it was boxed cos when i tried to reinsert it - which i haven't managed yet as it's quite fiddly - the fit seems to be very tight)

could anyone tell me where i could get a replacement Alpha case? - i'll probably get the middle back in eventually but the plastic is a bit creased from where i've already struggled to try and get it back


but also..

- when i was checking the discs i lightly blowed on the first one from the Mickey set to get rid of some dust and much to my surprise some markings appeared.. after a bit more blowing it turned out that the markings infact seemed to be related to some kind of Microsoft product (it clearly says "NOT FOR SALE OR OEM DISTRIBUTION" across the top and the Windows logo is on the right hand side of the disc with some other smaller writing) :confused: ?!!

could someone else check their first Mickey disc to see if theirs is the same? - i haven't been able to play either yet but altho i'm sure the markings won't be a problem with playback i would be interested to know if anyone elses discs have the same markings

btw - both of the sets were properly sealed (shrink wrap/disc label on top intact)

[TonyK]

My discs also turned up this week - one on Tuesday and one today. Excellent service from *********.

[Confucius]

According to tonights 'Rumor Mill' (http://www.thedigitalbits.com/rumormill.html) over at The Digital Bits, the Black & White Mickey Mouse films should indeed make their way on to DVD this Autumn, along with:

Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow
The Complete Goofy and
Walt Disney's True Life Adventures.

Not sure about the last one (I passed on Davy Crocket & Disneyland last time around) but the end of this year is looking good.

Might have to take a payment holiday on my mortgage though.

[SimonI]

Originally posted by Lik Mearse
After two weeks DVDBoxoffice placed one on "backorder".....

Thankfuly, ********* came to the rescue - just £18 each. Phew!

I placed an order for these on 6th March with DVD Box Office which immediately went on to back order, but since they were the cheapest by a long way I decided to hang on (whilst keeping an eye on other etailers and eBay, where there are a lot on sale).

Anyhoo, got an email today to say they'd been dispatched - yipee! I also had the fastest ever turnaround for me at DVDBO last week with a Criterion (under a week from order to arrival!), so either they're getting faster or they get stuff in batches. For anyone else thinking of getting these sets it might be a good time to place an order, in case they got some spares in...;)

[rumbletum]

Anyone know if there are any more releases planned in this series?

[CrazyHorse]

This from the Digital Bits....


Just a word of update for you on Buena Vista's next round of Walt Disney Treasures DVDs. Leonard Maltin apparently revealed at a recent Walt Disney Collectors Convention that the next wave of DVD tin sets will include The Compete Goofy, Mickey Mouse in Black & White, Behind the Scenes at the Disney Studios and Wartime Cartoons. Apparently, Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow and Walt Disney's True Life Adventures (which had been previously confirmed by Disney Customer Service) have been delayed until a later date. Look for Wave 2 sometime late this year.