Gans' "La Belle et La Bête" With English Subtitles/Dubbing? Yes Please!

It still doesn't look like the US or UK have a version we can easily watch (yet!)  BUT Amazon Canada finally has a French version with English subtitles available for pre-order! Yay! (Thank you Anonymous for the tip!)

Before you rush to order though, remember that there will likely be regional restrictions, so unless your player can handle all regions, triple check before spending your hard-earned money.

For those lucky individuals who are fluent in French there are many more choices available:
1) DVD and Blu-ray French only track and subtitles
and
2) this amazing, limited edition and very gorgeous looking package show at the head of the post and more details below:

Blu-Ray + DVD + Bonus BluRay72 page book of unpublished concept artCommentary by Christophe Gans (Director)Commentary by Louis Morin (Visual Effects Supervisor)Multi-angle feature - Raw film without VFX, storyboards, rough VFX, final movie83 minute making of documentaryDeleted scenes with introduction from Christophe GansYoann Fréget 'Sauras-tu m'aimer' music video

Yep. I want it. I don't care if my French is so rusty I can barely ask for directions anymore - I would dearly love to have this special edition in my library!

The US Amazon site has a lovely packaging picture but a prominent, in red. "Currently unavailable" with no information about a release yet.

One very good sign, however, is that this English-subtitled trailer was released just a week ago. Although it may not be the best looking English subtitling, it's still a big step in an encouraging direction for English-only speakers who have been dying to see this (and actually understand what's being said).

And then this has surfaced as well (get ready Belle et la Bete fans - this is very likely what it will look like when we finally get to see it);

If I get any more tips on a version of this movie being released thats' English audience friendly (with English subtitles at least), I'll be sure to pass them along.

Fairy tale bonus of the day:

Here's an image collection of all the various international posters Pathé films have produced for the movie. The one English one has a date of October 2, though I don't know what that means, or what region/country it's for. It may just take a while to get proper international distribution across the globe, so with an official English poster out there, it does send hope that there will be an English-friendly version available at some point.

This is a really large image - click to see full size!

Gans' La Belle et la Bete coming to Blu-ray & DVD (but no English subtitles, or English region friendly version in sight)

The question keeps popping up on old posts or in my inbox so I thought it was high time I addressed this in a post. The questions are: Will Gans' La Belle et la Bete be coming to US/UK/Aus theaters? Will there be an English translation or subtitles if it does? How about Blu-ray/DVD - will we be getting one of those? Will that have subtitles at least??

I've been constantly searching for any news of an American, or English speaking country, release of Gan's sumptuous Beauty and the Beast remake, but whether it be theaters, a limited release/showing or DVD/Blu-ray and there has been nothing. Unless Pathé do an English international release later in the year or in 2015 (like sometimes Japanese films do) then it looks like we're out of luck at seeing it on the big screen.

(It's just so bizarre. I haven't even had luck with Canadian releases.)

I've been watching the Blu-ray/DVD announcements for other countries as well to see if there are English subtitles but so far zero. Again, it's just bizarre, especially as the feature film song had an English version so I'm a little confused. Maybe distribution agreements with Pathé haven't been working out well? 

The French DVD and Blu-ray release however, (though there are no English subtitles) is June 26, 2014 and you can find that HERE. (Note: the disc release seems pretty light on content. It looks like just the film and no behind-the-scenes footage, although some was released online as part of the marketing lead up).

 

And here is something that looks like it was created for a steel book release but apparently isn't. It's just the Blu-ray/DVD combo packaging.
✒ ✒ To see it & LOTS of behind-the-scenes & "making of book" pics click the "Read more" link below✒ ✒

"The Devil's Widow" aka "The Ballad of Tam Lin" Released On Blu-ray

How did I miss this release at the end of September??

