Jiminy Cricket

Well, the bad news is the best damn year of all time’s over. I’m going to miss it too, but alas, we have to move on. However, the next film we’re looking at still does have a connection to my year of birth 1991 because that’s how it came to VHS the next year later. We’re now at 1992, which also ended up being a big year too because this was the year that had the most titles out in one year. Some films would either have one a year, or two for some years, and three at most for some years. 1992 ended up having as many as four films out in the same year, hence why that ended up being a big year. The first one of this group was out on April 10th, 1992 with the 15th title of the series, and that film was “101 Dalmatians”.

1 week ago | [YT] | 17

Jiminy Cricket

https://youtu.be/sJxRYJwuI5E?feature=...

One last thing worth noting about this film was that a making of program was made to go along with this tape too. This came along with a boxset of the film that out around the same time as the film itself. This was its opening to this tape. This is noteworthy because unlike the film itself that had the 1989 WDC logo, this one opens with the 1988 logo. That’s one odd thing that makes this tape stand out from the film itself. This title had only a 50 day limitation on VHS, which was already part of the plan from the start as part of the special release treatment. As a result, this is the title in the series that's been the shortest time on VHS out of any other title in the series. It's time may have been short on VHS, but it definitely made an impression with the fact it became the new biggest selling title on VHS. A title it held for a year. Not to mention some things that haven't been since the 80's that made brief comebacks, as well as being the last one with a vertical label, the orange-red FBI screens, and the 1989 WDC logo. I may have said special release for this film many times before, but it couldn't have been more of an appropriate word to describe this release of the film. After all, this was the film released near by time of birth, so that's why this release's so special and why it means a lot to me

2 weeks ago | [YT] | 8

Jiminy Cricket

Speaking of the Classics logo that's a good segway into the next matter of this film. You see, the WDC label doesn't appear anywhere on this tape. Not on the cover or the tape label. Why is that? Well, no answer has officially been given. Some speculate that the film never had plans to be in the series and was instead just meant to be its own special standalone release, hence the special treatment it got compared to the other titles in the series before this one. But, if that's the case, then why does the WDC logo appear on here anyway? Well, no one knows officially what the case was with this film, but it's possible that could've been the case. But, the rule of thumb with this film is as long as the WDC logo's on this film, then it still counts as a title of the series regardless if it says so on cover and tape label or not. Hence, that's why we're here discussing the film as we speak. With how much I've gone over on this film being a special release, the opening follows suit to this too. This is another tape that doesn't open with any previews whatsoever, but that was done intentionally with this film as a benefactor. Simialar to what they did last year with "The Little Mermaid". This is another case where they're trying to make this release of the film special too. However, there's a historic facts about this release too. This would be the final time that both the orange-red FBI screens and the 1989 WDC logo appeared on here. Well actually, in the case of the WDC logo, it would appear a few more times for some titles next year and some laserdiscs after that, but this was still the swan song of that logo. It was also the swan song of the orange-red FBI screens too because they never appeared again after this title again. Similar to that one version of "The Rescuers Down Under" as the previos title, the FBI screens were on here for only 10 seconds instead of the usual 20. Talk about an unusal note to go out for these screens. However, they do appear the normal time length on the laserdisc, so you can see them in normal form over there. So there's a lot of lasts on this tape, and as the film released near my time of birth, that's why else it means a lot to me as well. The swan song of many things with this title

1 month ago | [YT] | 8

Jiminy Cricket

Just like all 1991 tapes, there was a vertical label and a horizontal silk screen label. However, the vertical label wasn’t the traditional vertical white label. Instead, it was a vertical gold label. I’m guessing the gold was there as another way to make this release as a special release. As for the vertical label itself, well this would be the last time a vertical label of any sort would be used. It’s true, the previous title was the last one to have the traditional vertical white label, but this would be the final title to have a vertical label of any sort. Now, it wouldn’t be the last time we saw vertical labels itself. The Studio Film Collection series from 1992 still had it and a few others released three weeks after this, but of all the titles in the series, this was the swan song of vertical labels. Next year silk screen labels would become permanent in this case. Also, there’s no WDC label on here. Well, the previous title from before would be the last time that the diamond would be on the tape label anywhere. It wouldn’t pop again until the finale of the series until way later in 1994. As for here, it would be the WDHV label on here only starting here and for all the 1992 and 1993 titles. So, this was the start of that. That’s what else makes the title near my time of birth as another special one for a reason

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1 month ago | [YT] | 14

Jiminy Cricket

Also worth noting’s the back cover. Now, this was actually the first time sideshow artwork popped up on the back of a title series since once again “The Sword in the Stone” in 1986. That was a thing on the first four titles of the series then when you get to number five with “Alice in Wonderland”, it would be gone for quite a while. This title did bring it back, but it was rather a fluke in this case because the next three titles after this didn’t have it. It wouldn’t officially come back until the title released almost a year after this one, but that’s another story for another time. Also noteworthy’s that this is the first time that the title appears on the back cover since “Bambi” in 1989. Of course, this was one of the last instances where that would happen. The next one wouldn’t be until three titles later, but again we’ll get there when we do. But, flukes or not, there were still some historic facts about this cover one way or the other.

