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Disney Does DVD. Right?

Almost two years ago, Disney announced support of the then fledgling DVD format with a press release and fanfare. The House of the Mouse was coming to DVD, and DVD fans were hopeful that it would just be a matter of time before their favorite Disney films would appear on their favorite video format. Of course, one week after Disney's announcement, Divx was unveiled with Disney being one of the main participants. Without dredging up the blow-by-blow details, I think it is safe to say that it has been a pretty bumpy ride these past two years.

Flash forward to June of 1999. Disney cleaned house one weekend and appointed Disney vet Richard Cook to oversee the flailing Home Video division, with the charter to "boost sales and cut costs." And in a matter of weeks (which is practically overnight as far as the video business is concerned), Cook and his team have taken the time-honored tradition of the moratorium cycle and have turned it upside down. Disney has made a very bold move by taking several titles out of the vault and releasing them all at once on DVD. But why?

Well, I am not going to overanalyze this when we have such good news in our midst. I think it is safe to conclude that the reason we did not see classic animation sooner on DVD was because Disney feared the impact to videotape sales. According to yesterday's Wall Street Journal, sagging sales of the animated VHS 101 Dalmations brought both the VHS format and the seven-year moratorium cycle in question, and DVD came out the savior.

So now, there is a new strategy. Nine animated titles will be released between October and December. Most of the titles will be available for sixty days, after which a moratorium of up to ten years will be imposed. Other catalog titles (like The Fox and the Hound and The Aristocats-- so-called "second tier" titles) will be made available in the future, and will not go on moratorium. The goal will be to keep these titles on the shelves at all times, to provide a continuous revenue stream. New releases will come out on DVD day and date with VHS, most likely starting with Tarzan. And certain "prestige" titles like The Lion King and Beauty and the Beast will remain on moratorium.

But who knows... if the Home Video sales continue to sag, maybe even the crown jewels will be put up for sale.

Bottom line? I am relieved and glad that Disney is finally releasing real classic animation on DVD. And for that reason, I'll cut them a little slack for at least a few... minutes. For part of Disney's charter is to cut costs, and given their track record with low-feature and no-feature DVD's, that does not bode well for special editions or enhanced transfers on the widescreen content. I sure hope I am wrong.
And I sincerely wish Disney the best of luck. I'll buy eight out of those nine initial titles (sorry, I don't do made-for-TV cartoons like Simba's Pride.) But I'll bet that a lot of people will get all nine titles for their kids. Finally, they can stop playing A Bug's Life over and over again...

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