I can show you the world, shining, shimmering but only for a limited time before we take this cherished movie of your childhood away for another seven years…
That's how the song goes, right? Of course not, but Disney's "out of the vault" release campaign definitely makes us feel that way. It makes us a little grumpy. And sleepy. And doc. Wait, scratch that last one. It doesn't work.
Don't get us wrong, we are so pumped for Aladdin's Diamond Edition coming to Blu-ray on Oct. 6, because the late Robin Williams' performance as the Genie is about as good as it gets, right? But whenever Disney "opens the vault," we can't help but wonder why they even have a vault that holds our cherished childhood memories hostage in the first place!
As it turns out, Disney does not release their classic films and then yank them off the market to be cruel and sadistic. (Although sometimes we feel like Disney movies exist only to make our heart break). There is a reason behind the schedule, and it's actually kind of sweet.
According to Robyn Miller, who previously served as Head of Product Development for Disney's home video division (Buena Vista Home Entertainment), the "vault" marketing campaign is all about younger generations, and not just as a tactic to make consumers feel like they have to buy it now before it's gone forever."
The videos come out of the vault approximately every seven years so that new generations of two to seven-years-old can enjoy the films. It's Disney's way of making sure classics like Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid and Cinderella don't go forgotten, because that would actually be a travesty. Imagine your child not knowing what a dinglehopper was? Or never knowing the genius behind Williams' Genie performance?
That would be a terrible world, indeed.
So sure, it's frustrating to have to wait so long for Disney movies to be released for home viewing if you missed the boat the first time, but at least the reasoning behind it is for the greater good of future generations everywhere.
And in case you were wondering, this is the list of main Disney "classics" that come in and out of the vault:
•Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
•Pinocchio
•Fantasia
•Dumbo
•Bambi
•Cinderella
•Alice in Wonderland
•Peter Pan
•Lady and the Tramp
•Sleeping Beauty
•One Hundred and One Dalmatians
•The Jungle Book
•The Little Mermaid
•Beauty and the Beast
•Aladdin
•The Lion King