Despite being one of those obscure films only Tam Lin fanatics (yes, I'm one of them) and fairy tale folk well versed in film (and possibly die-hard Ava Gardner fans) know about, The Devil's Widow has had enough studio backing to make it to Blu-ray. It's a film that ended up with a couple of titles (not always a good sign) and it's interesting to see that this time around Tam Lin made it on top. When it was released on VHS you had to ask for it by it's more provocative title, The Devil's Widow. (I'm definitely considering getting a copy - my VHS copy is really difficult to sit through, let alone find a player to play it on these days.)

The reviews are more favorable than I've seen about the film in the past. Perhaps the transfer has helped the filmmaking and subtlety of the performances shine (yes, there is subtlety, despite the drug-induced modern-faerie psychedelia!), although it IS a pretty odd film - definitely a product of the experimental '60's (it was originally released in 1970).

With Ava Gardner playing a decadent and aging-despite-herself (faerie) queen, Ian McShane playing the under-the-influence Tam Lin role and Stephanie Beacham (known primarily for her Dynasty role/s and partnering Marlon Brando) playing Janet's role it's an interesting lens on the time period with a psychadelia-meets-fae twist, but the tale is definitely recognizable. This version is told more from Tam Lin (Tom Lynn) in this film and deals with his coming to grips with his... "situation".

It's not a version of Tam Lin that I like very much (and easy to dismiss as a cheesy B movie) but what Ava Gardner does with the possessive faerie queen character is fascinating and she gives a rarely seen, almost personal, exploration of that archetype - just like an inevitable force that can't truly be stopped, like nature, despite herself at times.

The pulp-meets-trippy design of the cover is a good clue to the overall sensibility of this film. It's definitely not for everyone (I wouldn't watch it if it weren't for the Tam Lin connection), but if you, like me, cannot get enough of the fairy tale ballad and haven't seen this, it's worth renting for a once through.

Here's an excerpt from DVD talk:

1970's Tam Lin (or if you prefer The Ballad Of Tam Lin or The Devil's Window) has no shortage of curiosity value, given that it's the one and only feature film directed by prolific actor Roddy McDowell.  

The story itself is based on an old Scottish folk tale, McShane plays Tom Lynn, a young man who gets involved with a wealthy and possessive older woman named Michaela Cazaret (Ava Gardner), who has a habit of surrounding herself with young adults so that she in turn will retain her youthful vigor... 

Definitely a product of its time, Tam Lin is nevertheless a pretty interesting movie even if it does get off to a bit of a slow start. On the surface, the tension wouldn't seem to mount until the last half hour or so but pay attention to the early scenes of partying and note some of the more vitriolic dialogue that works its way into these moments. There foreshadowing of the darkness to come is definitely there, and it's often times delivered in clever and effective ways by the cast members. As Michaela and her ensemble indulge themselves we're treated to a look at the counter culture movement of the era through some decidedly non-rose tinted glasses. These are spoiled children playing with an equally spoiled benefactor who is using them for her own needs with no concern as to what happens to them. They are her toys, and Tom is the one she likes best. 

Performances are very good here. Ian McShane is a good lead, he's not the foul mouthed villain it's so easy to see him as these days but instead a reasonably dashing and charming young man, making it easy to see why an older woman might take interest in him. Ava Gardner is the real star here, however. She's pretty diabolical in her methods, particularly once Tom has crossed her and she decides to take action against him for it... 

By the time the movie ends, McDowell has taken us into some expectedly dark and deliriously psychedelic territory. The movie doesn't necessarily end the way that you think it's going to and it turns out to be a rather strange, although very deliberate film. Some pacing issues aside, this is a pretty interesting curio, a mix of genres skewed through a singular vision intend on updating a story spawned from his own heritage to a modern audience not necessarily aware of the direction in which they were heading. This makes Tam Lin a smarter film than it might at first seem, and in turn makes it all the more worthwhile.

