Aladdin Platinum - Why the Delay?

[JakeLipson]

Tisk tisk...

The original plan for Disney's Platinum Edition Collection was for "Aladdin" to follow "Beauty and the Beast" in 2003 and "The Lion King" in 2004. But, sigh, now it appears that TLK is first.

My question is - why? Por que?

I first suspected it's because TLK is due in IMAX theaters Christmas Day, but then again Aladdin is due there New Year's Day 2004 (previously 2003, I think.)

Now, the most sensible thing to do would have been to start with Snow White in 2000, Beauty in 2001, Aladdin 2002, something else 2003, and TLK 2004, that way all thee IMAXified movies would make it to DVD during their 10th anniversary year. But nope, tisk tisk, sigh...

Anyway, why do you think Al was delayed? I've pretty much accepted it by now, but it is my favorite movie of all time and I'm pretty annoyed.

[Jerm]

I always thought that Lion King was 3rd on the slate. But I was waiting for Beauty & The Beast, so I am happy!

[BubbleGumUK]

A LOT of stuff was cut from Aladdin.

Rumor is that they're putting at least one such sequence back in (Jafar's brilliant "Why Me" song), so that's what is probably taking up time.

Plus the fact that The Lion King will bring them faster returns (ie: in theaters and then the DVD) rather than the guy with the lamp.

They'll also want to beat Spidey back with the fastest/biggest selling DVD of all time!

[JakeLipson]

A Special Edition cut of Aladdin with more footage?
YYYYYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry if that's exsessive, it's just that Aladdin is my favorite movie of ALL TIME. I've heard the "Why Me?" song on the 4-CD Alan Menken/Howard Ashman/Tim Rice boxed set The Music Behind the Magic, and it ROCKS. I can't wait to see it in the feature.

They could also insert Arrabian Nights Reprise just before the end reprise of "A Whole New World;" our narrator could sing it and then pour sand up in the air like he did in the beginning, which would then be used to cut to the current ending. But, slim chance of that, since they used the song in Aladdin annd the King of Thieves (which was, unlike The Return of Jafar, actulally decent, if not needed.)

[Monterey Jack]

I wonder if the original, fully animated ending (with the narrator revealing himself as the Genie in disguise) will be included on the DVD?

[SilentBob]

I hope they include Return of Jafar and The 40 Theives along with the original movie on the 2-Disc set ?

[JakeLipson]

Originally posted by Monterey Jack
I wonder if the original, fully animated ending (with the narrator revealing himself as the Genie in disguise) will be included on the DVD?

He never revealed himself as the Genie in disguise (unless that was cut footage.) If it was, hell yeah, I'd love it to be on the DVD, even restored to the original movie (as long as the original cut is there too.) I also hope for both versions of "Arabian Nights" (the infamous "where they cut off your ear if they don't like your face" AND "wHere its flat and immense and the heat is intense.")

Originally posted by SilentBob
I hope they include Return of Jafar and The 40 Theives along with the original movie on the 2-Disc set ?

Hell no! If they do I'd personally go down to Burbank and slap Michael Eisner. It is a Platinum 2-disc set and NO TV department material (with the exception of Brave Little Toaster) is worth Platinum. I personally hate the second one and am iffy on number three. If they release them as seperate discs, or in a BOXED SET with the Platinum and two completely OTHER discs for the other movies, that's fine with me, I'll just be content to burn my VHS copy of Return of Jafar and be done with it. But NOT ON THE ACTULAL PLATINUM SET. If they included them on the Platinum discs, it would not be a happy day for the Walt Disney Stuido, and they'd end up in next week I'd slap them so hard.

Sorry if I got too overly pissed there - just, the idea of Return of Jafar on a Platinum set, even as an extra, is something I can never forgive you for evoking. It makes me sick.

[dvds'r'us]

Just Be VERY HAPPY! You Get You Favorite: Aladdin in 2004.

I get my Favorite in: 2009!

I have to wait 7 years to get the platinum edition of Lady & The Tramp! I would say you are VERY Lucky! Don't complain.

[JakeLipson]

Ya had your chance for Lady and the Tramp - so did I. I had a chance for 4 of the would-be Platinums in 1999...passed it up, but the chance was there.

Aladdin, this is the first release we're talking about, and my VHS copy is on the verge of falling apart to no ability of replacement because it's out of print, so I think I'm entitled to be pissed off at Disney for postponing it.

