As Disney’s new monarch, CEO Bob Iger, settles into his throne, a classic Mouse House fairytale comes to disc for the very first time today. The fully restored Cinderella is available as a two-disc platinum edition and a deluxe collector’s gift set that includes a frame of actual film, six exclusive drawings by Ollie Johnston and Andreas Deja and a new Cinderella book, in addition to a ton of other special features.
Based on a classic yarn by the Brothers Grimm, Disney’s Cinderella tells the story of a beautiful young girl who is forced to toil for her wicked stepmother and stepsisters until her fairy godmother transforms her into a vision fit to attend the royal ball and win the heart of the prince.
The film and its original theatrical soundtrack have been given a complete digital restoration for enhanced picture and sound. On top of that, Disney has included a featurette titled From Rags to Riches: The Making of Cinderella, and other behind-the-scenes materials including The Cinderella That Almost Was, a documentary featuring newly discovered deleted scenes. Other bonuses include a 1922 Cinderella laugh-o-gram, reconstructed deleted songs "The Cinderella Work Song" and "Dancing on a Cloud," a tribute to Disney’s Nine Old Men, a look at the art of Mary Blair, a storyboard-to-film comparison of the opening sequence, still frame and slideshow galleries, an excerpt from The Mickey Mouse Club with Helene Stanley (1956), original release and reissue trailers, audio-only song selections including seven unused tunes, three radio programs, all-new music videos and inspiring true-life "Cinderella" sports stories from ESPN Classic. DVD ROM games and activities include House of Royalty and The Royal life, which show kids how to design their royal bedroom and look, live and act like royalty. There’s also a sneak peek at the upcoming direct-to-video sequel, Cinderella III.
Disney has reportedly spent around $150 million on marketing this DVD debut. The studio could have made a new state-of-the-art CG feature for that money, so it’s good to see precious resources going to support the classic catalog and giving this cinematic masterpiece the home-video send-off it deserves.
The Cinderella Disney Special Platinum Edition Collector’s Gift Set carries a suggested retail price of $49.99, while the Special Platinum Edition lists for $29.99.
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