In the world we live in today, it is difficult to imagine that at one time Disney animation was in quite a bit of debt. After the success in 1937 of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, other movies - Pinocchio, Bambi, and Fantasia - which are now considered classics, failed to be profitable when they were first released. Then in 1950, Cinderella was released as a last effort to "keep the lights on" and luckily for Disney and the animators, it worked. Cinderella was a hit and, as we all know, Disney Animation Studios continues to make wonderful films that are typically successful. As Disney celebrates 100 years, they have brought back all kinds of things from the past while still creating new merchandise. They have also released some of their classic films including an Ultimate Collector's Edition 4K version of Cinderella.
We all know the story...Evil stepmother and step-sisters bar Cinderella from going to the king's ball but when Cinderella's fairy godmother arrives everything becomes a magical adventure. Once at the ball, Cinderella catches the prince's eye. However, heeding her godmother's warning, Cinderella runs off at midnight, accidentally leaving her glass slipper behind. The Prince scours the countryside until he finds the foot into which the shoe fits and they live happily ever after. Story upon story, movie upon movie has played out some version of this romantic cat-and-mouse game for almost 75 years.
Because the original movie was painstakingly hand drawn and filmed (almost 75 years ago), any version will have some level of graininess to it but the 4K transfer is the best this film has ever looked. The 2160p resolution offers viewers leaner lines, more details, and color correction that makes the whole movie seem brighter.
Unlike previous releases, the audio is only 5.1 DTS-HD master audio which is somewhat puzzling. For example, the 2012 diamond edition release offers a 7.1 master audio track, so why didn't this 4K release, with the best picture quality around also includes the best version of the audio ever heard. Regardless, the 5.1 audio is still serviceable.
While there are tons of extras to enjoy, most are ported over from earlier releases so a majority of people have seen them before. The extras, which are housed on the Blu-ray disc, include: In Walt's Words: The Envisioning of Cinderella, Disney View, Try This Trivia on For Size, Classic Bonus: Diane Disney Miller Cinderella Film Introduction, From Rags to Riches: The Making of Cinderella, The Cinderella That Almost Was, The Magic of the Glass Slipper: A Cinderella Story, The Real Fairy Godmother, Alternate Opening Sequence, Storyboard to Film Comparison: Opening Sequence, From Walt's Table: A Tribute to the Nine Old Men, The Art of Mary Blair, Behind the Magic: A New Disney Princess Fantasyland, 1922 Laugh-O-Grams: Cinderella, Excerpt from The Mickey Mouse Club: with Helene Stanley, Radio Programs - Village Store Excerpt, Gulf Oil Presents Excerpt ca. 1950, Scouting the Stars, and Theatrical Trailers - 1950 Original Release Trailer, 1965 Reissue Trailer, 1973 Reissue Trailer, 1981 Reissue Trailer, 1987 Reissue Trailer #1, 1987 Reissue Trailer #2.
Cinderella will always be a classic and this latest updated combo pack offers the best quality video around - that is until the technology advances enough so that everyone upgrades to 8K quality. With the 100 years celebration cover sleeve and the enhanced video, this release is a collector's edition that can be enjoyed for many years to come.
Even if you own an earlier Blu-ray release, you would be wise to invest in this 4K one. The improvements in the video are excellent, making the movie seem as if you are watching it for the first time.
Grade: A
