disney

"The Lion King" Roars On BluRay!

Christopher Faris — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 15:00:40 -0700

Coming so quickly on the heels of the "Dumbo" bluray (our review of which you can read by clicking here: http://www.conversantlife.com/film/dumbo-bluray-review), Disney is back again with “The Lion King” on Diamond Edition BluRay and DVD. There are several ways to see the film – Digital Copy, DVD, BluRay, and in 3D BluRay. Here at Conversant Life, we have been generously provided with an advance review copy of the film on BluRay.

If you haven’t seen “The Lion King” then you may need to check your pulse. It is Disney’s highest grossing animated feature ever (recently being #1 again for its 3D release for the past 2 weeks), has Academy Award winning music featuring the likes of Elton John and Hans Zimmer, and has been fantastically adapted to the stage on Broadway by Julie Taymor (Titus, Across the Universe). The film has been parodied many times over (generally a sign of respect), and has sequences that are cemented into the collective consciousness of storytellers and film lovers the world over.

The BluRay is, as expected, another fantastic treatment from Disney. From the moments the epic and iconic “Circle of Life” opens the picture, sonically you know you are in for a treat. Surrounds are utilized quite wonderfully in the home theater, as every bit of dialogue is crisply projected while background noises are richly spaced and atmospheric. Those who are able to hear the film in its lossless DTS-HD bluray encode are in for a treat. This is the kind of film you want to listen to loud.

Visually, we once again have Disney’s utmost respect for its source material and the bluray's high resolution pops on the home theater big screen. The film looks beautiful – all lines are clear and detailed, while colors shine in a beautiful display of bold tones. Sequences such as when Simba’s Father reappears in the clouds, or bright daytime scenes are beautifully brought to life on bluray. Even the dark scenes make the most of contrasts, where Scar’s green and yellow eyes stick out on screen. It’s awesome.

Special features are a slight disappointment in this otherwise fantastic package. “Making of” style documentaries as bonus features generally fall into two camps – fluff piece (where everyone simply praises the film and each other), or critical documentation (where we see the good, the bad, and the ugly). The documentaries included here lean more on the fluff piece variety. Granted, they reveal some interesting tidbits about the production, such as how Disney studios anticipated "Pocahontas" to be the next big hit (which distracted much of its talent from doing “The Lion King”) and that original storyboards and ideas had a far less humorous tone in favor of a more serious one. But generally, its just praising and high fiving the creative teams, revealing only minimal information about the conception and personal elements of the story.

The commentary is actually quite interesting in that regard. It features both of the films directors as well as its producer, who are filled with information that rounds out what the documentaries missed. It’s definitely worth a listen, especially for those who are hungry for more information on the film.

Additional features include reanimated outtakes where voice actors messed up their takes in the studio. Then, the animators took their screw ups and animated over it specifically for this home release. It’s perfect for its run time – roughly 4 minutes, and features a great gag at the end you should definitely watch. Deleted scenes include a couple of deleted songs that are only recommended for the most hardcore of fans, as many of them drag down the story. There is also a feature called “Disney Second Screen” that those of you with ipads need to comment below on to see how it works. It seems like a cool way to watch the film, but I am without the technology to utilize it. Last, you can watch all of the classic dvd bonus features if your bluray player is connected to the internet through BD Disney Live. This is in addition to sing along modes and interactive bluray galleries.

"The Lion King" Diamond Edition BluRay is another fantastic reason to own bluray over DVD and another release from the Disney films catalogue worth picking up. It is every bit deserving of its classic status and worth picking up. Fans will be pleased with the bonus features, even if some of them are a tad self congratulatory, while the visual and audio (where bluray really shines) helps you see the film as the directors intended. The presentation iof the film is simply top notch. This bluray comes highly recommended, and is definitely worth upgrading your older DVD copy from!

As a bonus, we are giving away several copies of the film to celebrate its release on BluRay and DVD. Comment below with your impressions upon first seeing this Disney classic, and the first 5 responses will win a free copy of the film!

Dumbo BluRay Review

Christopher Faris — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 23:34:11 -0700

Disney has visualized the collective imagination of so much of our culture. The way images, fantasy, and sound have been brought together by Disney studios has left an imprint on our consciousness that is unmistakable. They have sculpted what many of us associate with childhood joy, evoking nostalgia like few others can. Watching Disney films congruently makes for a fantastic journey through the history of one of the world’s most gifted storytellers. So, I can’t help but be a little excited whenever their classic films come out of the “vault” looking and sounding as pristine as possible.

On Tuesday, September 20^th, Disney is releasing “Dumbo” into the digital wild. Here is why this is exciting: Disney rarely approaches their classics with anything less than sheer reverence for the original source material. Each film – be it "Sleeping Beauty," "Pinnochio," "Bambi" (etc) – get meticulous visual and aural restorations so the classics can continue to shine in their original state. The BluRay format is another step towards the ultimate in sonic and visual integrity.