Here's the closest thing I can find to a trailer for it on YouTube:

I'm a little grumped there are no extra features on the Blu-ray - not even behind-the-scenes photos or marked up script pages. I hope they include the Roddy McDowell's intro that was on my VHS copy. It would have been nice to get some additional insight into the research and writing of the movie as part of the new package but... oh well. A decent copy to watch makes it a lot easier to see the Director's subtleties and intent. I'm curious if I will like it any better when I see it next. 

If you'd like a copy of your own, you can buy it HERE.

NBCs "Grimm Season 2" Blu-ray Release Set For Sep 17th [& Why I Like "Grimm"]

Yes. I like NBC's Grimm! I've heard a lot of fairy tale people didn't continue watching the second season because they gave up on the series but I'm so very happy I stuck with it. And here's why: Since Nick "got his Grimm on" (ie gave up being wussy and got a little bad-ass), the show has just gotten better and better. 


Monroe continues with his brilliant deliveries, quotable one-liners and subtle-but-hilarious (and sometimes mute) commentary on whichever scene he's in. Nick's partner, Hank, gets more than an inkling of what he's up against (I can't "un-see that!") and the banter has gotten wittier and makes for some great cops-with-a-difference comedy moments and now slants action scenes very differently to the usual procedurals (yay!). Monroe's almost-girlfriend-and-fellow-Wesen Rosalee holds her own and provides a strong (and much needed) feminine balance to the show, while Nick's girlfriend, Juliette, has a whole other-yet-parallel storyline happening with a modern struggling-and-fighting Sleeping Beauty theme running through this season (don't worry - she's quite awake, she's just juggling worlds in a very unique-to-Juliette way)...

We've gone from a tentative and inconsistent monster-of-the week show to one where the tales, the Grimm and the ensemble balance, have grown in strength and are solidly set on very interesting arcs. In fact we've almost got a Scooby gang now (complete with library, er, I mean spice-shop and Aunt Marie's trailer) and we likes it!*

"But what about the fairy tale element?" I hear you say. Actually I find a quite consistent fairy tale base running through each show. If you catch the on-screen quote at the very beginning of every episode (which are sometimes from less-well-known, some-might-even-say-obscure tales and classics) and keep them in mind while watching, you get a good sense of how the tale and its motifs have been used as a springboard and what scene elements and plot points are important throughout.

I actually find it quite a fairy tale puzzle-challenge at times because unless I've pinned the tale down that the quote came from, I find I miss a lot of the subtleties from aspects like the set dressing, creature design, or seeming throw-away lines, to why they have this scene at all (etc). If I'm thinking "tales" while watching I findGrimm more solidly based on the "olde" tales than anything else out there right now**.


The other thing I noticed is that it's not shying away from using myth and folktale archetypes and/or tales and urban legends either. While it's not like there are Trojan horses and Medusas appearing in the middle of fairy tales (thank goodness), there's definitely a strong tap into world folklore. For me, it blends very well. For others it must feel like it's straying from the fairy tale aspect but it should be noted that NBCs Grimm has, from the start, aimed at the old dark fairy tales and never the shiny, pretty ones. (See ** note at end of post.)

It's not for everyone, for sure. I can't recommend it outright simply because of the genre and occasional gore factor, and it's definitely told through the lens of the police procedural with a good dose of creature-fun, but why not? We haven't seen anything quite like this done as a weekly series, with larger arcs incorporating the dark side of fairy tales - and occasionally myth and urban legends - overall.

I only have one (personal and extremely shallow) gripe about the show and that's this: I can't easily make lots of pretty pics out of screencaps! (Wah! - At least, not without some serious fiddle time.) Unlike ABCs Once Upon A Time, which lends itself really well to fantasy fan art (a couple of screengrabs overlaid with a little quote and you've got yourself a nice little fairy tale image), Grimm just doesn't. It's, well, gritty. And I actually think this might be one of the turn-offs for fairy tale fans. There is very little "fairy tale pretty" in Grimm***. Although it's wonderfully shot and there are beautiful stills that can be pulled from every episode, they don't have that "fairy tale feel" that we've come to expect. Even dark fairy tale images have a certain romance in them for us to call them "fairy tale". But that's because they're not setting themselves up as Gothic tales with Poe-like visions or echoes of Pan's Labyrinth as, for instance, a film version of this might do. Instead, it's filmed incredibly well to do the job - and tell the story - it sets out to, which is a dark supernatural procedural using grimm (including Grimm's) fairy tales.

