Out of the Disney Vault today comes the 1989 animated favorite The Little Mermaid, looking and sounding better than ever thanks to a digital restoration and enhanced home theater mix. The Little Mermaid Platinum Edition is a two-disc set packed with extra features. It arrives on shelves today along with the animated feature The Little Polar Bear: The Dream of Flying, The Stuart Little Movie Collection and the vfx-laden superhero epic X-Men: The Last Stand.
Along with a digital shine job, fans who pick up The Little Mermaid Platinum Edition can enjoy commentary by co-writer/directors Ron Clements and John Musker, and composer Alan Menken. The disc set also includes a making-of featurette, a ‘Kiss the Girl” music video by Ashley Tisdale, a Disney song selection, a sneak peek at The Little Mermaid III, a virtual ride inspired by Walt Disney Imagineering, deleted scenes, an alternate ending, art galleries, an early presentation reel and a look at the film’s special effects. If all that weren’t enough, Disney has also tacked on Roger Allers’ new animated short film The Little Match Girl, along with a Story Behind the Story featurette on Hans Christian Andersen. The Buena Vista Home Entertainment release lists for $29.99.
In the all-new toon feature The Little Polar Bear: The Dream of Flying, Lars rescues himself and other animals from the cages of trappers and makes the long journey home with his new brown bear friend, Lea. Upon his return, Lars finds his parents have taken ill and must venture into the forest for the first time in order to fetch the honey medicine. He and his woodland pals also help Yuri the Puffin when he loses his ability to fly. Released by Warner Home Video, the DVD retails for $14.98.
Sony has packaged all three Stuart Little features together in a three-disc set titled The Stuart Little Movie Collection. Included are the original 1999 pic and its 2002 follow-up, which both blended live-action and CG animation, as well this year’s fully animated Stuart Little 3: Call of the Wild. Michael J. Fox lends his voice to the title character in all three installments, which feature CG animation by Sony Pictures Imageworks. The family adventure-comedies are available together for the first time for $19.94.
One of the highest grossing films of the summer, X-Men: The Last Stand makes its home-video debut today complete with three alternate endings, ten deleted/extended scenes and commentary from director Brett Ratner. Fox Home Entertainment has also released a special collector’s edition that is packaged with an exclusive X-Men comic book written by franchise creator Stan Lee, his first original Marvel Comic in five years. Completists can also pick up The X-Men Trilogy Pack featuring all three films.
X-Men: The Last Stand Collector’s Edition includes a 100-page commemorative book featuring Lee’s original comic, The Unlikely Saga of Magneto, Xavier and Stan. The issue boasts art by such legendary Marvel artists as John Romita Jr. (Spider-Man), Pasqual Ferry (Ultimate Fantastic 4), Leinil Francis Yu (The Avengers), Howard Chaykin (Hulk Girl), Ben Oliver (Ultimate X-Men), Ron Frenz (Spider-Man), Sean Chen (X-Men: The End) and Ron Lim (Silver Surfer). Also included are Lee’s personal favorite selections for three classic X-Men comic reprints. The edition lists for $39.98, while the X-Men Trilogy Pack sells for $44.98.
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