“Dumbo” doesn’t skip a beat in this regard. In fact, if you click on the special features and watch some of the unrestored footage from previous home releases, the difference is night and day. It is amazing how clean the print looks, how every blackened edge and line is brought to fully realized life. The BluRay accentuates the bright colors and images of everything from the pink elephant sequence to the bright baby blue color of Dumbo’s eyes. It makes it that much easier to appreciate the great story.

Audio wise, there are updated 7.1 HD options for those of you with surround sound home theater set ups, but as any classic film fan can attest, watching this film in its original mono soundtrack is more than likely the way to go. Unfortunately, the mono track is not in HD, but it’s nice that Disney included a mono track anyways for the purists.

You can watch the film in its original aspect ratio (4:3) with black bars on the sides, or utilize “Disney View” which features contextualized artwork in the blank frames to fill up your widescreen television. I typically find this feature slightly distracting, but appreciate that its there as an option, especially for those who get annoyed by black bars on the TV screen.

All the restoration would be meaningless if they were merely spraying gold onto garbage but as a film, “Dumbo” holds up. While it may not be my personal favorite of the classic Disney films (“Pinnochio” wins that for me), it was Walt Disney’s favorite as well as many other critics, historians, and fans. The story of “Dumbo” excels because it rests on universal truth’s we can all identify with – attachment to a parental figure, being bullied, and recognizing the beauty inherent in your self.

The film comes packed with great bonus features, some of which are ported over from the previous DVD release. Of the original DVD release materials, the “Silly Symphonies” shorts are the most worthwhile, as well as an amusing Foley session featurette which highlights how sound gets put into an animated film. There is also a brief introduction from Walt Disney himself included as a bonus feature.

There are a couple “making of” featurettes, including one ported over from the original DVD release called “Celebrating Dumbo” and a brand new one made for the BluRay release called "Taking Flight." The newer one feels much more connected to the film, as it tells the story of “Dumbo” via filmmakers, animators, and Disney historians. The older featurette has mostly film critics and others who are a bit more removed from the studio. The “Taking flight” documentary is definitely worth watching, and it’s interesting to see just how much the film meant for the studio at the time.

There are also games you can play, but I typically don’t care much for extra features like this. It’s nice for the kids though. Also interesting for about 30 seconds is a small feature on the Dumbo ride at Disneyland, which is littered with ridiculous amounts of sap. I found this feature unintentionally comical.

Last, there is a feature called “Cine-Explore” which is a sort of visual commentary featuring a Disney historian, Pixar director, and a Disney animator. They are frequently talkative and have clips from other films shown or pictures of things they are talking about, such as the Disney studio around the time “Dumbo” was created. The DVD can’t do this feature, so in its place is the audio track of the Cine-Explore feature, which is a nice option for those who can’t do BluRay. However, the feature on BluRay is certainly the way to go.

“Dumbo” is in a line of classic Disney films that have significant relevance on filmmaking and the art of animated features – First “Snow White,” followed by “Pinnochio,” “Fantasia,” “Dumbo,” and ending with “Bambi.” All 5 of these films are highly regarded as pieces of art and cinema history with storytelling that is widely revered. If you are a fan of animated films, you need to see "Dumbo" on BluRay. Its generous helping of extra features and meticulous restoration make the BluRay the definitive way to see it again.

As a bonus, we are giving away several copies of the film to celebrate its release on BluRay and DVD this week! Comment below with your favorite animated Disney film, and the first 5 responses will win a free copy of the film!

Our Reaction When Life Changes Tracks

Laurie Russell — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 05:38:34 -0700

Last week was our kids’ Spring Break so, Mark and I took the week off and we all headed to Disneyland. Now to some this may sound more like torture than a vacation – especially when you consider that we drove there from Boise, ID (Yep…15 hours in the car each way!) But it was a great time.

I love Disney – it is the land of adventure but it’s also the land of meltdowns for both parent and child. Thousands of people corralled through a handful of entry points who then walk miles, only to wait in line for hours (in all kinds of weather), for a 30 second ride.

Expectations are high. Kids are over excited. All it takes is one little kink for one’s patience to implode and we’re over reacting and saying things we don’t really mean.

Talk about highs and lows of emotions.

Space Mountain was our kids’ favorite roller coaster and we rode it numerous times. On one occasion we were loaded up in our seats, ready to go when one of the workers casually stepped in front of our train and pulled us to another track and behind a curtain.

Initially we were all making jokes with other passengers but internally I was irritated. The ride before Mark and Noah had been stuck on another roller coaster for 40 minutes. It seemed like we were spending a lot of our time dealing with broken machinery.