Although Season 2 will also be released on DVD it's the Blu-ray set that will have all the extra features (of course). Five discs and a whole lot of bonus, including:

• Grimm: Myths, Monsters & Legends: Learn about the ever-expanding mythology of Grimm as producers and cast discuss the richness of the show's storylines, covering this season's terrifying Wesen, the Seven Royal Families, and the mysteries of Aunt Marie's trailer
• Blu-ray Exclusive - Grimm Guide: An interactive book that provides insight into the various creatures
• Blu-ray Exclusive - Extended Episode: "Over My Dead Body"
• Grimm: Creatures and Chaos: Watch as the creatures of Grimm morph and wreak havoc
• Bad Hair Day Webisodes: A fellow Wesen visits Rosalee's spice shop
• Monroe's Best Moments: Revisit the quips and quibbles that makes Monroe our favorite Wesen
• Deleted Scenes
• Gag Reel 

The only thing is: Season 2 finishes on a doozy of a cliffhanger ("Nooooooo!") and Fall seems like a long way away...

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

Today's fairy tale bonus: Dark Horse Deluxe (the toy "arm" of Dark Horse Comics) is releasing Grimm collectibles in September.

From the Press Release:Dark Horse Deluxe is launching the "Grimm" line with an assortment of products. The centerpieces of this first wave are sculpted, wearable pin replicas of Nick’s key (see <<<) and one of the coins of Zakynthos.

Nick is bequeathed the key as his dying Aunt Marie introduces him to his destiny as a Grimm, warning him to guard it with his life. The key is revealed to have a map carved on the outside, which is etched into the replica pin’s surface. Two small loops on the key allow the wearer to easily convert it from a pin to a hanging pendant. 

The mysterious, ancient coin of Zakynthos has a long history of bringing a bad end to its possessors, although the Grimms seem strangely immune. While its purpose remains a mystery, various dark forces are seeking it and will kill to attain ownership of it. 

An embossed, heavy-gauge, litho-printed, classic tin lunchbox, a sixteen-ounce pint glass, a deluxe coffee mug, and an embroidered skull-design patch round out the initial range of collectibles. 

Dark Horse will continue to offer more "Grimm" products, including busts, journals, and playing cards, and some very cool lenticular items.  

"The production team has been most accommodating, inviting us to visit the sets, examine the props, and meet with the key design and VFX staffers to help inform our line. This kind of cooperation is rare, and it has ensured a great accuracy down to the smallest details."

Accuracy on the key? So you can ink your own fairy tale map? Tempting... Journal? With all the Wesen illustrations and stories?! Yes please. Lunchbox? Mebbe not.

* I think series incorporating multiple myths and/or tales do best in a true ensemble format (like Buffy). Grimm didn't begin this way but now that it is, a much-needed balance of personalities and energies goes a long way to handling stories (tales) and issues in a way we can enjoy in different ways and have more interest in following over the long term.

**While ABCs "Once Upon A Time" is also based on tales, it's really the more commercial impressions of tales that are the launching pad (or straight up Disney version of tales) rather than the ones that were passed down. Or even ones that were written down! Not that there's anything wrong with that. Grimm just hails from a different sensibility of what fairy tales are and I like it for that. Once has a very different appeal. To compare the shows properly is actually very difficult because they don't come from the same place at all.

