by Grace Sly
This year, Disney is re-releasing several movies from the Disney Vault on Blu-ray and DVD for new generations.The Disney Vault, contrary to popular belief, refers to a process of storing movies rather than a physical item. The vault is the action of Disney halting production of classic films (this includes the stopping of any DVDs, Blu-ray and VHS production.)
Disney released a limited “Cinderella Diamond Edition” Oct. 2. This follows the earlier distribution of the animated movies “Home on the Range,” “Treasure Planet,” “The Rescuers,” “Lady and the Tramp,” “Pocahontas,” and “The Aristocrats.” Later this year “Atlanta: The Lost Empire” and “Brother Bear” will be available for purchase.
Disney usually releases the movies ten years after being taken off the market and names them “Diamond Edition”, “Platinum Edition”, and other signifiers that the re-released items have newer quality. They usually have special features such as short films and deleted scenes. They may also release them in theaters, like last July’s “The Lion King: 3-D”
Disney also placed two classic films, “Beauty and the Beast” and “Bambi”, in the vault earlier this April.
Disney uses the vault as a marketing technique to generate excitement for the redistributed movies. Wall Street Journal writer Eric Felten writes that “the … vault isn’t so much about creating excitement as it is about creating fear.” This form of marketing engineering increases instant consumer demand and gives buyers a reason to buy now so they don’t miss out on movies that will soon be nonexistent in stores (at least for the next few years)
Despite the promise of increased sales, new technology has made the business less lucrative.
The blog “Treasures by Brenda”, Brenda Little writes, “Once upon a time, when a movie was in the Vault it would become very expensive in the marketplace,” “However, if you want to purchase a film that is in the Vault today, you can simply go to Amazon … or where private sellers with their own supplies are happy to sell you the movie.”
While many are excited for the movies, others think the vaulting system is unnecessary.
“[Disney vaulting is] a good idea…for Disney,” sophomore Quinn Kernell said. “Disney makes more money from this because they’re money hogs and they don’t care about the happiness of children.”
Sophomore Ceci Ismert agrees with Kernell.
“It doesn’t make sense,” Ismert said. “The classic Disney, the untouched versions, to me, are the best. Part of the reason I like the VHS versions is because of the older feeling.”
