a sort of preview review for the upcoming blu-ray of the little mermaid was posted on blu-ray.com forums and some screenshots
Hi all,
In all my time as a DVD/Blu-ray reviewer, I've never been more excited than when I came home to the review disc of the 2D Little Mermaid Blu-ray (Region B European) last night. I'm a huge Little Mermaid fan, so it's particularly exciting for me.
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I'll be uploading some 1080p PNG images in the next few hours and happy to answer any questions you might have. For now here's my initial thoughts.
The new transfer is exactly that - definitely a new scan and one that shows some big improvements over the last. This has created the slight downside of cel mattes visible around some characters in certain scenes, but this is part of the pre CAPS animation process and unavoidable. Textures are much finer and there is so much more detail in background animations.
I have been particularly dismayed by the use of DNR on some Disney catalogue titles, but I just can't see that much, if any has been used here. It's truly a beautiful image. Some of the animation is crisper and clearer than others - the opening has always been particularly hazy, although in this instance I've no doubt this is by intention.
The new colour timing is fantastic and far more balanced and I dare say accurate than previously. Its as if the white balance has been re-set as a point of reference throughout, as the image looks a little whiter than before, replacing some of that yellow hue that permeated the platinum DVD.
Additionally, I have an original animation cel of a scene of Ariel and Eric and compared to the same frame in the new transfer, its incredible faithful - I'd say just about spot on.
Moving to the new extra features, they are more bountiful than I think we had assumed.
All of the original DVD features are included and to whoever was asking about "The Little Match Stick" girl short - that's in full 1080p now (intro still in SD). The documentary is still presented in window-boxed 480p strangely enough.
The new deleted scene "Harold The Merman" is very short at just a few minutes, but includes the newly recorded audio with Pat Caroll reprising the voice of Ursula. So that's that mystery solved.
The best new feature is the 17 minute long "Howard's Lecture", which includes large snippets of Howard speaking to the assembled disney animators with recollections interspersed from animators and co-directors John Musker and Ron Clements the former of who chokes up while recallsing one Howard anecdote. He is truly missed.
The Carly Rae Jepsen rendition of "Part of Your World" is pretty bad I'm afraid to say.
There is only one new pre-movie trailer is for the "Disney Infinity" game. I would think the U.S. release would have more.
Anyways, hope this sates some of the Mermaid fans. Back in a few hours with PNG's.
Cheers
Ben