***The pretty thing, yes. I must admit I am not a "soap" person so Once Upon A Time gets hard for me to tolerate at times. OK a lot. BUT, apart from feeling like I need to keep up with what's happening to fairy tales in pop-culture, I have to admit to some curiosity as to what it's going to look like: eg What will  Neverland look like? How will this part in Snow's story get staged? What will Sleeping Beauty wear when we (finally get a flashback) and see her pre-sleep phase? etc And then seeing how fans use the images in the coming days and weeks to tell their own versions/impressions of the story is wonderful to me too. That just doesn't happen on Grimm. The Hansel & Gretel episode - though quite amazing in the retelling - didn't have the type of candy house you'd find in a book. It had the sort of bad candy you'd find in life (or a nightmare). While that's brilliant, it's not pretty. OUAT, however, has that fantasy world we cut to every now and then. It's also the sort of fantasy world we read about in books too - it's not all singing furniture and pixie dust, it has a little more of a King Arthur tone that that. Despite the world usually falling short of my imagination via cheesy FX etc, (which I'm dreading for OUATinWonderland) it is fun to see, and occasionally I AM delighted in something (eg the Darling family & Shadow Man business was quite wonderful) so, despite the previous episode thoroughly frustrating me, I watch the next one. Because the OUAT writers and directors follow much of the pop-culture/Disney ideas of what the popular fairy tales should have (eg. you knew Snow White was going to come across a bad apple at some point!), I know there's a good chance that an expected moment might, in fact  be "magic". But I have to admit, I'm usually multitasking and need to rewind when that happens... 

"Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters" on DVD/Blu-ray Today (& a sequel on the way)

Today is DVD & Blu-ray release day for Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters. Sad to say, I don't know anyone who went and saw this film. There was a lot of buzz, then it disappeared for 10 months (10!) to accommodate other films (among other things) and when it finally premiered the shine had pretty much gone for a lot of people.

Movie critics called it gratuitous, "a weak story" and violent. Interestingly, horror critics were far more positive (and these guys can be pretty harsh), declaring it to be "unpretentiously entertaining". It went on to become a commercial success overseas and there is now a sequel in development.

Preview of The Witching Hour featurette (behind-the-scenes)

I know a few adults who admit this is either their favorite fairy tale as a child or the most memorable. It's clear it resonates a lot with kids (and the memories stay strong as they grow up too). I completely understand why. This is a dark, dark fairy tale - even a very sanitized version (like the Disney one in which it's clear the witch is pushed into a COLD over and is taken out and sent to jail later - ugh!) makes little eyebrows rise. I recently read one of my favorite illustrated* versions, The Diary of Hansel and Gretel ("by Gretel" and Proved to be Authentic and Real by the Authority of Kees Moerbeek) to my son's Kindergarten class. We always have question and comment time after each book and boy were there a LOT of questions! This version doesn't shy away from some hideous parenting, how dangerous the oven was and or that this witch ended up dead. Or as we said in class "dead-dead-not-pretend-dead-and-will-not-become-a-zombie-dead". They were reassured that there was no chance of this particular nasty person ever making a reappearance. (They also all - boys and girls - adored the little picture of the dead mother in the locket tucked onto the first page and completely approved of Gretel drawing a hideous scary-looking portrait to represent the awful stepmother.)

But back to the movie.

If you (like me) missed a few of the fairy tale related things about this film along the way, here are a few things you may not know:

• Norwegian filmmaker, Tommy Wirkola (who co-wrote and directed) said: "I have a strong memory from my childhood of just how dark and gruesome their tale was and I wondered what would have happened to the two of them when they grew up? They had this dark past and this intense hatred of witches. So as I thought about it, it made sense to me that of course they would be fated to become great witch hunters..."

Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters - preview of "Reinventing Hansel and Gretel"

• In Wirkola's original treatment, Gretel developed an eating disorder, but that idea was dropped.

• They made some effort to not use stereotypical witch designs, instead trying to communicate the idea that they were "the spawn of the dark places of nature" and tried to have them feel "animalistic". Concept art by Ulrich Zeidler was released around the time the movie premiered. You can see that HERE - worth a look if you're writing or working with witch characters, to see some of the concepts explored here. Some of these actually DO feel they're from fairy tales from different parts of the world. (Others are just a bit ridiculous.)

