Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Disney within a space of a few months has gone from one extreme to the other. On the one hand they release a two disc version of one of their all time classics Mary Poppins,both sound and picture having been fully restored and cleaned close to perfection.A fitting compliment to both the film,its' stars and Disney itself. Then comes the first time release onto DVD of this little Disney gem and it absolutely stuns you as you shake your head and check the box to make sure it really is a Disney product and not some kind of cruel joke. Don't get me wrong the product(i.e.movie)is worth about a four star rating on its' own merits.It has a wonderful story line which takes our lead characters on an adventure in many far and distant lands and is a natural for older children to excite their imaginations.The special effects are pure Disney and of that era but were always done with great flare and still hold up fairly well now. Strangly enough the last review I wrote was about the abominable assassination of the Laurel and Hardy product being released by the "wonderful folks" at Hallmark.Never did I dream that I would run across another such product and especially a Disney one.But nevertheless here it is for all to see. Bottomline is this.The aspect ratio is simply WRONG.It has been cleaned up yes through the usual digital means but it cannot hide the fact that this is the same cropped and pan and scan version we've seen on TV and on home video in years gone by.Everything from scenary,to animals to the actors themselves get cut off the screen.Furthermore,and I have felt this from the first time I saw it in such a state on TV and then later in its' video format that this movie was one of the worst victims of pan and scan that I'd ever seen.And viewing it once more in a clearer but absolute same state I'm convinced more than ever I was right all along.Also what "extras" there are,are for a release such as this pitifully few.It is a rip off,wrong and totally UNACCEPTABLE by any standards. We as consumers must not just accept this sub standard product as the norm or let it go as is.I have said it before,I will say it again and keep saying it until every manufacturer and distributor of entertainment products in the audio and visual medium start treating consumers as something other than a cave dweller from the dark side of the moon. Your credo's should be that ANY product that you release is done so with full knowledge(on both sides)that it was made with the utmost care and attention and all source elements used to create said products were of the highest quality available anywhere.And if any defects are found by the consumer then an exchange or refund to said consumer should be forthcoming immediately no questions asked. Now THAT is the kind of relationship/understanding we as consumers should have had with the audio/visual industry since the beginning and we would have if the industry as a whole worked together and had any kind of confidence in their products. In conclusion DO NOT BUY this product.It is an obvious cheap(for Disney) re-release of a film that deserves a far better fate than the one they have relegated to it.Let's see if we can get this abomination recalled and/or re-released in its' proper theatrical widescreen format so we can see it as it should be seen.