Evita Blu-Ray

[xoffender45]

With the release of the 15th anniversary blu-ray coming up, have any details been released as far as specs, and special features? I sincerely hope it's not just a transfer of the letterbox format that's on the DVD!

[Jordan Catalano]

It will include the trailer, "You Must love Me" music video and a short "making-of" featurette.

I gotta say that Disney is pissing me off with their blu rays. They're notoriously slow in releasing catalog titles (but there is a fantastic slew of them coming out 3rd and 4th quarter this year) and they're now sort of misleading people with their packaging. It started with THE ROCKETEER "20TH ANNIVERSARY FIRST TIME ON BLU-RAY!!" edition which now (in)famously features no special features. I really would have thought after the backlash they received from that that they'd stop packaging like that, leading people to think they're getting something really special. August 7th will see their release of the 25th Anniversary edition of ADVENTURES IN BABYSITTING, which I'm sure will include only a trailer (if we're lucky).

But interestingly, you just need to go back 15 years to see this isn't anything new for Disney. Soon after they began releasing films on DVD they began with their "collectors editions" which had an SRP much higher than their bare-bones, non anamorphic catalog titles which at the time retailed for $29.99 (SRP). These Collectors Editions (the most famous now being HALLOWEEN H20) featured things like a trailer and a five minute behind the scenes promo short. They marketed these like they were superior to Criterion and even in the DVD infancy days where we were just getting used to any features at all, really pissed people off.

I don't know who is in charge of their home entertainment division over there but they need to be replaced by someone who understands that an "Anniversary Edition" is a special edition and if it's going to be marketed an labeled as such, it needs to be a loaded disc.

[jpbran]

Its a new transfer with anamorphic framing supposedly... should look great after that terrible DVD. Not sure about extras...

[xoffender45]

Thanks, guys. I'm really looking forward to it. I know I'm in the minority, but I absolutely adore the movie. I'm not sure what I really expected in terms of special features for Evita, but at least they include the music video and the making-of. It's really just the new transfer that I'm really excited for.

Jordan - I know exactly what you mean. Unless it's an actual Disney movie (like the upcoming 3-disc diamond edition of Cinderella), you can forget anything in terms of special features. And don't get me started on having digital copies and ultra-violet copies counted as a special feature.

[Jordan Catalano]

I'm sorry but I haaaaaaaaaate buying a blu-ray and getting this huge box with a Blu-Ray, DVD, digital copy, ultra violet, beta, VHS, laserdisc and kinescope inside. Just give me the damn blu-ray with enough features to justify the price I'm paying for upgrading from my DVD and I'll be just fine.

I swear, if there's not at least a retrospective documentary on that BABYSITTING disc, I'll write a very strongly worded letter to Disney. That'll show 'em!

[xoffender45]

It always worries me when not even Amazon lists what special features are included. Look at the Newsies 20th Anniversary blu-ray being released the same day as the Evita blu-ray. Nothing listed. Can we expect the same features as the "collector's edition" DVD we've had for years now?

[BrodyFosse123]

My copy is on the way and my friend who already has his copy says these are the Special Features on the Blu-ray:

Yes, the film is in its anamorphic 2.39:1 original aspect ratio and includes the following:

The Making Of EVITA featurette
Teaser trailer
"You Must Love Me" music video by Madonna

[Jordan Catalano]

Yep. What an exciting "Anniversary Edition". Don't know how I'll get through all those features...

[xoffender45]

What else could have been included in this edition? Karaoke track? Alan Parker, Antonio Banderas and Madonna commentary? What else?

[Jordan Catalano]

Well there's an enormous amount of material that was on the Criterion laserdisc that will hopefully still make it to a Criterion Blu release one day.

But off the top of my head, Disney could have gotten an astronomical amount of features from MTV who covered this film like crazy. I know this because I had an entire VHS tape filled with stuff they did on the film back in '96.

