Why has Disney never released a Halloween-themed cartoon DVD

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Guitarman
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Why has Disney never released a Halloween-themed cartoon DVD

Post by Guitarman »

Back in the days of VHS and Laserdisc, the Disney Company released several Halloween/spook-themed titles collecting various cartoons together. There was one called "Scary Tales", released on both VHS and Laserdisc in the early 80’s that featured six cartoons (“Donald Duck and the Gorilla”, “Duck Pimples” “The Skeleton Dance”, “Haunted House”, “Donald’s Lucky Day”, and “Pluto’s Judgment Day”) on it. There was also “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”, which, when released in the Disney White Clamshell series, also contained two shorts (“Lonesome Ghosts” and “Trick or Treat”) along with the main feature.

When Disney started a second line of VHS tapes called “Walt Disney Cartoon Classics” in the late 80’s, there were two more tapes released along these lines: "Donald's Scary Tales" and "Halloween Haunts". "Donald’s Scary Tales" contained “Donald Duck and the Gorilla”, “Duck Pimples” and “Donald’s Lucky Day”, and "Halloween Haunts" contained “Pluto’s Judgment Day”, “Lonesome Ghosts” and “Trick or Treat”.

And that’s it. Disney has released at least one Valentine-themed DVD collection, and at least two Christmas-themed collections. But never any Halloween-themed ones. Besides a DVD containing the above-mentioned cartons, I know there has been demand for the release of "Disney’s Halloween Treat" and "A Disney Halloween" TV specials, but again, nothing. Does anybody know why, or have any theories as to why there has never been a DVD/Blu-Ray release along these lines? Any insight would be appreciated. Thank you.
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RyGuy
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Post by RyGuy »

There's always this one:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mickey%27s ... f_Villains

It contains several of the Halloween shorts, including Lonesome Ghosts and Trick or Treat plus a couple of HoM episodes that I personally love, namely Hansel & Gretel and How to Haunt a House.

But, I know what you mean. I'd really like a Halloween DVD that didn't contain all the HoM interstitial animation. As it is, I usually just use scene selection on my DVD player to watch the shorts I actually want to see.
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Post by reyquila »

Region's 4 Once Upon a Halloween was released!!
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Post by Sotiris »

reyquila wrote:Region's 4 Once Upon a Halloween was released!
Once Upon a Halloween was also released in the UK (region 2).
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Post by reyquila »

Sotiris wrote:
reyquila wrote:Region's 4 Once Upon a Halloween was released!
Once Upon a Halloween was also released in the UK (region 2).
I have the Australian one, Region 4!
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Post by merlinjones »

Good call guitarman, I'd love to see a Halloween DVD/Blu-Ray with Walt's cartoons:

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
Trick or Treat
Lonesome Ghosts
The Mad Doctor
Pluto's Judgment Day
The Worm Turns
Skeleton Dance
Donald Duck and the Gorilla
Donald's Lucky Day
Duck Pimples
The Haunted House

and perhaps the post-Walt:

Runaway Brain
Vincent

-- The "Wonderful World of Color" version of ''Sleepy Hollow'' would be nice too as it has additional animated material on Washington Irving or "Disney's Greatest Villains" hosted by Magic Mirror Hans Conreid.
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Post by Barbossa »

reyquila wrote:
Sotiris wrote: Once Upon a Halloween was also released in the UK (region 2).
I have the Australian one, Region 4!
Uh-oh. Now reyquila will be trying to hunt down the region 2 DVD... :wink:
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Post by Brina78 »

I agree, and now would definitely be a good time to start releasing them! Now is a good time to release the original Frankenweenie on DVD, but they're probably saving that as a bonus feature when the newest version is released.
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Post by thelittleursula »

merlinjones wrote:Good call guitarman, I'd love to see a Halloween DVD/Blu-Ray with Walt's cartoons:

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
Trick or Treat
Lonesome Ghosts
The Mad Doctor
Pluto's Judgment Day
The Worm Turns
Skeleton Dance
Donald Duck and the Gorilla
Donald's Lucky Day
Duck Pimples
The Haunted House

and perhaps the post-Walt:

Runaway Brain
Vincent

-- The "Wonderful World of Color" version of ''Sleepy Hollow'' would be nice too as it has additional animated material on Washington Irving or "Disney's Greatest Villains" hosted by Magic Mirror Hans Conreid.
This ! And don't forget the Organ Donators cartoon from House of Mouse. It's basically MD/ Runaway Brain.
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Post by Guitarman »

Bump.
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Post by RyGuy »

Brina78 wrote:I agree, and now would definitely be a good time to start releasing them! Now is a good time to release the original Frankenweenie on DVD, but they're probably saving that as a bonus feature when the newest version is released.
In case you're looking for it, the original Frankenweenie is an extra on this version of the Nightmare Before Christmas DVD:

http://www.buy.com/prod/tim-burton-s-th ... 39387.html


It's also available for purchase from Amazon Instant Video:

http://www.amazon.com/Frankenweenie/dp/ ... nkenweenie
Guitarman
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Why has Disney never released a Halloween-themed cartoon DVD

Post by Guitarman »

Back in the days of VHS and Laserdisc, the Disney Company released several Halloween/spook-themed titles collecting various cartoons together. There was one called Scary Tales, released on both VHS and Laserdisc in the early 80’s that featured six cartoons (“Donald Duck and the Gorilla”, “Duck Pimples” “The Skeleton Dance”, “Haunted House”, “Donald’s Lucky Day”, and “Pluto’s Judgment Day”) on it. There was also “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”, which, when released in the Disney White Clamshell series, also contained two shorts (“Lonesome Ghosts” and “Trick or Treat”).