Moments later another car pulled up next to us. It was a family of 4. In the front seat were the son and his mother. She was gray and unconscious. It was scary and emotional. Praise God she was okay but for a moment we were unsure.

Later that day Mark and I talked about how impressed we were with the Disney staff and the way they handled the situation. There was potential for panic to arise in a small area filled with hundreds of people. The staff remained calm and only a handful of people were aware of the medical emergency that took place.

The Disney employees knew what to do and immediately worked as a team to help this family in need. They were young and handling a situation most twenty-year-olds never face. They obviously had been trained well by Disney in what to do in this circumstance.

There are times when my daily life is interrupted and my reaction is not the best. I dramatize it only to regret it later. Many times this is due to my spirit not being properly trained or prepared for the day. When I neglect the time and focus needed to condition my heart to handle the trials of life, my response is often not glorifying to God.

But, when my heart is prepared with prayer and time communing with God, I have a peace that transcends all understanding. In the midst of chaos, there is an unexplainable calmness enabling me to meet the need at hand.

How do you find peace in the midst of the stress of life?

Do you have any stories of see God’s peace helped your reaction in the midst of trial?

More Brothers

natebell — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 00:15:50 -0700

The Boys: The Sherman Brothers’ Story, contrary to what its advertising campaign would have you believe, is significantly more than an paean to the Magic of Disney—it’s an instructive example of how art can be created under tumultuous circumstances. And the multi-decade collaboration between two personable but behaviorally incompatible brothers, Robert B. (a romantic) and Richard M. Sherman (a sentimentalist), saw its fair share of tumult. Immensely popular in their day, the Shermans were the only fulltime songwriters at Disney throughout the ‘60s, scoring such cherishables as Mary Poppins, Bedknobs and Broomsticks, The Jungle Book, The Sword in the Stone, and The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh.

Though the issue isn’t pressed as far as you’d like, various divergent tensions led to the brothers disbanding and leading separate lives for a number of years, even keeping their respective families secreted from each other. Two of their sons (one from each side of the family, Gregory and Jeff) decided it was high time for the full story to be excavated, and the resulting labor of love is an educational if slightly diffuse examination of the artistic process. For Disney fans, there’s a useful historical overview of some of the boys’ most memorable work, ranging from the magnificent (“On the Front Porch” from Summer Magic) to the magnificently irksome (“It’s a Small World”). For the philosopher, there are meatier themes poking around: roads not taken, broken vessels transcending their brokenness to heal others, the mystery of art and of life itself.

Looking "Up"

Jim Farmer — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 12:51:38 -0700

Have you seen “Up” yet? I just came back from my second viewing and just in case you are wondering if all the glowing reviews you’ve been hearing are true, well, the answer is an unequivocal yes. This film works is enjoyable on so many levels, it is sure to become a Disney/Pixar classic.

What struck be watching this movie the second time around are the many layers present in this movie. It’s an adventure movie that (mini spoiler alert ahead) touches on themes of life, death, loneliness, companionship, abandonment, greed, friendship, perspective, and priorities. Not bad for a film that features talking dogs!

As I’m sure you already know, the movie centers on what adventures occur when an elderly Carl Frederickson attaches thousands of balloons to his home and floats off into the sky. With an unexpected stowaway on board - precocious “Wilderness Explorer” Russell - the unlikely pair head out for parts unknown in South America. (One last spoiler alert ahead, and I promise this is the last one!) During the majority of the film, Carl and Russell end up trekking through the jungle with Carl’s house, still elevated by a multitude of balloons, attached to their backs. In more ways then one, the house acts as a reverse anchor for Carl and Russell.

This really got me thinking - what anchors am I carrying around on my back? What’s that one dream or expectation I’m not quite ready to let go of yet? We’re often told as children how important it is to hold on to our dreams - and to a degree, that is absolutely true. But what about when we cling so tightly to those dreams we miss the other opportunities cropping up around us?

I’ve held on to a pretty specific career path for the last fifteen years or so. However, over the last few years I’ve started to recognize that by holding so closely to a specific plan, I may have missed out on other opportunities God has planned for me. It’s not to say that my plan isn’t good - it’s just that His may be better. I’ve been doing a slow work over the last few years to cultivate a broader scope in my life and already it’s led to a slew of things I never thought I’d do - from working on an independent movie to mentoring foster kids!

Are you someone who believes “you can achieve anything you want if you believe in yourself, set clear goals, and work hard”? Or do you believe “you can achieve many things if you prepare for opportunity, see it, and act on it?”

It took Carl Henderickson a lifetime and a journey of a lifetime to South America to understand the difference. It took me a painful divorce to recognize this truth. What goals need shaking up in your life so you can be free to go out and have a new adventure?

Narnia and Fox

John Mark Reynolds — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 09:56:54 -0800