More Treasures head to Europe

[yamiiguy]

I don't know where they're going to be released but I was looking at disney.de and I see that they have Donald Vol. 2 and Pluto Vol. 1 scheduled for 07.06.07

http://www.disney.de/DisneyVideos/dvd/flash.html

Click on 'Vorschau'

[Dottie]

This is Germany. We get these two treasures.

[Lars Vermundsberget]

All of the Treasures head to Europe - because people (such as myself) order them.

[Big Disney Fan]

I also heard that Donald 2 and Pluto 1 will be coming to Sweden on June 13. Click here: http://disneyania.tonakaistudio.com/fil ... onald2.htm (for Donald 2) and http://disneyania.tonakaistudio.com/fil ... pluto1.htm (for Pluto 1).

BTW, will the German release of Donald 2 contain Der Fuehrer's Face?

[Dottie]

BTW, will the German release of Donald 2 contain Der Fuehrer's Face?

No, sadly it won't.
I think they cut about 4 of all the shorts on this treasure, since here in Germany BV think their products are just for kids, so they cut some of the controversial stuff to get a G-Rating.

[Big Disney Fan]

BTW, will the German release of Donald 2 contain Der Fuehrer's Face?

No, sadly it won't.
I think they cut about 4 of all the shorts on this treasure, since here in Germany BV think their products are just for kids, so they cut some of the controversial stuff to get a G-Rating.

Actually, I'm not surprised DDF wouldn't be included, considering that they deliberately made it an anti-German film. And it wouldn't be the first time a German WDT set was censored; German releases of Mickey In Color 2 were without Runaway Brain (or in German, MICKY MONSTERMAUS). By the way, what were the other toons deleted?

[Dottie]

No, sadly it won't.
I think they cut about 4 of all the shorts on this treasure, since here in Germany BV think their products are just for kids, so they cut some of the controversial stuff to get a G-Rating.

Actually, I'm not surprised DDF wouldn't be included, considering that they deliberately made it an anti-German film. And it wouldn't be the first time a German WDT set was censored; German releases of Mickey In Color 2 were without Runaway Brain (or in German, MICKY MONSTERMAUS). By the way, what were the other toons deleted?

Yeah, they censored other treasures before. It sucks. Which kid watches old cartoons as a hobby? But that's a different story.
I don't know which other shorts were cut, but I've heard rumors about "Commando Duck" and "Spirit of '43" not having made the set. But this is not official. Just some thoughts and rumors of German Disney fans.

[Big Disney Fan]

Yeah, they censored other treasures before. It sucks. Which kid watches old cartoons as a hobby? But that's a different story.
I don't know which other shorts were cut, but I've heard rumors about "Commando Duck" and "Spirit of '43" not having made the set. But this is not official. Just some thoughts and rumors of German Disney fans.

"The Spirit of '43" was never released on Donald 2 at all, not even in the States (it was only released on the WWII Treasure set). And I would've thought that it would be in Japan that Commando Duck would not be on Donald 2, considering that THAT is an anti-Japanese film.

[Jules]

I've always thought that were I German, some shorts, like Der Fuehrer's Face and Education for Death would make me feel strange. But ultimately, that is the world's history, and it can't be changed. I see no point in BV Germany censoring these discs, as I'm sure a modern, open-minded German is not going to be 'offended' with the content. Ah well ... I guess if Germans want all the shorts, including the anti-German ones, they'll have to sniff out a Region 1 set on eBay, or get "Walt Disney on the Front Lines" (which I believe is only available in Region 1).

One more point. Why should the anti-German cartoons be banned in Germany? It's not like the country is still Nazi and will plant a hydrogen bomb in BV Germany if they see them. Germany today is unrecognizable next to the Germany in the 1940s. Who thinks of Nazi Germany nowadays? We're all one big happy family, and all members of the EU.

While I'm ranting, I'd also like to point out that I despise prejudice against Germans or Germany. Unfortunately I still meet a significant number of people, even in my country, who "don't like" Germans. Seriously ... get a grip! What if Hitler was Maltese, and we did the same stuff!? Would we like the world still looking at us and frowning 50 years later!?

It's sad.

[Lars Vermundsberget]

They aren't really "banned" in Germany, are they...?

But I can easily understand why Disney's German home video branch won't include the shorts in question on such a "reasonably priced" DVD release sold to families and kids.