[BubbleGumUK]

Disney are never going to include the sequels as part of a two disc set.

Think about it - they'd lose money on what the sequels could bring in seperately on the back of advertising for the new editon of the original film.

What we might see is a boxed set, priced at maybe $50 which includes the two disc PE, plus the two other discs. That way the two-disc retains its importance, and the die-hards can get the other two and feel like their actually "worthy" as they come with the original.

Not sure if I'd do that with "Aladdin" (those two made for Tv efforts did suck big-time) although "The Lion King" with a seperate "Simba's Pride" disc might tempt me - at least the animation (from the now defucnt Canadian team) was pretty much up to scratch.

BTW, I have the original "Aladdin" in 1.66:1 THX Dolby on laserdisc. I watched it again last night on the basis of this thread, and it's still a great movie. One of my faves!

[JakeLipson]

I wish I had a laserdisc player. My VHS is on the verge of falling apart, and I'd really like a LD version to hold me over to 10/5/2004. But *sigh*

I wouldn't buy a 3-pack for Aladdin either (although the third was decent), I don't like Return of Jafar that much and I'm not in a hurry to own King of Thieves on DVD either. I'd definitly buy a 3-pack for Lion King, though (Platinum Edition original, Simba's Pride, and the forthcoming One and a Half.)

And yeah, Aladdin is a GREAT movie even ten years after its original release. If it wasn't, it wouldn't be my favorite movie of all time.

[Monterey Jack]

Originally posted by JakeLipson
He never revealed himself as the Genie in disguise (unless that was cut footage.)

According to an article in Entertainment Weekly when the movie was first released, there was a little epilogue (after Al and Jasmine kissed and flew away on the Magic Carpet) with the manic narrator revealing himself as the genie in disguise. Test audiences simply got up and left after the kiss, not knowing that there was more, so Disney gave it the axe (and probably stuck on the little tag of the Genie pulling up the corner of the "film" and saying "Made you look!" as a last-minute substitute). I'd love to see it on the DVD, though.

[Donkey]

I don't care when they come out as long as they come out. I love all three of those movies and will defintly pick them up!

[kiscealguy]

The narrarator revealing himself to be the Genie makes sense and I don't understand why they cut that. After all, there's no fooling that both are voiced by Robin Williams.

And... has "Lady & the Tramp" really been discontinued? Say it ain't so! I still want that disc.

[JakeLipson]

Actulally, the narrator is voiced by Bruce Adler.

And yes, Lady and the Tramp was discontinued along with the eight other Limited Issues:

Pinocchio (since reissued under Gold Collection label, but Gold is also OOP now)
Mulan (since reissued under Gold Collection label, but Gold is also OOP now)
Hercules (since reissued under Gold Collection label)
Lady and the Tramp - 2009 Platinum
The Little Mermaid - 2008 Platinum
The Jungle Book - 2006 Platinum
101 Dalmatians - 2010 Platinum
The Lion King II: Simba's Pride - possible reissue next year to coincide with the Platinum release of the original movie

[Monterey Jack]

Originally posted by JakeLipson
Actulally, the narrator is voiced by Bruce Adler.

That is sooooo Robin Williams. The EW article I mentioned confirms this, saying that the voice director gave Williams a table full of props and said, "Go for it!"

[daehkcid]

Off topic: Anyone has a complete list of all the 10 Planinum Editions? I unheard and hear about Little Mermaid being on.

[kiscealguy]

It is unmistakably Robin Williams.

Don't be fooled by an IMDB or credit listing.

[JakeLipson]

The Platinum Editions are as follows.

2001 - Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
2002 - Beauty and the Beast
2003 - The Lion King
2004 - Aladdin
2005 - Bambi
2006 - The Jungle Book (Animated) (Reissue)
2007 - Cinderella
2008 - The Little Mermaid (Reissue)
2009 - Lady and the Tramp (Reissue)
2010 - 101 Dalmatians (Animated) (Reissue)

And, Bruce Adler DID voice the narrator and sing Arrabian Nights, confirmed by Disney in the booklet accompanying the soundtrack album. Also confirmed by Alan Menken himself in his track-by-track liner notes for the 4-CD The Music Behind the Magic boxed set.

[kiscealguy]

I'm sure Bruce Adler did some voice work and possibly sang Arabian Nights, but I promise you that opening scene is Robin Williams. I too remember reading that EW article. He might have chosen for the work to be unbilled, giving credit to Bruce Adler.