Disney Announces New Blu-ray Set. But Who Is It For?
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Do you remember in the 2000s when almost everybody with a TV had a DVD collection? I do. That is where I received my film education, thumbing through the titles on shelves of grandparents, friends, and cousins. With the rise of streaming, most average Joes have purged or stalled their home video collections, largely leaving it to the “viva physical media” crowd to buy and collect new Blu-ray releases.
Earlier this week, as part of Disney’s 100th anniversary celebration, the company announced a new Blu-ray box set containing 100 animated films. The set includes all 61 films in the Disney Animation Canon, the 27 films released by Pixar, and a smattering of other animated films distributed by Walt Disney Pictures. Disney has pleasantly surprised some people in recent days with their spike in physical media announcements. Disney+ exclusives like *WandaVision and *The Mandalorian are now receiving official Blu-ray releases. Cinderella was given a *beautiful new 4K transfer, with a Snow White *restoration on the way as well. This trend, following a few years of little output from Walt Disney Home Entertainment, has given me reason to be cautiously optimistic about the future of Disney on physical media. So, I was naturally excited when this next box set was announced. That is until I heard the cost.
Though a price was not included in the official announcement, insiders are saying $1,500. A pretty price to pay for films that (save one) are all already available on the Blu-ray format or available to stream on Disney+, many in 4K (this set is standard Blu-ray). Rather than the average Joe (who, if you remember, probably wouldn’t buy this anyway), it seems that the set is catered to the aforementioned collectors. However, there may not even be much of an incentive for them to purchase this. Most Disney aficionados (and physical media collectors) already have purchased Blu-rays of these films, possibly twice or even three times over.
Now, I do think there is something to be said for having all of these films in one box set. The legacy of Disney animation is incredibly rich and having the chance to showcase that legacy all in one place is rarely offered by Disney. In fact, the only time we have gotten a box set in the vein of this one was in 2020. That collection, titled the “Disney Classics Complete Collection” was a Blu-ray set containing all 57 films in the “Disney Animated Canon”. It was imperfect, particularly if you lived in the United States (many discs didn’t play on US players), but even now is a fraction of the cost of the upcoming set.
So this all leads back to the original question. Who will buy this set? The price alone will exclude the vast majority of Disney fans. But besides that, there isn’t a lot new offered here. Sure, it comes with nice packaging, a lithograph, and ears. But for someone like me who is interested in Disney history (give me new documentaries or deleted animation, please!), this doesn’t do much to capture my attention.