Posted Fri Sep 11, 2009 at 11:00 AM PDT by Tom Landy
As previously reported, Walt Disney's Diamond Collection launches this October with 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,' and now the full line-up has been revealed.
The Diamond Collection will be comprised of fourteen of Disney's most historic and beloved animated classics on Blu-ray. Two titles will be given this very special treatment every year through 2016.
Beginning next year we will see 'Fantasia' in March and 'Beauty and the Beast' in October. The other films planned are 'The Lion King,' 'Bambi,' 'Cinderella,' 'Lady and the Tramp,' 'The Little Mermaid,' 'Peter Pan,' 'The Jungle Book,' and '101 Dalmatians.' The previously released 'Sleeping Beauty' and 'Pinocchio' will also be re-released at some point with the Diamond Collection treatment.
"Walt Disney's gift of telling captivating and engaging stories was matched only by his passion for presenting them in the most spectacular way," commented The Walt Disney Studios Chairman Dick Cook. "We are proud to continue his pursuit of excellence with 'The Diamond Collection,' which brings the films that are the foundation of our Company to audiences of all ages across the globe."
As part of the new Diamond Collection criteria, each film will be thoroughly restored to the highest level of picture and sound, feature groundbreaking, state-of-the-art immersive bonus content, and include unprecedented levels of interactivity, personalization and customization only made possible by Blu-ray technology. The Disney Diamond Collection will represent a major transformation of the home entertainment industry providing families with more engaging, entertaining experiences than any other format.
Bob Chapek, President of Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment adds, "Because today's family rooms are more technologically-advanced and consumer expectations are higher than ever, we are excited to announce the launch of the Diamond Collection. We believe that the collection offers consumers the opportunity to enjoy these timeless classics like never before, and underlines Disney's commitment to continue to bring the best quality product and immersive experiences in to the home."
The new Diamond Collection takes full advantage of the newest breakthroughs in film restoration to exhibit these movies in Blu-ray Hi-Def, ensuring each film is digitally enhanced from its original negatives providing for the first time ever a pristine 1080p picture and Dolby Digital 7.1 surround sound.
You can find the latest specs for 'Fantasia' and 'Beauty and the Beast' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule listed under March and October of 2010.
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