1 month ago | [YT] | 18

Jiminy Cricket

This was a very special release. Prior to the announcement of this film being on VHS, this was another one like "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" and "Cinderella" where they refused to release the film on VHS because they thought this film was too important and was only relevant through theatrical revenue. Before this point, the film had been reissued in fall 1990 for the 50th anniversary of the film in a fully restored version. Even after that, they still said no to releasing the film on VHS. Even as 1991 began, they still said no to it. At last, they surprised us with the announcement in August 1991 that the film would finally premiere on VHS. To think if they had said no to this film, who knows what they would've picked in its place instead. Also, who knows when we would've seen this film for next time. I might've been years for all we know. Thus, you could say this film came in at the right place at the right time. Lucky thing for me too for reasons I mentioned above. As for how it did, well the record that “Lady and the Tramp” set in 1987 finally broke. This one officially took its title as the biggest selling title of all time as the first one to crack the eight digit mark. It would maintain this distinction until next year, but this one was the one on top at the time. Another reason is important and special to me. The packaging was also different from all titles before this one too. For example, this was the first time black clamshell casing came back for the first time since “The Sword in the Stone” from March 1986. No, not the padded clamshell casing like the first four were, but still slide in artwork like what they were doing since “Sleeping Beauty” in the same year. Not only that, but the diamond doesn’t appear anywhere on the spine and the “Walt Disney’s Classic” heading isn’t on the front either. It instead uses the heading “Walt Disney’s Masterpiece”. That was probably their way of trying to make this release stand out as a special release as much as possible. Between its popularity as a film, the fact it became the biggest selling film on VHS, and its packaging of the VHS, it’s no wonder why this VHS stands out amongst the rest

1 month ago | [YT] | 19

Jiminy Cricket

And now, ladies and gentlemen, we arrive at a very important title up next. We’ve looked at a lot of great titles in my year of birth, but now we’re about to get to the best one possible. Now, my date of birth is December 2, 1991 and this film was on VHS November 1, 1991. So, for those who have wondered about the film that was released near my time of birth, the answer to that question is this film right here. A mere 32 days before I was born. So now, things are about to get really good here. So, that’s why this film means a lot to me. The next one of the series is the 14th title of the series, and that’s none other than “Fantasia”

1 month ago | [YT] | 19

Jiminy Cricket

Now while that reprint version from 1992 opened with the 1989 WDC logo, this one from Canada has the 1988 logo. This is yet another release that stands out for being different from its American counterpart. Between this release and the French Canadian releases of other films, it seems like the people of Canada really like this version of the logo more than any of the variants. Well, it’s true what they say, taste is taste in this case. That’s the case with this film, and although it wasn’t exactly the biggest title of the year or the series itself, it’s the history of this title that makes it interesting to say the least

1 month ago | [YT] | 13

Jiminy Cricket

Even going into 1992, the film was still available and had yet another version made. Well, with the original film coming out on video in fall later that year, it’s no surprise that the film stayed in circulation for the time being. In fact, it stayed on video until spring 1993. There, it disappeared into moratorium with the first one and all the other films from 1992, as well. But, when it comes to spring 1992, another version was made only done just to test out the new pair of FBI screens that debuted in that year promoting the title that came out that time period. Similar to what they did with “The Jungle Book”, only this time they did as intended and had this be a no previews tape. That was the only purpose of this version, as you’ll see here

2 months ago | [YT] | 8

Jiminy Cricket

But, it still doesn’t end there. They made another version, where the FBI screens only last for half the time they usually would. Normally, they run for 20 seconds at the beginning, but here they only run for 10 seconds. It wouldn’t be the only time we saw this happen, we’ll see that more next time. I know it first glance it may not be easy to tell apart these versions, but only us hard-core collectors will notice all the small little ins and outs like this. Even the tiniest little difference we can tell too, like what you see here

2 months ago | [YT] | 8