I honestly wish I had more to share but clearly this film isn't meant to be anything more than an fast-paced and somewhat silly B movie (which is perfectly valid entertainment for people who like that stuff).

Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters - Making of Edward Troll

The Blu-ray contains the theatrical release version, an uncut-unrated version and three featurettes: Reinventing Hansel and Gretel,  The Witching Hours and Meet Edward the Troll.

I still surprised there's going to be a sequel.

* My favorite retelling remains Donna Jo Napoli's The Magic Circle. I haven't been able to think of the tale the same way since I first read it.

Re-Enchantment Study Guide Coming Soon

This is very exciting news!

If you don't know what Re-Enchantment: The Hidden Meaning of Fairy Tales is, you can read my super-excited blog announcement of the DVD and interactive website HERE. Let me tell you: the DVD didn't disappoint!

Now I just need an iPad... or something... ;)

Here's the copy from the announcement HERE:

The Re-enchantment Study Guide goes interactive! Produced in association with the Australian Teachers of Media (ATOM), the study guide will enable teachers and students to explore Re-enchantment via a series of worksheets with links to clips, recorded fairy tales, image collections and artworks. Designed to augment the extensive content currently available on-line and in the DVD. 

ATOM study guides offer innovative teaching strategies and tailored learning outcomes, and are highly regarded by educators across the globe. Re-enchantment will be one of the first of many ATOM study guides to be produced in this format, and will be available for iPad from the iTunes App Store. 

ATOM study guide apps for Android are currently in development.Launch date in April 2012.

"Once Upon A Time": Chapter 1 on DVD

Immerse yourself in the mystery of Storybrooke—a sleepy little town where every fairy-tale character you’ve ever known is frozen in time and trapped between two worlds, all victims of an evil curse. Discover the first five thrilling episodes of ABC’s new hit series that has captivated audiences and critics alike with its unforgettable characters and its tangled web of romance, action and enchantment.

Chapter 1 of Once Upon A Time (which is apparently episodes 1 through 5) are being released on DVD (only - no Bluray), exclusively through Target on Tuesday, February 14.

The episodes titles included are:

1. Pilot
2. The Thing You Love Most
3. Snow Falls
4. The Price of Gold
5. That Still Small Voice

This is two episodes off the end-of-year/mid-season finale.

As far as I can tell there is no bonus content included at all but there is a "$5 off" coupon to help you get the complete first season release at a reduced price (on both Bluray and DVD) when it's released in Fall of 2012.

You can pre-order HERE for $9.99 (normally $12.99) - with shipping of course.

"Re-enchantment" Special End-Of-Year Offer

 

Hansel & Gretel Re-enchantment postcard

I received an update* from the lovely people who put together the amazing Re-enchantment website and DVD that I posted on recently:

Buy a copy of the Re-enchantment DVD before the end of 2011 and receive a FREE set of six collector postcards – each depicting a scene from the iconic fairy tales featured in Re-enchantment: Red Riding Hood, Bluebeard, Hansel and Gretel, Cinderella, Rapunzel and Snow White.

6 Postcard Set from Re-enchantment

You can order the DVD HERE. (Australia-based customers can order HERE.)

Nice deal, right? I can't wait for mine to arrive!

Need a refresher on why this is a highly recommended purchase? Check out the website with interactive online documentary HERE!

One thing I didn't mention in my previous post is that the website is VERY EASY to navigate. No computer expertise is required - just point and click on things that interest you. :)

Snow White Re-enchantment postcard

* Note: If you tried ordering before and came across glitches, I've also been informed that all those are now fixed and everything is working fine for ordering now, both in Australia and everywhere else.

The "Re-enchantment" (Hidden Meanings of Fairy Tales) Project DVD Now Available!

(I'm so excited about this!)

