Oliver & Company: 20th Anniversary Edition

Post by **Daniel** » October 17th, 2008, 7:02 pm

UD wrote:The studio has also announced a 20th Anniversary Edition DVD for Oliver & Company for release on February 3, 2009. The rerelease will boast an all-new game, extras from the film's 2002 debut, and the all-important foil-embossed slipcover, but little else new or noteworthy.

Doesn't sound all to special, but I'm betting the big pleaser will be a new restoration. (Hopefully!) Certainly needs it, since the original DVDs transfer leaves a lot to be desired. Shame there's no Blu-ray, though.

I love Oliver & Company, one of my favorites! Just thinking about the climax makes me want to watch again .. I have the original DVD, but depending on the outcome, I may or may not double dip. If it were Blu it would be no question!

Edit, here's the cover art:

Wow, that's gorgeous! I mean, look at the shading and how on-model everyone is. I love it!

Post by **Whippet Angel** » October 18th, 2008, 12:19 am

O___o Dodger's face looks kinda off to me...

Post by **Neal** » October 18th, 2008, 12:56 am

Hmm, the picture isn't working for me!

But this is cool... Oliver & Company was one of the few Disney movies I actually saw as a kid... most of my Disney love has only onset in the last few years.

My sister got the VHS one Christmas.

I know what I'm asking for for my birthday (February 21)!

American_dog_2008 · October 18th, 2008, 12:00 pm

Cool!

I can't wait any longer!

Post by **Daniel** » October 18th, 2008, 2:15 pm

Here's a direct link, Neal. Or try this. What's up with UD.

Whippet Angel wrote:O___o Dodger's face looks kinda off to me...

I'll give you that.

Post by **Neal** » October 18th, 2008, 3:03 pm

Okay, thanks. Not a bad cover...

Anyone know why the Blu-Ray for Pinocchio will be slightly more than Sleeping Beauty? I got Sleeping Beauty on BD for $29.99. Was the SRP for SB also around $36 (and stores just sold it under the SRP) or is Pinocchio more expensive?

Post by **Randall** » October 18th, 2008, 5:35 pm

SB's Blu-ray retail price is $34.99.

Post by **Ben** » October 19th, 2008, 11:20 am

So...about Oliver & Company...

Post by **Daniel** » October 20th, 2008, 4:40 pm

Here's the Press Release. Doesn't look like anything new is added, though two features seem to have been dropped from the previous Special Edition, which include trailers and a gallery. Of course, they could just being going unacknowledged.

"for the First Time EVER in High Definition!" so future proofing for a Blu-ray down the line? I don't see why a Blu couldn't happen then, unless they didn't really clean it up much and want to that down the line.

Post by **Ben** » October 20th, 2008, 5:03 pm

Lovely cover, but blah on the features. Shame that they really just don't go back and start issuing everything in deluxe editions. There <I>is</I> enough to pack out this title with added bolt-ons that would re-capture the time of the film's release. I remember seeing Billy Joel singing Why Should I Worry from some live Disney park event (maybe it was EuroDisney's 1992 opening?) and a documentary on the film that looked at the use of computers and featured many pencil test scenes. Even in the dark days of Disney animation and on their lesser films, there's always a lot of material generated at the time for publicity - none of which makes it to these discs.

Post by **Daniel** » October 22nd, 2008, 4:33 pm

From Blu-News.com:

As some of you may have heard already, Disney has announced that Oliver & Company: 20th Anniversary Edition is coming to DVD on February 3rd, 2009. Where is the Blu-ray? I was fine with waiting for Sleeping Beauty to be the first Disney 'classic' title to be released, but in 2009 all releases should be coming to Blu-ray. If something does not change between now and February, it could be 5-10 years before we see a Blu-ray release. Disney has announced Space Buddies for DVD and Blu-ray on the same date, so what is stopping them about releasing Oliver & Company on Blu-ray?

We ask that anyone with any slight hope in the Blu-ray format to please contact Disney to request the title also be released on Blu-ray. It may not be a success, but at least we can all say we tried. Click here to e-mail Disney with your requests!

Very true, and let's not forget the Press Release touting "for the First Time EVER in High Definition!". If it really is, make it Blu!

I'll definitely email later today.

American_dog_2008 · October 23rd, 2008, 3:45 am

I want a deluxe version!

Post by **Daniel** » October 23rd, 2008, 8:10 pm

I sent off my email, let's see if it helps any.

Post by **eddievalient** » October 24th, 2008, 9:06 am

I picked up the previous edition figuring that was as good as we were going to get. Unfortunately, it seems I was correct. With all of the hoopla surrounding The Little Mermaid, everyone seems to forget that the "Disney renessiance" (sp?) really began with Oliver. Oh well.

Post by **Ben** » October 24th, 2008, 12:59 pm

Well, it <I>really</I> began with The Great Mouse Detective, the film that restored faith in the Disney animation machine after The Black Cauldron, coming just under two years before Oliver.

This was the first feature in years that eschewed the Xerox system for cel painted outlines, the proper introduction of the "next generation" of artists/directors, the first commercial usage of extensive CGI in a Disney animated feature, the return of fully-fledged musical numbers, tight traditionally "Disney" storytelling, and a more than modest box office hit in its own right as a result.

Oliver built on that success, for sure, but Mouse Tec is where the magic was restored.