Two of Disney's most popular animated titles of all time -- The Lion King and Beauty and the Beast -- are back again but as we have never seen them before, if you'll pardon the cliché. Both films are bound for the third dimension in upcoming Blu-ray 3D Sets from Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment.
Beauty and the Beast Blu-ray 3D is going to be a fully-loaded five-disc combo pack, significantly upgraded from the current B&B BD to now include a 3D platter. Based on the disc count, we are assuming that three of the five discs will be identical to the previously released "Diamond Edition," which combined a two-disc Blu-ray (the second platter packed bonus features) with a standard-definition DVD. Rachel Cericola's review of this edition--a BIGGIE Award-winner!--is definitely worth a read.
The Lion King Blu-ray 3D is also up for pre-order, same list price, also discounted, although we are waiting for a formal studio announcement regarding the technical specifications and the extras. We continue to suspect that The Lion King will be a prime candidate for the Disney Second Screen app for iPad/iPad 2 and laptops, supported so amazingly on the Bambi and TRON: Legacy Blu-rays so far. We do know however that this will be a four-disc set containing the Blu-ray 3D and the 2D Blu-ray of the movie, plus a DVD and a Digital Copy, for four different ways to watch.
We are further assuming that the Blu-ray 3D will be released day-and-date with the regular Blu-ray, which should simplify our decision-making. And some terrific news for fans of all things leonine and royal: Both direct-to-video sequels; The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride and the lighter, Timon/Pumba-centric The Lion King 1 1/2, released in that order; will be included on Blu-ray and DVD along with the four Lion King platters as part of an eight-disc Lion King Trilogy boxed set.
Apart from their four Oscars, ten nominations and gazillons of dollars in ticket and home video sales, these two are prime candidates for 3D revisitation because they were among the earliest beneficiaries of the Computer Animation Production System, or "CAPS." This sophisticated hardware/software solution--co-developed by Disney and Pixar in the late '80s--effectively digitized the costly, time-consuming post-production phase on animated feature films, yielding computer files of finished frames. Now in the digital domain, these files are much easier to work with than traditional cels. Although now defunct, the CAPS process was downright revolutionary in its day.
We here at Big Picture Big Sound can hardly wait to see what two of our favorite movies are going to look like in Digital 3D.
UPDATE: Well, Disney has gone ahead and spilled the 3D Lion-beans (that's a real thing by the way) for both the big screen and for Blu-ray. Starting September 16, moviegoers can see The Lion King 3D for the first time ever, only in theaters for a planned two-week run. This will actually be the widest domestic release of the film since its 1994 debut, and will be exclusively in 3D.
And then on October 4, The Lion King--the best-selling home entertainment release of all time--will arrive on Blu-ray 3D. We don't yet have all the disc particulars, but Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment is promising us "a host of picture and sound enhancements, interactive features and bonus content, including a new set of hilarious animated bloopers." Keep reading Big Picture Big Sound for further details.
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