A DVD is now available and they will ship to anywhere in the world!*

Rather than try to explain the Re-enchantment project I'll let it speak for itself:

Re-enchantment is an immersive journey into the hidden meanings of fairy tales. Presented as an interactive multi-platform documentary project exploring why fairy stories continue to enchant, entertain, fascinate and horrify contemporary adult audiences.

The Re-enchantment DVD features a series of 10 x 3-minute animated documentaries (interstitials), which explore the themes at work in fairy tales. Each episode offers a rich visual design and presents a new way of thinking about these familiar and much loved stories.

The presentations include beautiful and thought provoking fairy tale illustrations (both classic and new), animations, clips from many different films and interview snippets throughout with some of the most respected fairy tale scholars today (eg Jack Zipes and Marina Warner).

Here is the trailer to give you an overall taste:

 Each episode centers on a common fairy tale theme - Ever After, If The Shoe Fits, Wicked Stepmother, Princess Culture, Into The Woods, Dark Emotions, Beastly Husbands, The Forbidden Room, Fairy Tale Sex and Re-imaginings. (from the Press Release).

 You can order it HERE. Outside Australia, the DVD costs $34.95 and shipping is free. Australian orders are $29.95AU with shipping also free.

And highly recommended (especially while you're waiting for the DVD to arrive) is spending a while exploring "Re-enchantment" online HERE. The site is interactive which is awesome. You can explore whatever aspects or images appeal to you and discover all sorts of goodies. You can also join in the fairy tale community there, take part in discussions of what you've explored on the website, add your thoughts and/or questions, even contribute to an online gallery with your own creations and artistic interpretations (photos, illustrations, collages and more).

There are also art postcards from the project available for purchase.

"Re-enchantment" is also on Facebook where they post snippets and updates.

What are you waiting for? Go!

* I don't know if they are producing 'differently-region-ed' DVDs or if  you would need an all region player to view it on but I'm guessing if the DVD is only compatible with the Australian region,  you should still be able to view it on any computer that has a DVD drive.

Snow White on Blu-ray Has New 'Footage'

I am so tempted to upgrade to Blue Ray.

The 'Diamond Edition' of Walt Disney's Snow White is coming out on October 6, 2009 and while it has all those better quality things about Blu-ray we've heard about, it has something else too.

Instead of stretching the picture to fit, Disney has EXTENDED the artwork at the sides to fill the widescreen. I'm not kidding.

From eXaminer.com:

Now certainly it’s possible to “stretch” the film to make it widescreen and in fact there’s controls on TVs and DVD players to do just that. But even if done correctly, and often the resulting look is far from that, it does change the appearance of the film from what the creators as well as the director intended. So Disney decided to go the more intelligent and thoughtful route to not update the aspect ratio and instead do something much more time consuming and original. So the film continues to have its original sizing but the visuals “extend” out from both sides to create the widescreen aspect ratio. This “space” beyond the original borders now has original/custom artwork created by Disney artist Toby Bluth filling in the otherwise dark edges of the screen (for those interested there's information about Bluth on the disc). And so provide the home audience with a new view of the classic without mutilating it in the name of it becoming "modern". And since this imagery can be turned on/off at will, it’s the best kind of technology there is because it lets you choose to see it or not, rather than being forced on you.

You can read the rest of the informative article HERE.

And you can read about all the new never-before-seen goodies on this Diamond Edition HERE.

I admit it, I'm just greedy for more of what I love. Disney's "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" has been one of my favorite films since I was small. In all reality I'd probably prefer watching the original version more but it is sooo tempting... (no wonder that apple keeps appearing on the cover!)

For those of you who already have Blu-ray and don't need to buy it, maybe you can pick-up a Limited Edition Collector's Set:I have yet to find any sneak-peek (leaks) of before-and-after artwork comparisons but if I find any I'll be sure to post them. In the meantime, I am going to price Blu-ray players while you watch the official trailer. Enjoy!

NOTE: The image at the top of the post is by John Alvin, deceased Disney poster artist. The artwork, sadly, does not come with the DVD.