[BrodyFosse123]

For starters, Criterion Collection should have just taken over for the Blu-ray release of the film and just transfer their now legendardy laserdisc box set which included a fantastic audio commentary by Alan Parker; every single TV spot released for the film, including Oscar and Golden Globe nominations trailers as well as the teaser and trailer; a 45-minute BBC "Making of EVITA" documentary (hopefully, this featurette included now is this one); the "You Must Love Me" video (which is included on this one); tons of newsreels of the real Eva Peron, especially the ones done for her Rainbow Tour (the stuff recreated in the film) and the footage of Eva's actual funeral march; plus a gallery of hundreds of photos from the real Eva Peron as well as every single aspect of making the film and costumes and props recreations; the full script as well as production notes from Alan Parker.

Hopefully, Criterion Collection DOES get around to doing this, regardless of this simpleton Blu-ray release coming out now.

[xoffender45]

WHAT?!?? This exists?? I am SO ebaying a laserdisc player right now.

[Jordan Catalano]

It doesn't show up on eBay all that often. I have it though and it's incredible. Plus I don't think bluray quality will ever match laserdisc quality so that's one of the reasons I keep my player and a ton of movies.

[xoffender45]

So it's not any of the ones listed on eBay at the moment?
Apparently, there's a Criterion laserdisc preservation movement online and you can *cough*download*cough* the video, along with the special features.
Enjoy

[Jordan Catalano]

No, there's none on eBay right now.

[BrodyFosse123]

Here is the front and back of my Criterion Collection laserdisc box set. This was released in 1997 and never on any other format.

Front:


Back:

[Playbilly]

Probably not worth their money to relicense the material. if they know who ever holds the current copyrights.

[xoffender45]

Thanks, Brody. I'm trying to look all over the net for a copy. SOMEONE must be selling theirs?!?!

[jpbran]

Just an FYI-- The Bluray pre-order just dropped a couple of bucks to $14.99 on Amazon. Just ordered mine...

[Luscious]

Never realized that Laserdiscs were such a hot commodity. I owned well over 200, including EVITA, that I couldn't give away once DVDs burst onto the scene. Even tried selling them on eBay. No interest. I finally just tossed them in the trash. And Blu-ray quality doesn't match that of Laserdisc? Really? Who knew? Oh well...still didn't like getting up in the middle of a movie to flip or change a disc. Looking forward to the arrival of my EVITA Blu-ray!

[best12bars]

The main advantage to the Criterion laser disc isn't the movie itself, which will be far surpassed in quality on Blu-ray, but there was a surprisingly lengthy documentary on the second disc that I have never seen anywhere else.

[Jordan Catalano]

That's a great documentary!

[xoffender45]

The documentary has been available on youtube this whole time.

Part 1:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcjvPAbjVo8

Part 2:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HZ3BMvmKVg

Part 3:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuSJDsWmPM8

[xoffender45]

ok, I'm not going to lie...I'm so impressed with the picture and sound quality of the Criterion laserdisc and all of its special features, that I canceled my order on Amazon for the blu-ray. I'll wait for it to appear in the discount bin in a few months. Thanks for telling me this existed, Jordan!!

[EricMontreal22]

Disney had a habit in the final years of laserdisc, of releasing great collector editions--their box sets of Hunchback, Pocahonatas, etc, really blow away the DVDs (particularly Hunchback which I think is bare bones on DVD)

[BrodyFosse123]

ok, I'm not going to lie...I'm so impressed with the picture and sound quality of the Criterion laserdisc and all of its special features, that I canceled my order on Amazon for the blu-ray. I'll wait for it to appear in the discount bin in a few months. Thanks for telling me this existed, Jordan!!

Actually, in a few weeks time go to Amazon and check their Used section for the title. I'm quite positive a store will be offering it for $3 and still sealed. I'm doing this and that's how I purchased a still-sealed Blu-ray of NINE for $4 about 3 weeks after it was first released. Its amazing the amount of things still-sealed and in mint condition I've purchased via the Used section on Amazon. Many people have NO idea about this option, even this long in the game.