[Big Disney Fan]

One more point. Why should the anti-German cartoons be banned in Germany? It's not like the country is still Nazi and will plant a hydrogen bomb in BV Germany if they see them. Germany today is unrecognizable next to the Germany in the 1940s. Who thinks of Nazi Germany nowadays? We're all one big happy family, and all members of the EU.

Perhaps BV Germany is just trying to be cautious not to accidentally offend Germans. That was the reason why some of these cartoons were banned from TV, you know. Perhaps they just figure on the old "better safe than sorry" bit. Or maybe it's the "you can please some people sometimes, but you can't please everyone all the time" bit. Mind you, however, that's just my opinion.

[Dottie]

I think the reason why these cartoons do not appear on the German treasures are simply that BV Germany sees itself as a distributing company for kids only. They only think about the age group 0-10, and everyone else older than this is not their "main target". Since small kids wouldn't not understand the content of these propaganda cartoons and don't know yet about that part of German history they decided not to put them on the DVDs.
It has not so much to do with them being banned, more with BV's image.

[Lars Vermundsberget]

I think the reason why these cartoons do not appear on the German treasures are simply that BV Germany sees itself as a distributing company for kids only. They only think about the age group 0-10, and everyone else older than this is not their "main target". Since small kids wouldn't not understand the content of these propaganda cartoons and don't know yet about that part of German history they decided not to put them on the DVDs.
It has not so much to do with them being banned, more with BV's image.

And I think that makes much sense. In order to get the "particularly controversial" shorts in Germany they'd probably have to release the Front Lines set or something similar and make sure the proper context were brough across...

[Dottie]

Exactly!
But a great set like the "On the frontlines" will never be relaesed here, since kids would never buy it, and BV doesn't care about adult collectors at all.
It's sad that here in Europe Disney is being downplayed to being only a kiddie company.

[Lars Vermundsberget]

Exactly!
But a great set like the "On the frontlines" will never be relaesed here, since kids would never buy it, and BV doesn't care about adult collectors at all.
It's sad that here in Europe Disney is being downplayed to being only a kiddie company.

Well, I'm pretty sure Disney animation is first and foremost considered "kiddie" material in the USA as well. But you are basically saying here that Germany has practically no adult Disney market at all...?

[Billy Moon]

But you are basically saying here that Germany has practically no adult Disney market at all...?

Are you saying that Norway has? Finland hasn't. (Well, apart from the weekly Donald Duck comic book that is being read by people of all ages, but it has very little to do with the animated films.)

[Dottie]

Not really. There are people who'd love to buy "grown-up" Disney stuff, but especially concerning BV practically nothing is released. At least nothing that kids might find boring. It's quite astonishing the PEs are released with all the extras intact, except TLM and SW PE. These two both lost their second disc.

Of course here in Germany people are not as crazy about Disney as they are in the US, and by the majority of the population Disney is considered kids' stuff, but there are more mature people who would appreciate if BV cared a bit more about the collector's aspect and things like the "True Life Adventures" for example which kids might not find too interesting.

[Lars Vermundsberget]

But you are basically saying here that Germany has practically no adult Disney market at all...?

Are you saying that Norway has? Finland hasn't. (Well, apart from the weekly Donald Duck comic book that is being read by people of all ages, but it has very little to do with the animated films.)

Not really sure if there's a difference between Norway and Germany or other European countries in this regard. I guess the "serious", "adult" Disney market is merely a niche in any country. A "niche" in the US, however, is still going to have a larger volume than in most other countries - I guess that's the difference.

We also have the weekly DD, and although it may have little to do with the animted films, it remains one of the bestsellers in Norway and proves that Disney has a certain standing here - and not just with "kids".

As for the lack of releases of most Treasures sets in Europe: I really don't worry - since we, the "serious", "adult" collectors are able to import whatever we please anyway.

[Billy Moon]

As for the lack of releases of most Treasures sets in Europe: I really don't worry - since we, the "serious", "adult" collectors are able to import whatever we please anyway.

And we do.

In my experience, most (grown up) people who read the Donald Duck comics usually don't watch Disney's animated films, and actually consider them kids' stuff (and have probably never heard of the True Life Adventures etc). I think it's because the comics have become a part of the Finnish culture in a way other Disney things haven't.

Sorry for getting slightly off topic.

[MK Sharp]

Getting back to the topic, slightly...

I saw a documentary recently which reminded me that it's illegal to display or sell a Swastika in Germany (understandably). How does this impact on films - say like The Sound Of Music - and could that be the underlying reason why BV Germany would have to remove the WW2 shorts from Chronological Donald Vol 2?