When Disney started a second line of VHS tapes called “Walt Disney Cartoon Classics” in the late 80’s, there were two more tapes released along these lines: Donald’s Scary Tales and Halloween Haunts. Donald’s Scary Tales contained “Donald Duck and the Gorilla”, “Duck Pimples” and “Donald’s Lucky Day”, and Halloween Haunts contained “Pluto’s Judgment Day”, “Lonesome Ghosts” and “Trick or Treat”.

And that’s it. Disney has released at least one Valentine-themed DVD collection, and at least two Christmas-themed collections. But never any Halloween-themed ones. Besides a DVD containing the above-mentioned cartons, I know there has been demand for the release of Disney’s Halloween Treat and A Disney Halloween TV specials, but again, nothing. Does anybody know why, or have any theories? Any insight would be appreciated. Thank you.
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RyGuy
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Re: Why has Disney never released a Halloween-themed cartoon

Post by RyGuy »

They did release the House of Villains which has some of those shorts embedded in it. I know Lonesome Ghosts is included as is Trick or Treat. Donald Duck and the Gorilla may be as well.
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Kyle
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Re: Why has Disney never released a Halloween-themed cartoon

Post by Kyle »

I think they shy away from Halloween in general because it limits the market they can sell it to. Even Toy Story of terror doesn't have any overt references to Halloween. They want to sell these things to a global market.
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Re: Why has Disney never released a Halloween-themed cartoon

Post by Guitarman »

What do you mean by "they shy away from Halloween in general because it limits the market they can sell it to"? Do you mean people who don't celebrate Halloween?
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Re: Why has Disney never released a Halloween-themed cartoon

Post by ajmrowland »

At the very least, it limits when they can sell it and when people buy it.
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Re: Why has Disney never released a Halloween-themed cartoon

Post by Angeldude98 »

Guitarman wrote:What do you mean by "they shy away from Halloween in general because it limits the market they can sell it to"? Do you mean people who don't celebrate Halloween?
Well, there is that, yes. A good number of people do not celebrate halloween for different reasons, and so halloween-themed films and products do not appeal to them. But you also have to remember that Halloween is a holiday that originated in the British Isles, and thus it is mostly observed in the UK, Ireland, the US and Canada and to a lesser extent in other English-speaking countries such as Australia and New Zealand. In the rest of the world people do not see it as a major holiday. American sitcoms, shows and cinema have made it known and there are small pockets of people that celebrate it, and because of that it is gaining popularity among young people because it's an excuse for fun costume parties. Bet regardless of that, to them it's just an American holiday and so Halloween-themed merchandise and films does not particularly entice them. So to Disney, being business-minded as we all know they are, that is just not profitable enough to justify spending millions in merchandise, marketing and advertisement for films and products that appeal to such a limited audience.
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Re: Why has Disney never released a Halloween-themed cartoon

Post by thelittleursula »

Angeldude98 wrote: Well, there is that, yes. A good number of people do not celebrate halloween for different reasons, and so halloween-themed films and products do not appeal to them. In the rest of the world people do not see it as a major holiday. American sitcoms, shows and cinema have made it known and there are small pockets of people that celebrate it, and because of that it is gaining popularity among young people because it's an excuse for fun costume parties. Bet regardless of that, to them it's just an American holiday and so Halloween-themed merchandise and films does not particularly entice them. So to Disney, being business-minded as we all know they are, that is just not profitable enough to justify spending millions in merchandise, marketing and advertisement for films and products that appeal to such a limited audience.
^ This


Oct 31st in just a normal day over here, minus a few Horror movies played on TV.


Not only this but I don't think that today's PC Soccer Mum's would want to buy their kiddies a Halloween themed DVD; America or not.
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Re: Why has Disney never released a Halloween-themed cartoon

Post by Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo »

In the UK had a DVD released called "Once Upon a Halloween" which was a movie made up from clips from movies and shorts with linking material of the Evil Queen trying to gather the villians.
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Re: Why has Disney never released a Halloween-themed cartoon

Post by disneyboy20022 »

There have been several Halloween themed DVDs by Disney. There's been quite a few Winnie The Pooh Halloween DVDs though a good majority are the My Friends Tigger and Pooh. The other Mickey Mouse Halloween DVDs are from that preschool shows Mickey Mouse Clubhouse which I don't count.

Probably the biggest Winnie The Pooh title was that Halloween Heffalump movie.

But overall there hasn't been a lot of Halloween ones, given as some people don't celebrate Halloween as already mentioned. A little off topic, but that's why General Mills made Count Chocula and the other cereals and like Frankenberry etc only around Halloween Time
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